The newly launched IMG Sport Video Archive uses Cambridge’s Imagen2 to manage and commercialise content from leading federations and governing bodies such as Wimbledon, the Premier League, IRB, Australian Open, ATP World Tour, PGA & more.
Imagen2 provides a MAM and publishing system which works in conjunction with IMG’s corporate DAM. Content selected for licensing is automatically transferred via https to the Imagen2 MAM systems over a secure REST interface. Once uploaded, video is automatically ingested via a workflow. A range of proxy formats are created during ingest enabling end users to stream video via the IMGSVA website or mobile devices.
Metadata is also sent via the REST interface as XML as a companion file for the video. The XML contains descriptive, technical and shotlist information from the broadcaster’s EVS system. The shotlist information is used by Imagen2 to provide time based event searching within long form sporting content. IMG chose Imagen2 for this specific feature enabling them to commercialise the raw feeds in their corporate DAM without the need for further editing.
The sports content uploaded to Imagen2 for publishing can be anywhere between one to six hours in duration – from a game of rugby to a day’s coverage of a golf tournament. Users can search for specific leagues, teams, individuals and events to quickly and precisely find the action they’re looking for on the timeline. While the greatest goals, trophy lifts and aces will always be available to researchers via the website, IMG is also able to monetise less obvious content – the celebrities in the box at Wimbledon,‘beauty shots’ from the world’s greatest golf courses, own goals and bloopers– ensuring that IMG receive as much value from their longtail video content as possible.
Visitors to the IMGSVA website can search the archive, filter results and playback long form sports content. Users can also create clips of their favourite footage using simple drag handles to mark in and out points.The edit points are sent to a workflow and a new file for download is produced which can be used for review offline or as a rough cut in a NLE. The watermarked download file has source time code information embedded in the file, which can be referenced by IMG to automate the fulfilment of the selected clip at a later stage.
The website is B2B and all users are requested to register before access to the premium sporting content is provided. User access and permissions are managed by IMG staff using ImagenWeb’s backend management interface. ImagenWeb also offers full content management so IMG staff are also able to update the website with topical content and features.
