From a production standpoint, it’s starting to seem as if having your “head in the clouds” isn’t such a bad thing. In fact, it might mean you are ahead of the curve or taking advantage of a new production trend that refuses to be a COVID-driven fad or workaround. By that, we mean the transition to cloud-based production methods and tools. 

Two years ago, the pandemic had the production industry scrambling to find a way to stay afloat in the face of a global lockdown. As a result, pre-existing remote production platforms and tools became temporary crutches to support the production industry until things got back to normal (or normal-ish). But here we are two years later and things are more or less back to the way they were (knock on wood).

Yet, strangely enough, the cloud-based workarounds that were supposed to be crutches are not only still here, but multiplying and flourishing into integral parts of production workflows from user-generated social campaigns to Hollywood blockbusters. Why? Because they’re enabling a level of efficiency that traditional production methods are simply unable to match. Suffice it to say, the production industry is cloud-bound. 

Take Frame.io’s Camera to Cloud (C2C) service. While in a ‘beta’ of sorts during the peak of the pandemic, C2C has swiftly developed into a full-fledged cloud-based production workflow used on sets void of COVID considerations. Frame’s most recent C2C advertisement boasts previously unattainable efficiencies made possible by the integration of the cloud. We’re talking about real-time remote collaboration with your full crew, the automated upload of footage from cinematic cameras to a globally accessible platform, the direct importation of that footage from the cloud into editing software, and other capabilities that are turning Hollywood necks into rubber. 

Now you’ve got editors in New York that are able to pull footage into an editing timeline minutes after it’s filmed in full-res on an ARRI in Los Angeles. No waiting for a DIT or worse, UPS to ship hard drives from coast to coast to start post-production. That’s no improvement, that’s a revolution, and from a producer’s standpoint, hard to pass up. Admittedly, these technologies are VERY new, but as they improve and become more compatible with various configurations, it’s only natural that they’ll explode in popularity among those in the industry. And how could they not?

But how do cloud-enable efficiencies benefit someone who doesn’t work on multi-million dollar productions, like a member of a marketing department or even an influencer? The answer is likely in your pocket or purse and it’s not your wallet (phew!). 

Up until about a decade ago, mobile phones were for calling and texting. But these days, it’s safe to say that there is not a single mobile device in production without a camera. And that camera, despite its cheerio-sized lens (or lenses), has been steadily developing into a rival of professional camera equipment. 

Look at iPhone 13. This year Apple has, again, sunk a considerable amount of development and marketing resources into the iPhone 13’s camera configuration and has positioned the device as a dedicated tool for filmmakers, amateur or professional. Just look at their most recent advertisement featuring the 13 on an array of film sets. This is no gimmick either. The iPhone 13 comes fully loaded with 3 lenses, 4k capabilities, a “cinematic mode” that allows for big-screen quality focus adjustments, an advanced stabilization system, and ProRes, Apple’s advanced video codec. If any of these features sound familiar to you, it’s likely because you’re a professional cinematographer. If they don’t, just take our word for it. These features are game-changing for a mobile phone. 

But these mobile camera features are truly powerful for the same reason that Frame’s C2C service is so revolutionary; connectivity. Not only can you film professional-quality footage on your phone, but you can also make it accessible to anyone in the world by uploading it from your camera roll to social media, a digital asset manager like Frame.io, or a user-generated content platform like Cinebody. Sure, WiFi will help with the efficiency of these mobile uploads, but with the expansion of 5G into publicly available airwaves, soon anyone with an iPhone will be able to transfer dense video files to their final destination at breakneck speeds from a park bench.  

Needless to say, productions of any sort are sure to continue to lean into the convenience offered by connectivity to the cloud. And those that embrace the shift, be they social media managers or Hollywood directors are sure to see their output crush that of traditional production. If you haven’t yet, it may be time to consider ‘vaporizing’ your content strategies.