EditShare and Filmmaker Doug Braddock Leverages Tapeless Workflow

EditShare LLC, in shared media storage and end-to-end tapeless workflow solutions, recently joined up with Doug Braddock and his production crew to sponsor the team’s efforts in completing a film in just seven days.

Their film, Mirror Mirror, has been entered into the 168 Hour Film Project, a Hollywood film incubator that attracts 70+ teams each year. The project is a competition in which production teams have exactly one week – no more, no less – to film and edit an 11-minute movie.

"There was an enormous amount of work to get through. Planning and preparation had to be meticulous and there was no latitude for serious technical problems to occur. We had to hand in our master exactly one week (168 hours) from rolling-camera," says Braddock. "If we were one second late, we would have been disqualified."

Braddock’s production team consists of about 30 people, some with decades of industry experience, others just a few years out of film school. For the 168-hour project, they worked with a cast of four, plus six extras. With only a few days to shoot and edit the entire piece, the team employed EditShare’s advanced tapeless workflow solutions: Flow (asset management) and Energy Series (shared storage), with support from Ark (back up and archiving).

"The fact that we could all access the same footage simultaneously made a huge difference in our efficiency," Braddock says. "We had synced rushes and QC tests done throughout the shoot and just a short time behind camera. By the end of the first editing day, I had an assembly ready for the composer to start work."

Mirror Mirror, written by California-based writer April Manor, is the story of a teenage girl battling low self-esteem, who discovers her true worth through a special mirror. Though he’s been credited as film editor on five features and has overseen drama projects in post-production, Braddock, who’s been working in film and television for 25 years, stepped into the role of producer for a drama for the first time on Mirror Mirror.

"We have a great script, and I wanted to produce it so that at least one viewer somewhere in the world will get helped by the story," he says. "I also see the project providing further credits, experience and additional international exposure for each of the cast and crew."

"Taking on a film project with only one week to complete is a very impressive feat," said Andy Liebman, President, EditShare. "We’re happy to be able to support a project that gives filmmakers – veterans and rookies alike – the opportunity to learn more about their craft, be challenged, and work together in a positive environment. If they can create an 11-minute film with EditShare helping facilitate production and post in one week, just imagine what they can do with our system under a typical production timeline."

Braddock and crew began filming Mirror Mirror on February 10, 2012 and submitted it exactly one week later on the morning of the 17th. The film will premier in Hollywood at the end of March and compete for numerous awards.