Film Workflows
Preserving film is about more than just scanning reels. For archives, film studios, VFX vendors and cultural institutions, the process of digitising film-based assets and preparing them for long-term preservation or creative reuse is both intricate and resource-intensive. Each reel, each audio track, and every metadata field carries significant historical and operational value.
At Ortana Media Group, we developed Cubix to meet this challenge, not just as a media asset management platform, but as a media aware workflow engine (MAWE ) that understands and orchestrates the unique needs of film-based content at scale.
Modern film scanning workflows involve high-resolution image sequences (often DPX or TIFF), multi-channel audio files, and extensive metadata. These materials must be catalogued, validated, processed, and stored while maintaining lineage to the original reel, vault ID, and archival context.
Cubix automates and orchestrates this entire process. It supports the ingestion of image and audio sequences from a wide range of scanners and devices, automatically applying structured metadata and folder hierarchies according to predefined rules. Using our 165+ API integrations, Cubix connects with both legacy systems (like vault catalogues or physical asset registries) and modern platforms (such as cloud storage or AI enrichment engines). Cubix can even be the central physical asset registry to your climate controlled film warehouse.
MAWE is designed for real-world complexity, including diverse naming conventions, reel-based timecode continuity, multi-format deliveries, and evolving metadata schemas. Whether content is scanned at 4K, 6K, or 12K resolution, Cubix can manage the assets across ingest, QC, restoration, archival packaging, and delivery.
It handles policy-driven archiving (e.g., RAWcooked, FFV1, or JPEG2000), lossless preservation encoding, checksum validation, and LTO creation. It even tracks every transformation - from unprocessed image preservation masters to colour-graded cinema and broadcast delivery formats.
And with modular deployment, Cubix fits neatly into on-premise, cloud or hybrid environments, wrapping around your existing infrastructure instead of replacing it.
Cubix can synchronise metadata with third-party catalogue platforms and archive databases, pushing and pulling information through API connections or batch metadata tools. As new scans are ingested or enriched, they can be automatically registered as digital manifestations of their original film records, with all relationships preserved.
Once content is ready for distribution, Cubix enables controlled sharing via secure web portals or through integration with a customer’s CMS or e-commerce platform, making monetisation of archive content (e.g., for researchers, broadcasters or the public) straightforward and secure.
For organisations looking to enrich their collections further, Cubix integrates directly with AI engines to transcribe dialogue, identify visual elements, detect logos, and more. These results are captured as structured metadata, fully searchable across the archive. This enables not only improved internal discovery but also external services like automated compliance checks or content licensing opportunities.
Cubix and Ortana’s MAWE transform film-based workflows from manual, fragmented processes into a coordinated, scalable and intelligent operation. Whether you’re managing nitrate reels or high-resolution scans, it brings structure, automation and integration - preserving cultural heritage and unlocking new opportunities for access, enrichment and reuse.
Whether you’re managing complex film scanning workflows with a complete platform through Yunify, Halo, or Appliances—or looking to orchestrate high-resolution ingest, metadata, and archive processes with Connect—Ortana gives you the flexibility to modernise film workflows at your own pace: bringing structure, control, and scalability to even the most intricate film-based environments.
Too many manual steps in your film workflow?
Bring structure and automation to film-based processes.
Use Cubix Connect to manage high-resolution image sequences, multi-channel audio, and metadata across ingest, QC, restoration, and archive. Standardise workflows, maintain lineage, and ensure every step is traceable—reducing manual effort while handling even the most complex film-based processes.
Want to turn film assets into usable, valuable content?
Turn film assets into structured, accessible, and valuable content.
Cubix Yunify, Halo, or Appliances, manage high-resolution scans, metadata, and archive assets in a single platform. Enable search, review, and controlled access—ensuring your film collections are preserved, discoverable, and ready for reuse or monetisation.