Technology
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A screen
shot from Viscosity. Courtesy of Jedor Inc.
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Jedor Releases Viscosity. Waterloo,
Ontario-based Jedor Inc. has released Viscosity 1.0, a new software
package that puts the process of 2D image editing and animation
into one application, and enables both novice and advanced graphic
designers to create, edit, and view animated graphics for web sites,
video clips, and multimedia presentations. Viscosity differs from
traditional image editing software by totally integrating highly
visual animation tools, animated effects, and real-time playback
directly into Viscosity's image editing workspace. Viscosity retails
for US$179. Visit www.jedor.com for more information.
Lipsinc Offers Free Ventriloquist Download. Cary, North Carolina-based
LIPSinc. is offering a free beta version of Ventriloquist for MAX,
a new lip-synching plug-in for 3D Studio MAX R3.0. Ventriloquist
for MAX automates the process of synchronizing correct mouth movements
to dialogue for animated characters. For more information visit
www.lipsinc.com.
Trinity Goes Live! Play Inc. - the producers of Snappy Video
Snapshot, Trinity and GlobeCaster - recently announced Trinity Live,
a live production tool based on an advanced digital component hardware
switcher. The new tool, which is tightly integrated with Trinity's
real-time architecture for custom 2D and 3D video effects, animated
graphics, character generation, and virtual sets, is geared toward
taking live television to a higher level. Trinity Live contains
all the familiar features of a high-end switcher, however its advanced
tools for integrating animation and visual effects with live broadcasting
provides studios with a myriad of new possibilities. New features
such as live video mapping onto multiple 3D elements with true real-time
video reflections, refractions, transparency, warping and shadows,
could well shake up broadcasters and provide solutions to creating
live imagery previously thought impossible. Trinity Live will be
available in the second quarter of 2000. For more information visit:
www.play.com
Puffin Announces Knoll Light Factory For Avid. Puffin Designs
-- the producers of popular 2D effects tool Commotion - recently
announced that they will be releasing a version of Knoll Light Factory
in Avid's AVX plug-in format. The Light Factory plug-in is already
available for Adobe After Effects and Apple's Final Cut Pro, however
Avid users have yet to experience the control and precision lighting
effects that Knoll Light Factory offers. The Avid version of Light
Factory will be available before the end of 1999, and will be priced
at US$295.00. For more information on Knoll Light Factory and other
Puffin Designs products visit www.puffindesigns.com.
Nothing Real Shakes Up Adobe After Effects. Nothing Real
recently announced that it will provide a plug-in which will allow
Adobe After Effects users to transfer AE projects into their popular
compositing tool, Shake. This plug-in means that After Effects users
will be able to benefit from Shake's powerful manipulation and output
features, yet at the same keep the familiarity of the AE environment.
Allen Edwards, president of Nothing Real said that, "With the
development of a Shake translator plug-in for Adobe After Effects,
we are confident that we will address the needs of creative professionals
who require a range of compositing tools and easy way of transitioning
between both software programs."
Horsing Around With Vicon 8. Texas-based company Locomotion
Studios recently pushed Vicon Motion Systems' Vicon 8 to the limit,
by capturing motion data of riders on horseback for The Night
Of The Headless Horseman, a TV movie produced by Computed Animation
Technology (CAT) which aired on Fox on October 28 at 8 pm. The company
merged their Vicon 8 with CAT's Vicon 8 to accomplish the feat,
which was no easy task. The crew had several concerns, the most
challenging being finding a way to place markers on an animal that
would be moving quickly and violently. After several failed attempts,
the crew came up with the idea of making a marker suit for the horse.
But that wasn't the end of the problems. More innovation was required
as the crew set up the 18 cameras and Vicon datastation 30 feet
from the floor -- this distance was needed to cover the vastness
of the capture area. This creative use of motion capture has once
again pushed the industry over the fence, widening the threshold
of what can be done with a little technology, and a lot of imagination!
Boris FX Makes Several Significant Announcements. Boris FX,
the makers of compositing and effects plug-ins for filmmakers, recently
made several key announcements, including the introduction of two
new products. Boris Graffiti, a new 3D title animation tool will
ship before the end of 1999 at just under $1000. The program will
be available in the form of a plug-in for non-linear editing programs,
and will allow users to create and extrude 3D text, and rotate it
in 3D space with lights, motion blur and animated kerning. Also,
Boris Factory, a new 3D DVE transition plug-in package for Premiere,
Rex/Raptor Edit, DPS Video Action NT and Ulead Media Studio Pro,
is shipping now, and contains over 100 different transition effects
including Shapes, Page Turns, Distortions, Particles and Explosions.
Also now shipping is Boris FX for SOFTIMAGE|3D. The tool contains
a new Light Sweep filter which makes the common task of creating
glints or panning highlights instant and intuitive. Boris also announced
a new version of Boris FX - version 4.5, and support for DPS Video
Action NT. What can we say? They've been working hard over in the
Netherlands!
DPS Ships dspReality. Digital Processing Systems (DPS), recently
released a new animation and compositing Studio Digital Disk Recorder,
dpsReality. Designed for animators, 2D artists and broadcast designers,
dpsReality is based on a newReality hardware system debuted by DPS
at SIGGRAPH '99 and IBC '99. dpsReality features include a cuts
editor for clip preview and final video output, real time graphic
overlay, and four track audio with volume and pan control. It also
ships with a modified version of Eyeon Software's Digital Fusion
compositing software, designed especially for use with dpsReality.
The new system also addresses issues such as net rendering, making
it possible for simultaneous network access from multiple machines,
without common file-locking problems.