eMotion Studios Installs Small Tree All-in-One Shared Storage

As a creative agency focused on storytelling, Sausalito-based eMotion Studios helps its customers connect with their audiences in support of new product launches.

Having gone through a number of technological evolutions during its 18 years in business, the company recently installed the GraniteSTOR Titanium Ethernet-based shared storage system from Small Tree Communications, LLC.
 
With seven Mac workstations and up to six Macbook pros working simultaneously on client projects, eMotion requires a storage system that is reliable and capable of handling simultaneous streams. The company has been working with Small Tree shared storage technology for years, but given its recent and continued growth, eMotion upgraded to a Titanium 48TB system to maximize its current workflow while also planning for additional expected growth in the future.
 
"In a single week, 4-6TB of content might be flowing into our studios for client projects we are working on, so if we don’t have a storage solution that’s working solidly seven days a week, we’re in big trouble," said Glen Janssens, eMotion’s director. "Our familiarity and comfort level with Small Tree was a critical factor in our decision to upgrade to the new Titanium solution."
 
On any given day, eMotion can have up to 20 projects live on its system and all of the materials the studio produces need to live on any platform – mobile or web. Given the diversity of the projects the company works on and in order meet tight client deadlines, eMotion’s post-production team needs maximum flexibility. As such, editors work across a variety of software applications, including Adobe Premiere, After Effects and Final Cut Pro. Thus, having a central storage system that works with those applications provides peace of mind to Janssens and his creative team.
 
"Initially, we had some questions on whether Ethernet was the right platform to handle substantial amounts of simultaneous data transfers, but it’s clear that Small Tree has done some unbelievable engineering," Janssens admitted. "Storage isn’t sexy, but it’s the lifeblood of our company and to have something that is as solid as the Titanium is crucial."