Minions: The Rise of Gru...and KVM!

This weekend, the world of film and entertainment celebrated the 95th Academy Awards. Stooped in heritage, the Oscars as they are more commonly known, honor artistic and technical merit for the American film industry. As we look back at previous Oscar nominees, we can’t help but think about our friends over at Illumination who were nominated in 2014 for their blockbuster, Despicable Me 2.

So, who are Illumination, and how are they using Adder’s solutions to better improve their workflows?

Illumination is a leading animation studio known for producing blockbuster films such as Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, and more recently, Minions: The Rise of Gru. In recent years, they have implemented KVM (keyboard, video, and mouse) technology in their production and post-production processes, allowing for greater efficiency and collaboration among their teams.

By 2010, Illumination had seen significant growth and success which led to the business outgrowing its editorial infrastructure. As a result, the post-production facility required a rapid expansion to keep up with demand and continue delivering award-winning content. New edit bays were required so all editors could quickly swap in and out of the review suite for dailies, as well as switch between workstations and editing resources as easily and quickly as possible. In addition to challenges with workflow, futuristic scalability and upgradability in production capacity, Illumination also needed the ability to work time efficiently and to streamline their production process.

Why did they turn to KVM to solve their issues?

KVM technology allows for the control of multiple computers from a single set of USB peripherals - meaning that animation editors and artists have the ability to work on multiple computers simultaneously, without the need to constantly switch between different keyboard and mouse devices. This improves workspace ergonomics, workflow and increases productivity, as editors and artists can access the necessary software and tools quickly and easily. As an example, the ADDERLink® INFINITY allowed editors at Illumination to set up an Avid system in the edit bay for dailies or a review session, before bringing up those systems in the review suite without interfering with any other sessions.

In addition to improving ergonomics and workflow, IP KVM technology also allows for greater collaboration among teams. With the ability to control multiple computers from a single set of peripherals, team members can quickly and easily share and access important files and software, as well as working together on specific tasks simultaneously. Overall, this makes it easier for teams to streamline their workflow, the production and post-production processes.

Moreover, KVM technology supports remote access, enabling team members to collaborate on projects from any location as long as they have access to the necessary equipment. With a more flexible work environment and the potential to draw great talent from all around the world, this is especially advantageous for animation studios such as Illumination.

Illumination did a huge amount of research around KVM manufacturers and found that Adder was the only company providing a solution flexible enough to meet its needs. The studio selected Adder’s high performance IP KVM technology because of its dual-monitor capability and user-friendly user interface. Every workstation had an ADDERLink INFINITY unit, one for dual displays and the other for outputting directly from an Avid program to a monitor for playback.

In conclusion, KVM technology has been a huge asset to Illumination's production and post-production. The workflow has been enhanced, team collaboration has risen, and remote access is possible - considerably enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of the animation company and contributing to their output of more award-winning films.

To find out more about how Illumination used high performance IP KVM to facilitate its expansion, read the customer success story here: Illumination Customer Success Story

To check out how Adder’s IP KVM can streamline your media and entertainment workflow, please visit: KVM for Media and Entertainment

Check out the latest movie due from Illumination: