Fulcrum Labs – Pilot Education

The brief

We were tasked with helping ftrack to sell its creative project management solution by talking to the customers using it on the front lines. As part of this initiative, we spoke with Fulcrum Labs, a studio using ftrack to create a more robust, adaptive, and personalized online learning platform for pilots.

The story

Fulcrum Labs use modern practices to equip higher education and corporate clients with an easy to use, personalized learning platform. Fulcrum doesn’t just offer the platform, but also produces the content itself – courses can span 25,000 assets and several hours of video footage. With timelines sometimes as tight as six months, Fulcrum needs a project management solution that it can rely on. ftrack is that service, enabling Fulcrum to oversee its sprawling projects at scales large and small.

Along with the learning platform, Fulcrum creates comprehensive educational programs that include original live-action video and high-end animation. Many of Fulcrum’s principals have TV and film production experience, which helps when working on projects to this scale. “Managing 20,000 assets for a pilot training course is no easy feat,” says Ferguson. “The whole production is a vast undertaking – from the lengthy scripting process to physical production, original animation, editorial, and lots of approval.”

The ability to carefully manage and track this process is key. That’s why Fulcrum’s team tested multiple project management solutions before turning to ftrack. “We started using ftrack, and everyone in the office, from the script-writers to the animators and the project managers, loved it,” says Ferguson. “While we’re not in visual effects, there is a component of what we do that is very similar to that, with client approvals and tracking. This has been the platform that really stuck with us.”

One of Fulcrum’s recent programs for Allegiant Air involved a training package based around the inner workings of the Airbus A320. Fulcrum developed a training program that spanned 25 hours’ worth of content – including over 2500 interactive activities. Even with two production teams, it was “all hands on deck” to finalize the content within six months. “ftrack earned its keep in these months,” affirms Ferguson. “The toolset was really important when figuring out what was finished and what had to be done next.”

“ftrack allows us to quickly and visually see roadblocks that may cause a project to fall behind schedule or go over budget,” says Ferguson. “We can look at ftrack and see when crunch time will hit. That’s really important because instead of having to fall behind schedule for one reason or another, we can identify that early and begin planning. We can then communicate this with our clients,” she adds. “In a lot of ways, ftrack allows us to have a more stabilized budget, which makes the overall process so much simpler.”

Ferguson says her team is “enamored” with ftrack, and are looking forward to exploring more of its advanced functionality, including using the platform to share content for client reviews. But ultimately, it’s the tool’s ease of use and simple design that made it ideal for the team. After all, for a team of educators, simplicity in learning is key.

“The fact that we can see week-over-week what we’ve completed is really helpful for me as an executive,” concludes Ferguson. “We’re yet to really start digging into ftrack and finding out what it can do, but the simple fact that it solved that problem was a huge win for us. There’s plenty of room for Fulcrum Labs and its ftrack integration to grow.”

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