Experiencing rapid growth, boutique production company LionStar Films required an affordable workflow system that would enable the Atlanta-based company’s editing team to work simultaneously on the same projects without the headache of copying and transferring content. To meet its growing project demands, LionStar installed a GraniteSTOR ST-RAID with 8 1TB drives, an Ethernet-based shared storage solution from Small Tree.
Specializing in broadcast programming and corporate communications production, LionStar Films’ client roster includes heavyweights such as HBO, NFL Network, Comcast, TaylorMade Golf and UPS. As project deadlines tightened, the company’s editing team understandably became increasingly frustrated with their previous setup. Today, all five of the agency’s workstations, including four iMac core i7 systems running Final Cup Pro 7, are connected to the ST-RAID and are running without issue, according to Ryan Seger, LionStar Films’ founder and owner.
“With all of our content in one place, we’re able to turn projects around much quicker,” Seger said. “Small Tree’s ST-RAID really is night and day from our old workflow system and it has made life so much easier for our editing team.”
Along with requiring a workflow system to streamline the post-production process, LionStar Films desperately needed an improved archival solution to protect its raw materials. Shooting straight to card – P2, SD and CF – the company had been backing up its projects on two hard drives, which was a tedious process. Given that, in order to protect its critical video and audio assets in a far more easier manner, LionStar also installed Small Tree’s GraniteSTOR ST-Vault, a robust tape storage system featuring the latest LTO-5 tape technology capable of storing up to 3TB per cartridge
“Small Tree’s ST-Vault has provided us with peace of mind,” Seger remarked. “Now, when we put footage on the server to start editing, we also back it up on the ST-Vault so we know we’ll have access to the project’s raw materials in the future.”
While Seger certainly has been impressed with how Small Tree’s technology has helped his company, what he’s most impressed with is Small Tree’s customer service.
“I remember talking to Small Tree before the last NAB show about our situation and I was floored when I visited them during the show and they remembered exactly what issues we had and what we had discussed,” Seger continued. “Even though LionStar is a small company, Small Tree treats us like we’re their most important customer. That’s what matters most to me.”