The Blue Lucy Asset Management system (BLAM) is a MAM covering the media supply chain from ingest to delivery. It is a feature-rich solution. BLAM’s core MAM and workflow functionality can be extended using an extensive list of 30 plugins, including Ingest (from SDI feeds and VTR), Revolver (loop recording), Tailor (cut-cut editing), Storefront (point-of-sale platform), Publisher (for deliver), Rights Managers (frame-accurate), DRM, Fingerprinting, Scheduling, and Billing

ARCHITECTURE: BLAM can be deployed on-premise, in the cloud or a hybrid of the two. It orchestrates a number of distributed services following a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). It enables ease of integration with all functions being accessible via a single, open API. BLAM uses entirely web-browser user interfaces. It uses a single SQL database. No mention of security.</p></li>

INTEGRATION: BLAM has a plugin approach to resource integration with a wide portfolio of proven integrations. It integrates with traditional baseband infrastructure products such as VTRs and Flexicarts for ingest and layback to tape, and file-based video processing such as AQC and transcoders. It offers an Adobe Premiere panel and other Adobe Creative Suite plugins. For delivery, it integrates with OTT and social media. No mention is made of resource monitoring.

AUTOMATION: BLAM Workflow Builder is a graphical workflow design tool. It presents a library of actions and tasks, plus supports developers writing their own “BLidgets” (function blocks / Blue Lucy widgets) using C#, Java, Python, and more programming languages. No mention is made of real-time workflow monitoring.

METADATA: BLAM offers an open and extensible schema enabling frame-level precision operationally supported by controlled vocabularies and intelligence. The Metadata Injector plugin enables the metadata in AS-11 compliant files to be imported or added. Inventory Manager supports physical asset management linked to library management systems. No mention is made of a metadata design tool though nor of more advanced metadata (taxonomies, thesaurus, hierarchies).

USER EXPERIENCE: BLAM UIs are modern in style, not too cluttered, with nice animation and well laid out. Blue Lucy uses the UX services of HeavyLight to design their user interfaces. HeavyLight also provides services to Blue Lucy customers that require customised UIs, from simple re-branding to a fully customised user experience. BLAM supports task management and scheduling of human resources.

ANALYTICS: The BLAM Reporting module claims to provide information on distribution, consumption, search trends and operations. No UI examples have been observed on the NAB booth or on the Blue Lucy web site though. No mention of graphical capabilities.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: BLAM has a Voice to Text plugin that supports metadata collection from third party AI video analytics services - “idea for bootstrapping contextual metadata for archive content.” No mention is made as to which AI vendors, provision of a review workflow, or any application of AI.