Splashtop was an exhibitor at IBC Amsterdam. Read on to learn key insights from top thought leaders about the intersection of content, entertainment and technology.
The International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) in Amsterdam has just closed its doors after 4 days of in-person networking and inspiration. Splashtop was amongst the 1250 exhibitors that came to the event to showcase innovative technology and launch their new products.
During the event, the Splashtop team had the chance to welcome many of the 10.000 visitors that populated the 11 halls of RAI in Amsterdam and talk with some of the thought-leaders who discussed the future of media and entertainment, debating the biggest challenges and exploring the latest trends and technologies.
Representatives of Warner Bros, Discovery, SKY, Google, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount, Disney and AWS were among the speakers appearing on stage, together with many other top brands, that shared their latest thinking and views on what’s shaping the future of media.
Experts discussed the main drivers that are having a major impact on the industry, such as the disruption to supply chains, the increase in cyber threats, the fast-paced adoption of new technologies and the scarcity of specialized talent and components. Peter White, CEO of IABM (the international trade association for broadcast and media suppliers) highlighted how changing viewing habits and pressure on viewers’ finances are fueling a move to AVOD business models, and consequently, even larger investments in content production.
Content and UX are paving the way forward
During the many sessions hosted this year, most thought-leaders focused on the importance of enhancing the user experience to activate and retain viewers.“The continuous multi-device consumption of content leads to the need for optimized blended experiences” said Dana Filip-Crandal – EVP and COO of Sky Germany- during her intervention about bold transformation moves.
“Not only viewers expect to be offered the right type of content, but they also expect it to be delivered seamlessly across all media” – she continued.
If the importance of local content continues to increase, with spending on international originals predicted to rise significantly, broadcasters and streamers are facing the challenge of adding value to their UX, introducing new capabilities such as fitness and gaming (SKY), extending digitalization (KPN) and investing in software-driven platforms.
Marie Fenner, SVP Analytics at Piano Software, also highlighted the importance of investing in content and data to develop and drive revenue. “Every year, big streamers spend between 2 and 20 billion dollars in content production, and yet they find themselves dealing with an average of 40% of “sleepers”, who will eventually increase their churn rate.”
Adapting to rapidly changing consumer behavior is, indeed, one of the biggest challenges faced by the content production chain, where broadcasters and production houses need to optimize their workflows and carry on doing more, with less. Content production, on the other hand, has become more complex due to shortages of components led by Covid quarantines and the adoption of the hybrid work approach.
These drivers, together with the continuing progression towards Integrated Production (IP), increase the demand for custom hardware and highly optimized software solutions, especially when it comes to remote production tools.
Remote production is fueling speed and efficiency
The past few years have seen a growing need for streamlined crews and low-cost content creation, resulting in the rise of remote and virtual production systems. Companies like Canon and Sony are focusing on advancing their virtual and remote production capabilities, to support smaller crews or even stand-alone operators.
Enabling remote control over production process has become crucial not only to increase efficiency in post-production, but also during live productions. Cloud systems enable teams to work and cooperate remotely, allowing for fewer staff to be required on location, as well as greater flexibility to work on multiple productions at the same time.
Remote solutions pave the way to cooperation and scalability
Due to the continuous introduction of new technologies and the scarcity of highly skilled talents, cooperation amongst highly specialized video and sound technicians represents another great challenge for the media and entertainment industry. Cloud and on-prem remote solutions allow for a scalable approach of talent and resources, enabling professionals to cooperate seamlessly, regardless of their location. “Secure and high-performing remote access solutions enable creative professionals to access their most powerful workstations from any device and platforms, wherever they are.” Said Alexander Draaijer – Managing Director of Splashtop EMEA. “Today’s M&E landscape imposes companies to produce at an incredible high pace, while complying with maximum security standards and ensuring top performance. At Splashtop we have developed secure remote access solutions, jam-packed with additional features for production professionals, so that they can create and produce remotely, leveraging the power of 4K streaming at 60 fps.”
Combining freedom of movement with top performance
Splashtop’s secure remote solutions allow production technicians to access and utilize resource-intense software applications for video editing, game development, lip-syncing, and graphic rendering, by connecting remotely from anywhere, with any device. Creative professionals can leverage 3rd party devices, such as Wacom tablets, while operating remotely, thanks to USB redirection. In addition to that, features such as microphone passthrough, local and remote sound output and scheduled access for teams and freelancers, allow for seamless cooperation while delivering maximum quality.
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