New features and enhancements raise the bar for showreel presentations, review and approval and security.
Simian, the production asset management platform used globally by creative leaders, is closing out the spring season by unveiling a range of new features and updates, including an upgrade to Infusion, its Adobe Creative Cloud plugin. Also being introduced is improved Media Library functionality, along with closed captioning implementation and two-factor authentication support.
Infusion is now fully compatible with Adobe After Effects, in addition to Adobe Premiere, extending the plugin’s access to Adobe’s widely used visual effects tool. Now editors and VFX artists can access all of the functionality of Simian without having to leave the After Effects of Premiere environment.
“We’re always listening to our clients and striving to enhance their workflow,” Kellie Atton, Head of Sales at Simian explains. “Infusion lets Simian users take their entire review and approval process straight to their workspace, saving time during the post production process.” The latest version of Infusion can be downloaded here.
Simian’s Media Library has received new capabilities, too, as managing and editing both categories and credits has been streamlined significantly. “Users can now simultaneously edit categories and credits across their entire Media Library,” says Jay Brooks, Simian’s Chief Technology Officer. “This makes it easier to fix typos and other errors. We’ve also made it possible to change the tagging properties between individual categories.”
Also new to the Media Library is the ability to add links for media hosted on other platforms, which can be given thumbnails and added to reel presentations as well as Projects. “We wanted to streamline the process of sharing work that our users may not be able to easily upload themselves,” Brian Atton, Simian’s Chief Operating Officer explains. “Content creators and social media influencers especially tend to do everything on their phones and as a result, rarely save any work onto their computers. Link uploading is going to make it much easier to present media of all kinds.”
Simian is also improving accessibility by enabling closed captioning while viewing video. “It’s as simple as opening up file details, uploading the appropriate video text track and clicking save,” notes Brooks. Once a video is paired with a VTT file, a button to toggle subtitles on and off will be present in the media player.
Finally, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is now available for enterprise Simian users. “2FA is especially vital to large companies that need even more stringent security than other clients,” says Kellie Atton. The feature is currently available via request.
Ultimately, these improvements are part of Simian’s ongoing efforts to refine and enhance its product, in order to keep pace with the changing demands of its clients in the advertising production arena. “We keep hearing from our users that Simian is always evolving and that’s exactly how we want it to be,” says Brian Atton. “We’re going to continue to strive to help our users work smarter. It’s the foundation of who we are as a company.”
For more information on Simian upgrades and features, visit www.gosimian.com.
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2024 AICP Awards Tour Concludes with Stops in Dallas and Chicago
The 2024 AICP Awards Tour concludes with stops in Dallas and Chicago this month as it wraps up its tour of cities across the U.S. The National Tour brought presentations, panels and screenings to marketers, advertising agencies, production and post production companies. The AICP Awards will be in Dallas on Thursday, November 14th, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by the Chicago event, set for Thursday, November 21st at The Old Post Office. Tickets are available now for both events at www.aicp.com. In Dallas, the program kicks off at 6:45 pm with a happy hour, followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:30. The evening ends with a networking reception from 8:30 to 11:30. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas. Appearing in Dallas will be Abe Garcia, Chief Creative Officer, Dieste; Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content, Southwest Airlines; and Isaac Pagán Muñoz, VP, Executive Creative Director of PepsiCo Foods. The panel will review selected winners from the suite of the AICP Awards programs, offering insights into what made them rise to the top of their respective categories and share their viewpoints on key trends in the industry. The Chicago stop starts at 6:00pm with a happy hour, followed by the presentation and screening at 7:00pm. A reception caps the event, starting at 8:00pm and concluding at 11:30pm. The Old Post Office is located at 433 W Van Buren Street in Chicago. The panel there will feature 2024 AICP Awards Curators and Winners from the marketer, agency, production and post production sectors who’ll highlight this year’s winners. The conversation will include a discussion about the winning work, including insights... Read More