Archiving in the “Digital Dark Age”

In an age where all audio and video is just a digital data file, and the tools available are capable of producing some of the best looking images ever, how you store those files for eternity remains a hotly debate issue. Many experts are warning that if a comprehensive archiving workflow is not developed soon, and if professionals decline to take part, many master copies of work will be lost to improper archiving and saving plans.

That’s the strategy to be discussed at 2013 Content & Communications World show, as part of its Production + Post conference, in a special session—Wednesday, November 13, 10:15 - 10:45 AM—entitled, “Your Digital Dark Age and the Failure of Archive Planning in a Tapeless World.” Speakers Evan Schechtman, Chief Technology Officer, @radical.media and Dave Satin, a Digital Imaging Technician with Digital Cinema Engineering LLC, who has worked on such television shows as “White Collar Season 4,” “Royal Pains Season 3,” and “In Treatment Season 3.” Schechtman founded new media technology company Outpost Digital in 1998, which was bought out by @radical.media in 2001.

The session will also include discussion of cloud-based vs. on-premise file transfer services, the need for industry standards, and which type of networking topology makes the most sense for your post-production business.

Together the two archiving experts—having completed numerous projects both on tape and in the tapeless domain—will explain the issues and illustrate how today’s tapeless workflows are acting as a safety net, preventing professionals from thinking about the long term plans for archiving their precious work. Currently, they argue, the industry is going through a “digital dark age” where many master copies of work will be lost to improper archiving and saving plans. Once this happens, now and in the future, people will recognize the value of investing in an efficient method to protect their data.

The session speakers will also discuss the how the current mindset for archiving and preservation must evolve to prevent the loss of your content in this digital Dark Age.

This session is open to all attendees of the 2013 CCW Show.