Toon Boom Animation has launched Concerto, an animation software for paperless, digital, re-use or cutout animation production. Concerto offers studios increased productivity, raises animation quality and eliminates file management issues so common to the normal Flash pipeline.
Concerto is a significant time-saving solution because it enables studios to work in one single, integrated pipeline, create less drawings due to high level of re-use and rely on a robust file management system. All this translates into performance efficiencies in the management of assets and workflow. Concerto adds the following key features to the OPUS feature set: advanced keyframing, sound scrubbing and the ability to draw directly in 3D scene planning.
During its Beta cycle, Concerto was implemented in several prestigious studios around the world, including Mercury Filmworks. Mercury has had excellent results using Concerto for the production of MISCHIEF CITY, a series of 13x30 episodes.
MISCHIEF CITY td Christian Laroque said, “The integration of the animation tools into the larger OPUS framework offers a consolidated production pipeline and seamless end-to-end management of our digital assets." Using Concerto, "it's easier to track, store and control the animation elements throughout each stage of the workflow, allowing more time to create higher quality animation.
With the asset library, they have also been able to reuse a lot of the animation they are building, which is also greasing their production wheels. Once the animation director approves content, it goes into the library where animators can access it. "Adding to production efficiency as we get to later episodes," explains Clint Eland, president/exec producer at Mercury said the added efficiency, especially on later episodes helped them cut down on the drawing and animation.
Toon Boom is also launching a new Website, where one can find more detailed information about Concerto and the Mercury Success Story (
www.toonboom.com/company/success.php?id=citymischief ). Based in Montreal, Canada, Toon Boom Animation carries several leading animation products such as USAnimation, Toon Boom Studio, Concerto and OPUS, as well as provides consulting services related to production workflow and productivity.
