Camkeeper is a mobile application designed for digital camera reports. Its aim is to reduce paper usage in the camera department, streamline the registration process of technical parameters, and simplify the workflow of the team. All of this comes at a lower cost than traditional paper reports.
Camera reports have traditionally been done on carbon copy paper at a rate of 6 sheets per camera per day, per production. Considering that, in most cases, the copies are not utilized or a photo is directly sent to the relevant party, a wasteful model is reproduced that does not fit the current context.
Creative industries are undergoing an adaptation process to meet environmental requirements stemming from European regulations and public funding criteria. Camkeeper presents itself as a digital tool to achieve sustainable goals in the film industry. By integrating camera reports with other documents, such as shooting orders, within the same application, the main goal is to eliminate paper usage in the camera departments of film productions, aiming for greater environmental and business sustainability.
Main features and goals of the crowdfunding campaign
The design and development process of the app has the following goals: reduction of paper usage in the camera department, streamlining the process of registering technical parameters, and simplification of the department's workflow.
The reduction of waste generated by the department is a priority. Camkeeper allows the incorporation of the call sheet order into the workspace to avoid further paper usage on set and consolidate all necessary documents in the same app. There are plans to add other documents associated with the department's work, such as the equipment list or the shooting schedule.
Regarding the user experience, the opinions of numerous technicians have been taken into account to design an application tailored to their needs, improving existing tools and incorporating functionalities that make it preferable to traditional reports. Through shortcuts and presets, the goal is to minimize keyboard usage, reducing the time needed to fill out reports and, at the same time, potential errors. It incorporates a dark mode to avoid disturbance on set and make usage more comfortable, and, of course, it works offline. Additionally, it is available on iOS and Android, eliminating the need for a new device to use the app.
Camkeeper streamlines the workflow by incorporating other team members into the project. On one hand, it allows the access of guests to view live changes in each camera's parameters in a "read-only" mode. On the other hand, it allows the export of reports at any time, in PDF and CSV formats, without affecting the project. These can be directly shared via email, Google Drive, WhatsApp, and other messaging services. This way, while the shooting continues and new data is added, the DIT or data wrangler can update their clips in an automated manner through the files generated in Camkeeper and thanks to its integration with Silverstack.
Why this is important
Camkeeper emerges from the observation of the wasteful use of resources when carrying out certain tasks on film sets. In a dynamic and demanding environment, concerns about the environmental consequences of the industry are growing, prompting the consideration of measures and protocols to reduce its impact. In this context, Camkeeper is born, a project that aims to improve efficiency in performing certain tasks while contributing to reduce the waste generated by the department. Designed by technicians, for technicians, it seeks to set the camera department as an active agent in this ecological transition of cultural industries, striving for environmentally and business-wise responsible and efficient film sets.
Camkeeper simplifies the data recording process for the camera assistant, with minimal keyboard use and optimization of the registration of the most repetitive parameters. Its use improves the the entire departments workflow, and it even extends to others, such as editing, post-production, or direction, through the guest user function and exporting in different formats.
Camkeeper is targeted towards production companies seeking sustainability options and adaptation to changes in the audiovisual industry. It collaborates in meeting sustainability standards required by grants, European regulations, and platform criteria, by promoting the reduction of paper usage in general and its elimination in the camera department, a scalable model extendable to other departments.
Team and experience
Miguel López
He has participated in more than 40 projects over 20 years of experience. He designed the workflow of Camkeeper after thorough research on various film shoots and incorporating the expertise of other technicians. He coordinates relationships with Camkeeper's suppliers.
María Lacasa
In addition to a decade as a camera technician, she brings experience in communication, marketing, and programming to the team. She is responsible for brand promotion and design.
The team has a strong focus on sustainability and efficiency. Their experience and knowledge in the industry allow them to deeply understand the needs of the professionals around them and provide solutions without forgetting their opinions.