In 2022, disguise introduced disguise Cloud, a suite of cloud-ready applications built to enable end-to-end remote collaboration for the media & entertainment industry. For simple video playback or a complex project with 3D files, disguise Cloud makes collaboration easy by seamlessly connecting remote clients to technical operators and directors on set. On the launch, Niall Thompson, Head of Cloud Solutions at disguise stated, “Our goal is to simplify the creative process and allow artists to tell inspiring stories. After years of helping creatives leverage real-time concert visuals for artists like J Balvin and Guns N’ Roses; LED volumes for the biggest film and VFX studios; and live broadcast graphics on Eurosport, MTV, and ITV; we know that ambitious productions aren’t possible without remote teams who can work together.”
The problem that many remote teams face is they have no choice but to jump between cloud-based tools from different companies. The result is often duplicate files, multiple monthly subscriptions, and a disjointed workflow. With disguise Cloud, this process is greatly simplified by providing all the apps a team may need to store, preview, and review high-resolution media, tag content and leave comments on projects in the cloud—all on one platform. As well as easy collaboration across time zones, disguise Cloud ensures media files can be shared more securely with support for built-in passphrase protection, multi-factor authentication, expiration links, and watermarking. For creatives, that means less time worrying about potential IP data leaks and more time to focus on iterating creative ideas.
The Cloud platform offers a unified disguise login, enabling one-click access to all of disguise’s cloud services as well as disguise Designer software, the ultimate software to visualize, design, and sequence projects from concept to showtime. Cloud Login offers multi-factor authentication as standard for added security and lets users access the disguise Cloud using their existing social login credentials. Another major application available on release is disguise Drive—a web-based storage space which allows teams to upload and review all their project media securely. disguise Drive supports images, video and 3D file formats including .fbx, glTF, and .obj and has Smart Folders to organize files by type, recently added, or any other custom parameter in just a few clicks.
A disguise Cloud user, Troy Fujimura, Head of Design and Technology at Centerstage, said of the platform, “The greatest value of disguise Cloud for me is the ability to view and collaborate on content with remote teams. The capability to display a wide variety of file formats and codecs without having to download and convert has been a big timesaver. This tool has the potential to become a Rosetta stone for various forms of content. The team that disguise has assembled for this product has the vision and experience to build the tools that will extend our creative capabilities.”
Why creative and technical teams choose disguise Cloud
Now in 2023, with a plethora of cloud-based platforms available, coupled with the high-stakes nature of the media and entertainment world, it’s crucial to select a Cloud solution that offers performance, flexibility, and security. disguise’s Cloud Platform, with disguise Drive, goes beyond traditional cloud-based consumer systems with benefits tailor-made for those working in media &entertainment. Here is a deeper dive into what these additional capabilities are and how they can be used for projects.
Previsualize, share and store 3D files
Most standard Cloud storage options do not offer the ability to work with 3D files and visualizations. Not only can disguise Drive support images, video, and 3D file formats (including .fbx, glTF, and .obj), the incorporation of Previz into the Cloud platform allows users to import, previsualize, and share 3D interactive scenes of any production. This enables teams to share more accurate representations of their creative vision and execution with their clients. 3D models can be previewed from all angles and changes can be made before the project goes live on-site. Additionally, through the ‘Share to Previz’ feature, users of disguise’s Designer software can export a model of a 3D stage, including geometry, textures, and a baked version of the timeline, into a shareable link that uploads to their disguise Drive for teams and clients to then preview and comment on.
Laura Frank, Screens Producer, noted, “3D video pre-visualization is essential for clear communication regarding scenic media. It’s powerful enough for advanced users to collaborate and advance their creative. There’s nothing else like it.” With the ability to share an accurate representation of their vision, creative and technical teams can win pitches, and get client sign-off more easily than ever before—all while working remotely from the cloud. Designer and Creative Director, Kate Dawkins said, “In the past, we have always designed flat, but using Previz we were able to look at how the content will work directly on the model. This allows me to design in a more informed way.”
Collaborate remotely with ease
For producers, directors, visual effects artists, or any other creative role, the web-based application provides a centralized location for managing, sharing, and organizing project files. Using disguise Drive as a cloud storage solution, can streamline the entire production process, allowing users to access, preview, and sync files from anywhere at any time. “What is really ticking for me is that the cloud platform becomes a cross-collaboration toolkit,” says Founding Director of Sensel Studio, Chris Simcock. With disguise Drive’s real-time collaboration capabilities, teams can work simultaneously on projects without the fear of overwriting or losing data. By facilitating smooth communication and project coordination, the platform saves valuable time, eliminates bottlenecks, and boosts overall productivity.
An essential aspect of content production is the review and approval process, which ensures that the final output meets the highest standards of quality and creativity. Through its intuitive interface, disguise Drive allows users to share files or folders with team members, clients, or executives, with customizable access permissions. The platform facilitates real-time feedback, as users can leave comments, annotations, and even timestamped notes on specific frames or sections of the content. This instant communication streamlines and accelerates the review process and helps identify areas for improvement or revision.
“The greatest value of disguise Cloud is the ability to work on productions with remote teams. I’m easily able to share and view a wide variety of media files which makes collaboration second nature,” explained Motion Director at dandelion + burdock, Dickon Knowles. By centralizing the review and approval process within disguise Drive, users can eliminate lengthy email chains, misplaced feedback, and version control issues. This cohesive workflow fosters collaboration and ensures that each iteration of the content is refined, polished, and ready for final delivery, contributing to the overall efficiency, quality, and success of media and entertainment projects.
Visually annotate feedback and organize files with tagging
With disguise Drive you can draw directly on files, providing users with a visual way to indicate changes and suggest edits. This powerful tool is particularly useful for media and entertainment professionals, as it allows for clear communication of creative ideas and precise adjustments. With the platform’s visual annotation capabilities, users can quickly illustrate their suggestions, eliminating misunderstandings and fostering a collaborative environment. In addition to visual annotations, disguise Drive offers robust version management functionality. As users upload new assets, the platform automatically saves and stores previous versions of the files, creating a comprehensive version history.
And with disguise Drive’s tagging and filtering system, users can effortlessly categorize, locate, and manage their files, assigning custom tags to files or folders, such as project names, production stages, or team members. The platform’s advanced filtering options allow users to narrow down their search results based on specific criteria, such as file type, date, or assigned tags. This feature streamlines the process of navigating through large volumes of data, reducing the time spent searching for files and increasing overall efficiency.
disguise Cloud along with disguise Drive lets media and entertainment professionals work efficiently together by streamlining the collaborative workflow, allowing everyone to focus more on making their biggest creative visions a reality.
This insightful content was shared by disguise. To learn more about disguise Cloud and disguise Drive, go to: www.disguise.one
