DAM System

TV Animation Studio: Digital Asset Management (DAM) System

A Digital Asset Management (DAM) System is a critical tool when teams are collaborating and using the same digital assets in different ways.

THE PROBLEM

As production began on Season 2 of an animated TV show, the Lead Designers, Executive Producers, and IT faced a big problem: new ancillary projects were affecting production schedules.  So, as the studio began work on its first 10 concurrent episodes, new ancillary projects were developed.  The studio struggled to meet tight deadlines. They recognized that with staff working in Canada and New York, the needed a centralized repository.

Peg + Cat, from 100 Chickens Digital Archive

THE SOLUTION

The studio soon recognized they needed a DAM System. The Director of IT purchased and installed a system that would improve or automate ingest.  An archivist worked with Creatives and Producers to define required fields for metadata capture.  He also developed a modified workflow to improve efficiency.  As a result, asset ingest became more effective and consistent.

THE DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (DAM) PAYOFF

The archivist completed metadata work on a whole season’s large backlog of digital assets by the time the DAM launched. Soon after, training was provided for designers and producers in searching and finding.  Most stakeholders immediately recognized and benefitted from the DAM. In fact, it continues to play a vital and growing role.