Sony details C3 Portal, a service to connect cameras to the cloud to enable remote and collaborative productions

C3 Portal, the latest solution of Sony, will allow cameras to be connected to the cloud by transferring via a mobile connection from November 2021.

Sony’s latest initiative allows operators to send files to their editing suite via the C3 Portal App, which will be available for both Android and iOS. C3 Portal (Camera-Connect-Cloud Portal) seeks to meet all the demands that accompany this workflow, as it adds metadata to files when they are uploaded to the cloud with the goal of seamless integration into the post-production system.

Version 1.0 of C3 Portal will be released at the end of November 2021. Users can choose the available licenses that best suit their needs from Sony’s sales channel, including options such as number of users, data service and AI capability.

Kajita Hiroshi, head of marketing for Media Solutions at Sony Professional Europe, stresses that C3 Portal “will positively affect workflow” as it will “move away from linear, media-bound processes so that anyone involved in production can access files on the spot.” “On-air time or editing time will be significantly reduced, which will reduce costs in general and simplify collaborative work, in an era with more remote production and post-production,” the executive stresses.

5G, LTE or wireless network connection.

Sony has designed the C3 Portal workflow to be extremely simple. Through a specialized mobile app, the camera operator can follow “intuitive steps” that only require a login to the app and scanning the QR code on the cameras. Once this connection is made, users can connect their smartphone via USB and transfer the files to the cloud via 5G, LTE or wireless network. Similarly, it will also be possible to combine multiple mobile networks to accelerate the transfer speed. Files sent from the recording location can reach multiple recipients: from the post-production studios themselves, to camera crews, editors and producers.

Other highlights of C3 Portal include the ability to transfer files in packets, allowing users to send files while recording; the inclusion of metadata, enabling operators to add comments and ownership marks when previewing XAVC proxy files sent to the smartphone; or the ability to convert speech to text using speech recognition. On the production side, C3 Portal will integrate seamlessly with various cloud-based services from Sony and other third-party providers, as well as non-linear and straight-through editing packages.

The C3 Portal system has been designed to be fully leveraged by version 3.0 of the PXW-FX9 and version 5.0 of the PXW-Z280. All other functions, except QR code connection and batch file transfer, can be used with the ILME-FX6, PXW-Z750, PXW-Z450, PXW-X400 and PXW-X500 cameras. In the future, Sony will include support for more Sony cameras and advanced features.