IVAR Studios Enhances Immersive Storytelling with Synology Storage Solutions

RS3617xs+ allows the team to work in real time on footage up to 8K. It's a workhorse for the future.

Martin Edström, Founder & Immersive Storyteller, IVAR Studios

The Challenge

Inefficient workflows and cumbersome backups for high resolution 360 videos footage

To achieve the unique, immersive effect in its videography, IVAR Studios uses multiple cameras at the same time to allow viewers to experience the world in new, interactive ways. Whilst this video graphic stunt creates an unparalleled experience for the audience, the data that is required is also six times that of a normal video production.

When producing video content, one high-resolution data stream is processed in a workflow that has been established for decades. For IVAR Studios, their 360 cameras are comprised of several cameras in one housing which means that instead of having one data stream, they have multiple data streams from a day of production. This results in offloading and managing 17 separate memory cards and handling all this data and maintaining daily backups of it has become a full-time job.

IVAR Studios was in need of a centralised, easy-to-manage storage system with sufficient bandwidth for the team to work on multiple high-resolution video streams in real time. The solution must also come with bulletproof data protection mechanisms to prevent precious video assets from loss.

Photo of a on set location with a 360 camera and a helicopter in the background

Photo on set in the mountains with a camera on a arm

The Solution

Streamlined workflows with real-time syncing of files from on site shooting locations

IVAR Studios deploys the RS3617xs+ as their main server in Stockholm. With the help of Synology experts, they enabled link aggregation to deliver 20GbE connectivity in a sub-network and are now able to work in real-time on often multiple streams of video up to 8K in resolution directly from the storage from two power workstations. The RS3617xs+ server is loaded with 10TB Seagate drives in RAID 10. This allows them to gain additional throughput that were very much needed and delivers a highly resilient storage pool to avoid any data loss. At the moment of writing, the RS3617xs+ houses 24 TB worth of media and the number is growing by day.

A second unit – the DS3617xs – is set up in the same 10GbE network: using the inbuilt Hyper Backup software, it replicates data of the RS3617xs+ every day to add another layer of protection for the studio's digital asset.

IVAR Studios intermediate workflow files and updates of active projects are synced back in real-time from the shooting location using a peer-to-peer system called Resilio Sync.

Thanks to the powerful six-core Xeon CPU of the RS3617xs+, the Synology is able to quickly ingest large quantities of data, streamlining their backup workflow which previously wasn't possible. Beyond the speed of the Synology systems, their reliability is an even greater factor in ensuring peace of mind for the team: the company now have 60 TB worth of data on the DS3617xs, ensuring that archives are safe and secure, and can be retrieved at any time should any other part of the setup fail.

Topology of how Synology NAS was deployed

The Benefits

Centralised and ultra-fast file storage over 10GbE, all automatically backed up

Synology RS3617xs+ and DS3617xs have upgraded IVAR Studios infrastructure, bringing fast and scalable pools of storage:

They now don't have to worry about filling workstations with every project as they can now work with workstations directly accessing files on storage.
Productivity is excellent, with 10GbE allowing for ultra-fast access
The company have now been able to save many hours per week on their new backup workflow, leveraging the inbuilt software Hyper Backup.

Photo of a team of 3 people working on a video project

The Customer

IVAR Studios is a Nordic immersive studio founded by National Geographic Explorer Martin Edström his brother Fredrik Edström and Alfred Runow in 2016. Led by Martin, the team works at the intersection of storytelling, technology and communication within 360-video, VR and Augmented Reality - developing storytelling for both corporate clients and international organisations.

Based in Stockholm, they work with international clients including National Geographic, Nikon, Ovako and Plan International to build new channels and create more engaging stories. Their core business is helping companies step into the new world of immersive storytelling, using new tools to create engaging stories for platforms that didn't even exist ten years ago.

Some of the content they've produced is among the most-seen immersive videos in the world. In 2016, Martin led an experimental project for the National Geographic Society to create the first-ever VR film from inside a pride of wild lions - and it is still one of the most viewed immersive videos to this date.

As a team, they are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in immersive storytelling. Check out IVAR Studios' latest work.