music & video

Automated Conversion System:
Coda by Skywalker Sound

Software that streamlines the post-production workflow

2023

Creating a successful movie or TV series involves the hard work of lots of people. Apart from the actors, directors, and screenwriters, countless invisible heroes responsible for casting, budgeting, visual effects, and, finally, post-production are employed in the process. During the final production stage, hundreds of professionals edit and refine all the film elements to create the end product that audiences see on screen. However, the standard process is usually time-consuming, labour-intensive, and prone to errors.

Coda is an automated media asset conversion system designed specifically for audio and soundtrack professionals. By streamlining the conversion process, it accelerates the traditionally manual workflow, reducing errors and creating higher-quality processing. Skywalker Sound, a sound design Lucasfilm subsidiary known for its work on blockbusters like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park, partnered with Miquido to create the first-to-market fully automated media asset management platform. Read on to explore the story of setting a new standard in the creative sound community, allowing for more efficient and effective post-production work.

Full process automation

Reduced operating costs

Efficient product showcase

Challenges

Optimising costly post-production processes

Post-production remains among the biggest media and entertainment industry challenges, particularly within sound effects companies like Skywalker Sound. Managing hundreds of files requires the involvement of dozens of trained operators, resulting in weeks of labour and significant expenses. The Coda project aimed to provide a solution that automates the complicated and expensive media asset conversion process while reducing post-production time and expenditures.

Diversifying revenue streams for Skywalker Sound

Skywalker Sound had a specific business objective for Coda – to make it a licensed technology platform that other similar organisations could use in the future. Therefore, the success of the software was measured not only by its functionality but also by its ability to attract new clients in the enterprise sector. To achieve this, Coda’s design philosophy prioritised user-friendliness, which eliminated the need for highly specialised operators. Additionally, the software encompassed a strategic vision for future growth and competitiveness in the constantly evolving landscape of post-production services.

Simplifying the media asset conversion workflow

In sound effect companies, large amounts of assets are converted into various formats and then manually named and distributed. This process can be complicated and is often prone to human error. Skywalker Sound, known for its work on multiple iconic films, recognised the need to automate the workflow and make it more user-friendly, eliminating the need for specialised operators to go through detailed work. Additionally, since each conversion workflow has unique requirements, the tool was supposed to be adaptable to individual needs and accessible to a broad range of users and industries.

Solutions

Precise workflow visualisation

User flow diagrams are second to none in optimising expensive and complex processes. They provide a comprehensive, visual overview of the entire workflow, allowing stakeholders to understand the dependencies of each step. And this exact clarity was crucial for effectively managing hundreds of Skywalker Sound audio files and improving coordination and resource allocation.

As a first step, the Miquido team conducted workshops to break down fundamental workflows into smaller actions – and precisely identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and areas for improvement. With a well-structured user flow diagram, we could pinpoint precisely where human intervention was necessary and where efficient automation could replace it. This approach allowed us to streamline the post-production workflow, reduce labour-intensive tasks, and cut expenses, all while maintaining the quality and creativity essential to the industry.

Tech stack that supports further expansion

To meet the strict requirements of Coda’s workflow builder module and prepare for future growth, our team conducted a thorough evaluation of potential tech stacks. After careful consideration, we chose React Flow as the cornerstone technology. This MIT-licensed open-source library brought numerous benefits, including robust customisation options, reliability, and an intuitive user experience.

Coda also adopted the Next.js framework, a comprehensive and efficient solution that came fully equipped right out of the box. This strategic choice bundled essential packages for routing, server-side rendering, application development, and environment variables management, streamlining the development journey. Next.js’s structured approach further organised the project, creating a solid foundation for Skywalker Sound to build and expand confidently.

Outcome centricity at the core

The key module of Coda is the workflow builder: a dashboard where operators can customise all parameters related to audio processing. The workflow builder uses advanced business logic to determine subsequent parameters based on decisions made in the initial steps. For instance, value ranges, data function availability, or the possibility of multiple selections are determined by the choices made in earlier steps. This way, the system guides users through all the process steps, eliminating the risk of errors.

Coda’s output-centric approach creates self-determining workflows based on input and desired output, further enhancing the user experience. Users can define their specific requirements, and the tool intelligently adapts to meet those needs, automating the process accordingly. This adaptability ensures that each media asset conversion workflow is tailored to individual requirements, making the tool versatile and suitable for various scenarios across different industries.

Let’s work together

Services & tech stack

Frontend development

Typescript, Next.js, NextAuth, Mantine UI, Tanstack-query, Zustand

Product Design

Figma

Results

Full process automation

The Miquido team successfully delivered a GUI-enabled intelligent workflow management system that helps individuals without specialised technical knowledge to navigate and operate the tool efficiently. The intuitive interface enhances scalability and job tracking/management by allowing users to monitor the progress of conversions, track job statuses, and make real-time adjustments as needed.

Reduced operating costs

An accessible dashboard lets organisations quickly define workflows, submit jobs, track their status, and manage configurations and users. Coda eliminates the most common errors in creating workflows and optimises the entire process. Repetitive tasks associated with sound post-production are automated, allowing Skywalker Sound employees to focus on creative work – and saving a significant amount of the company’s budget.

Efficient product showcase for sales boost

Our primary focus was to develop a platform for sound operators, prospective clients, and partners like Disney and Netflix. In just a few months, we have shown how the software can simplify media asset conversion workflows and minimise the reliance on specialised staff. The perfect synergy between the backend and frontend ensured a seamless user experience, resulting in responsive software that delighted users and achieved exceptional efficiency results. The PoC delivered demonstrates Coda’s strategic vision for future growth and potential value to other organisations in the enterprise sector.