Woods TV, part of Paris and Los Angeles based Woods Media Group, has purchased a Quantel Enterprise sQ system together with Quantel’s new QTube global workflow technology, writes David Fox.
The system will be central to Woods TV’s new HD, fully file-based facility as the company moves its EMEA HQ to a new headquarters in Boulogne Billancourt near Paris.
Its key criteria selecting the new system were: the ability to work with mixed HD/SD content; a need to handle HD with the same speed as SD; running video alongside files within the server; improved workflow and efficiency with multiple simultaneous ingest and print capability; to integrate fully with its media asset management solution; and to be scalable and future-proof.
It also saw significant global workflow benefits were possible with QTube to ensure sophisticated shared workflow between its offices and production facilities around the world. Applications will include international content adaptation, reformatting and repurposing for diverse platforms and formats as well as for fast turnaround remote news and sports programme production.
The Enterprise sQ system includes 100Mbps DVCPRO storage with video ingest handled by sQ Record. Multiple Quantel sQ Cut editors will provide file ingest, shot selection and cleaning of media, with eight Final Cut Pro systems fully integrated into the Quantel workflow for editing. Quantel’s Mission MAM system will provide secure asset management and playout (tapeless and to tape) and, in conjunction with a Quantel Power Portal, it will manage the in-house archive and deliver content to various platforms.
“It was the only rational and future-proof choice that could guarantee our company and our clients 24/7 ‘follow the sun’ productivity out of our EMEA and other production centres including LA and prepare us for the opening of our Far East and Asia office,” said Tom Woods, Co-Founder and CEO of Woods TV.
Marc Schulman of systems integrator STP who provided consultancy to Woods TV on the project added: “Woods TV’s project architecture was a challenge as the large existing Final Cut Pro infrastructure had to continue to service both HD and SD formats effectively. STP had to design a very stable, high input and output, future-proof system and also build in the potential to optimize workflow for a multi-site company operating currently in Paris and Los Angeles with other sites scheduled to come on line in the near future. After an exhaustive preliminary study it became clear that Quantel Enterprise sQ and QTube technology was the right answer.”
Besides systems integration, Woods also chose STP for its customer collaboration methodology, AMOSI, which allows it “to build sophisticated systems in a cost effective business environment with full transparency, giving the customer control of project costs,” said Schulman.
