Sky is launching the Sky Editorial Asset Centre, a new digital asset management platform designed to enable easier sharing of its stock of still images for commissioned and acquired shows and movies.
The platform has been created by multi-channel publishing company, Evolved Media Solutions, using software firm WoodWing’s digital asset management (DAM) system, Elvis, as the basis of the platform, but customised to Sky’s own needs.
Sky briefed Evolved Media Solutions to create the Sky Editorial Asset Centre (SEAC) having identified the time being spent every week on servicing hundreds of requests for images by telephone and email. In addition, it had found that there was inconsistency and sometimes inaccuracy with the images being used to promote its TV programmes and movies both internally and externally.
SEAC will store all images in a central repository, and use a drag and drop system to assign usage and inherit metadata. It will create a process to manage image requests and allow users to download approved imagery themselves if the image they are looking for is already available. Where the required image is not yet available, SEAC will enable users to make a request which they can then track.
SEAC will be integrated with Sky’s programme schedule database so that its stills department can plan ahead for the images they will need before the start of each new series or upcoming movie. The system also incorporates approval tools so they can manage the picture rights, ensuring that images can only be used for the purpose assigned to them. People can then search for the images they want by channel, programme, series, episode and transmission date.
“It’s great to offer the Sky Editorial Asset Centre to our staff and external partners – we’re already getting positive feedback from those using the new platform,” said Michele Swaine, transformation director at Sky. “Quite simply, it will transform the consistency, availability, accuracy and delivery efficiency of the millions of images we use to run and promote our business.”
Russell Pierpoint, managing director at Evolved Media Solutions, added: “The Sky Editorial Asset Centre will streamline the whole process, allowing Sky to take control of the sharing of its digital assets, stop multiple teams across the company having to search for the same pictures over and over again, and make it much easier for users to access the images they need. Sky should see a good return on investment as a result of the efficiencies this new platform will provide.”
www.evolvedmediasolutions.co.uk
www.sky.com/corporate
www.woodwing.com
