​Transforming production through digital transformation

Pushed to remote working by the pandemic, teams that previously relied on face-to-face collaboration had to find ways to continue working together without the benefit of ‘this is how we’ve always done things’. And that’s a good thing.

Rather than simply replicating analogue processes in digital form, these technologies offer a way to leapfrog to new and better systems across all aspects of production. Here are three ways the television and film production industry can unlock the power of digital transformation to streamline and simplify the production process.

1. Leverage the power of SaaS

Software as a Service (SaaS) has completely changed the way teams can access tools and share information. There’s no need to find the resources to build or buy software and install it directly on an internal server or a user’s computer. Instead, new team members can get to work quickly and simply by accessing through a web browser.

As the software is held centrally, security and functional updates are instantly available to all users ensuring everyone is working with the world’s best tools. As well as reducing deployment and operational costs, SaaS tools make it far easier to share information so everyone is working with the most current data all the time, from anywhere.

2. Streamline workflows

Having everything about a production in one place ensures that everyone is working from the same information, without duplication. Even when the person who created that data has left the team. For example, notes taken by a casting producer are used at every stage of production, but by the time the shoot commences, the casting producer may have moved on to their next project.

During production, multiple team members work on the same information at the same time. Without a connected digital platform, they’re duplicating information and effort, or searching in multiple different places – shared drives, folders, desktops, email, and notes. When one member of your team discovers a piece of information, it should never have to be added to your data flow again. It should pull through your system. When information such as shoot logs, production notes, footage, contributor welfare checks, and other content is shared quickly and easily, production can flow smoothly and everyone can trust that the process works. For example, instead of maintaining complex spreadsheets to manage task lists, a central tracker can ensure everyone is looking at the most recent information as it changes in real-time.

If information is stored across a multitude of platforms and in people’s heads then organisational knowledge is diluted. Or, even worse, it can be lost when people walk out the door. A central hub of information that is accessible now and into the future means knowledge is captured in a consistent way that can be easily found again when needed.

3. Empower the team with automation

Automation can be a powerful tool that helps production teams do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. Instead of spending time manually organising logs or pulling together information from different sources, automation can assist by reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks so the team can pour their creative energy into producing a great show. The best ideas come from moments when people are given the chance to stretch their imaginations. But when they are bogged down with administrative minutiae, they lose those opportunities.

Television and film production was born in the analogue age. But digital transformation is an opportunity to streamline the production process. It simplifies information sharing and workflow while allowing teams to execute faster, more securely, and more cost-effectively.

 Karen Dewey is CEO and co-founder of Lumi.Media