3.02.21 Correcting missing or invalid metadata by using valid metadata from existing Assets/Events – NEP Norway

Introduction

This article focuses on obtaining existing metadata from valid Events already stored in the Library and adding (copying) them to assets missing adequate metadata.

Asset metadata
Along with every asset, metadata is a crucial component of the Library. Metadata provides technical information about the media content itself. It also contains valuable, informative data that enables the Mediabank Library to structure the chaos without a static and hierarchical storage structure. Metadata enables Mediabank to organize, sort, locate, extract, and not to forget, understand the relationship and associations among hundreds of thousands of assets stored in the Library.

Note that the asset metadata is referred to as keys and values. Below is a screenshot from Library workspace 3 (asset properties).

Examples of the asset metadata keys & values:

Keys - Values
Status - New, approved, rejected, archived.
Sport - Football, Triathlon, Roadracing, Golf, Tennis.
Program type - Tv-show, debate, documentary, Educational

Every application in Mediabank uses metadata to deliver its services, and the Library is by far the dominant user of this valuable information. Its supreme use of metadata provides the foundation for the most advanced services in the market today. The metadata enables advanced services to every category of customers. It gives the grounds for efficient distribution/publishing, advanced rights management, and other revenue-generating services. Another user of the valuable metadata is the Library Workflows, often represented as M-Boxes.

Modifying the metadata of an asset (properties)

Why change the metadata?
Sometimes, the asset contains incorrect or missing metadata values, making it impossible for Mediabank to organize and structure the media content correctly.

Correct metadata is crucial for clients using Collections or Calendar views, but it also secures predictable search results in manual operations.

How to secure correct and consistent metadata
Before a Live Ingest, preparation and testing of configurations and definitions are one of the top priorities. Avoiding invalid metadata is crucial, and the Professional crews familiar with the importance of correct metadata make sure everything runs smoothly.

However, users manually uploading media content is a more common source of inaccuracies in the metadata content.

AdEx, Mediabank's primary file ingest application used by hundreds of corporations and users to upload media content to their Mediabank Library, solves this by using schemes (templates) where the users fill in just a tiny amount of information (metadata) before upload. These advanced schemes need only a few user inputs to use their conditional search functions and add correct metadata from trusted external sources, freeing the user to enter the data while avoiding human errors manually.
But errors happen, and a correction is sometimes needed.

How to edit the metadata of an asset

Making modifications or corrections to the metadata of an asset is easy:

First, select an asset from Library thumb or list view by clicking on it once.
Next, go to asset properties by clicking on the arrow on the assets thumb or select asset properties workspace.
Select the Properties Tab. The asset's properties are displayed. Select "Client defined fields."
Modify or add the metadata values from available keys.
Click on the button "Update meta," and the asset's new metadata is stored.

How to add or modify metadata by searching existing Events.

The above example explained how adding or modifying a single asset's metadata is possible, assuming the user knows the new metadata values.

Assume we have a single asset with missing or incorrect metadata. We want this asset to be a part of a Collection or appear in a Calendar view together with associated assets. It is almost impossible to use the above method since it is often a combination of several keys and values that must match to appear in functions like the Calendar view.

Mediabank makes it possible to search for associated happenings (sports events or similar), use those keys and values, and save the newly added asset with its new metadata to reduce time-consuming manual routines.

This example describes the procedure to modify the metadata of an existing asset in the Library.

Note!
Mediabank also supports the user in adding correct metadata during file ingest (upload), all in one operation when using AdEx. It is also possible to handle multiple assets assuming they are associated with a mutual Event.

Below is our asset containing the interview but missing essential metadata. We know that the interview took place on a Friday at the beginning of March 2021, and it was Men's Baseball between NC State vs. Miami.

Note!
"Click to search for events," shown in the below image, refers to an event like a soccer game, Concert, or similar. In Mediabank terms, an Event is Happening, and the term "happening" is used throughout this article. For the curious user: Mediabank "Event" = One single log entry from a happening.

To locate happenings from that Event, proceed as follow. First, loadLoad the interview into the mediaplayer and go to workspace 3, "Asset properties."

Select the Properties Tab. It reveals all the missing or incorrect metadata keys and values.
Click the highlighted search function in the below illustration.

Click on the calendar icon to select the assumed time frame, and click the Apply button.

Mediabank will search for every happening within the selected timeframe. Proceed to the text input field to narrow down the search results. In this case, "Miami" is the first search criteria. To narrow the search results even further, add additional search phrases. In our case, it is "nc" and "stat." So we know it was Men's Baseball between NC State vs. Miami.
Mediabank returns two events, and since we know that the interview took place on a Friday, the asset from March 5'th is selected.

Note!
Mediabank uses the AND function when it searches for events. For example, our search was "Miami" AND "nc" AND "stat." Therefore, any assets containing these criteria are returned.

The metadata of that Event will appear on the right side of the search frame. If that Event and the interview should be associated, click the "Select Event" button.

Clicking the "Select Event" button causes Mediabank to copy the predefined metadata event keys and values to the newly added interview. It is also possible to add additional metadata to the asset.
To further enhance the metadata content of the asset, the value "Interview" is added.

Click the "Update meta" button, and the asset is now stored with its new metadata and correctly appears in Calendar views or Collections.

This functionality is also available from the Review & Approval and AdEx applications.

AdEx uses this search function before uploading any assets; securing new assets contains correct metadata. AdEx also supports multiple asset uploads in one operation.

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Articles in this section

Introduction

Modifying the metadata of an asset (properties)

How to add or modify metadata by searching existing Events.