For busy production houses and media managers, Video Asset Management systems (VAM) are an indispensable tool. They prove invaluable in keeping up with the constant demand for video content, improving workflows, increasing operational efficiency and facilitating easier collaborations with outsourced third parties.
However, for those new to managing large volumes of video assets, it helps to know exactly what to look for in a VAM platform — to know what features you should expect and how they can help your company to achieve its operational goals. The current generation of VAM systems have an impressive range of capabilities for video projects. Still, you need to know which are surplus to requirements and which will give you the leading edge you need.
Let’s take a look at the essential features that will revolutionize your workflow in this VAM software checklist.
As your workload grows you need faster and hassle-free access to your archived video assets. Stock footage and other assets branding, logos, intros and transitions will likely be called on regularly for new video production.
Storage is also important when mastering your archives and backups. Hybrid cloud storage is a vital requirement in order to meet the demands of high-quality video storage — especially in an age where HD is expected and 4K UHD is increasingly common on OTT platforms.
Finally, you’ll need to consider ease of access both on-site and remotely. We’ll get into more detail on that later in this list.
In pursuit of an efficient workflow, you need to be able to get access to your archives and your production environment in the same place without having to switch between interfaces. This is why integrations with a range of editing suites like Adobe Pro Premiere, Avid Media Composer or Final Cut are essential. An efficient workflow can only be achieved when your VAM platform is working with your editing software, rather than against it.
Metadata is the key to efficient archive management and a well-optimized workflow. Only when metadata is consistent and comprehensive can archives be truly searchable. Input fields can create headaches for production houses when metadata tags are applied inconsistently. Because VAMs add metadata at the point of ingestion, it makes for more efficient searching and prevents archived files from being lost in plain sight. But for the latest generation of VAMs, there’s more to metadata than input fields. Many VAMs now use state-of-the-art AI and object recognition to make video repositories and archives searchable by object or even spoken words and phrases.
Applying metadata manually can be a slow and painstaking process and the more that can be automated, the better. Nonetheless, you want to be able to add custom metadata at your own discretion without needing to jump through a lot of administrative hoops to do so.
Whatever your production and post-production needs, robust metadata and search capabilities should be high on your list of priorities.
In order to keep up with the constant demand for high-quality video content, production houses may need to consider taking on an extra pair of hands. But recruiting a new team member may be time and cost-prohibitive. Freelancers and outsourced post-production staff are a neat way to get extra manpower without crippling overheads. However, collaborating on video remotely has historically been tricky when dealing with cumbersome video files.
But there is a solution! VAMs make collaboration easy. And when we say collaboration, we’re not just talking about file sharing. We’re talking about the ability to collaborate remotely on video files in real-time, editing and exchanging notes before submitting for final approval or even uploading directly to OTT platforms.
This would have been unthinkable until fairly recently when VAMs became capable of leveraging proxies of master files. These are small, lower-resolution versions of video files which can be edited remotely and uploaded via a process of conforming, restoring them to their previous resolution. With the right VAM, it’s easy to get freelancers on board as well as allowing team members to work remotely without the need to send files back and forth.
Whatever the nature of your video assets, you need to know that they are secure and insulated from the risk of leaks. However, if you’re working with remote editors and freelancers, this can create security vulnerabilities, even if the people you are dealing with are trustworthy and well-vetted.
You need a VAM with robust security, and that goes way beyond encryption. Still, today’s VAMs are no slouches in that department either with some boasting NASA-level encryption. Centralized control over access privileges is essential, as is full control over rights management and system administration. This means the ability to use watermarks, track user access and configure user permissions with a high degree of granularity.
The right security provision allows media managers to improve operational efficiency while also affording them the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their assets are insulated from risk.
With the right VAM platform, you can take control of your video assets, master your archives, improve your workflow and avail yourself of top-tier outsourced talent without the need to max out on overheads. This checklist gives you everything you need to look for in a platform and all the questions you should ask prospective partners.