File-Based Workflows: Key Challenges in Real-World Facilities

In past years, broadcasters adopted file-based workflows to enable faster-than-realtime and concurrent media processing, thereby improving production efficiency. This introduction turned out to be highly challenging, in particular with respect to the integration of different file-based islands into an optimized end-to-end workflow. Now that most issues are solved, time is ripe to assess the accomplishments of current implementations and identify the key future challenges. From a distant perspective, the main promises of working file-based seem to be fulfilled, but taking a closer look reveals that the majority of the implemented workflows are still very linear. System integrations could be taken to a higher level, especially concerning metadata, multiple-level format exchangeability, and truly collaborative production workflows. In addition, recent trends such as the consumerization of media production require adapted or novel workflows to handle the proliferation of formats and to provide a less strict, collaborative way of working.