A Clear plan for content in the cloud

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) has an enviable reputation as the creator of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and ‘Clear’ for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry. PFT is the technology subsidiary of Prime Focus.

Their client list is among the strongest in the business, and boasts major broadcasters, brands, service providers and Hollywood studios. PFT manages a total of 1.5 million hours of content annually, which includes internationally acclaimed productions like Game of Thrones. The company has over 2000 employees spread across five continents.

As Sankaranarayanan stresses, PFT closely manages the business of content for clients worldwide, leveraging its SaaS (Software as a Service) offerings to handle content operations in multiple geographical locations across the globe.

Powered by Hybrid Cloud architecture, Clear Media ERP allows ‘Digital Dailies’ to be delivered from and to remote locations, and enables various teams – such as Programming, Marketing, Legal and Promos – to collaborate seamlessly for making content telecast ready. It also facilitates Dubbing and Subtitling of content in multiple languages and has extensive provisions for Disaster Recovery.

“We have made great progress in leveraging the power of cloud technology with our one of a kind software solution. Today, Clear is well equipped to handle all kinds of content, including 4K and HDR. Moreover, it can deliver output for a vast range of screens and devices – right from mobiles to large screen projections. Our clients see us as a very connected part of their businesses, and we like this closeness, as our aim is always to help them attain their business goals.”

Sankaranarayanan enthusiastically sheds more light on PFT’s flagship product, Clear Media ERP, linking its promise to the tectonic shift that has recently taken place in the M&E industry. “Clients no longer enjoy the profit margins they used to 10 years, or even 5 years ago.

Traditional revenues have remained flat over the years and margins have only shrunk, leaving CEOs and CTOs wondering how to boost profitability in today’s ‘Digital Next’ era. Learning from other sectors like healthcare and manufacturing, M&E enterprises need to automate the content supply chain and adopt centralisation by deploying ONE software for the enterprise. This is where Clear can add tremendous value as it helps build a connected enterprise”.

”M&E enterprises need to automate the content supply chain and adopt centralisation by deploying ONE software for the enterprise”

He elaborates his point with more examples. “Earlier, broadcasters used to send their content to us for finishing and preparation about 30 days ahead of TX. But all that has changed. Today’s M&E players want to publish their content 30 seconds from now! I exaggerate, but only a little. The industry is going through fundamental changes and the consumer expects instant access to content anytime, anywhere. Traditional pay-TV operators have also moved into the realm of OTT. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have stormed the VoD world by providing high-quality original content. All this leads to the emergence of new viewer demands that can be managed by leveraging technology cleverly, and PFT is here to help M&E enterprises through their journey of transformation.”