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The Emerging Trends In Media Process Outsourcing Services

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Content storage, retrieval, and repurposing have always been challenging tasks for the media industry. Media companies have had to invest money, effort, and manpower in these non-core activities, even while the pressure for creating original content kept mounting. Further, in a technological scenario where the speed of innovations is unmatched, there is an increasing need to convert decades of analogue content to digital form, where it can then be repurposed for various medium of communication, for instance ipods, mobile phones, and so on. Over the past many years, services like conversion, correction, and collation were provided by film laboratories, but there was a dearth of relevant expertise. In the recent past, an effort has been made to provide these services to the media and entertainment industry in a more organized manner, in the form of Media Process Outsourcing.
Media Process Outsourcing refers to the outsourcing of those processes or services of the film and broadcast industry that are related to digital archiving, restoration, inventory management, repurposing digital content, and colour correction amongst other services. The emerging trend in the Media Process Outsourcing industry is to provide the following services:
Restoration

Most of the media content that was available in the past was in analogue form. However, the quality of picture was poor in that outdated format. Conversion and restoration of analogue content to digital form has given a whole new life and meaning to years of prints and cinema. Moreover, under digital format, computer graphics imaging or 3D animation can be incorporated, which further enlivens the storyline. New age film restoration systems allow quick and cost- efficient restoration of damaged cinema and video films.

Digital Archival

This service enables media houses to digitize their libraries of rare archival footage for future use, and for quality preservation.

Digital Content Management

This service is ideal for organizations with large content management bottlenecks. By outsourcing digital content management, media companies are now able to avail of a number of affordable solutions that address their workflow glitches. This service is considered ideal for most corporations, film studios, broadcasters, universities or government agencies where a number of departments require digital content simultaneously for production and archival.

Repurposing Content

Content consumption (through mobile, PCs and ipods) is personalized today. Since the delivery mechanisms for content have changed, it needs to be re-engineered to suit new platforms. Conversion of video format to make it more appropriate for the viewer is now of prime importance, depending on the screen he is watching it on. Moreover, in the current technological scenario, there is a need to develop capsules, segments (video clips) of the same program (the whole video) to suit the time needs of the viewer. To watch a video on a small screen (an HTC or Blackberry) requires different aspect ratios, angles, etc. Outsourcing repurposing services has helped media companies to cater to a larger share of audience.

Colorization

Colorization is a computerized process that adds color to a black and white movie or TV program. The benefit of outsourcing this service is that skilled technicians determine the gray level of every object in every shot and note any movement of objects within shots. They add color to each object, while keeping gray levels the same as in the monochrome original. The colours are determined through their inherent aesthetic sense and thorough research. This enables media companies to present their legendary archived cinema, footage, adverts, and dramas in full colour, captivating images.

By outsourcing their media process services, a number of media and entertainment houses have been able to draw immense benefits like cost reduction, access to specialized skills and services, and reduction in time to market. However, the most important benefit of all is that media houses are able to broadcast critical analysis and research based documentaries and shows in a more time and cost effective manner.

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About The Author: Creative verve offers 2d animation, 3d animation, interactive multimedia outsourcing, offshore design services, interactive DVDs, CBTs, E-learning Services. Creative Verve is Indian Animation company. Creative Verve is Part of a href="http://www.theverve.in/">Offshore Outsourcing Company.