Content Planning

What you acquire will depend on the budget you have. More storage capacity and diversity in content will increase with an increase in spend.

Every system will have a limit to its capacity, driven by storage and aircraft architecture. You may invest in a 10 movie system or a 100 movie system – whatever you choose, you can tailor the content to its capacity and your budget.

Some of the issues you will need to consider include:

• What is your budget for content?
• What is your flight sector length? Longer hauls may mean a bias towards movies and variety with short hauls showing more TV shows and audio channels
• How often will you require an update and refresh of content?

Every modern audio video on demand (AVOD) system needs a well designed and clear interactive menu that allows passengers to easily navigate to the entertainment content they wish to view during their journey.

When considering implementing a menu for your AVOD system, there are a number of issues to consider:

• Which AVOD platform is it for?
• When are the entry into services (EIS) dates?
• What are the sizes and resolution of the AVOD screens?
• Which languages does the GUI need to be in?
• What kind of menu design do you want – corporate and classic or fun and innovative?
• Is there a brand guidelines manual to follow to assist the content service provider with the artwork?
• What are the maximum number of ‘clicks’ you want passengers to take to find the content they want?
• What applications are there in the AVOD system?
• What content do you want to feature in the main menu?
• What is the timeline from the integrators and when is the design freeze date?

If you need to deliver important information to passengers then using a pre-recorded announcement (PRAM) is very popular. It allows key messages to be conveyed in a consistent and professional manner. Whilst planning your PRAM there are a number of things you to need to consider:

• Do you have a script written or will you need assistance to produce one?
• How many languages do you need the announcement in?
• Which systems is it needed for: flashcards, cassettes or audio and video on demand (AVOD)?
• How many announcements are needed and will they all fit on the media required?
• What voiceover gender and style should you use - male or female, young or mature, fun or serious?
• Who needs to approve the script and the voiceover before production begins?

Despite the shift to electronic and digital media in recent years, many passengers still prefer to read about the entertainment and products on offer during their journey in a printed entertainment guide or duty free magazine.

When considering the production of on-board publications, here are some of the things you need to consider:

• What goods or services do you wish to promote to passengers?
• What size do you require and how many pages?
• Do you want to include adverts in the magazine from other companies to help offset the production costs?
• What languages are required?
• How many copies are needed?
• Is there a brand guidelines manual to assist the content service provider with the artwork?

A good content service provider (CSP) should create a bespoke entertainment package for you based on rigorous research and a strong network of content suppliers.

When compiling content, close consideration should be given to passenger demographics, regions and route networks, seasonal changes and the success of movies, TV shows and audio content across regions based on ratings and reviews.

Your CSP should also have an excellent network of content suppliers globally to ensure a rich and varied choice of great content that will appeal to all passengers. Attending international media content events helps broaden the supply of material available too. The CSP’s programming team should also be passionate about entertainment as their knowledge is vital when advising you about content line up that passengers will enjoy.

It is also important to monitor and analyse on-board viewing figures to understand which content is popular and that which isn’t so that line ups can be regularly improved. In addition it is advisable to conduct research amongst your passengers to gauge their opinions about the entertainment package so that corrective action can be taken.

Your content service provider (CSP) should suggest and source a core entertainment package that will serve multiple routes and compliment this with route specific scheduling for movies, TV and audio content.

It is essential that cultural and regional tastes are considered when providing an in-flight entertainment (IFE) package. What may be acceptable in one region of the world may not be in another.

A good content service provider (CSP) should offer you clear editing and quality control guidelines to ensure that passengers do not see any content that is likely to cause offense or upset.

The edit guidelines should take into account the standard APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) recommendations as a minimum. Account Managers should also offer their own advice and opinions when working with the airline’s IFE department based on their experience and knowledge of local cultures and sensitivities.

Ensuring that your passenger entertainment package is updated regularly and flawlessly takes discipline and attention to detail. You will need to work closely with your content service provider (CSP) to ensure content cycle changes are always completed on time.

An in-depth knowledge of the processes and third parties involved in delivering content from start to finish will allow you to build timelines that take into account all the key stages and decision deadlines. This will allow all parties fair time to complete their step of the process.

Integrator deadlines must be adhered to and then a detailed timeline can be created which will start with the CSP issuing a catalogue of the latest content for selection.  Advert and publicity deadlines may also be included in the selection.

Recommendations should be made based on your specific needs. However as a guide, short programme channels run typically for 2 hours and this approximately coincides with the length of a movie. Therefore on some analogue systems it may be recommended to run channels for 2 hours to coincide with the start of the next film. For full digital video on demand (VOD) systems, this is not an issue and the airline can schedule as much content as it wishes regardless of the flight length.

For partial VOD, Personal TV (PTV) or Overhead Systems it is often recommended to include a balanced and creative mix of movies, TV and audio content to entertain passengers. Important issues to take into account include taxi lengths, take off and descent durations and any time the crew may need for onboard service.

Generally flights of 3 hours or more benefit from in-flight entertainment (IFE). For shorter flight times it is not usually possible to screen a full movie.

However you may want to consider offering TV shows or audio channels on flights of 2 - 3 hours if your aircraft has the appropriate IFE system on-board. 

What better way to put your passengers in a great mood at the start of their holiday or business trip than by showing them an exciting, entertaining video of all the great things they will discover at their intended destination?

A high quality, professionally produced, customised video can show major cities and land marks in a great light. Useful information can be included about tourist attractions, cultural and sporting events, local heritage and history, lifestyle, shopping areas and business facilities as well as practical information such as how to remain safe. You can also offset the production costs by selling advertising space to companies who wish to promote their goods or services to passengers.

If you wish to produce an original production video, you will need to consider the following:   

• What location is the video going to promote?
• What duration does the video need to be?
• How many languages does the video need to be produced in and what are the subtitle requirements?
• What format does the video need to be filmed in - 4x3 or 16x9?
• Do you want the video in standard definition (DVCAM) or high definition (HDV)?
• Do you have a script or do you need one written?
• What is the onboard date?
• Do you want advertisers to feature in the video to offset some of the production costs?
• Do you want any 2D or 3D animations to feature in the video?
• Do you require actors and/or models in the video?

One solution is to offer passengers a hand-held entertainment system. The best systems offer a wide variety of entertainment content and can be easily stored on board. In the event of system failure at seat level they can be easily distributed.

IFE Services has spent 3 years working with Sony to be able to offer the PlayStation Portable (PSP) system to airlines looking for a flexible alternative to installed IFE systems. Passengers can enjoy playing the latest PSP games and watching movies and TV shows on one of the World’s most popular hand-held entertainment systems.

The PSP is very popular with airlines for its low weight, 11 hour battery life and easy charging.