Autodesk Inc. will release Discreet Lustre 2.6, the latest version of its industry leading digital color correction system, and the Autodesk Incinerator 1.0 system that is planned to enhance the realtime performance of future Lustre-based products. New to the market, the Incinerator system is an inline cluster of configurable processing units that connect to one or more Lustre stations, boosting system performance and interactivity during digital color grading sessions. The Lustre 2.6 system delivers a host of new features, including additional conform and editorial capabilities.
The Incinerator system is ideal for production and post-production environments requiring realtime digital color grading and color correction, such as in the creation of high-end advertising and feature film projects. This technology enables colorists to use multiple complex secondary color correction layers and effects like defocus, in realtime at resolutions as high as 2K. Other computationally intensive effects, such as a bleach bypass, are significantly accelerated.
Post-production facility Shortcut (Denmark) is a beta tester for both Lustre 2.6 and Incinerator systems. We were having a hard time finding a solution that could match our stringent requirements for sophisticated color grading and realtime interaction. When we saw Lustre with Incinerator, we immediately knew that it was the system to fit our needs, said Ivan Schmidt, technical director at Shortcut. Our testing proves that the combined Lustre and Incinerator systems are far more powerful than any other solution on the market.
Schmidt cited integration as a key advantage to using the Lustre 2.6 system: We already have a Discreet workflow and the systems work very well together. We also have an ARRI Scanner and an ARRI Laser Recorder both integrated effortlessly with Lustre. Shortcuts digital workflow includes a Discreet Inferno visual effects system and two Discreet Flame visual effects systems.
The Incinerator system has a highly flexible, scalable, non-proprietary architecture. Incinerator clusters can be shared between multiple Lustre systems, switched from one online Lustre system to another, used for background rendering and configured on a node-by-node basis to divert extra processing resources to selected systems.
The Lustre systems extensive toolset is employed in digital intermediate, commercials and film restoration workflows. The Lustre system has been used on numerous blockbuster films, including THE POLAR EXPRESS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and NATIONAL TREASURE. Cineric (New York) used the Lustre system to restore the 1956 large-format movie musical CAROUSEL. The system remedied severe dye fading in the original film and inconsistencies in overall color.
On Ford Mustangs THE LEGEND LIVES, CORNFIELD TV spot, R!OT (Santa Monica) used the Lustre system for final grading and color matching of footage featuring the late actor Steve McQueen. Pixel Farm (Minneapolis) has also used the Lustre system on in-store spots for Best Buy, and Rapalas X RAP spot.
The Lustre system began shipping less than two years ago, and has enjoyed rapid adoption: more than 60 units have been sold to 40 clients in 15 countries. Clients include ARRI Film & TV (Germany), Éclair Laboratories (France), Weta Digital (New Zealand), Fotofilm (Spain), Pixar Animation Studios, Pacific Title & Art Studio, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Technicolor Creative Services Hollywood.
Lustre 2.6 System Key Features:
* New editorial metadata architecture and subsystem enabling powerful new conform and editorial capabilities* XML-based cut files for more transparent cross-vendor interoperability* Intelligent handling of EDLs* Expanded film key code and video timecode handling* Expanded flags system and new integrated notes to facilitate project collaboration* Enhanced linear-mode primary color correction* User selectable keyer source as pre/post input primary* Improved browser performance with fast parsing of huge clip libraries* Autodesk Stone Shared optimization for increased realtime performance from centralized storage area network (SAN)
Incinerator 1.0 System Key Features:
* Ultra high-speed inline clustering technology for HD, 2K and 4K digital color grading* Realtime 2K color correction for combined primary and multiple complex secondary color grading and accelerated effects* Designed to augment the Lustre systems highly optimized realtime CPU/GPU capabilities for even faster performance* Cluster nodes optimized to work in parallel over a high-speed Infiniband network* Uses standard file-systems for superior data management and workflow* Fully modular and scalable hardware and software architecture* Intelligent system management software* Turnkey system requires no proprietary hardware components, providing superior workflow integration, faster processing, improved system longevity and more rapid software improvements
The Lustre 2.6 system is anticipated to ship in summer 2005. The Incinerator 1.0 system is anticipated to ship later this year and is sold as a separate product.
Founded in 1982, Autodesk Inc. (www.autodesk.com) is headquartered in San Rafael, California. The company recently renamed Discreet to Autodesk Media and Ent. The division best known for 3ds max and other digital imaging software will continue to service the film, video, gaming and related media and entertainment markets. This renaming ensures that the creative toolset from Autodesk Media and Ent. will stay on the leading edge of product innovation.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
