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MillimeterBeta Sight: Audio Production SAN from SAN Solutions
Jul 20, 2009 3:02 PM, By Steve Morris, director of engineering, Skywalker Sound
Our use of centralized storage allows an editor to work on a session in a private suite using one of our Pro Tools systems while the exact same material is being mixed on a dubbing stage. Simultaneously, another editor can browse our proprietary library of more than 180,000 sound effects to find just the right sound. With these capabilities, we enable a more efficient collaborative workflow in which all participants can see the work their colleagues perform and the impact that different creative contributions will have on one other and on the final product.
The SAN approach makes it easy to locate, access, and back up audio elements, and to realize a higher degree of built-in data protection and security. Postproduction is a time-sensitive business, and we simply can’t afford the loss of data or time if the storage system lacks sufficient capacity, speed, or utility in handling media assets.
In building the system for Skywalker Sound, we worked closely with SAN Solutions to implement a storage infrastructure that ensures the availability and security of all the media required for every project. The SAN is designed to recover quickly from a drive failure, and we haven’t yet experienced significant down time due to specific hardware failure. The system has proved incredibly reliable. With SAN Solutions support and the company’s automated call-home service, we can be proactive in maintaining the health of this storage solution.
We complete a substantial volume and variety of projects here at Skywalker Sound, from blockbusters and documentaries to independent films, and every project we work on leverages media stored on our audio production SAN. Our reliance on the SAN gives us the ability to pull sound effects, dialogue, and music together and make the result available immediately for screening in our 300-seat Stag Theater. As we perform an increasing amount of digital intermediate work here, our ability to host the bulk of people involved and to provide comprehensive services—with the benefit of close collaboration and rapid results—in one highly refined environment is a real asset for us and our clients.
One of our convictions here at Skywalker Sound is that the true art lies in listening to the needs of our clients and making their greatest vision a reality. One reason we’re at the forefront of the industry in providing services for notable filmmakers is that our facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and systems designed specifically for our operations. For any project of any scale, we know that our audio SAN offers a high level of reliability and performance. With these critical benchmarks met and with the capacity to work collaboratively across different areas of postproduction, the artists at our facility can freely turn their skills and energies toward the creative process.
Continue the discussion on “Crosstalk” the Millimeter Forum.