Remote Client Monitoring Over Web?

I've got a client based on the east coast. We want to work together but it's too crazy to put him up in LA for 8 weeks.

Instead, I'm wondering if there's some method by which he can connect to my system over the internet and watch as I edit material in real-time? The goal is to have a real-time collaboration as opposed to me editing and posting clips only to receive notes and feedback later.

Am I just dreaming? Please give me a cold dose of reality or steer me towards a solution if one exists.

It is possible, but I don't think you'd like it much. There are companies that sell real-time H.264 codecs for IP, but what I've heard is that they're notoriously unreliable. They need around 5 Mbps of bandwidth, and even companies with fiber optic Internet connections have a hard time sustaining that, because there are so many connections between your codec and your client's codec. Also, the codecs are absurdly pricey.

It definitely can be done, and has been done in the past by big productions. I seem to remember that Lord of the Rings did it between Wellington and London. But they had money to burn on it. It probably involved leasing a dark fiber link ? a continuous loop of unbroken, unused fiber optic cabling provided by the telco, or in that case, a series of telcos.

(Oh, I should add that something very much like this could be tried using Remote Desktop, or even iChat screen sharing. But I've never done that myself beyond occasionally firing up Final Cut over the VPN from my laptop at home in order to kick off an export or something. And that's across town, not across the country.)

Your client isn't trying to edit, right? You just want him to be able to watch as you go and converse in real time.

So am I missing something, or is this a job for a plain old webcam pointed at your screen?


www.derekmok.com

That sounds like a six-figure solution. Very cool but...

Thanks.

That is much more in line with what I was thinking, but was curious if there's anything that falls between this and the earlier "dark matter, middle earth magic" cable solution.

Like Derek says just use iChat and point the camera at a monitor. Down and dirty cheap.

Or there is SyncView but it doesnt look supported any longer

Michael Horton
-------------------

You guys rock. iChat solution seems like a winner.

THANKS!

Another thing to consider is Slingbox. They can be cantankerous, but when they work it makes for a cheap solution.

-Vance

[www.slingmedia.com]

A Producer and I lived by iChat and iSight cameras for 2 years. He was in Long beach, I was in Sherman Oaks....a 2 hour commute. He did stop by occasionally, but most of the time relied on iSight pointed at my monitor.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Didnt you write a tutorial on how you did that? I seem to remember but then I cant remember yesterday let alone that.

Michael Horton
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TUTORIAL? No...it was part of my article in the second COW magazine.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Slightly different option which has benefits and downsides.....

If your producer has a mac with FCP on it, he could have a clone of your media drive attached to his computer. You could simply save and email / ftp or ichat send file an FCP project with your current sequence in it. If his media drive is cloned exactly to yours (same volume name, same directory structure - exact clone), then he will be able to open it up on his system and view the exact same sequence you have been working on, seeing it at full quality etc.

Now this is not the same thing as real time, but you could send a project file as often as you like.

Possible advantage or disadvantage, depending on the relationship and skllls etc of the producer - he could make changes himself and send them back to you.

Instead of the camera, what about iChat screen sharing?

"Share and share alike.
Thanks to iChat screen sharing, you and your buddy can observe and control a single desktop with iChat, making it a cinch to collaborate with a colleague, browse the web with a friend, or pick plane seats with your spouse. Share your own desktop or your buddy?s ? you both have control at all times. And iChat automatically initiates an audio chat when you start a screen sharing session, so you can talk things through while you?re at it."

Never used it myself mind you.

- Justin Barham -

Yeah, but then the producer will be tempted to move the mouse and take over and start re-arranging things on the timeline. I know, because I had more than one shove me aside my edit station and do the same.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

This just sounds too good to be true. I'll check it out and let you know how it turns out.

Thanks for the great ideas!

This is kind of an old tutorial now, but maybe you can get some ideas from this.

Co-located editing with iChat and Final Cut Pro

[creativemac.digitalmedianet.com]