You’re probably part of the 86% of Americans who owned a smartphone last year, according to Pew Research Center*. Surely you’ve been scrolling through your social media feed and saw an engaging video that caught your attention. That could be you, grabbing your audience’s attention in a landscape crowded with static images and text! Why does this matter? Because we live in a world where video content doesn’t just entertain; it drives traffic, generates leads, and boosts sales. In short, it’s not just a trend; it’s a game-changer for businesses like yours looking to build their digital presence.
For digital marketing agencies like KWSM, who offer video creation services, this is a wonderful opportunity. Our business manages video shoots from four offices in three states, California, Nevada, and Georgia. As the Video Producer, good teamwork is my highest priority so that projects stay under budget and are delivered on time. While orchestrating marketing videos for our clients, I have found the process for video deliverables comes with some challenges; and small issues for a single editor often become compounded when multiple editors are involved.
In this post, we’ll wade into the challenges that come with remote video editing and explore whether Adobe Premiere Pro’s Team Projects feature is worth it in the big picture.
What are Adobe Premiere Pro’s Team Projects?
Remote video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro undoubtedly brings its fair share of challenges. From syncing assets to conquering version control, the journey can be very unstable. Team Projects aims to smooth out the wrinkles by offering real-time collaboration. In theory, this sounds like a huge time saver.
Team Projects aims to simplify the post-production process by offering real-time sharing of changes among team members. If you find yourself bogged down by lengthy email threads or struggling with disconnected file-sharing methods, this feature offers an alternative. It provides a cloud-based platform where everyone can work together more cohesively, aiming to make the workflow more streamlined and organized.
We have been producing marketing videos for over 13 years. During that time, we have seen a variety of changes, especially in video production. “Technology and software have become more advanced, and our processes have changed to adapt accordingly,” says Stephen Wagner, VP, Finance & Operations at KWSM: a digital marketing agency. “While Team Projects in Adobe Premiere may not be perfect, it is getting there, and knowing the quality of the Adobe applications, I’m hoping that will be soon.”
What Obstacles Might You Encounter Using Adobe Premiere Pro’s Team Projects
At KWSM, shoots may happen on location in one of our offices, then editing happens in another one of our locations. One editor may color-grade RAW footage and another takes on the lower-thirds and titles from another office. The process can prove difficult. Especially when collaborating with remote editors using Adobe Premiere Pro. While the software offers collaborative options, it can be a gauntlet of obstacles, including:
Asset Management and Sync Issues:
Team Projects requires militant precision of asset management. All editors on a project will need a copy of every file locally to properly open the project. While there are clear instructions on how to map out each user’s local assets, these methods don’t always work and will break if anything moves or changes name.
Also, when working with a variety of editors, the issue is compounded into a syncing-nightmare for the person managing it all. Some professionals just physically mail their external drives from one location to the other to avoid the sync issues. One option is a cloud server. This would allow all editors real time access to the same source files. Sadly, this brings us to problem number two…
Slow Internet and Space Confinements:
A free Dropbox account or Google’s Drive just doesn’t offer the amount of space or more importantly speed required for video editing purposes. Even pro accounts here are too slow to handle multi-device access with real time editing to the cloud.
An upgrade to a robust cloud server could work. These services allow for seamless multi-device collaboration. However, your personal internet speeds could be the death-nail in this plan’s heart. So be sure all sides of this system have super fast upload/download speeds. Oh, and don’t even start before you clear this last hurdle…
Version Tracking:
Juggling different versions of a project can quickly become a headache. Without a proper version control system, edits can get lost, overwritten, or misaligned.
Remote editing exacerbates this challenge, as multiple editors work on the same project simultaneously. Keeping track of changes, managing conflicts, and ensuring everyone is on the same page becomes a formidable task. Clear communication going into the project can help, but…
Is Adobe Premiere Pro’s Team Projects Good For Collaborative Video Editing?
Adobe’s Team Projects feature aims to mitigate these challenges by offering a cloud-based collaborative platform within Premiere Pro. It allows editors to work on the same project in real time, share assets, and communicate within the software.
While Team Projects does provide some options for remote collaboration, it’s not without its own set of challenges. Connectivity issues can still arise, and the learning curve for mastering the collaborative tools might slow down the workflow initially.
In the end, whether Team Projects is worth the hassle depends on the specific needs and circumstances of your project. For larger teams spread across vast distances, the feature’s benefits might outweigh the initial bumps. However, for smaller projects with a limited scope, simpler solutions for remote editing might work better.
As technology continues to evolve, this Video Producer is hoping for more convenience and functionality from Adobe’s remote video editing solutions.
Interested in incorporating video to your business’ digital marketing strategy? KWSM offers many practical opportunities to use video to give your brand an edge. Fill out the form below to talk to one of our team members about how video can help you hit your marketing goals!
* Source: Pew Research
