Work Flawlessly with Remote Video Editors: FINALLY. My NAS Storage Workflow for Video Production!
TLDRIn this video, the speaker shares his journey to find a seamless storage solution for his video production company that allows remote editors to work efficiently. Initially relying on local hard drives and cloud services like Google Drive, he encountered significant challenges with organization and accessibility. After testing various options, he discovered a robust network-attached storage (NAS) solution from Synology that offers real-time access, synchronization, and selective access control. The NAS system, consisting of different-sized units, enables editors to work remotely without compromising on speed or efficiency. The speaker also addresses the limitations of Final Cut Pro for collaborative editing and how they manage it using separate libraries for each project. He concludes by emphasizing the ease of setup and the potential for scalability, allowing for new editors to join the team from anywhere in the country.
Takeaways
- 📚 The video production company's storage workflow evolved from using multiple SSDs to a single large local hard drive, which proved to be disorganized and challenging to manage.
- 🚀 The company aimed to enable remote editing, allowing editors to work from anywhere, which was a significant shift from the traditional office setup.
- 🔄 Previous attempts using cloud services like Google Drive for storage and collaboration were cumbersome and resulted in a complicated workflow.
- 💡 The introduction of Network Attached Storage (NAS) presented a potential solution for real-time, centralized storage accessible by all team members.
- 🌟 After testing for six months, the company found the NAS solution to be legitimate and effective, improving the overall workflow significantly.
- 🚧 The process of uploading and accessing footage via NAS was surprisingly seamless, with the only limitation being the speed of the internet connection.
- 💻 Synology NAS systems were chosen for their variety of setups, allowing for different sizes and prices to suit various needs and access levels.
- 🔗 The NAS units used by the editors are constantly syncing with the main drive, ensuring that the latest version of the footage is always available.
- 📈 The main NAS unit at the home office offers 48 terabytes of usable space, which is sufficient for regular work, with Google Drive used for archival purposes.
- 📶 The NAS system operates independently of individual computers, continuously working in the background and syncing files in real-time.
- 🔍 A Trello board is used to manage and track which projects are being worked on by different editors, preventing conflicts in accessing and editing the same project.
Q & A
What was the common storage workflow for video production before the author implemented a new system?
-The common workflow involved using multiple SSDs and a large local hard drive. Footage was shared back and forth, copied, and deleted in an attempt to keep things organized, using the large drive as a working drive.
What was the main challenge the author faced when considering remote work for editors?
-The main challenge was how to give editors remote access to footage so they could work from anywhere, without having to download and upload large files from services like Google Drive or Dropbox, which proved to be inefficient and cumbersome.
What is NAS (Network Attached Storage) and how does it help with the remote editing problem?
-NAS is a server that allows multiple users to access it in real-time over a network. It helps with remote editing by providing a single server that everyone can access from anywhere, thus enabling remote editors to work with the footage without the need for physical presence.
What was the author's main concern about transferring all the footage to a NAS system?
-The author was concerned about the daunting task of uploading all the existing footage to the NAS system and then having the editors access and use the footage from it, fearing it might be a complex and time-consuming process.
How does the Synology NAS system cater to different storage needs and preferences?
-Synology offers a variety of NAS setups with different sizes and prices, allowing the author to have different units in different places and have them communicate with each other. This enables selective access to footage and customization of storage size and cost based on individual editor needs.
What is the capacity of the author's main NAS system at their home office?
-The author's main NAS system is a Synology DiskStation DS1621+ with six bays, each containing a 16-terabyte drive, resulting in a total of 96 terabytes of raw storage. However, due to RAID configuration, the usable space is about half of that, around 48 terabytes.
How does the NAS system handle file transfers and synchronization?
-The NAS system is connected directly to the router and constantly performs file transfers and synchronization in real-time, even when not connected to a computer. Changes on the main drive are reflected on other drives simultaneously, ensuring that all connected systems are up to date.
What video editing software does the author's team primarily use, and what is a significant drawback when using it with NAS?
-The team primarily uses Final Cut Pro. A significant drawback is that Final Cut Pro does not support real-time collaboration when multiple people work on the same project. Only one person can open a single library at a time, which can lead to overwriting issues.
How does the author's team manage to work around the limitations of Final Cut Pro for collaboration?
-They create a new Final Cut library for each project or client work. This way, different editors can work on separate libraries simultaneously without interfering with each other's work. They also use a Trello board to track which libraries are in use.
What are the author's thoughts on the internet requirements for remote editors using the NAS system?
-The author found that any modern internet connection can handle the download speeds required for the NAS system to work efficiently. The upload speed, primarily handled from the main location with a fast server, does not need to be as high at the remote editors' locations.
How does the author describe the overall experience of setting up and using the Synology NAS system?
-The author describes the experience as seamless, easy, and more straightforward than initially anticipated. They emphasize that the setup was simple and that the system has significantly improved their workflow, even in remote or less-than-ideal locations.
Outlines
📚 Storage Workflow Evolution
The speaker discusses the evolution of their video production company's storage workflow. Initially, they used Solid State Drives (SSDs) and a large local hard drive, copying and deleting files to maintain organization. They also tried cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox, but found these solutions cumbersome. The speaker then discovered Network Attached Storage (NAS) as a better solution for remote editing capabilities and real-time access to footage, and tested a NAS solution for six months before presenting it in the video.
🚀 Seamless NAS Integration
The speaker explains how they implemented a NAS system, specifically a Synology DiskStation, to streamline their workflow. They highlight the system's ability to allow remote editors to access footage from anywhere, as well as the system's automatic syncing capabilities. The speaker also details the technical aspects of their NAS setup, including RAID configurations and the use of Google Drive for archival storage. They emphasize the system's independence from being connected to a computer, its real-time operation, and the ability to manage it remotely through a web-based interface.
💾 Final Cut Pro Collaboration Limitations
The speaker addresses the challenges of using Final Cut Pro for collaborative editing. They mention that only one person can open a single library at a time, which can lead to overwriting issues. To mitigate this, the company creates a new Final Cut library for each project, allowing different editors to work on separate libraries simultaneously. The speaker also discusses the use of a Trello board to track which libraries are in use and to prevent conflicts. They contrast this with other editing software like Premiere Pro and DaVinci, which offer better real-time collaboration features.
🌐 Remote Editing and Internet Speed Considerations
The speaker shares their experience with remote editing and the importance of internet speed for the NAS system's effectiveness. They emphasize that the NAS solution works well even in areas with less than ideal internet connections, as demonstrated by an editor working from a remote, rural location. The speaker also discusses the potential for expanding their server workflow by adding new editors anywhere in the country, highlighting the ease of setup and the benefits of the system for their company's workflow.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡NAS (Network Attached Storage)
💡Remote Editors
💡Synology DiskStation
💡RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)
💡Final Cut Pro
💡Trello
💡Internet Speed
💡XML Files
💡DaVinci Resolve
💡SSTs (Solid State Drives)
💡File Synchronization
Highlights
The video production company has transitioned from using multiple SSDs to a centralized NAS storage solution for better organization and remote access.
The initial workflow involved using a large local hard drive and manually managing footage, which proved to be disorganized and inefficient.
Remote editors could work from anywhere, which increased flexibility but required a robust storage solution that could be accessed from various locations.
The use of cloud services like Google Drive for storage was problematic due to slow download speeds and the cumbersome process of transferring files.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) was identified as a potential solution for real-time, centralized storage accessible by everyone in the team.
After testing for six months, the NAS solution proved to be legitimate and efficient for the video production workflow.
Synology NAS systems offer various sizes and price points, allowing for selective access to footage and scalable storage solutions.
The NAS system operates independently, constantly syncing and transferring files in real-time without needing to be connected to a computer.
Editors can connect to the NAS drives wirelessly and remotely through a web-based interface, providing flexibility and ease of use.
The home office NAS unit is a 1621 Plus DiskStation with 96 terabytes of raw storage, offering ample space for active projects.
Remote editors use smaller 4-bay NAS units with 16 terabytes of usable space each, syncing with the main drive for access to required footage.
Final Cut Pro was identified as a preferred editing software, but its lack of real-time collaboration features posed a challenge.
A workaround for Final Cut Pro's limitations involves creating a new library for each project, allowing individual access without overwriting.
Trello is used to manage and track which libraries are in use, preventing conflicts and ensuring efficient workflow.
Alternative editing software like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve offer better real-time collaboration features, which could enhance the NAS workflow.
The NAS solution has proven effective even in remote locations with less than ideal internet connections, showcasing its robustness.
The video production company can now hire editors from anywhere, providing them with a NAS unit and quickly integrating them into the workflow.
Setting up the NAS workflow was simpler than anticipated, offering a seamless transition from traditional storage methods.
