Brian Pobuda

Working with well known names like Audi, Apple and Getty, Pobuda understands how to manage multiple DAM projects and generate universal success.

What companies/organizations have you worked for as a DAM professional? What was your role at each?

I’m currently the Senior Digital Asset Manager at AKQA on the Audi of America account, where I provide the day to day maintenance of CQ5 and Scene7 assets for the Audi of America website and iPad Applications. I am the point person for sourcing, re-sizing, uploading, tagging and general archiving of both videos and stills. I meet regularly with business analyst, user experience and creative teams to ensure assets meet business, functional and creative requirements. Additionally, I spend time collaborating with art directors and motion designers on defining asset requirements based on creative direction and front-end capabilities.

In the past I have worked as a Picture Desk Editor at Getty Images, Photo Manager + Corporate Photographer at Gensler, Image Traffic Specialist & Digital Librarian at Apple and DAM Consultant at Apollo Group for the University of Phoenix.

How do you describe digital asset management to others?

Organizing digital files with metadata using software to view and manage and share. Connecting distribution channels and networks allowing for seamless collaborations.

How did you learn DAM? Any recommended sources?

I was taught the fundamentals of DAM while working as a Picture Desk Editor at Getty Images.

They have an amazing workflow and best practices program that is the best I’ve seen. The photographers in the field upload files that have multiple pages of metadata embedded in each asset using the editing tool Photo Mechanic. These assets go directly up to the Getty Images website and to clients. They were constantly updating the day-to-day workflow allowing for the most efficient workflow possible for both the photographer and photo editors.

What’s the most important thing for someone new to DAM to understand about DAM?

It is critical to get file and folder naming conventions established right from the start.

If you weren’t doing DAM as a career, what would you be doing?

When I’m not Damming, I’m shooting commercial photography assignments. Recent clients include University of Phoenix, AVG, and Engine Yard.

I’ve had multiple DAM consulting projects that have led to large-scale photography assignments. The same creative teams are always attached to DAM projects. Since I’m looking at the brand assets, I get to know the brands from an insider’s perspective. I shot a massive brand campaign for the University of Phoenix while working as a DAM consultant. I was shooting stills and web videos and Damming for a two-year period. It was amazing collaboration.

What is your ongoing greatest challenge with DAM?

Staying on top of the multiple tasks assigned to me in a day. I’m currently doing all the post-production on all the web assets, file naming, metadata tagging, video encoding, uploading and authoring in CQ5, so I’m maxed out.

What is your vision for DAM? What will it look like in 5 years?

Post-recession, I’m seeing more clients going back to the old school server archiving method. Keeping a highly organized file and folder naming convention that everyone understands.

To cut costs, companies are now only using the available content management systems like Adobe’s CQ5 and Scene7. These programs have basic DAM functionality built in. This solution is extremely limited but useful and saves companies DAM startup costs and long-term maintenance fees.

I see the “drag and drop process” in the future for DAMS, with a permanent lockdown versioning control abilities.

What was your biggest mistake with regard to DAM?

Starting a large-scale project for a well-known brand without a budget.

What was your biggest success with regard to DAM?

Providing the Digital Asset Management support to help launch the redesigned Audi of America website.

What more would you like to learn about DAM?

SEO. It’s critical for effective search on the web and I’m seeing how this is now the final step in the overall DAM process. It’s also the only shot you have to properly protect images with the embedded data.

This interview originally appeared on DAM Guru on Mon, 16 Jun 2014. For more DAM News interviews, see the interviews index page.

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