PECS Tools Suite
Data Pipeline Management Solution

(Performance Environment Control System)

Download Brochure & Spec Sheet (300k PDF)

Planning

Using either Shot (List) Generator Wizard or PECS Manager, prepare project specifications in advance, assigning performers, stunt equipment, props, and directorial notes to each Shot.

Completely removing the need to for complicated spreadsheets, PECS Tools Suites' SGF file format enables you to distribute these Shot Lists throughout your team, or to a facility using PECS Manager - directly into their production pipeline.

Shooting with Active Directory Tracking

PECS Manager can synchronise with any file based recording system via Active Directory Tracking (ADT). By using it as your on-set shooting controller you can store and lock away Data Files safely on a Take by Take basis. This not only ensures a real time backup of you data, but fully cross-references each file to the Take, performers, and physical resources. When your post processing staff access the Take to work on it (Check Out), they receive all the files recorded for that performance in one click of a button.

PECS Manager can also track Project Files in real time and cross reference these against every Data File recorded with ADT. No longer do you need to constantly create new session directories, and/or make complicated notes about which Project Files go with which Takes. For example, in the scenario of optical motion capture, if a camera tripod is accidentally knocked or moved, the system may require re-calibrating, and a new version of the Project File holding the systems setting is generated.

PECS Manager will automatically archive this new version and cross reference every new Data File to it from that point in time onwards. Now when your post processing staff Check Out the Take, they receive the correct versions of the Project Files that were used at the time of recording as well. This dramatically simplifies the operational overheads of studio based recording, reducing possible manual errors, and freeing the operators to concentrate on achieving superior results.

Importing Directories of Pre-Recorded Material

Using file name prefixes and file extension matching, PECS Manager will group files into separate Takes automatically. This has been specifically designed for optical motion capture systems that generate multiple files for each Take; for example a Take would contain separate files for each of the cameras and a 3D data file, all with the same file name prefix but with different extensions distinguishing their source. PECS Manager automatically groups these together into individual Shots and Takes enabling you to structure directories of data into an easy to navigate hierarchy.

This "Bucketing" of data will also detect if a Shot has been designed with the same prefix name, and automatically register matching files as new Take of that Shot.

Post Production Team Management

PECS Manager and Client greatest strength lies in having dedicated tools for team management. Takes may be selected or rejected for post production, allocated to team members manually or automatically, processing priorities rearranged in individual or global schedules, and progress tracked right across the board.

Primarily design for motion capture and audio / video file post production, any file can be accessed and checked for quality at any time in the pipeline. This enables Project Managers to asses the productivity of members in the team and rearrange task assignments as necessary to optimise available skills and resources.

Detailed progress and status descriptions are available at every level, for example, a Data File may be 100% complete such as a clean optical motion capture file, but the customer requires a 3D animation to be returned, hence the overall work on the Take may only be 50% complete.

Quality Control

A range of optical motion capture quality control tools are available in PECS Manager and PECS Client, enabling Project Managers to asses data quality and integrity before assigning it to staff for post production. The same tools may be used to check the quality of the work when the team member declares the task complete.

These tools are also extremely useful in preparing the team members in what to expect from the data and where problems already exist, such as missing markers from optical occlusion, bad splines in data estimation, and particular frame ranges of difficult processing.

Takes that are not up to a suitable level of quality may be returned back to the team member that originally worked on it, and when satisfactory, passed into the delivery module.

Delivery

Create Delivery Packages for each Project. Often customers require some items to be returned to them before others, and the delivery module enables you to package completed items as necessary. Packages are extracted from the file storage and stored locally in a directory of your choice ready for burning onto a CD / DVD, putting onto a FTP server, or sending electronically. No restriction has been placed on the method of delivery.

Work Remotely

Through the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) you can manage remote post productions teams from anywhere in the world.

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