Rethinking Traditional Workflows in Media Production with Dan Goman

We seldom consider the extensive effort behind the creation of the content that we enjoy every day. The term “movie magic” is often used to explain away the intricacies of special effects, editing, and other post-production work that takes place after filming wraps up. However, the truth is that transforming raw footage into the polished productions viewers see demands significant time and manpower.

“It’s not just a matter of capturing the content and then suddenly having it finished, ready to be viewed,” said Dan Goman, an executive and entrepreneur in the digital media sector. “There’s a tremendous amount of work and a lot of people involved in the entire workflow from start to finish, with millions of dollars invested in the post-production process.”

Goman is the founder and CEO of Ateliere Creative Technologies, a software company that specializes in cloud-based supply chain management solutions. The company focuses on providing tools and platforms tailored for the media and entertainment sector to assist media companies in streamlining their workflows and enhancing operational efficiency.

Industry realities

Despite the scale of the studios and their financial resources allocated towards these projects, according to Goman efficiency has not been achieved as one might expect. Each step in the post-production process—from visual effects to audio mastering to translations—has historically been isolated or compartmentalized, each handled separately by different companies or departments without much integration or collaboration.

“Quite honestly, it’s a miracle that everything comes together. I believe a significant reason why many productions are so costly is because they involve a vast number of individuals and vendors —like 10,000 people—and somehow, all these people need to collaborate effectively to produce one cohesive final product,” Goman said.

As an outsider to the media and entertainment industry—his previous experience before founding Ateliere was focused at software companies such as Microsoft and Lucent Technologies—Goman admitted to previously sharing a common perception of Hollywood akin to the portrayal of hackers in movies—rapidly typing on a keyboard to swiftly gain control of highly secure systems and alter the world’s course in a matter of seconds. Everything appeared to be cutting edge when viewed from the outside.

In reality, the entire industry relies heavily on traditional methods, often employing what can be described as smoke and mirrors, albeit very old-fashioned ones. While there have been advancements in areas like visual effects, much of the sound design, for example, still relies on primitive techniques. It’s fascinating to note that many of the sounds you hear in films are created by unconventional means—such as using coconut shells to mimic the sound of horse hooves. There’s no computer-generated wizardry involved; it’s often just a person in a room with peculiar tools, recording various noises.

“This industry has historically shown significant resistance to change, almost to an extreme degree. It often takes a major event, like an act of God or force majeure, to make them change. As an example, until 2011 many companies were still reliant on magnetic tapes for content storage. However, the Fukushima nuclear disaster disrupted their production when it damaged one of the main factories. The supply chain constraints forced the industry to transition to hard-drive storage systems, but I guarantee you if that hadn’t happened we’d still be talking tapes,” Goman said.

A shift toward innovation and efficiencies

The digital era has thrown the industry into a state of identity crisis. Many are struggling to navigate this new landscape, leading to a widespread sense of disorientation. Over the past year, this confusion has been highlighted by prominent events like the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which drew attention to discussions around artificial intelligence and its impact on the industry.

However, Goman emphasizes that ignoring the need for change and persisting with outdated systems and processes is not the right approach. Instead, the media production industry needs to adapt a culture of innovation, staying ahead of technological trends and being proactive in rethinking traditional workflows. Ateliere’s signature platform is a centralized hub for media production and distribution, enabling multiple individuals or teams to collaborate seamlessly on various project components. Instead of working separately with different tools and processes, everyone involved can access the same platform to work on different parts of the content simultaneously.

To foster this culture of innovation and address the challenges faced by the media production industry, there are several key changes that can be implemented. Here are some strategies to facilitate this transition:

Adoption of cloud technologies: As Goman highlighted earlier, the media production industry experienced considerable delays in leveraging the faster access times and superior performance of hard drives. As cloud technologies become more prevalent and mature, there is a similar pattern emerging, with the industry facing delays in fully embracing the benefits of cloud-based workflows and storage solutions. The cloud has the ability to enhance scalability, flexibility and efficiency in handling large volumes of content, making it an ideal solution for modern media production needs. However, despite its potential advantages, the industry has been slow to adopt cloud technologies, often due to concerns about security, data privacy, and the complexity of transitioning established workflows to cloud-based platforms. Nonetheless, it’s increasingly clear that embracing cloud-based workflows and storage solutions will be essential for staying competitive and meeting the demands of an increasingly digital and interconnected industry.

Embracing the IMF standard: Embracing the IMF (Interoperable Master Format) standard is essential for the future of media production. IMF streamlines content creation and distribution by providing a standardized format, reducing the need for multiple versions of content, not only reducing storage and distribution costs, but also improving quality control by maintaining consistency across all versions of content. It enhances flexibility and scalability, enabling content creators to quickly adapt to different regional requirements without extensive re-editing, and also ensures that content archives remain relevant over time, providing a way to keep up with the ever-changing world of media. The standardized nature of IMF fosters better collaboration in the media production chain, overall streamlining workflows and reducing errors.

Integrating smarter, Generative AI-driven tools: The industry requires advanced, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. Leveraging GenAI will not only tackle existing operational challenges but also enable media companies to navigate future trends and opportunities more effectively in the global media landscape. These tools can automate routine tasks like tagging, metadata creation, and quality control checks, reducing time and enabling teams to focus on strategic aspects. AI can also be used to optimize storage through deduplication, creating the potential for significant cost savings. Media productions must look for creative ways to adopt GenAI-driven tools for managing their libraries more sustainably and cost-effectively. The Ateliere Connect platform is driven by a continuous learning GenAI engine that transforms content library chaos to order in minutes, reduces the need for human intervention and intelligently suggests revenue generating opportunities for content owners. It also acts as the central integration hub for best of breed GenAI services, reducing integration and operational overhead.

According to Goman, his vantage point as someone not originating from the industry has granted him valuable insights into addressing its inefficiencies.

“We approached things like software developers. We didn’t have all the answers, but we were problem-solvers at heart. Whenever we encountered an issue, our instinct was to find a solution. It was a constant cycle of identifying problems and brainstorming solutions. So we developed software to address the issues we faced, only to realize that the rest of the industry was grappling with the same challenges,” Goman said.

Companies need to stay ahead of technological trends and be proactive in rethinking traditional workflows in order to foster a culture of innovation within the media production industry. Adopting new technologies and making strategic investments in the future of media production will allow the industry to advance in an increasingly content-driven world.