Here are the questions asked:
- How are you involved with Digital Asset Management?
- How does a worldwide entertainment company use Digital Asset Management?
- You recently started another DAM meetup group in your area. Tell us more about this.
- What advice would you like to share with DAM professionals and people aspiring to become DAM professionals?
Transcript:
Henrik de Gyor: [0:01] This is Another DAM Podcast about Digital Asset
Management. I’m Henrik de Gyor. Today I’m speaking with Michelle Jouan.
Michelle, how are you?
Michelle Jouan: [0:11] I’m fine, thanks. How are you?
Henrik: [0:13] Good. Michelle, how are you involved with Digital Asset
Management?
Michelle: [0:16] I am the Digital Asset Manager for one of the online departments
of a global entertainment company, and I’m based in London. Like a
lot of other Digital Asset Managers, I stumbled into the field through a background
in photography, and digital imaging, and managing databases, and all
kinds of computer geekery. [0:35] These are skills that I acquired independently,
which suddenly made sense when I saw my first job listing for Digital Asset
Management. The first job that I got in Digital Asset Management, about 10
years ago, was working for a motion picture company as an image archivist.
Since then, I’ve been known as a digital librarian, and now, actually, a Digital
Asset Manager, so the field is progressing a little bit.
[0:57] I’ve been lucky enough to find positions in companies that recognize the
value of Digital Asset Management, and the benefit of having asset managers
that can bring their expertise to improving workflows, because I get the feeling
that a lot of companies that buy asset management systems expect their asset
troubles to just disappear magically.
[1:15] The thing is that these complex systems, they aren’t just merely software.
They’re systems, and without someone to manage them after implementation, I
think they’re much more likely to fail.
[1:27] That’s not to say that every company, or every team, might have the resources
or vision to employ someone solely for this purpose, or that managing
digital management asset systems is something that can’t be learned by your
current staff, but if you’re investing potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars,
or pounds in my case, in digital management asset systems, you’d be really wise
to bring in a professional to get the most out of your investment.
Henrik: [1:51] How does a worldwide entertainment company use
Digital Asset Management?
Michelle: [1:55] Well, my company has more than 30 asset systems, globally actually,
company wide, but this is in the context of a company that has more than
100,000 employees. There are all kinds of digital workflows to manage, and 30
asset systems seems in line with what we need at this point, but all of our departments
operate essentially as different companies. [2:23] One of my biggest
challenges when I started working here was to learn how the company worked
as a whole, and to understand where assets were created and how they were
distributed, but the great thing about being at a company of this size is that
there’s lots of other Digital Asset Managers.
[2:37] It’s been really a joy to connect with them and learn from all of their experiences,
because if you work at a really big company, don’t forget how important
internal networking can be. There’s a wealth of knowledge out there, and you
can tap into that.
Henrik: [2:50] Michelle, you recently started a Meetup group in London. Tell us
more about this.
Michelle: [2:55] Well, after attending a few Henry Stewart DAM Europe conferences,
I really enjoyed meeting up once yearly to talk with other Digital Asset
Managers and basically talk shop with people whose eyes don’t glaze over when
you mention Digital Asset Management. So, kind of following in the lead of the
other meet up groups in New York, D.C., and Los Angeles, I thought it would
be a really good idea to get London Digital Asset Management professionals
together and talk on a regular basis. [3:24] If you’re in the U.K., please search
for London DAM on meetup.com or follow our Twitter account @LondonDAM
with no space.
Henrik: [3:33] What advice would you like to share with DAM professionals and
people aspiring to become DAM professionals?
Michelle: [3:37] Well, if you’re already a DAM professional, I’d say just be nosy,
be curious, and learn about business processes, and seek allies within your
company and in the professional community. Get a better understanding of
user experience design, service design. There are lots of other fields that are
complimentary to Digital Asset Management that can help you in your role.
[4:00] Also, don’t be afraid to talk to the software developers and other asset
managers. We’re really lucky to be living in an age where the Internet allows you
to easily connect with others who are really far away, so make the most of that.
[4:13] If you’re aspiring to become a DAM professional, I’d say ask yourself, do
you spend your Saturday nights organizing your iTunes catalog or rearranging
your Google+ circles, does the thought of downloading and editing holiday
photos give you a spark of excitement. If so, find yourself a job in Digital Asset
Management right away.
Henrik: [4:31] Well, thanks, Michelle.
Michelle: [4:32] Thank you very much.
Henrik: [4:33] For more on Digital Asset Management, log onto
AnotherDAMblog.com. Another DAM Podcast is available on Audioboom,
Blubrry, iTunes and the Tech Podcast Network. Thanks again.
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Listen to Another DAM Podcast on Apple Podcasts, AudioBoom, CastBox, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, TuneIn, and wherever you find podcasts.
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