Toolbox

Friday, Sep. 26, 2014

Deluxe Toronto launches Canada’s 1st Dolby Atmos mixing stage

TORONTO --

Deluxe Toronto Ltd.—a division of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., global supplier of a broad range of services and technologies to the entertainment industry—has completed a major upgrade of its mixing rooms.

Improvements include the introduction of Dolby Atmos® technology to Mix 1—Canada’s largest film mixing stage. Among other upgrades to its mixing rooms, Deluxe has added JBL M2 Master Reference monitors.

“The introduction of Dolby Atmos, complemented with speaker and amp upgrades from Harman’s JBL Professional and Crown Audio brands, makes our new mix theaters the most technically complete in Canada for film and TV sound re-recording,” said Nick Iannelli, VP of postproduction operations at Deluxe Toronto.

The new additions “allow us to state unequivocally that you will hear a difference in fidelity and sound clarity when mixing at Deluxe,” Iannelli added.

“Dolby recognizes the importance and value of having a strong presence in Canada’s vital postproduction community,” said Curt Behlmer, senior VP of content solutions and industry relations at Dolby Laboratories. “We couldn’t be more pleased and know that this respected Dolby Atmos mixing stage—our first in Canada—will help filmmakers realize their creative visions going forward.”

Said Peter Chaikin, director of recording and broadcast at JBL Professional: “Incorporating new patented JBL technologies, the innovative JBL M2 monitor was designed to deliver a level of sound clarity unmatched in the postproduction industry....We are delighted Deluxe Toronto has become a flagship location for the M2 in Canada.”

Deluxe is a key supplier to the Canadian post-production and media services industry. Its tech upgrades coincide with Deluxe’s recent relocation to a new, state-of-the-art facility in downtown Toronto. Recent projects at the facility include feature work on Atom Egoyan’s “The Captive” and David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars,” and Deluxe soon will start postproduction on Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak.” Recent TV projects include work on “Vikings,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Penny Dreadful.”

Thursday, Sep. 25, 2014

Dragon arrives at space station with 3-D printer

In this photo provided by NASA, the SpaceX Dragon private space freighter approaches the International Space Station, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014. Two days after blasting off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Dragon arrived at the space station containing the first 3-D printer ever launched into orbit. (AP Photo/NASA)

By Marcia Dunn, Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) --

The International Space Station accepted another SpaceX shipment Tuesday, this one containing the first 3-D printer ever launched into orbit.

Two days after blasting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the SpaceX cargo ship, Dragon, arrived at the space station. German astronaut Alexander Gerst used the robot arm to grab the capsule.

"Well done capturing that Dragon," Mission Control radioed. Two hours later, the capsule was bolted into place.

The Dragon is delivering more than 5,000 pounds of supplies. The 3-D printer — an experimental model — is the headliner payload. Also on board: mice and flies for biological research, fresh spacesuit batteries so NASA can resume routine spacewalks, and a $30 million instrument to measure ocean wind, along with the usual assortment of food and clothes.

NASA is paying SpaceX to stock the space station. Last week, the California-based company won the right to transport astronauts, too. That's still a few years off.

The Dragon will remain at the orbiting outpost for about a month. It will be filled with science experiments for return to Earth. The Dragon is the only unmanned cargo capsule capable of returning items.

This was the fifth Dragon to visit the space station.

"We're happy to have a new vehicle on board," Gerst said.

Another spacecraft is due to arrive in a couple days. Russia is poised to launch a Soyuz spacecraft from Kazakhstan on Thursday with a three-person crew. That will bring the number of astronauts at the space station to the usual six.

Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2014

Canon Cinema EOS to capture space in 4K for Imax 3D film

Canon has liftoff

MELVILLE, NY --

Canon Cinema EOS digital cameras and lenses have been selected by IMAX Corporation for a mission to capture 4K footage in space. The cameras and lenses left Earth Saturday on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The equipment will arrive at the International Space Station, where astronauts will capture stunning 4K content for the upcoming new 3D film, tentatively titled A Perfect Planet, a presentation of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and IMAX Entertainment.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Toni Myers, the IMAX 3D space project will offer breathtaking, illuminating views of Earth from space, exploring mankind’s future on and off the planet. Renowned large format cinematographer James Neihouse serves as the film’s director of photography and trained the astronauts who will man the cameras while in orbit.

The IMAX production team selected Canon EOS C500 EF digital cinema cameras, Canon EOS 1D-C digital SLR cameras, and a selection of Canon Cinema Zoom and Prime lenses for the project. The EOS C500s will be paired with Codex recorders to capture 4K images.

“Of the digital cameras we tested for spaceflight, the Canon EOS C500’s image quality was more film-like than the other systems,” said Neihouse. “The sharpness is superior to some of the larger sensors. And it is more user-friendly for the astronauts. We have a good track record with Canon cameras in space.”

“I am thrilled that the Canon Cinema EOS cameras we have selected launched to the International Space Station and our astronaut crews can now begin filming spectacular scenes for our new project,” said Myers, who will produce, direct, write and edit the documentary film. “The lightweight, flexible Canon cameras produce remarkable imagery and are ideal for capturing scenes of our beautiful Planet Earth.

“When we launched the Cinema EOS product line, Canon hoped to inspire filmmakers to take their craft to new heights. We are honored that IMAX, Toni Myers, James Neihouse, and the astronauts took our challenge so literally. To have our cameras and lenses travel to space is an incredible cause for celebration. We look forward to this awe-inspiring film and pledge to continue to engineer products worthy of the next frontier—whether here on Earth or among the stars,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc.

IMAX’s 3D film will be shot over the course of the next year with multiple crews of astronauts conducting principal photography. The film is tentatively set for release in early 2016.

Monday, Sep. 22, 2014

Messaging app seeks to bring voices back to phones

In this Sept. 19, 2014 file photo, an Apple store employee arranges a stack of pre-ordered iPhone 6 Plus models, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)

By Michael Liedtke, Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --

Longtime technology guru Ray Ozzie wants to bring back the emotions of the human voice to phones.

His mission began more than two years ago as Ozzie noticed people were increasingly communicating through texts, emails and social media posts instead of calling each other.

"When you see nothing but words and numbers, it becomes very mechanical and very transactional," Ozzie said in an interview. "But when you hear the sound of someone's voice, it really brings it much closer to home."

Ozzie, 58, Microsoft's former chief software architect, hopes to orchestrate voice's comeback through Talko, a mobile application being released Tuesday for the iPhone. A version for Android phones is expected in a few months.

Talko sends the equivalent of text messages in the form of a spoken word. Talko users can record a voice message and send it over the Internet to anyone else with the app. Recipients listen to the recording when it's convenient, rather than being interrupted by a traditional phone call.

All messages will be stored for 10 days, though users can buy a subscription — expected to be $5 to $9 per month — to permanently store messages. For the first few months, Talko will store all voice recordings for free.

Users can choose to make their recordings available to more than one person, a feature that Ozzie believes will make Talko ideal for employees working in the same department of a company.

The five DigitalGlobe workers who installed the app in July as part of Talko's testing didn't use it much initially, partly because they were so accustomed to texting and emailing each other or trying to schedule a conference call when they needed to talk, said Ed Locher, DigitalGlobe's senior vice president of corporate marketing.

But Talko turned out to be valuable in the five days leading up to the launch of a DigitalGlobe satellite last month, Locher said. "It reminded me of a walkie talkie," he said. "It was much faster than texting or trying to set up a conference call."

Ozzie isn't under the delusion that voice messages are going to supplant popular communications apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat and Tango, which combine texts and photo sharing. Talko also accommodates texts and photos to supplement the voice recordings.

Another technology industry veteran, Alan Braverman, also is trying to give voices a new outlet on phones. Last week, his San Francisco startup incubator, Giant Pixel, released an iPhone and iPad app called Sobo that offers a vocal twist to Twitter, the popular short-messaging network. Sobo users can record six-second sound bites that are then broadcast to their followers. Braverman is best known as a co-founder of Yammer, a social networking tool for businesses that Microsoft Corp. bought for $1.2 billion in 2012.

Meanwhile, the Messages app in Apple's new iOS 8 software for mobile devices also lets users record and send short audio messages. Recipients raise their iPhones to their ears to automatically play the message. Under default settings, messages expire two minutes after listening.

Ozzie was well known before Microsoft bought one of his previous startups, Groove Networks, for an undisclosed amount in 2005. In the 1980s, he played a key role in creating a suite of document-sharing tools at Lotus Development Corp., now owned by IBM Corp. Shortly after joining Microsoft, Ozzie succeeded company co-founder Bill Gates as chief software architect, a role he held until he left Microsoft in 2010.

The 11-employee startup behind Talko is funded by Ozzie's personal fortune and investments from venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Greylock Partners. Lotus funder Mitch Kapor also is backing Talko.

Although Talko is focusing on the business market, Ozzie said he hopes employees will have such a positive experience that they will encourage their family members and friends to install the app, too.

"I really do believe it will spread by word of mouth," Ozzie said.

Sunday, Sep. 21, 2014

Codex develops recording & workflow for ARRI's new ALEXA 65

Codex's Vault XL for the ALEXA 65.

LONDON --

Codex has collaborated with ARRI to develop the recording and workflow system for ARRI’s new, groundbreaking ALEXA 65 large format camera. Codex has worked closely with ARRI to create a high-performance, in-built camera recorder plus an on-set and near-set data management system, which combine to deliver streamlined camera-to-post workflow for the ALEXA 65 camera--The Vault Lab 65.

The ALEXA 65 camera incorporates a Codex recording engine, similar to the system that is built into ARRI’s popular ALEXA XT camera, also developed by Codex. Existing ALEXA XR Capture Drives support recording from ALEXA 65 at up to 24fps, and a 512GB media card will record around 10 minutes in full open gate mode. Next-generation Capture Drives developed by Codex will offer 2TB of recording capacity, and be capable of 20Gb/s data rates, enabling recording times of over 45 minutes.

A typical production scenario for the ALEXA 65 camera system, includes the Vault Lab 65, which encompasses an enhanced Codex Vault S, GPU processing and with 8TB solid-state Transfer Drives, and will support around three hours of open gate ALEXA 65 footage. Housed on a Codex on-set cart, Codex Vault S creates safety copies, allows for playback, image review and color correction. The Codex Vault XL, including 24 processing cores, is used near-set for dailies, editorial deliverables, camera original archive to LTO, look creation, syncing sound, and other postproduction work. Codex 8TB Transfer Drives are used to transport data between on-set and near-set, or production and post. Vault XL also supports high-speed networking and file-transfer to allow for integration with other production workflows.

“Like ARRI, Codex believes in delivering excellent image quality and reliable products to the cinematographic community,” said Franz Kraus, managing director of ARRI. “Having already successfully implemented the in-camera capture technology for the ARRI ALEXA XT, and a solid workflow with Vault, Codex was a natural choice as the workflow developer for ALEXA 65.”

“DPs want something different--to raise the bar for theatrical release and expand the options they have for the look of their project. 65mm is a wonderful format, and with the new ALEXA 65 system it becomes affordable for the very first time,” said Marc Dando, managing director of Codex. “Anyone familiar with ARRI ALEXA and Codex Vault will be comfortable with the Vault Lab 65 workflow. We are delighted to have worked so closely with ARRI again, to set new performance capabilities in digital imaging, and play a part in expanding the creative possibilities for the cinematographic community.”

“I cannot express how enthusiastic I am about the forthcoming ALEXA 65,” said Academy Award winning cinematographer Robert Richardson, ASC. “I am currently working with 65mm film and if the quality is anywhere near that of film, we will all benefit from the increased information and quality of image.”

Saturday, Sep. 20, 2014

Oculus unveils new prototype VR headset

In this Wed., Sept. 3, 2014 file photo, British television presenter Rachel Riley shows a virtual-reality headset called Gear VR. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file)

By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Oculus has unveiled a new prototype of its virtual reality headset. However, the VR company still isn't ready to release a consumer edition.

The hew headset intended for creators of VR experiences is nicknamed Crescent Bay and features a higher resolution and refresh rate, integrated headphones and 360-degree head tracking.

"That was not easy," Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe told the audience Saturday at the company's first-ever developers conference. "It's still not perfect. None of this is perfect yet, but it's much, much better."

Oculus' headset covers a user's eyes and can create immersive worlds that react to head movement.

The original prototype of the Oculus Rift headset was unveiled in 2012 and has received considerable attention from film and video game makers. Oculus released a second prototype headset to developers earlier this year. Iribe said 100,000 development kits have been shipped to 130 countries.

"I never expected it go this quickly," Iribe said. "None of us did."

The Irvine, California-based Oculus VR Inc. was acquired by Facebook earlier this year for $2 billion. Iribe said Oculus' staff has doubled in the six months since the acquisition.

"We're really spiriting toward the consumer version," he said.

Oculus recently teamed up with Samsung to introduce Gear VR, a $200 headset with a slot for using the Galaxy Note 4 smartphone as a VR display.

Over the past two years, Oculus' technology has been demonstrated at events like San Diego Comic-Con and the Electronic Entertainment Expo with interactive experiences that recreate scenes from the "X-Men" and "Pacific Rim" films and thrust users into an intergalactic dogfight in the game "EVE: Valkyrie."

Iribe reiterated several times during his talk at the Oculus Connect conference that creating a sense of presence would be integral for the widespread adoption of VR technology, which continues to leave some users feeling queasy despite Oculus' strides in creating lower latency and more realistic imagery inside the goggles.

"You should believe you're there and feel great, even if you're super-sensitive like me," Iribe said.

Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2014

Quantel demonstrates latest software for Pablo Rio

Quantel's Pablo Rio.

AMSTERDAM --

At IBC 2014, Quantel demonstrated the latest software update for its Pablo Rio color and finishing systems, bringing users a raft of new features and facilities that further reinforce Pablo Rio’s development as the post engine and finishing system for 4K and beyond. This is the sixth new software release for Pablo Rio this calendar year, ensuring users get access to new formats and facilities as quickly as possible. The new software includes:

o Flow Motion motion-estimated speed changing - using advanced optical flow image motion analysis to produce brilliant slow and fast-motion results.

o Long GOP XAVC import and soft-mount support up to 4K resolution - enabling Pablo Rio and Pablo PA to work with media from the latest generation of XAVC acquisition devices.

o Apple ProRes 4444 XQ support - import and soft-mount support for this new ProRes format, which provides an extra level of quality during extreme color grading, especially with High Dynamic Range material like Log C.

o Support for the latest Sony digital capture SDK - enabling Pablo Rio to work with S-log3 and S-Gamut3 colorspaces and profiles.

o Support for new ARRI SDK - including support for Open Gate formats, new colorspaces, 1.3x and 2.0x anamorphic lenses, Alexa monochrome, and various upscale formats including Quad HD and 4K.

o Export of fast-start QuickTime files - streamable files that enable viewing to commence before the export is completed.

o Re-softmount of localised media - provides maximum flexibility by enabling operators to go right back to the source even on material that has been localised into Pablo Rio’s workspace.

o AS-11/DPP Support - enabling Pablo Rio and Pablo PA to export AS-11 files for delivery in accordance with the UK DPP standardized delivery format for broadcast; AS-11 is also gaining favour with other broadcasters around the world, so this development will be of benefit to many Pablo Rio users.

o And support for UHD/4K on software Pablo Rio systems using the AJA Kona 3G card.

Tuesday, Sep. 16, 2014

CatDV for Adobe Anywhere rolled out at IBC

CatDV Adobe Premiere

AMSTERDAM --

At IBC 2014, Square Box, a U.K. software company specializing in digital media asset management (DAM/MAM) systems and production workflow, is announcing CatDV for Adobe Anywhere for video, a new product supporting the Adobe Anywhere real-time collaborative editorial platform. This makes CatDV’s powerful media management features available to the Adobe Anywhere platform, enabling content to be shared seamlessly by Adobe Anywhere productions, and supporting a huge range of efficient production workflows. The new product builds on the long-term, robust technology integration between CatDV and Adobe that has already enabled Adobe Premiere Pro CC editors to maximize creative productivity for many years.

Simon Williams, director of strategic relations at Adobe said, “Adobe Anywhere, with its ground-breaking production capabilities that enable true collaboration, and CatDV, which solves the perennial problem of finding materials, make for a compelling combination.”

Adobe Anywhere provides a production environment with all content centrally managed and streamed over a standard network. Users do not need local content, or even to know where content is located. Harnessing the powerful search, preview, tracking and media management features of CatDV, content can be seamlessly shared and managed in Adobe Anywhere productions directly from CatDV, or via a CatDV control panel that is integrated within Adobe Premiere Pro CC. Adobe Premiere Pro CC is included in Adobe Creative Cloud along with the most up-to-date versions of other favorite Adobe desktop apps, such as Photoshop CC, After Effects CC, Illustrator CC, and more.

The rich feature in CatDV allows new Adobe Anywhere projects to be initiated, and CatDV assets can be added to an Adobe Anywhere production from CatDV desktop and Web clients, as well as Adobe Anywhere and Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

Alternatively, Adobe Premiere Pro CC users can access CatDV, via an integrated Premiere Pro CC panel, to undertake powerful searches and previews. CatDV assets can be added to an Adobe Anywhere production at the press of a button. CatDV also tracks when media has been sent making it easy for users to see which assets are being used and where.

Monday, Sep. 15, 2014

Canon unveils cameras, lenses

MELVILLE, NY --

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, has introduced the EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR camera, incorporating professional features and quality in an affordable DSLR. Building upon the proven success of the EOS 7D camera, this new EOS model features a range of “EOS firsts” such as Dual DIGIC 6 Image Processors for superb image quality and rapid burst shooting up to 10 frames per second (fps), as well as Canon’s first 65-Point* All Cross Type autofocus (AF) system for compositional freedom and accurate, spot-on fast focus. Great for shooting indoor activities such as sporting events, concerts, or weddings, the camera’s impressive low-light shooting capabilities along with its up-to-10 fps high-speed shooting can capture a fast-break basketball dunk, a band’s encore performance, a bird in flight or wildlife in exceptional quality. In addition, the EOS 7D Mark II is the second EOS DSLR camera to incorporate Canon’s innovative Dual Pixel CMOS AF system for rapid and precise focusing of video as well as still images.

“With more processing power than any other EOS camera available today, the highly anticipated EOS 7D Mark II camera has everything serious photographers have come to expect from Canon’s DSLRs and more,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “And, recognizing that for some, creative expression may expand beyond still photography, we continue to support these creative passions by offering new and innovative Full HD video capabilities, such as second generation Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology in the EOS 7D Mark II camera as well.”

The EOS 7D Mark II camera’s advanced AE system can detect and compensate for flickering light sources such as sodium vapor lamps that are often used in gymnasiums and indoor swimming pools. When enabled, this system automatically adjusts shutter release timing to help reduce disparities in exposure and color especially during continuous shooting.

The EOS 7D Mark II camera offers users the ability to shoot in 1080p Full HD or 720p HD video up to 60p enabling slow-motion capture at full resolution in either ALL-I or IPB codecs with optional embedded time code, exceeding the specifications of other current EOS cameras. Users can also choose between .MOV and .MP4 recording formats for maximum flexibility. The EOS 7D Mark II camera’s mini HDMI port can be used to record uncompressed Full HD video to external recorders.

The EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be available through authorized Canon dealers in November 2014 for an estimated retail price of $1,799.00 for the body only and $2,149.00 bundled with an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. It will utilize a new LP-E6N lithium ion battery pack with increased storage capacity.

PowerShot models
Canon U.S.A. Inc., also announced three new PowerShot models expanding upon its lineup of high-quality, compact digital cameras: the PowerShot G7 X, the PowerShot SX60 HS and the PowerShot N21. The PowerShot G7 X is the company’s first compact point-and-shoot camera with a one-inch sensor, giving users an outstanding portable camera that allows them to take high-quality photographs and videos. The PowerShot SX60 HS camera features a 65x Optical Zoom lens and amazingly broad focal length range equivalent to 21mm -1365mm, while the PowerShot N2 camera has a compact and unique, stylish design with a selfie-ready, flip-up touch panel LCD that makes it easy for social media fanatics to share their favorite photos and videos via the camera’s Wi-Fi® and Near Field Communications (NFCTM)2 features.

The PowerShot G7 X digital camera is scheduled to be available in October 2014 for an estimated retail price of $699.99.

The PowerShot SX60 HS digital camera is scheduled to be available in October 2014 for estimated retail price of $549.99.

The PowerShot N2 digital camera is scheduled to be available in December 2014 with a choice of black and white body colors for an estimated retail price of $299.99.

Trio of lenses
Following on the heels of its milestone of 100 million EF lenses produced worldwide, Canon U.S.A. Inc., announces three new lenses adding to it’s rich history of developing and delivering outstanding optics to all types of photographers, cinematographers, online content creators and image makers from budding amateurs to the most seasoned professionals. The three new lenses include two EF series lenses ─ the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM super telephoto lens and the EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM standard zoom lens, as well as one EF-S series lens ─ the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM wide-angle pancake lens. These new lenses will also be the latest addition to Canon’s GlassFirst.com online resource, helping image makers explore the Company’s vast EF lens portfolio.

Canon’s heritage of producing outstanding optics dates back over 75 years, and the company’s current EF line of lenses is over 100 lenses strong and counting. To help educate consumers, Canon’s GlassFirst.com online resource was launched in June 2014 to inspire visitors to grow creatively and expand their photographic tools. The site aims to educate visitors on the power and differences between various lenses, including macro, zoom, telephoto, prime, wide-angle, STM, tilt-shift and fisheye, using informative videos and sample images showing the results that can be created by using each lens. To learn more about Canon’s rich optics heritage or for more information about Canon’s optics please visit either explore-lenses.usa.canon.com or glassfirst.usa.canon.com.

The EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM and EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM are both scheduled to be available in November for estimated retail prices of $6,899.00 and $149.99 respectively. The EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM is scheduled to be available in December for an estimated retail price of $599.99. For additional information please visit usa.canon.com/consumer

In addition to these new announcements, Canon U.S.A. is also rolling out reduced prices on a range of EF and EF-S lenses in honor of reaching the EF Lenses 100 Millionth Milestone.

Saturday, Sep. 13, 2014

Blackmagic Design acquires eyeon Software

eyeon's Fusion.

AMSTERDAM --

Blackmagic Design has acquired eyeon Software, Inc., a developer of high end digital compositing, visual effects and motion graphics software for the feature film, commercial, television and broadcast industries. Headquartered in Toronto, eyeon is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Blackmagic Design.

eyeon’s Fusion 7 will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design IBC 2014 booth in Hall 7, Stand H20.

Fusion 7 is one of Hollywood’s leading visual effects compositing and motion graphics tools and has been used on thousands of feature film and television projects. Most recently, Fusion 7 has been used on feature films like Maleficent, Edge of Tomorrow, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, The Amazing Spiderman 2, Captain America, and Gravity.

Fusion 7 combines the best in motion graphics and high end visual effects compositing into a single application. In addition to its advanced compositing tools, Fusion 7 also includes comprehensive paint, rotoscope, keying, layering and titling tools, along with an a particle generator system. It can import geometry from other applications as well as create its own elements, like text and particles, from scratch. Elements can be composited together and quickly outputted using Fusion’s GPU accelerated render engine. Multiple renders can be combined in one project to render different aspects of the same scene. Fusion 7 goes beyond just compositing layers and has a full set of creation tools for building objects and scene elements in a 3D system that can handle millions of polygons with complex shading.

“We’re really excited about the acquisition of eyeon,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “Fusion compositing, 3D and motion graphics software has been used on some of Hollywood’s biggest visual effects blockbusters. When used together with DaVinci Resolve for editing and grading, Fusion also gives customers the world’s most advanced tools for 3D compositing, visual effects, motion graphics design and more!”

“Blackmagic Design is the most progressive company in professional post production today,” said Steve Roberts, CEO and founder of eyeon. “With their focus on developing the best solutions and a global network of offices, Blackmagic gives customers the products and services they deserve. The acquisition of eyeon will provide greater development and support of Fusion and Generation, where customers will now have more dynamic, comprehensive, and faster solutions for their creative needs.”

“Fusion 7’s great 3D improvements have added to our toolkit, giving us options that greatly expand our ability to quickly put together shots and make final adjustments without the need to go back into a 3D app for changes,” said David Stinnett, VFX supervisor, Blur Studios, Thor: The Dark World and Amazing Spiderman 2. “Fusion 7 expands our ability to stay flexible for whatever the job demands.”

“The great thing about using Fusion for motion graphics is that you have an unlimited number of ways to create and design shots so you don’t have to leave the package to get the job done,” said Dunn Lewis, motion graphics and VFX artist. “Fusion can handle it all. With its full true 3D compositing environment, motion graphic tools, Spline editor for precise animation curves, Timeline for timing effects and Node based system for compositing, you can overcome any challenge.”

eyeon will continue to support its customers and expand its sales channels with the added strength of the Blackmagic Design organization. eyeon will also continue developing solutions for the VFX and postproduction industries, including its flagship application, Fusion.

News Section Main Menu

Toolbox

MySHOOT Company Profiles

About SHOOT

Info

Subscribe

News Section Main Menu