AWS Interactive Video Service (IVS)

If you're aiming to create immersive, real-time streaming experiences, Metal Toad delivers expert implementation of Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS)—a fully managed platform built for ultra-low latency and audience interactivity at scale.

With a history of enabling high-impact video solutions for industry leaders like the GRAMMYs, Sony Pictures, and Technicolor, we help brands captivate viewers and unlock new engagement and monetization opportunities. Our blended U.S. and Brazil-based team ensures efficient, cost-effective development with deep technical proficiency across AWS’s media ecosystem.

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In the simplest terms: IVS is white labeled Twitch!

Amazon IVS is a fully managed live streaming solution that delivers ultra-low latency video with built-in support for interactive features like chat, polls, and timed metadata. It’s designed to help developers create real-time, engaging video experiences without managing complex infrastructure. Here’s how it works in five key steps:

Stream Ingestion – Broadcasters send live video using RTMPS from software like OBS or Streamlabs to Amazon IVS ingest endpoints, initiating a live session.
Automatic Transcoding – IVS processes the stream and generates multiple video renditions for adaptive bitrate playback across different devices and networks.
Global Low-Latency Delivery – The stream is delivered through a managed CDN optimized for 2–5 second latency, enabling near real-time viewer experiences.
Player & Interactivity – The IVS player SDK integrates into web and mobile apps, supporting interactive elements like live chat, polls, and synchronized overlays via timed metadata.
Scalability & Monitoring – IVS automatically scales to support growing audiences, with real-time metrics and diagnostics available through Amazon CloudWatch and the IVS console.

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“Metal Toad is the interface between Laurel Canyon Live and AWS. They are the engine room for getting this innovative solution into the cloud environment.”

John Ross Founder at Laurel Canyon Live
“The team at Metal Toad stepped up to the challenge and quickly showcased the potential with fast and fluid builds that worked well in conjunction with our direct development efforts. Solutions oriented, and proactive, I would highly recommend them especially in situations with new and challenging technology.”

Greg Gudorf COO M-GO (Technicolor)
“Great partnership, and consistent client services dept that looks out for us. Have built us a very solid dev team handling the largest Peer Awarded Music show.”

Ray Starck VP of Digital Strategy at the GRAMMYS
“Metal Toad has outperformed our every expectation along with keeping within our vigorous brand standards.”

Jason Thompson Sr. Manager at The Walt Disney Company
“Metal Toad always has contingency plans for the worst possible scenario, while working to deliver on the best. Working with them meant I didn't have to worry.”

Jennifer Connelly Vice President of Technology at Television Academy
“The cloud computing environment that Metal Toad built provided significant savings on our traditional in-house hosted environment while delivering a more reliable site, and providing a better customer experience.”

Gerard Lomonaco VP Operations/Technology, Sony

The AWS Elemental Advantage

AWS Elemental Media Services empower businesses to build and scale cloud-native video platforms that meet the demands of a global, always-on audience. Whether you're launching a new OTT product, modernizing broadcast infrastructure, or entering new digital markets, leveraging AWS media services ensures your video workflows are built for reliability, reach, and revenue.

Key advantages of building on AWS Elemental Media Services include:

Faster time-to-market – Pre-integrated services like MediaLive, MediaPackage, and MediaTailor accelerate launch timelines for live and on-demand video platforms.
Cost-efficiency – Pay-as-you-go pricing and serverless architecture eliminate large upfront investments while optimizing resource usage.
Scalability – Seamlessly stream to millions without rearchitecting, thanks to AWS’s global infrastructure and elastic capacity.
Monetization – Personalized ad insertion via MediaTailor enables dynamic revenue models for both live and linear OTT channels.
Reliability & compliance – Broadcast-grade performance, multi-region redundancy, and compliance with media industry standards ensure smooth operations and peace of mind.

With the right AWS consulting partner, businesses can harness the full power of AWS Elemental to lead in a competitive media landscape—delivering high-quality, scalable video experiences that grow with your audience.

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Speak with our team to understand how Metal Toad can help you drive innovation, growth and success. As an Advanced AWS Consulting Partner, we can help you unlock up to $25,000 in Proof of Concept Funding.

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What to look for in an AWS Elemental Services Provider

Choosing the right AWS consulting partner for Elemental Media Services can make or break the success of your streaming platform. Whether you're building a new OTT experience, modernizing legacy broadcast systems, or launching live events at scale, the right partner should bring deep technical expertise, strategic guidance, and a track record of delivering cloud-native media solutions.

Key qualities to look for in an AWS Elemental Services provider include:

Proven media expertise – Demonstrated experience with AWS Elemental services like MediaLive, MediaPackage, MediaStore, and MediaTailor to support live and on-demand workflows.
End-to-end delivery – Capabilities that span solution architecture, channel assembly, video encoding, ad-insertion, and scalable distribution.
AWS funding support – Ability to help you access AWS Proof of Concept (POC) and other funding programs—potentially covering up to $25K in Proof of Concept funding.
Cloud-native proficiency – Deep knowledge of AWS infrastructure, DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and scalable serverless or container-based architectures.
Security and compliance – Familiarity with best practices for securing video workflows and meeting regulatory standards like GDPR or industry broadcast compliance.
Cost-effective development – Nearshore or hybrid teams that reduce development costs while enabling real-time collaboration and high-quality delivery.
Agile project management – Flexible, transparent processes that support iterative improvement and faster time-to-market.

A consulting partner with these strengths can help you deliver exceptional viewer experiences while optimizing for cost, scale, and long-term success on AWS.

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Top 5 mistakes made in media services

Deploying media streaming services comes with unique technical and strategic challenges. Here are the top five mistakes to avoid:

1. Underestimating Infrastructure Costs
Media workloads can be bandwidth-heavy and compute-intensive. Many teams overlook the ongoing costs of encoding, packaging, and global delivery—especially when not leveraging cost-optimized services like AWS Elemental MediaLive and MediaPackage.
2. Overengineering the Streaming Workflow
Trying to implement advanced features (multi-language audio, DRM, ultra-low latency) before validating core streaming functionality can lead to delays and instability. Starting with a streamlined, reliable MVP is critical for fast iteration and user feedback.
3. Ignoring Scalability and Failover Planning
Without proper auto-scaling and failover configurations, spikes in traffic—especially during live events—can result in service outages or degraded quality. Designing for scale with AWS’s global infrastructure is essential.
4. Neglecting Monetization and Ad Strategy
Failing to plan for monetization—whether via subscriptions, pay-per-view, or dynamic ad insertion using services like AWS Elemental MediaTailor—can leave revenue on the table and limit long-term viability.
5. Lax Security and Compliance Posture
Streaming services often handle user data, digital rights, and payment info. Overlooking encryption, DRM, and compliance with regulations like GDPR can lead to legal exposure and erode viewer trust.

The Metal Toad Advantage

Here are five key advantages of working with Metal Toad that directly address the top challenges in deploying media streaming services:

1. Cost-Optimized Cloud Architecture
We design streaming solutions using AWS Elemental services and serverless infrastructure to reduce operational costs while delivering high-quality performance. Our nearshore development team in Brazil also helps cut development expenses without compromising quality.
2. MVP-First Strategy for Fast Launch
Metal Toad emphasizes launching with a Minimum Viable Product to validate user demand and iterate quickly. We help clients focus on essential features first, avoiding delays and overcomplication.
3. Scalable, Resilient Design
Our architects build with AWS best practices, ensuring your media platform can scale on-demand and remain highly available—even during peak traffic events. Auto-scaling, regional redundancy, and CDN integration are baked into our deployments.
4. Built-In Monetization Capabilities
We can integrate monetization from the start, leveraging AWS Elemental MediaTailor for personalized ad insertion or supporting subscription and pay-per-view models. We help you align tech choices with your business model for faster ROI.
5. Security and Compliance by Default
Security isn’t an afterthought. Our solutions include DRM, encryption, secure playback policies, and compliance with standards like GDPR and SOC 2. We also help clients navigate media-specific legal and licensing challenges.