In an effort to streamline production workflows for its original programming, Netflix this week announced the launch of the “Netflix Post Technology Alliance” and introduced a logo program that will help creators identify that their original programming meets Netflix technical and delivery specifications.
“The Netflix Post Technology Alliance will act as a conduit for Netflix to support creatives and technology partners on new feature sets for tools, so artists can spend their energy on what matters most--the storytelling,” the company announced in a blog.
Referring to the logo program, it said “manufacturers of products bearing this logo are closely partnered with Netflix. They have early access to the Netflix technical roadmap and collaborate with Netflix on technical support, training and updates.”
The company added that it doesn’t expect all products in the media production process to have to bear the logo. “We don’t expect lenses to be included,” it said. “Lenses do generate metadata that’s useful in post, but since that metadata is incorporated into camera metadata, cameras themselves are the more suitable product for this logo.”
The first members of the alliance include industry leaders in four categories: cameras, creative editorial, color grading and IMF packaging, including products from Adobe, Arri, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Colorfront, Fraunhofer IIS, Filmlight, Marquise Technologies, MTI Film, Ownzones, Panasonic, Red Digital Cinema, Rohde & Schwarz and Sony. A complete list is available at pta.netflixstudios.com. It expects to add more products in these categories and expand the categories to include sound, dubbing and other post-production sectors.
“Any product that generates or manages any kind of sound data, image data, or metadata from production through post-production is a candidate for the Netflix Post Technology Alliance logo,” it said.
Netflix added that the alliance is not designed to endorse or force creatives to use certain tools. “As an artist, you should use the tools that make sense for your production, are best suited to your workflows, and serve your creative interests,” Netflix said. “With that in mind, this logo is an identifier to quickly tell you a product has been vetted for delivery to Netflix, and that the company who makes the product is committed to ongoing support and innovation.”
