Prologue Using Isilon IQ

Isilon Systems announced that Prologue, a visual effects and graphic design studio, has deployed Isilon scale-out NAS as the primary storage repository for all of its file-based data, including post-production on Hollywood blockbusters including Iron Man 2, Sherlock Holmes and the upcoming Julie Taymor’s The Tempest and Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life.

Using Isilon’s X-Series, Prologue has unified all of its file-based data onto a single storage resource delivering greater than 90 percent utilization, increasing workflow efficiency and accelerating project time-to-delivery. With Isilon IQ, Prologue can process more visual effects projects in less time, expanding its bandwidth to accommodate new business opportunities across movies, television and graphic design.   

"Visual effects productions are demanding and time-sensitive, requiring multiple designers working on the same content – at the same time – to meet often challenging deadlines," said Xique Tymn, systems manager, Prologue. "With Isilon, we’ve been able to put everything we have on a single file system and significantly increase workflow productivity, ultimately ensuring we deliver on time. Plus, we’re utilizing over 90 percent of the system’s capacity without any impact on data performance, access or reliability."

Prologue delivers leading-edge title sequences, visual effects and graphic design for commercials, television and movies including A Nightmare on Elm Street, Across the Universe, Superman Returns, Spider Man and Tropic Thunder, among others. By deploying Isilon IQ, featuring its OneFS operating system, Prologue has unified all of its file-based data onto a single, high performance, highly scalable, shared pool of storage, streamlining data access for its designers using Adobe After Effects and Autodesk Maya visual effects software and enabling improved levels of collaboration and productivity. With Isilon scale-out NAS, Prologue has been able to attain greater than 90 percent storage utilization with no degradation of performance or reliability, enabling the studio to accommodate data- and time-intensive Hollywood movie productions without impacting delivery times for its many other television and commercial projects.

"Today’s leading effects studios are delivering groundbreaking visuals by combining next-generation technology with deep artist collaboration," said Sam Grocott, vice president of marketing, Isilon Systems. "Isilon scale-out NAS enables both elements by seamlessly integrating with the latest design applications to drive increased performance, while simultaneously unifying content to enrich artistic collaboration. Whether it’s being used to power a render farm, as a general purpose NAS, or both, Isilon IQ enables media companies to get more from their applications and drive increased productivity throughout their business."