Digital editing to speed TV production process

Flextech to move to digital platform to improve flow of programme material

Flextech, the parent company of television channels Bravo, LivingTV, FTN and Trouble, plans to improve business processes and speed up post-production by fully digitising its editing functions.

The company is working with the BBC’s former broadcast arm, now called Red Bee Media, to migrate to a digital environment which it hopes will be complete by January next year. Red Bee Media announced last week that it will work with two systems integrators, ATG Broadcast and TSL, to carry out the project.

‘Historically we have been tape-based and most of our workflow has been focused on that,’ said Dave Maynard, head of broadcast engineering at Flextech. ‘Now a lot more will be digitised and desktop-based, which will improve our business processes.’

The TV company will go live with a new desktop and craft editing system at its headquarters in central London this summer, after creating a new post-production village for producers and other creative staff.

Some 20 browse stations, four craft editing suites, two audio dubbing systems and two voice-over booths will be available for production staff, using Quantel editing desktops, Avid audio tools and a Foundry IP network.

‘We are just about at the point where we can get our content in a digital form. This improves our workflow policies and means that we can produce promotional material faster,’ said Maynard.

Programme material will be digitised at Red Bee Media’s Broadcast Centre in west London and transferred into a central storage system, based on technology from supplier SGI.

A digital asset management system and automated workflow process will also be used to transfer files across London via a gigabit fibre network to Flextech’s post-production centre, where programmes will be compiled and promotions created.

‘This will drive information through the business. When a programme is about to be scheduled, promoted or aired the right people will know,’ said Maynard.

‘It will produce and transfer material to the most appropriate place and help track and schedule the material.’

Edited content will then be transferred back to and transmitted from Broadcast Centre. BBC and Channel Five also air from the same location.