The European Parliament (EP) has completed a large-scale upgrade and redesign of
its video, audio and imaging archive.
Using Invenio digital asset management technology from Harris Broadcast
Communications, the upgrade was rolled out by the Audiovisual Unit of the EP to
allow the archivists in Brussels (Belgium) and Strasbourg (France) to be more
responsive when handling increasing demands for information, and to remain in full
control of the EP’s media assets.
Invenio was chosen by the EP after an open call for tender procedure. Belgian
Systems integrator VideoPromotion managed the project.
The Invenio software forms the backbone of the EP archive, handling the
automation, restoration and movement of assets and the copying of files into other
systems. The archive includes a 35GB database containing 15 000 tapes, 65 000
video high resolution files and 65 000 low resolution files. This database is growing
daily through the addition of up to 20 new files, each containing up to five hours of
content and originating from more than 40 different types of events within the EP.
“The archive handles requests from journalists at up to 30 external TV stations
during the plenary sessions, as well as web requests and requests from researchers
and the EP administration,’ said Adelino Pires Andre, project manager at
VideoPromotion. “In one week, up to 80 percent of requests directed at our
department will be demands for original archived content. With Invenio, you can
search within a large video file and pinpoint the exact clip you’re looking for. It’s
magic.’
The project first involved the migration of all existing tape content from the legacy
system to video files within Invenio, and the deployment of Invenio Motion for
workflow and integration with third-party systems and Invenio Insight for front-end
users.
EP plenary sessions are recorded in 18 languages, the recordings of which are
automatically fed into the Invenio system with EP logger, a custom application
designed by Harris for the EP.
Invenio is linked to the EP’s in-house semi-automatic eCarton flow system, which,
among other things, captures metadata from each microphone used during events.
Screen Africa magazine – May 2012
