Media Services Works Technological Magic

The term “media services” can apply to a broad range of production services or on-site services to assist in the creation, distribution, and use of multi-media items. In the most literal sense, a university, for instance, may send someone from “media services” to set up a piece of audio-visual equipment for a professor or to help a guest speaker connect a laptop to an overhead projector. Essentially these are the people who know what cord goes where and where the “on” switch is located. Media services personnel in this context serve not only to facilitate the use of such equipment but to protect the equipment from damage at the hands of individuals who do not now how to use it but try anyway.

In a broader sense, and more applicable to the world of advertising, a media services staff provides the production services necessary to produce or complete advertising materials. For instance, if a company has a promotional or instructional video produced in English that they would like to use in their French market place, media services would be in charge of dubbing a French-language sound track on to the original video. By the same token, if such a video required sub-titles to make it multi-language accessible or useable for the hearing impaired, media services would also handle that work.

To take the video example a step farther, say the company wishes to make the video available on its corporate website in a “streaming” format. (“Streaming” indicates that the video will play in real time rather than forcing the user to wait for a file download.) A number of decisions are required to make this streaming goal a reality, from determining what applications must be present on the server to allow for the real-time consumption of the video to what file formats to make available to visitors. (Apple and PC-based computer systems have differing standard video player software installed.)

There are also issues of file compression and size, video codec used, and bandwidth available. Working in conjunction with the IT (Information Technology) department, media services would accomplish the necessary conversions to make the video available and easily accessible online.

The services of a competent and well-outfitted media services department have become crucial with the exponential growth of available technology and the increased depth of its complexity. Gone are the days of 16mm film reels and increasingly the VHS tape is giving way to the DVD. Add to this the described scenario of making video available online and a dizzying array of formats and specifications present themselves.

Although we have used video as an example, the same problems arise with computer-based slide presentations or animations. We live in a complex technological world where great feats of media manipulation are possible – if you know how to make it all work. That’s where media services comes riding to the rescue. They exist, essentially, to make the “front” men of the advertising world look good. They are, in short, the makers of the magic.

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