Traditional TKT1957 survey following the results of the IBC exhibition: Paul Matthijs Lombert, CEO, Co-Founder of Hedge.

• What are the main trends between the exhibitors and the visitors this year?

There appear to be two predominant trends. Firstly, there’s a growing realization among individuals that deciding between a fully cloud-based or entirely offline production isn’t straightforward. They’re exploring avenues to seamlessly transition between remote and local collaboration during a production. Secondly, there’s a palpable interest in machine learning and AI, but many are still uncertain about its practical application. With a surge of startups offering AI solutions, users are wary of juggling multiple apps. Instead, they’re seeking ways to integrate AI models into their existing workflows but are grappling with the ‘how’ of it.

• What new products is your company showcasing at IBC 2023?

We have an exciting lineup this year. We’re introducing the next iteration of Hedge, an offshoot of our approach, which is entirely S3-native. Another highlight is the technology preview of PostLab, our collaboration platform. This platform now supports a bit-locking workflow tailored for Final Cut Pro editors. It’s set to enter its beta phase this month. Additionally, we’re offering a sneak peek of Drop Off, designed as a transfer solution for Lucid Link customers, akin to WeTransfer.

• Are there any developments in integrating AI into your solutions?

Our focus is on providing users the flexibility to choose where their AI model resides, be it in the cloud or on-premises. The challenge isn’t about sourcing a robust model; there’s an abundance of them, and training models are becoming increasingly accessible. The real hurdle is determining the right questions to pose to these models during production. It’s crucial to automate this process, which means setting up a well-structured workflow pipeline. That’s the crux of the issue at present. Thank you for your time!