Prime Focus Technologies announces a hybrid-cloud media centre in Leeds, UK

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), has announced the launch of a new hybrid-cloud media centre in Leeds employing over 70 professionals. In September 2019, PFT signed a strategic deal with UK’s public service broadcaster, Channel 4, for managing media processing, centralized content operations including live simulcast and VOD services using their flagship product, CLEAR Media ERP.

PFT Leeds will provide Channel 4’s operations, including receipt and delivery of content, quality control, edit & remastering, archiving, live simulcast of linear channels and transcoding, along with packaging and delivery of non-linear services. The company’s physical facility close to the City Centre of Leeds is near Channel 4’s new national headquarters.

Having spent 2020 building out, commissioning, testing and hiring, the new state-of-the-art facility is now fully operational in line with the Social Distancing norms and UK Government guidelines on COVID-19.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “Trade and investment between the UK and India is creating good jobs and sustaining livelihoods in both of our countries. I’m very pleased that Prime Focus Technologies has decided to join the legions of Indian companies investing in the UK, boosting our media and entertainment sector, and driving economic growth.”

Nick Kaimakami, Executive Vice President & Head – EMEA & USA East, Prime Focus Technologies added, “2020 and COVID have shown us that technology is even more critical than ever. Surrounded by the new world-class Studio hub and a growing Leeds industry, our facility will act as a CLEAR-powered Media Hub Gateway to take advantage of the wider global and connected ecosystem and offerings.”

The facility will house high performance, scalable infrastructure for end-to-end content supply chain management through SLA-driven media processing services powered by cloud-based workflows running on CLEAR.

The end-to-end Content Supply Chain Services offered will include:

• QC Services: Automated QC, master audio/video QC, broadcast standard “full eyeball” QC and spot check QC across all formats with quick turnaround time
• Editing & Remastering Services: QC fixing, remastering of acquisitions and re-purposing content
• Archive Services: Video tape ingest, archive data migration and archiving of new content to multiple platforms
• Compliance & Global Re-Versioning Services: Cataloging and editing for delivery across territories with varying broadcast regulatory needs
• Digital Distribution Services: Transcode, package and deliver to multi-format destinations, platforms and broadcasters worldwide
• Access to PFT’s Global Media Services pipeline:
  • Localization Services: Text (Scripting, Subtitling, CC, SDH) and Voice (Audio Description, Dubbing) localization in over 60 languages
  • Re-mastering Services: VFX embedded global re-mastering pipeline
  • Creative Services: Production and Post Production Services for short-form content, long-form content and marketing assets (on air and digital promos)

The Leeds media centre is PFT’s commitment to further strengthen CLEAR as the service delivery and service enabler platform of choice for the UK M&E industry. BCS Bureau