North By Northwest

However, when it came to sharing large multimedia files with clients to get review and approval, the studio struggled to keep it simple. NXNW experimented with a number of file sharing solutions, including FTP and video-sharing sites, but they were unreliable and difficult to use.

“We send video files that can be anywhere from 50MB to 1.5GB. If the client cannot open a video file and view it immediately, we lose the easy factor,” said Simkins. “We needed a file sharing solution that was consistently simple, fast and easy to use.”

Several years ago, the studio discovered a solution that finally met its needs—OpenText™ Hightail™. A comprehensive file sharing and creative collaboration solution, Hightail allows users to share multimedia files with a few mouse clicks.

“One of the main reasons we went with OpenText Hightail—and the reason that we keep it—is the reliability and ease of use for our clients,” said Simkins. “We liked that you send a link, you open the link and it works. The client doesn’t have to sign into anything. They click on the link, the video is there. They hit Play and they watch the video. That’s it.”

NXNW editors, producers and directors now rely on this indispensable tool to send videos to clients for review and feedback. The studio’s video editors, in particular, use the solution on a daily basis, including the Spaces feature, a centralized repository that delivers client-ready files via dedicated workspaces, where videos can be viewed without downloading them.

“We like Spaces because it looks good, it’s simple and it’s an easy link. Clients can view it on the website. They don’t have to download the video. That makes it easy,” noted Simkins.

The reliability and simplicity of the solution to quickly share files with a few simple clicks has increased efficiency.

“Being efficient for us is a metric. Timing is everything for us. If we are working on TV commercials, we need to have edits done quickly. Getting feedback immediately is very helpful,” said Simkins.

Hightail has also simplified the process for staff. In the past, if a client was unable to open a file, staff would spend valuable time trying to troubleshoot the issue.

“You can imagine what happens when a person can’t open the file that I just sent them. Suddenly, I have to become an expert at the file sharing software to help my client figure out why they can’t open it,” said Simkins.

“A lot of times, it is user error, but still you are having to help them figure out their computer. We don’t have that issue with OpenText Hightail.”

In addition, the ability to track delivery of files with Hightail has been a key benefit of the solution. NXNW staff receive email notifications when a file has been sent and downloaded.

“Tracking the file delivery, when it’s downloaded and who it goes to is very important to us. When we upload commercials to TV stations, it can be challenging because sometimes they are unsure who received it. With OpenText Hightail, we can go into our system and find the exact time that they downloaded it. We are able to say, ‘We sent that file to this email address and it was downloaded yesterday at 3:45 pm,’” said Simkins.

At NXNW, the goal is to bring creative visions to life and deliver a client experience that is remarkable and easy. Hightail has played an important role in that mission. Simkins said, “What we love about OpenText Hightail is that it’s easy, it’s simple and it works every time.”