There’s been plenty of talk over the years about a cloud-first future for post production, where storage, applications and collaboration all move seamlessly to the cloud. But in reality, that’s not how most post workflows operate today.
We work in a hybrid, multi-cloud world. Content spans a mix of on-prem systems, public and private cloud platforms, production MAMs and third-party storage. Editors, VFX teams, sound designers and localization service providers bring their own infrastructure into the mix. It’s the working model for post, and it will be for the foreseeable future.
That complexity creates real challenges. Where is the content? Who has access? How do you move and manage assets securely across systems without adding delay or risk? Storage independence is becoming key to addressing these questions. Teams need to work with content wherever it resides without duplicating or relocating it just to make progress. That’s why tools that unify access across all storage types (on-prem or cloud) through a single pane of glass are so valuable. They simplify workflows and accelerate decisions. The fewer times a file needs to be touched or transferred, the more secure and efficient the process becomes.
Post can get messy fast. Teams are spread out, files live in different places and everyone’s on a deadline. Content might be on a drive in LA, in the cloud or with a partner half way around the world. The right tools won’t eliminate that complexity, but they can make it easier to manage, helping teams find what they need quickly and focus more on the work itself.
Hybrid isn’t just a technical necessity, it’s a strategic advantage. Different stages of post require different types of storage: high-speed local systems for VFX, cloud-based options for archive and review. Hybrid models let teams match infrastructure to the task. That kind of flexibility means collaboration can stay in sync and keep projects moving, even when contributors are scattered across time zones and platforms.
The most effective post teams are leaning into flexibility and building around what works, not forcing everything into one place.
Chris Fournelle is Director of Content and Marketing Production at Signiant (www.signiant.com).