Announcing the Netflix Post Technology Alliance
by Chris Fetner and Richard Smith
You’re working on the next great show or film that will deliver to Netflix. You know Netflix has a high quality bar for its content and you want the delivery to go smoothly. Do you know if the tools you have invested in can deliver to that quality? Will they connect to the sophisticated systems Netflix has in place? Until now, it hasn’t been easy to know that.
As an artist, it’s important that your needs drive the technical innovation in the tools you use. 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.
Today, we’re launching a new logo program to help with this. When you see the Netflix Post Technology Alliance logo, you’ll know the product meets Netflix technical and delivery specifications today, and will continue to do so in the future.
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. As Netflix technical requirements evolve, you can be assured products bearing this logo will evolve in step with us.
What products are included?
Today, the Netflix Post Technology Alliance includes the industry leaders in four categories: cameras, creative editorial, color grading, and IMF packaging, with products from Adobe, Arri, Avid, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Colorfront, Fraunhofer IIS, Filmlight, Marquise Technologies, MTI Film, Ownzones, Panasonic, Red Digital Cinema, Rohde & Schwarz, and Sony. Visit pta.netflixstudios.com for a complete list of products.
This is just a start, though. Over time, we’ll add more products in these categories, and we’ll expand the categories to include sound production, dubbing, and other disciplines in post-production. 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.
What about products that don’t have the logo?
There are two answers to this question:
First, we don’t expect this program to cover every type of tool used throughout a production. As one example, we don’t expect lenses to be included. 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.
Second, we’re in the early stages. Many more of the other tools you use every day will be added to the program. If you are a tool & technology maker, or on an advisory board, recommend that the company consider submitting its product for inclusion.
Finally, this is not a prescription for which products to use. 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. 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.
In conclusion
Empowering our creative partners is incredibly important to us at Netflix, and we look forward to building a more seamless experience from production through post-production. More information on the program, how to submit products for inclusion and FAQ, are available pta.netflixstudios.com.
