Archive of the Desktop Post Category

• Popular Kickstand StretchMesh Surface Deformation plug-in for Autodesk Maya software moves toward Open Source model
• Opens the door for 3D developers, programmers and artists to readily integrate advanced Surface Deformation technology into workflow and software programs

Kickstand, innovators of the popular StretchMesh plug-in for Autodesk Maya software, announced today it has launched a campaign to evolve StretchMesh Surface Deformaton software into Open Source technology.

By making the source code available to the 3D community, Kickstand opens the door for artists working in Maya to incorporate the surface deformation technology into their 3D workflow. The StretchMesh Open Source initiative also allows programmers and developers of software programs such as Autodesk 3D Studio Max and Softimage, NewTek LightWave, Luxology modo, and Maxon Cinema 4D to incorporate advanced surface deformation functionality in future product releases.

Kickstand invites the 3D community to support the StretchMesh Open Source campaign today by visiting: http://www.indiegogo.com/StretchMesh-for-Autodesk-Maya.

About StretchMesh

A powerful surface deformation plug-in designed to seamlessly integrate with Maya 3D modeling and animation software, StretchMesh introduces new techniques into the character pipeline and gives polygonal geometry a “stretchy” quality for better control over the movement and skin elasticity of 3D modeled characters.

Implemented as a standard deformer in Maya software, StretchMesh features advanced relational vertex and shape preservation technology, offering animators and technical directors working in feature film, broadcast and game development the ability to create smooth character deformations using Maya software.

StretchMesh takes advantage of multi-threading in Maya software, and incorporates several features for advanced character animation, including:

• Greater flexibility and performance when animating collisions with primitive sphere and primitive curve colliders.

• The ability to paint an influence on a collision object for per-vertex control over collision behaviors.

• Curve attractors provide the ability to pull vertices toward the closest point on a curve.

• A “Scale Safe” mode that allows users to scale a mesh while safely preserving its initial shape.?

For more details about StretchMesh, please visit www.kickstand.tv.

About Kickstand

Kickstand is an innovative character research and development company producing custom animation and pipeline technology for leading visual effects and film studios worldwide. Founded by experts in feature animation, video game development, television, and commercial production, Kickstand specializes in commercial and custom software development for advanced 3D modeling and animation and offers consultation services to help solve complex production pipeline issues, create technical assets, and develop specialized tools for 3D modeling and animation.

DFT Digital Film Technology, provider of high-end film and digital post production solutions that preserve, manage, and deliver your pictures, announces that Spice Shop, Bangkok, Thailand, is the first commercial post facility in Southeast Asia to install a SCANITY film scanner.

In addition to providing a full range of post production services for the local and international television and cinema commercial markets, Spice Shop has recently unveiled it’s newly renovated facility which enhances its service offerings to support feature film post production including on-set and post grading, 3D DCI mastering, as well as archive & restoration work. more

MANHATTAN EDIT WORKSHOP PARTNERS WITH ABELCINE; CONNECTS PRODUCTION TO POST
Educational developments teach filmmakers and videographers end-to-end production to post workflows and techniques

New York, New York – December 12, 2011 – Manhattan Edit Workshop (Mewshop), the cutting-edge authorized digital training destination, is pleased to announce a training partnership with industry leading film and digital media equipment supplier AbelCine. Their first collaboration, ‘Hands On: From the Camera to the Cutting Room,’ is a two-day intensive workshop in the art of shooting and editing narrative and documentary film.

“This partnership leverages the expertise of our respective training organizations to produce educational programs that approach training from the artistic workflow as opposed to teaching specific buttons and dials,” comments Josh Apter, Founder and President, Manhattan Edit Workshop. “I am very excited to get people working on all the latest tools and technology available to filmmakers, and using them for specific creative ends.”

“AbelCine Training was established to bring real-word education to industry professionals. We emphasize practical training taught by instructors who work everyday in the disciplines they teach. We are excited about the partnership with Manhattan Edit Workshop, because it allows us to offer our clients first-class instruction in editing techniques, which fits perfectly with our philosophy,” explained Andy Shipsides, AbelCine Training Department Manager and Camera Technology Specialist.

The first ‘Hands On: From the Camera to the Cutting Room’ workshop will be held on January 21st at AbelCine and January 22nd at Mewshop.

Day One takes place at AbelCine’s brand new training space. Award-winning cinematographer Peter Olsen and Mewshop founder and filmmaker Josh Apter deconstruct classic examples of three cinematic concepts – fiction, vérité and the interview – and take students through an immersive hands-on workshop in lighting, camera placement, composition and sound for these disciplines. Working with professional actors, state-of-the-art gear and award-winning instructors, the students break off into crews and shoot their own exercises.

Day Two takes place at Manhattan Edit Workshop where students take their footage through post-production using the industry’s most popular non-linear editing tools. Mewshop founder and filmmaker Josh Apter will walk through the post process where students will ingest, assemble, fine-tune and output work for a group screening and critique to end the class.

Students can register for the workshop on the Mewshop web site for 500.00 USD.

About the Instructors:
Instructor Josh Apter
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, instructor Josh Apter attended NYU’s Graduate Film Program, where his thesis, 53rd Calypso, was honored with the Martin Scorsese Award for achievement in directing. The film, which stars Edward Norton, received numerous awards for directing, editing, and cinematography at film festivals across the country.

Josh was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards for his first feature film, Kaaterskill Falls – The John Cassavetes Award and Best Debut Performance. Kaaterskill Falls was also awarded the Critic’s Jury Prize at the IFP/West Los Angeles Film Festival. It is currently screening on the Sundance Channel and is available on DVD through Wellspring Media.

In addition to establishing Manhattan Edit Workshop, the destination for post-production training, Josh has served as editor for more than eight feature films including The Holy Land (winner Slamdance 2002/Cavu Pictures Distributor), Kaaterskill Falls, and Barbecue is a Noun (Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Rome International Film Festival and the River Run Film Festival). To view more of Josh’s work, please visit www.peteandjoshmakemovies.com.

Instructor Peter Olsen
After being honored as a regional finalist in the Student Academy Awards for his first 16mm film Interstates, instructor Peter Olsen was accepted into the graduate film program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where his work garnered several honors, including a Graduate Teaching Assistantship, a Warner Bros. Production Award, and a nomination for the American Society of Cinematographers Greg Toland Heritage Award. Peter was also awarded a $25,000 development grant from IFP/North and the Minnesota Independent Film Fund as co-writer of the feature film screenplay Ice Nine, now in development.
Peter brings an invaluable distinction to the projects he shoots since he is also a writer, producer and director. His debut feature, Kaaterskill Falls (co-directed with Josh Apter), on which he also served as director of photography, received the Critic’s Jury Prize for Best Feature at the 2001 IFP/West Los Angeles Film Festival, and was nominated for two 2002 Independent Spirit Awards. Peter is currently developing and shooting a number of feature projects both documentary and narrative.

About AbelCine Training
AbelCine’s Training Department was created to continue the company’s mission of educating serious image makers on all levels on professional production technology – encompassing cameras, optics, audio, lighting, workflows and post solutions.

AbelCine Training utilizes the wide range of equipment resources and knowledge base of the company behind it. Although the curriculum is primarily focused on working professionals, classes are appropriate for serious students at all levels of their careers and are designed to pick up where formal film and media programs generally end.

About Abel Cine Tech Inc.
Abel Cine Tech, established in 1989, is a leading supplier of professional film and digital equipment with facilities in New York City, Burbank, CA and Chicago, IL. Core services include equipment sales, rental and technical service, digital media services, and training. The company is the North American agent for Phantom high-speed cameras, as well as a Sony Solutions Reseller, Panasonic Specialty Reseller, Arri digital camera reseller, and the exclusive US agent for Aaton motion picture cameras. For more information, visit www.abelcine.com

About Manhattan Edit Workshop
Manhattan Edit Workshop was founded in 2002 with the goal of providing cutting-edge instruction on Apple®, Adobe® and Avid® platforms. In 2011 Mewshop added Avid Pro Tools®, DaVinci Resolve, Autodesk® Smoke® and ASSIMILATE SCRATCH training to its already impressive curriculum. Mewshop’s signature Six-Week Intensive is a jump-start for anyone looking for a career in post-production, while weekend and one-week courses introduce and solidify core-editing concepts. Corporate and group training offers a customized curriculum, either in-house or on-site, for professionals eager to learn a new skill or to build on existing ones. The facility’s focus on small workshops, highly skilled and certified faculty, and a results-oriented curriculum, have quickly won it the reputation as New York’s premier post-production teaching facility.

Follow @mewshop on Twitter or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mewshop.
For more information on Manhattan Edit Workshop please visit: www.mewshop.com.

Press Contact (Manhattan Edit Workshop)
For all press inquiries please contact:

Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
Janice@zazilmediagroup.com
(p) 617.817.6595
(skype) janicedolan

New Versions Offer Native Support for FCP X, OS X Lion and Adobe CS5.5; Significantly Enhanced Usability Features

Wilmington, NC (December 8, 2011) – Digieffects® (www.digieffects.com) announced today the immediate availability of Delirium v2.5, Damage v2.5 and Buena Depth Cue v2.5. With this announcement, Digieffects is now delivering native Final Cut Pro support through FxPlug, Apple’s plug-in architecture.  Available immediately are full support for Final Cut Pro 6, Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Motion 5 and Final Cut Express for the Delirium Phenomena and Damage sets of plug-ins, as well as native support for Final Cut Pro X.  Digieffects has also strengthened support for OS X Lion and Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 across its entire product line.

Also as part of this new release, Digieffects has significantly enhanced usability features for all of its plug-ins, with single installers for entire suites and automatic installation of the hundreds of popular presets available to all customers.

The 2.5 versions of Delirium, Damage and Buena Depth Cue are currently available, and are offered as free upgrades to customers who own v2.0 of Delirium, Damage or Buena Depth Cue.

“The entire team at Digieffects has poured themselves into this release to ensure every plug-in across the entire family is rock solid, stable, and ready to integrate into our customers’ workflow. It took a little longer than we’d prefer, but we can proudly stand behind this release,” said Robert Sharp, president of Digieffects. “When we first announced our release, I told you that these products are a quantum leap in technological innovation, with significant under-the-hood improvements. The steps we’ve taken these past couple of weeks ensure each product will literally slipstream into users’ editing timelines and VFX workflow – regardless of if they’re a freelancer or running a large post facility. For Final Cut Pro editors working in FCP X, FCP 6 or 7; or if Premiere Pro editors on CS5.5, Digieffects plug-ins will integrate seamlessly, delivering stunning results every time.”

The Digieffects Line-Up: FCP, CS5.5 Support, Ideal for Editors, VFX Artists
The new Digieffects v2.5 product line up not only provides its community of VFX artists with a breadth of tools to enhance their work, it also provides its community of video editors with access to VFX tools that are affordable, easy to use, and accessible from within their editing applications.

Delirium v2.5: Delirium v2.5, a comprehensive suite of 44 plug-ins designed for editors, visual effects and digital media artists looking to add high quality, affordable and visually stunning effects to their digital media projects. Today, 11 Delirium plug-ins provide full support for FCP X, and more will be added in the near future. The 11 plug-ins supporting FCP X include Bubbles, Electrical Arcs, Fairy Dust, Fire, Fireworks, Fog Factory, Muzzle Flash, Rainfall, Smoke, Snowstorm, and Sparks.

Damage v2.5: Damage v2.5 now fully supports Final Cut Pro 6 and 7 through FxPlug and includes 7 effects to artistically degrade footage, including Aged Film, Archive, Blockade, Destabilizer, Interference, Overexpose and Skew. Single installers are now included to simplify installation for multi-seat environments.

Buena Depth Cue v2.5: Buena Depth Cue v2.5 provides Adobe CS5.5 and After Effects artists with an innovative workflow for creating visual depth in their projects. Using composition-based effects, such as Rack Focus, Falloff Lighting or Atmosphere, digital media artists can mimic Z depth in a unique way that cannot be replicated using practical depth of field. Buena Depth Cue v2.5 includes 6 powerful plug-ins for creating depth, including:

Depth: Displays the depth of each layer in grayscale for use as a gradient map with other plug-ins or applications;

Falloff Lighting: Adds realistic lighting effects to layers;

Atmosphere: Shrouds layers in a light haze or a deep, murky mist;

Rack Focus: Produces realistic depth of field effects and focus pulls, including simulating boke and anamorphic lens effects;

Camera Mapper: Turns 2D stills and footage into 3D scenes directly in After Effects;

Flipside: Maps one layer onto the backside of another layer, enabling artists to flip front layers over to reveal back layers.

Pricing and Availability
Digieffects Delirium, Damage and Buena Depth Cue v2.5 are priced as follows:

Delirium v2.5: $299.00 for new customers; $149.00 for users migrating from v1.0; and is a free upgrade for v2.0 customers.

Damage v2.5: $99.00 for new customers; $79.00 for users migrating from v1.0; and is a free upgrade for v2.0 customers.

Buena Depth Cue v2.5: $199.00 for new customers; $99.00 for users migrating from v1.0; and is a free upgrade for v2.0 customers.

About Digieffects
Founded in 1996,  Digieffects is the industry renowned creator of professional caliber visual effects and editorial design applications, including the venerable classics, Delirium and Damage, which are now available as native Final Cut Pro and Motion plug-ins. Digieffects software functions as “plug-ins” and work in conjunction with Adobe After Effects, Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Grass Valley Edius. With customers all around the world, including many of the best known brands in the media and entertainment industry, Digieffects also service a variety of other markets including corporations, government agencies, universities, non-profit institutions, independent freelancers and hobbyists. Digieffects has also licensed its plugins to Adobe and Roxio for inclusion in their video software applications. For more information, please visit www.digieffects.com.

FLEXXITY Output page rendering QuickTime ProRes files

Whether facilities are working with on-set dailies, post dailies, playout and mastering, or archive workflows, FLEXXITY ingests and reads ProRes files directly, without the need for transcoding. Due to this native support, there are no workflow slowdowns that are often caused by transcoding delays.

FLEXXITY software runs on Linux, making it an ultra-stable, high performance, and high-throughput post production software tool for a variety of workflow pipelines. Linux also offers scale-up flexibility that allows users to implement a system that is fine-tuned to their specific needs from single-user seats, to multi-user workgroups. Linux OS is highly valued in post production environments for how quickly and predictably it responds. more

Imagineer Product Specialist to Demonstrate mocha to After Effects and mocha to Nuke Workflows Ideal for 2D-3D Conversion Pipelines

GUILDFORD, UK (December 5, 2011) — Imagineer Systems (www.imagineersystems.com) today announced it will showcase its newest versions of mocha™, mocha Pro™ and mocha AE™ during SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 next week. SIGGRAPH Asia offers attendees an opportunity to see first-hand Imagineer’s newest planar tracking, roto and removal tool that dramatically reduces the manual labor associated with visual effects and stereo conversion projects.

Responding to the steady increase in demand for efficient, integrated stereo conversion pipeline tools throughout Asia, Imagineer Systems’ product specialist, Martin Brennand will provide attendees demonstrations of mocha, and will highlight basics of operating mocha. Additionally, Imagineer will showcase advanced tracking and rotoscoping techniques – including mocha’s seamless export to Nuke workflow – key to the stereo conversion pipeline.

Identity FX, Inc. is a full-service Visual Effects and Stereoscopic 3D facility located in Los Angeles and has more than one-hundred visual effects and stereoscopic credits to its name, and counts all of the major US Studios and several television networks as clients. This summer, Identity FX completed a significant amount of 3D conversion work on Conan The Barbarian 3D. Seth Martin, roto and VFX supervisor for Identity FX had this to say about mocha Pro and the role it plays in their pipeline:

“On Conan the Barbarian we were converting over 400 shots to 3D. Each shot required extensive and precise rotoscoping which is normally a difficult and time consuming task to accomplish with most compositing software. mocha gave us the ability to produce shots quickly and efficiently with accurate results. The Planar Tracking technology makes even the most difficult to track shots a cakewalk. mocha also blended beautifully into our stereo conversion pipeline by allowing easy exporting and integration options to Nuke, After Effects, and other software without long render times. For those of us who depend on accurate roto and tracking quickly and efficiently, mocha has been a dream come true.”

Steve Wright, Telly Award-winning master trainer, and presenter of ‘mocha Essential Training’ on lynda.com, has been working closely with Imagineer Systems developing in depth training and tutorials for mocha. He added:

“After 20 years of VFX production doing roto by hand, I was blown away by mocha and its planar tracker that has revolutionized the roto process. Each roto shape ‘rides on the back’ of an amazingly effective planar tracker which gives the shape an initial smooth and accurate motion. The roto artist just has to refine the shape’s control points here and there. Exporting either tracking data or the roto shapes themselves to Nuke is a snap. mocha is a major improvement in both productivity and quality for all my Nuke compositing.”

mocha and mocha Pro have gained recent notoriety as a result of the significant impact the planar tracker has made in the production of the Oscar-winning sensation, The Black Swan, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2, and this summer’s comedy hit, Friends with Benefits. Additionally, mocha Pro has proven invaluable to customers at major post production and stereo conversion facilities around the world, and has greatly streamlined the stereo conversion pipelines on such 3D blockbuster sensations as The Green Lantern, Transformers 3D, and The Chronicles of Narnia; Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

mocha Pro: the evolution of planar tracking
Leveraging more than 10 years of engineering research and development, mocha Pro delivers the Planar Tracker™ and rotoscoping tools from its award winning mocha, and adds compositing tools for match moving, auto image and wire removal, clean plate generation, lens distortion correction and stabilization, to deliver an all-in-one master VFX tool set. Built on Imagineer Systems’ award-winning 2.5D planar tracking technology, and integrated with its signature insertion and placement, removal and stabilization tools, mocha Pro offers digital media artists a powerful, intuitive and innovative planar tracking-based solution with a streamlined interface, accelerated workflow and the power to easily manipulate and track shots not possible with traditional solutions.

About Imagineer Systems 
Imagineer Systems Ltd innovates and markets next-generation visual effects solutions for film, video and broadcast post production markets. Imagineer Systems has made its mark on such marquee Hollywood blockbuster productions as Black Swan, Alice in Wonderland, Iron Man 2, Shutter Island, Invictus, G-Force and the Harry Potter series. Imagineer’s desktop product line consists of mocha Pro™ – roto, planar tracking, compositing, and removal utility; mocha™ – planar tracking and roto utility for all VFX artists; mocha AE™ – a planar tracking and roto utility designed for After Effects and Final Cut Pro users. Imagineer Systems was founded in 2000 and its headquarters is located in Guildford, United Kingdom.  For more information visit www.imagineersystems.com. 

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – iPi Soft (www.ipisoft.com) announced it has selected technology reseller CamVFX (www.camvfx.com) as U.S. reseller of its scalable line of markerless motion capture software. Under the terms of the agreement, CamVFX will also separately bundle the iPi Soft Desktop Motion Capture solution with other high performance software, hardware and markerless related products for an integrated, easy-to-use and accurate motion capture system.

“CamVFX is a proven provider and systems integrator of motion capture technology systems for the entertainment community,” Michael Nikonov, iPi Soft’s CEO and Chief Technology Architect said. “Working together, CamVFX is offering a simple yet powerful way to harness the power of iPi Soft’s Markerless Motion Capture technology. For many in the animation and game development community, the CamVFX bundle will prove to be an invaluable way of getting the most of out of our software without any worry over compatibility issues or need for accessories. Everything users need to get started is optimized, along with full tech support from CamVFX.”

According to Jake Jacobs, President and Chief Technology Officer of CamVFX, the markerless motion capture software from iPiSoft, when coupled with a custom set of high performance hardware, provides accurate and professional-looking motion capture in an equally cost and time saving manner.

“We’re delighted to be resellers of the iPi Soft desktop motion capture solution,” Jacobs said. “The iPi Soft technology represents a real paradigm shift for animators and filmmakers working in motion capture, making it more accessible and easier to use. Users can opt to purchase all of the elements required to create exceptional motion capture animation either in a bundle or purchase other compatible hardware separately such as the Sony PS3 Eye or the Microsoft Kinect cameras.”

Serving a creative audience that includes filmmakers, game developers, animation students and beyond, iPiSoft Desktop Motion Capture provides all the benefits of tracking the movement and action of real people that is then easily transferred into 3D animation programs, only now without the need for expensive marker suits and green-screen stage shoots.

CamVFX additionally offers the world’s only markerless 3D virtual camera system in conjunction with the iPi Soft technology that fosters the ability to design high-end cinematic effects in ways never before envisioned.

Pricing and Availability
Pricing and availability information for the iPi Desktop Motion Capture™ markerless motion capture technology, and the bundled top-of-the-line, high performance motion capture system featuring iPi Soft technology from CamVFX, is available at www.camvfx.com.

About iPi Soft
iPi Soft, LLC is a developer of markerless software. Launched in 2009 by CEO and chief technology architect Michael Nikonov, Moscow, Russia-based iPi Soft’s iPi Desktop Motion Capture™ is an entry-level markerless motion capture technology that lets animators shoot video that can easily convert to professional 3D quality animation. Delivering breakthrough performance for creative professionals involved in previz, animation and the creation of secondary characters, iPi Desktop Motion Capture can be operated by a single person and powered by one computer. Setup of iPi’s markerless system is quick and easy, and extremely portable – perfectly suited for small studios, freelance animators and motion capture enthusiasts. iPi motion capture solutions are compatible with many leading game engines, 3D software applications and animation rigs, including MAXON CINEMA 4D, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3D Studio Max, DAZ 3D DAZ Studio, Poser, Valve Source Engine, UnrealEngine, Unity and others.

iPi Soft products are available directly from the web site and its worldwide distribution channel. For additional information, on iPi Soft, product pricing or a 30-day free trial please visit, http://www.ipisoft.com.

# # #

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Innovative new purchasing channel offers even more third-party workflow tools with special reduced-pricing offer

ASSIMILATE (www.assimilateinc.com), the leading provider of powerful post-production tools for digital workflows, has announced “Cyber Monday”, a 24-hour sales event on 28th November 2011 at its online Store (http://store.assimilateinc.com), when significant price reductions will be offered across a range of ASSIMILATE and third-party products.

Coinciding with “Cyber Monday”, ASSIMILATE has expanded the Store with the addition of Drastic Technologies’ MediaReactor plug-in for ASSIMILATE, and MediaNXS video capture and playback software. The MediaReactor plug-in allows SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab artists to read nearly 100 media formats and file types with no out-of-application transcoding, saving time and streamlining workflows. MediaNXS combines advanced capture and playback functionality with media import and export. MediaNXS offers wide file format support, video monitoring tools and timeline editing. Free trial versions of each product will also be available on the Store.

The ASSIMILATE Store is a unique online marketplace where artists can discover, trial and purchase ASSIMILATE’s popular SCRATCH Lab workflow tool for production and VFX dailies. Also available is a growing range of third-party software and hardware accessories that boost the performance of SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab across many areas of professional content creation – including DI color grading, 3D stereo, VFX, on-location and post-production workflows, subtitling and image-restoration. These now include products from 3ality Technica, Drastic Technologies, GenArts, RE:Vision Effects, 4K Co. Ltd, HS-Art, Calibrated Software and Tangent. ASSIMILATE-branded merchandise is also available.

The “Cyber Monday” promotion, on Monday 28th November, offers at least 15% price reductions on most products at the ASSIMILATE Store. Customers can purchase SCRATCH Lab at a discount in the ASSIMILATE Store by obtaining a coupon code from their local reseller, a list of whom can be found at www.assimilateinc.com/partners/resellers. Reseller coupons are available immediately, but can only be redeemed for the discount on “Cyber Monday”. Once a customer enters the code into the online order form, the discount is automatically applied to their order.

“The ASSIMILATE Store is quickly becoming the go-to place to explore the SCRATCH ecosystem,” said Steve Bannerman, VP of marketing at ASSIMILATE. “We’re excited to add MediaReactor and MediaNXS from Drastic Technologies to the growing list of third-party products available on the Store. These new powerful workflow tools, combined with our “Cyber Monday” sales event, give artists a unique opportunity to significantly extend the capabilities of their SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab systems at even more attractive prices.”
 
New additions to the ASSIMILATE Store:

Drastic Technologies – MediaReactor: SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab already support the most commonly used file formats. The MediaReactor Windows/MAC OSX plug-in for ASSIMILATE reads nearly 100 file formats, writes the most important file formats and dramatically extends the capabilities of SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab in production and post-production pipelines. With no out-of-application transcoding step, MediaReactor saves time and streamlines the vast majority of workflows. For the complete list of supported formats, codecs and metadata visit: http://store.assimilateinc.com/products.php?product=MediaReactor-Workstation-for-ASSIMILATE.
 
Drastic Technologies – MediaNXS: professional video capture and playback software with a range of file types, codecs and video tools. MediaNXS provides HD-SDI/2K/4K capture and playback for SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab, and includes import/export, waveform/vectorscope, and clip list/timeline/EDL features. With MediaNXS users can create the files they need in the formats best-suited to their workflow, and use SCRATCH or SCRATCH Lab to trim, convert and conform them before outputting to tape. More information on MediaNXS can be found at: http://store.assimilateinc.com/products.php?product=MediaNXS.

James Brooks, development/OEM support, Drastic Technologies, commented: “All production begins with acquisition. Drastic MediaReactor and MediaNXS offer digital artists unmatched flexibility in media capture and translation. We’re delighted to deliver our superior price/performance to SCRATCH artists via the ASSIMILATE Store. It truly is a one-of-a-kind outlet that offers an excellent way for artists to discover and explore products like ours and then buy whenever they’re ready.”

ASSIMILATE is the premier provider of digital workflow and post-production tools, that have proven essential to the successful creation of thousands of studio and independent features, television shows, music videos and corporate video productions. The company’s SCRATCH products, running on Windows and Mac OSX, are the heartbeat of today’s most demanding digital post-production and dailies workflows for 2D and stereo 3D productions. They equip Directors, DPs and Artists with the state-of-the-art, intuitive, data-centric solutions they need to meet the continual challenges of increased creativity and productivity amid ever-shrinking budgets. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH data-centric DI system, is the most comprehensive, end-to-end cinema and broadcast imaging tool for playback, conform, editing, color grading, compositing and finishing of RED and other digital workflows. SCRATCH Lab delivers a comprehensive toolset for the review, versioning, color correction, conform and output of on-set or VFX dailies. ASSIMILATE, a privately held company, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, USA, offices in London, UK, Groningen, NL and Beijing City, CN markets its products worldwide via a global reseller network. To learn more please visit www.assimilateinc.com.

Drastic Technologies is a leading-edge developer of digital video solutions for the broadcast, sports playback, production, graphics and scientific communities. Drastic products include standalone software, SDKs, and digital disk recorders for clip control, VTR emulation, external device control, digital media playback and file conversion. Visit www.drastictech.com for more information.

Santa Monica, Calif., November 21, 2011 — Pioneering audio company Antelope Audio announced its Antelope Audiophile Special — a unique holiday price drop on its world-renowned, audiophile-grade Zodiac digital to analog converter (DAC). From now until December 31st, authorized U.S.-based Antelope Audio dealers will be offering the Zodiac at $1,295 — a $400 discount from its regular street price of $1,695.

Antelope Audio’s Zodiac D/A converter represents a groundbreaking addition to any listening set up. It contains the exact clocking technology used by top mastering professionals and engineers in the music, film and television industries. With the latest holiday discount, the Zodiac represents the most affordable entry point to help music afficiaonados hear the music as it was intended by top professionals such as Bernie Grundman of Bernie Grundman Mastering and Ward Hake, vice president of music at 20th Century Fox’s TV Music division.

“With our Antelope Audiophile Special, we are helping audio consumers access the exact same conversion and clocking technology used by the most prominent industry professionals in the world at a fraction of the cost,” commented Marcel James, Director of Sales for Antelope Audio USA. “The Zodiac is an ideal solution for a home listening environment and the ‘missing link’ in helping any system achieve optimal performance.”

Unprecedented detail and clarity
The Antelope Audio Zodiac helps audiophile consumers experience a new level of detail, sound clarity and warmth. Featuring a plug and play interface that connects seamlessly to a Mac, PC or just about any other digital media source, the Zodiac delivers 192kHz resolution audio, dramatically improving the listening experience on both loudspeakers and headphones. Antelope’s proprietary clocking technology, which is shielded from other electronic components to maintain a consistent temperature, is at the core of the Antelope sound and results in astounding accuracy, dynamics and stereo placement of the audio.

The Zodiac is particularly attractive also to audio consumers who use headphones being designed for precise monitoring with a wide range of headphone impedance. Ultra linear, dual stage headphone amplifiers, which are controlled by a dedicated volume knob, deliver smooth sound at both high and low levels.

Features:

– Custom USB chip streams audio up to 192kHz
– Antelope Oven Clock for supreme stability
– 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC)
– 129dB Dynamic Range
– Ultra Linear, Dual Stage Headphone Amps
– PC/Mac Software Control Panel
– Accurate Level Display for Main Volume

Dealers participating in the Antelope Audiophile Special include audioMIDI.com, Soundsciencecat.com, Sweetwater and Vintage King. To learn more about the Antelope Audiophile special, or for complete product information, please visit one of Antelope Audio’s authorized dealers or manufacturer’s website.

TIFFEN® UPDATES AWARD-WINNING DFX® VERSION 3 FILTER SUITE WITH SUPPORT FOR 64-BIT AVID SYSTEMS; EXPANDS SONY CAMERA OPTIONS
Tiffen Dfx version 3.0.5 plug-in now compatible with Avid Media Composer v6, Symphony v6, and NewsCutter v10; adds camera support for Sony DSLR, NEX, SLT, and STV Models

Hauppauge, NY – November 18, 2011 – The Tiffen Company, a leading manufacturer and distributor of award-winning accessories for still and video imaging, motion picture, and broadcast markets today announced that its Tiffen Dfx v3 digital filter suite is now compatible with Avid 64-bit systems, Media Composer®, and Symphony™ v6.0 as well as NewsCutter® v10.0. In addition to 64-bit, the updated Dfx v3 plug-in sports enhanced filter control and adds support for 16 Sony camera models. “We are always looking for ways to enrich the Tiffen Dfx capabilities whether it is qualifying new editing system releases such more