A project & asset management so0ware for M&E industries Designed for CG Ar;sts. By CG Ar;sts. h@p://cerebrohq.com
SUMMARY Cerebro is an all- in- one toolkit for project planning and tracking, assets and mul8media files storage. It includes the following func8ons: Project breakdown into an unlimited task tree. File access control and sharing. Budge8ng. Repor8ng. Tracking and overviewing. Online and offline visual reviewing. Calendars and schedules. Interac8ve GanI chart. Resource usage control. Export to XLS and PDF. Cerebro can be implemented either as SaaS or as an on- premises sopware.
OUR STORY Cerebro was developed in a Russian Moscow- based major postproduc8on facility named Cinemateka in 2005-2008 as an in- house sopware for VFX project management. In 2009 the Cerebro development team established a separate company to mone8ze the project, and by the end of 2011 Cerebro was adopted by more than 70 postproduc8on and anima8on companies in the FSU (former Soviet Union), including Timur Bekmambetov s Bazelevs, UMP and other FSU media produc8on majors. Several interna8onal projects were managed by means of Cerebro as well, for example: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (20 th Century Fox, 2012), The Darkest Hour (20 th Century Fox, 2011), Kikoriki: The Beginning (Riki Group, 2011), The Black Lightning (Chernaya Molniya) (UPI, 2010), Space Dogs 3D (CNF, 2010), The Book of Masters (Walt Disney Pictures, 2009). Thanks to the VFX / CGI projects outsourced from the FSU to India and China lately Cerebro is gaining popularity in the Indian and Chinese VFX markets too.
HIGHLIGHTED BENEFITS Can be used either as an on- premises sopware or as a cloud SaaS. Cost- effec8ve. Has flexible security seings. Lightweight, doesn t need a dedicated hardware (in most cases). Can be implemented into the exis8ng IT infrastructure. Mul8- plajorm. Python API for integra8on into produc8on pipeline. Can be split into components to be adopted separately. On- premises installa8on can be accessed via Internet by remote users (if permiied by the company s IT policy). Can subs8tute some tradi8onal sopware: FTP server, CineSync, e- mail. Can be customized to tailor- fit established processes and procedures. Has a unique embedded tool for video reviewing. CAUTION! HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!
SYSTEM COMPONENTS: CORE The core of the system is a PostgreSQL database containing all the informa8on except files aiached to the Forums. Its key features: Hosted in a cloud for SaaS users, Or installed locally (onsite) for Business and Corporate pricing plan users, Can be installed onto Windows Server OS or Linux x64 (Ubuntu, Debian), Qt- based GUI Python API for integra8on into produc8on pipeline.
SYSTEM STRUCTURE: HYBRID CLOUD Used for: Trial versions (all pricing plans except Private). Commercial version (Studio pricing plan). General descrip8on: Only one Cerebro server component is installed onto a customer s network File Storage - a file transfer u8lity to index and transfer files aiached to forum threads in Cerebro. All the rest of Cerebro server components are hosted on the system provider s site (Cerebrohq.com). Advantages: Minimal system deployment 8me. High security level (users files are hosted locally, they are never transferred to the SaaS provider or any other third party). No maintenance costs - centralized Cerebro server components do not need to be maintained by the customer s technical staff. Restric8ons: A permanent Internet connec8on to cerebrohq.com is required.
SYSTEM STRUCTURE: ON- PREMISES INSTALLATION Used for: Commercial versions (Business and Corporate). General descrip8on: 4 main server components are installed onto customer s server. If needed, an addi8onal component WEB SERVER can be installed to provide access to Cerebro via a web interface. It is recommended to install the web server onto a separate PC. Advantages: All system components and content are hosted and fully controlled by the customer. No need for an Internet connec8on (if no remote facili8es and remote users are being involved in the workflow). Mul8tenancy within LAN - no need to install the client applica8on on each worksta8on in a facility. Restric8ons: More (in comparison to the hybrid cloud installa8on) customer s resources are required to maintain the system.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICE Cerebro User Support Service is available through several channels: Zendesk 8cke8ng system, LiveChat Inc. instant online messaging system, Phone access. The instant channels are open in Western Europe business hours (09:00-18:00 UTC). Maximum 8cket response 8me is 6 hours (for Cri8cal issues) or 24 hours (for Non- Cri8cal issues). What else? Online Library searchable access to dozens of published ar8cles, User Manuals and video tutorials, User Forum online community discussion forum, Maintenance Releases updates for current licensed deployments, Coming in Q2 2012: Worldwide toll- free phone calls forwarding, Coming in Q2 2012: Na8ve English- speaking technicians.
MULTI- PLATFORM SUPPORT Desktop client applica8ons for MS Windows, Mac OS X and Linux Web interface ios clients for ipad, iphone and ipod Touch The server runs under Windows 2003, 2008 or Linux x64 (Ubuntu, Debian)
FEATURES: HANDY PLANNING Break your project down in an unlimited tree task structure it s as simple as making new subfolders in a file manager. Allocate people and/or material resources. You re through with basic planning. Launch your project!.. Or proceed to the advanced planning: Connect the tasks in the GanI chart. Specify all necessary parameters for the tasks (8me, budget, priority, etc.). Setup the access and visibility rights.
FEATURES: SIMPLE BUDGETING Every task can have 3 financial parameters: planned cost, actual cost, balance. Es8mate every single task and you ll get the project budget summed up. Sign off the money every 8me you spend it and your accountants will adore you.
FEATURES: EASY TRACKING Have a glance at Navigator pane to get a bird s- eye project overview or dive deep into it to get detailed track and actual status of any par8cular task. Get e- mail no8fica8ons on the changes of the tasks you follow or do. Generate reports and export them to Excel or PDF. Search and filter tasks by a variety of tags and parameters. Be a step ahead with a heuris8c issue tracker.
FEATURES: TIME- SAVING COMMUNICATIONS Every task has its own Forum thread, use it to communicate and share all sorts of files dailies, reviews, references, you name it. Mark selected posts visible to your clients to involve them into the conversa8on and get their instant first- hand feedback - no need to copy- paste or forward anything by e- mail. All the rest of the thread is for your trusted peers eyes only. What happens in Cerebro stays in Cerebro. And no more annoying mee8ngs, briefings and debriefings!
FEATURES: TWO- CLICK DAILY REPORTING Open the Forum thread of your task. Click on the Reply buion. Describe what you have done today on the task. AIach a file (or a folder) if necessary. Specify the 8me spent today on the task. Click on the Send buion. Next morning don t forget to look up here for new comments arrived.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS: MIRADA Mirada Player (a proprietary CinesoP product) is used for viewing and commen8ng over pictures and videos. Standard Version (embedded in Cerebro) has the following features: Draw or type over the content, record your ac8vity (zoom, pan, 8meline dragging, mouse movement) together with your voice comments. The reviews are submiied to Cerebro.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS: MIRADA PRO Mirada Pro func8ons are unlocked by entering a registra8on key (purchased separately). The Pro version has all features of the Standard version plus: Stereoscopic 3D viewing and annota8on tools. Online Review Mode lets you synchronize your media and make reviews at the same 8me with an unlimited group of people anywhere in the world. The reviews can be submiied to Cerebro or exported into MOV or JPEG.
USING MIRADA SEPARATELY FROM CEREBRO In the 3rd quarter of 2012 Mirada Standard and Mirada Pro will become available for purchase as standalone applica8ons or as plugins for a third- party project or asset management sopware. When used standalone Mirada Pro will be intended for making reviews and comments and then expor8ng them to MOV or JPEG while Mirada Standard will be used for viewing them. When integrated into your exis8ng management system it will work like this: your system calls Mirada with a playlist of shots (or with a single shot) to be reviewed, then you comment on the shots and on exit your comments are published back to the tracking system to be available for all users with appropriate access rights. Those comments will be saved as: Screenshots displaying text labels and/or sketches over frames; Recorded commenter s ac8ons - speech, mouse movement, zoom/pan, 8meline ships, etc. These will be very compact in size as far as they won t be a screen capture but a script linked to and laid on the source picture/video. Mirada Python API will support integra8on with both desktop and web applica8ons, e.g. Shotgun.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS: CARGADOR Cargador is a CinesoP proprietary file management u8lity used for file storage, transfer, indexing and caching. Its key features: Supports unlimited size files, Verifies integrity of files being transferred, Supports upload and download cues with pause/cancel and restart/resume op8ons, Schedules delivery of new content, Instantly searches among millions of files, Prevents unnecessary file duplica8on (first, it supports links to network storages and, second, it iden8fies files by their hash sums, not by names), Archives files and folders into.zip files on- the- fly. As a standalone product Cargador is used to synchronize distributed file storages over Internet or LAN.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS: CARGADOR If you have several loca8ons to interchange files with - clients, vendors, freelancers, or your own remote facili8es - Cargador makes it possible to make secure COMMUNITY CLOUDS by synchronizing heterogeneous file storages around the world. It supports unlimited size files and can be setup to synchronize them: on demand, on schedule. Cargador is more convenient and secure than a Good Ol FTP server: it verifies integrity of transferred files, it prevents unauthorized access to files, it prevents unnecessary file duplica8on on a storage.
CEREBRO API Since January 2012 Cerebro installa8on packs are bundled with Python. Cerebro API is of three types: API to the client applica8on. It s a trigger- based system where a trigger switches on a user s ac8on (message pos8ng, tag changing, new task crea8on, etc.). The system consists of about 30 triggers, i.e., it can react to a number of ac8ons and condi8ons. For example, check if a user didn t forget to a2ach to his report a file with the right extension corresponding to the type of the task. API to the database. API to the file storage. We released several API samples: check: a new Report being posted to a Forum of a Task with Ac8vity Type=Composi8ng must be supplemented by an aiached.mov file and a link to a Nuke script; if a local link to a sequence of images is posted to a Forum, a proxy video must be generated and aiached to the same message; report: make a new item in the Main Menu - Generate a custom report. The report reflects the working 8me for a period spent by all Cerebro users, grouped by Ac8vity airibute.
2012 TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP
CONTACTS If you are interested to find out more about Cerebro, Cargador or Mirada please send your inquiries to: Konstan8n Stan Kharitonov (CEO): khar@cinesop.ru Edward Kim (Sales & Marke8ng): e.kim@cinesop.ru Phone: +7 (495) 9800376 Address: CinesoP Ltd., 55/59, Bolshaya Pochtovaya str., Moscow, 105082, Russia