Why Creative Automation Is a Producer’s New Best Friend
Automation tools are the future: this is the undeniable reality we are facing in 2023. Given the never-ending conveyorbelt of new technologies, producers can no longer avoid the implementation of creative automation. London-based versioning and content localisation platform, ReMake, knows this and considers it their responsibility, as a tech disruptor, to sharpen these tools in order to make the implementation process as painless as possible.
Rather than resisting the inevitable, ReMake believes industry talent must embrace the myriad opportunities offered up by automation, to reclaim their time and make their lives easier. In a bid to reassure producers everywhere, the company’s chief technical officer, Mike Cowler, sits down with LBB’s April Summers to debunk common misconceptions and discuss the platform’s burgeoning role in the brave new world of automated production.
LBB> What do you find is the main concern producers have with creative automation platforms?
Mike> A recurring question we get is: who’s going to use this? Then you see the face go white as the penny drops. Another thing to add to their to-do list. There’s a dread felt among producers that by adopting a creative automation platform - something that they can categorically operate - that they’re going to have to assume huge levels of accountability or invest large amounts of time into operating a new tool. This just isn’t the case and we want to change producers’ perspectives on this.
LBB> How do you plan on changing producers’ views of creative automation implementation?
Mike> We are encouraging producers to view creative automation platforms as another member of the design team – just 100x faster and available 24/7. In the same way they’re using the likes of Trello or Airtable to brief designers on localisation or versioning tasks, the same can be applied to a creative automation platform like ReMake.
LBB> Can you describe how that briefing works with an automation platform like ReMake?
Mike> Every platform has its own way of doing things. With ReMake, in particular, our Bulk Versioning features - including Multiply and Smart Sync - allows producers to make changes to 1000s of assets at once. Whether that’s in the platform or via Spreadsheet or Google Sheet upload, all changes can be predetermined; video, audio, imagery, text.
Sure, in some instances, it might require them to manually operate the platform and make initial changes themselves, but nothing can go wrong. Elements and layers are locked, so it’s a mere case of swapping (pre-approved) assets and copy.
In most cases, we’re talking about incredible scale: it takes maybe 5 minutes or less. Then it’s a simple click of a button to replicate those changes across potentially 10s of 1000s of assets. Briefing is briefing, whichever way you do it. The output is unequivocally more impressive with ReMake. The same simplicity and ease can be applied to any amends that may come back via a client or QC too.
LBB> Habit is a very powerful thing. When something works - however painful - it can be hard to encourage change. Do you consider this to be an obstacle?
Mike> Oh, of course. A quote that recently resonated with us, on the subject of habits, came from Mikhail Pimenov at Locaria Agency. He said that sometimes it's the reluctance of the teams or individuals that prevent positive change: “If it's working for me, why change…”
In the case of automation and producers, that change should be seen as a good thing. Many have realised that within an hour of playing around with ReMake. Before long, it’s their new best friend.
Of course, the demand for content is such - and growing - that change is and will become entirely essential. Especially if brands want to move at the pace of their contemporaries. We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it: those who embrace automation will be the winners.
LBB> What are the biggest benefits of embracing creative automation platforms like ReMake?
Mike> These are the four main benefits that come to mind…
Time: Meeting deadlines becomes a breeze when you can version and render assets, round the clock, in the time it takes to make a coffee.
Quality: There is zero chance of human error which in itself removes the need for quality checks, corrections and the time it takes to action them. Producers can also trust that all assets will be 100% brand compliant - and no one will be shouting at them. No more getting stuck in error fix loops.
Cost: An obvious one, but time is money. Less time spent, less money spent. With a platform like ReMake, you only pay for what you use, not what you make - so you’re also not paying for creative that is destined for the trash. A dream for producers with an eye on budgets and SOWs.
Team morale and retention: Perhaps the biggest one. Your designers will love you because you’re no longer burdening them with mundane and repetitive versioning of localisation tasks. Instead, you are freeing them up and allowing them to focus on the creative. Which is why they took on the job in the first place. If you want to keep good talent, don’t fill their time with the tasks they hate.
LBB> How is ReMake planning to adapt the creative automation process over time?
Mike> At ReMake, we’re always looking for ways to improve and better our platform, to brutally simplify the versioning and localisation process.
AI will play a huge role in that. Clients will simply ask an AI assistant - who already understands all content previously ingested into the system - to action all the tasks for them, and minimal manual lift will be required.
The only downside is you can’t take them out for a drink afterwards, to thank them for all the efforts and promotion they bought you. Or maybe you could find a way? Who knows what the future holds…
Find out more about ReMake and their ground-breaking versioning solution here.
