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MAGIX launches Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 Suite

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

MAGIX launches Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 SuiteSamplitude Pro X has pioneered the development of sophisticated mastering and precise editing solutions for musicians and professional audio engineers alike. Now there is Samplitude Pro X8.

MAGIX introduces significant performance and workflow improvements with the launch of Samplitude Pro X8,  which introduces a number of new features designed to further simplify the audio design workflow. The company says that Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 Suite deliver industry-leading intelligent visualization and object-oriented effects, as Advanced Spectral Cleaning, Comping and AudioWarp Features enhance the award-winning DAW.

For nearly three decades, MAGIX says, “Samplitude Pro X has pioneered the development of sophisticated mastering and precise editing solutions for musicians and professional audio engineers alike. The industry-unique audio engine is industry renowned for delivering pure, unadulterated sound with maximum clarity, setting new standards in the professional audio sector.”

MAGIX launches Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 SuiteSamplitude Pro X8 Suite

Samplitude Pro X delivers professional capabilities on all stages of production, empowering musicians and audio engineers of any skill level to complete an entire production from recording and mixing to exporting the final master files.

Samplitude Pro X key features include:

  • Object-oriented Effects: Virtual effects can be applied non-destructively on different objects within a single clip. This industry-unique feature makes it possible to use different effect chains on the same track – a massive time saver;
  • Spectral Processing: Automatically cleans the audio signal from unwanted background noise, with the option to search for similar audio material in the project to speed up the cleaning process;
  • Loudness Visualization: Machine-learning based representation of loudness and volume, helping users to control the perception of sound by the human ear. Includes special presets for broadcasting – perfect for radio stations;
  • Wave Form Coloring: Clearly shows harmonic and inharmonic frequency content, making it easy to differentiate between noise and tones, and simplifying the identification and correction of any issues;
  • Monitoring Panel: Helps users to optimize for any quality of speaker, so they can confidently mix and master their tracks accordingly.

What’s New in Samplitude Pro X8

  • Samplitude Pro X8 introduces a number of new features designed to further simplify the audio design workflow for enthusiasts and professionals alike, including:
  • Comping – Simplifies the recording workflow by providing a convenient way to select the best from multiple takes and seamlessly merge them into a whole. Automatic grouping speeds up the process and enhances the intuitive approach;
  • AudioWarp – Eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly post-processing. The timing of audio can be easily corrected, and individual segments can be revisited as needed. Advanced time-stretch algorithms ensure excellent sound quality;
  • Multi Codec Export – Allows for simultaneous export of multiple target formats and codecs with a single click. Configurable settings can be saved in presets, significantly streamlining the workflow;
  • Marker Track – By using color-coded markers on multiple lanes, users can keep a perfect overview of their project and all relevant information, including collective moving and editing for comfortable organization.

Samplitude Pro X8 and Samplitude Pro X8 Suite are available immediately as either a perpetual license, or as a subscription. For more information follow the link to MAGIX’s website.

MAGIX launches Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 Suite

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

MAGIX launches Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 SuiteSamplitude Pro X has pioneered the development of sophisticated mastering and precise editing solutions for musicians and professional audio engineers alike. Now there is Samplitude Pro X8.

MAGIX introduces significant performance and workflow improvements with the launch of Samplitude Pro X8,  which introduces a number of new features designed to further simplify the audio design workflow. The company says that Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 Suite deliver industry-leading intelligent visualization and object-oriented effects, as Advanced Spectral Cleaning, Comping and AudioWarp Features enhance the award-winning DAW.

For nearly three decades, MAGIX says, “Samplitude Pro X has pioneered the development of sophisticated mastering and precise editing solutions for musicians and professional audio engineers alike. The industry-unique audio engine is industry renowned for delivering pure, unadulterated sound with maximum clarity, setting new standards in the professional audio sector.”

MAGIX launches Samplitude Pro X8 and the Pro X8 SuiteSamplitude Pro X8 Suite

Samplitude Pro X delivers professional capabilities on all stages of production, empowering musicians and audio engineers of any skill level to complete an entire production from recording and mixing to exporting the final master files.

Samplitude Pro X key features include:

  • Object-oriented Effects: Virtual effects can be applied non-destructively on different objects within a single clip. This industry-unique feature makes it possible to use different effect chains on the same track – a massive time saver;
  • Spectral Processing: Automatically cleans the audio signal from unwanted background noise, with the option to search for similar audio material in the project to speed up the cleaning process;
  • Loudness Visualization: Machine-learning based representation of loudness and volume, helping users to control the perception of sound by the human ear. Includes special presets for broadcasting – perfect for radio stations;
  • Wave Form Coloring: Clearly shows harmonic and inharmonic frequency content, making it easy to differentiate between noise and tones, and simplifying the identification and correction of any issues;
  • Monitoring Panel: Helps users to optimize for any quality of speaker, so they can confidently mix and master their tracks accordingly.

What’s New in Samplitude Pro X8

  • Samplitude Pro X8 introduces a number of new features designed to further simplify the audio design workflow for enthusiasts and professionals alike, including:
  • Comping – Simplifies the recording workflow by providing a convenient way to select the best from multiple takes and seamlessly merge them into a whole. Automatic grouping speeds up the process and enhances the intuitive approach;
  • AudioWarp – Eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly post-processing. The timing of audio can be easily corrected, and individual segments can be revisited as needed. Advanced time-stretch algorithms ensure excellent sound quality;
  • Multi Codec Export – Allows for simultaneous export of multiple target formats and codecs with a single click. Configurable settings can be saved in presets, significantly streamlining the workflow;
  • Marker Track – By using color-coded markers on multiple lanes, users can keep a perfect overview of their project and all relevant information, including collective moving and editing for comfortable organization.

Samplitude Pro X8 and Samplitude Pro X8 Suite are available immediately as either a perpetual license, or as a subscription. For more information follow the link to MAGIX’s website.

HPA Awards call for entries: news in restoration, color grading and VFX

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

HPA Awards call for entries: news in restoration, color grading and VFXThe 2023 edition of HPA Awards introduces some changes, with additional recognition for Outstanding Restoration, refinement in honors for animation in VFX and color grading for feature films and episodic non-theatrical work.

It’s that time of the year: The 2023 Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Awards announced its call for entries for creative categories. Unique among the many awards shows that honor creative and technical disciplines, the HPA Awards encompass the incredible breadth of talent behind the beauty and spectacle of media and entertainment in a single event.

The 2023 gala will mark their 18th year, during which time they have come to be known as the standard bearer for artistry behind the screen. Judged by experts and artists at the top of their careers, submissions for the HPA Awards include the most compelling and beautifully executed work from around the world.

The inclusion of additional recognition for Outstanding Achievement in Restoration, mentioned above, is one of the key changes for the 2023 edition. The Restoration category launched during the 2022 Awards cycle as a juried (non-submittable) award. In consideration of this award’s status change, entries that were publicly released during the 2022 period of eligibility will be eligible for Awards consideration during the 2023 call for entries. Entries that were publicly released between September 8, 2021 and September 4, 2023 may be submitted. For all other creative categories, to be considered eligible, work must have debuted domestically and/or internationally between September 7, 2022 and September 4, 2023. Membership in the Hollywood Professional Association is not required for submission, and work from outside of the United States is encouraged.

HPA Awards call for entries: news in restoration, color grading and VFXHPA Awards: list of competitive categories

Seth Hallen, HPA President and a founding member of the HPA Awards Committee, said: “As the HPA Awards have matured, we have seen the need to differentiate documentary work from scripted. These new categories are in direct response to an industry trend, but also to our audience of creatives, who have submitted and promoted this category over the years. At the same time, we see such tremendous work being done in the field of restoration and preservation, and the value of that work to our industry is undeniable. It’s thrilling to announce these additional awards as I open the call for entries for creative categories for the 2023 HPA Awards. I look forward to being gathering again in November to honor, connect, and enjoy what I’m sure will be yet another spectacular event.”

The call for entries for the HPA Engineering Excellence Award, honoring products and processes representing outstanding technical and creative ingenuity in media, content production, finishing, distribution, and archive, opened last month and submissions will be accepted until June 16, 2023.

The HPA Awards gala will return to the Hollywood Legion Theatre on November 9. Details for the event, including ticket sales, will be forthcoming. The HPA Awards are made possible through the generous sponsorship of diamond title sponsor Blackmagic Design as well as foundation members Avid, Dolby and Sohonet. For sponsorship or program advertising opportunities, contact Joyce Cataldo at jcataldo@hpaonline.com. Complete rules, guidelines and entry information for the creative categories and all of the HPA Awards, as well as a list of previous winners, are available at hpaonline.com.

Submissions are now being accepted in the following competitive categories:

• Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Color Grading – Animated Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Color Grading – Animated Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Color Grading – Documentary
• Outstanding Color Grading – Commercial
• Outstanding Editing – Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Editing – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (30 Minutes and Under)
• Outstanding Editing – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature (Over 30 minutes)
• Outstanding Editing – Documentary
• Outstanding Sound (Design, Editing, Mixing) – Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Sound (Design, Editing, Mixing) – Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature
• Outstanding Sound (Design, Editing, Mixing) – Documentary
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Live Action Feature
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Animated Feature
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Live Action Episode or Series Season
• Outstanding Visual Effects – Animated Episode or Series Season
• Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects – Episode or Series Season
• Outstanding Achievement in Restoration

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don’t have to

by Scott Simmons
This post is by Scott Simmons from ProVideo Coalition

During a recent Amazon All Access sale, I bought a cheap cheap USB-C docking station so you don’t have to. So what made me spend $87.99 on such a thing when I knew better? 

The other day, my old, reliable, rock-solid Other World Computing Thunderbolt 2 dock finally gave up the ghost and would no longer work. This happened during the big Amazon sale, and as I was browsing the various products, I came across this:

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 4
The MOKiN Docking Station, 18in1 USB C Docking Dtation (sic) Dual Monitor for Windows/MacBook Pro/Air/Thunderbolt 3 Dock with SSD Enclosure 3 HDMI DP100W PD3.0 RJ45 Ethernet SD/TF Card Reader Audio&Mic 5 USB Ports seemed almost too good to be true!

For $88 (that was a special Amazon sale price) $110 you can get tons of connectivity, an SSD drive and dual monitor support for a fraction of the price of an OWC or a Cal-Digit dock? Count me in!

Here were the bullet point specs from the Amazon page (the hearts are theirs):

  • USB C Docking Station : The laptop docking station break through limitations, it equipped with an M.2 SSD enclosure which simplify your work-from-home setup, supporting triple display for MacOS and quadruple display for Windows on extend mode. Compared to the heavy docking station and other USB C hubs.❥❥❥ (Note: You need to use the data cable that comes with our product to be normal, If you are using a single C line, please use the HOST 2 port so that the other ports can work properly)
  • 18-In-1 Docking Station: Universal 18 in 1 docking station tailored specifically for designers, engineers, and data analysts who need more workspaces, you can easily expand laptop to 1 SSD enclosure,3 4KHDMI, 1 VGA,5 USB-A, 1 USB-C, SD/TF Card Slot,1 RJ45, 1 Audio port. Via the SSD enclosure on the top, you could simply to upgrade your computers with more storage(up to 2TB), obviously you budget pick. Note: NOT support M key and SSD NOT INCLUDE, and please keep the logo face up.
  • Ultra HD 4K Quadruple Display: MOKiN Docking Station Allow you access for 4 displays via HDMI and VGA ports(HDMI1&HDMI2 resolution up to 4K@60Hz, HDMI3 up to 4K@30Hz), USB C docking station supports up to triple display for MacOS and quadruple display for Windows by the 3*HDMI ports and the VGA port. Whether you are working, studying, the unique triple and quadruple display lets you get more unexpected detail.❥❥❥（Our product itself needs power consumption, please charge it when you use it）
  • Unparalleled Charging & Data Transfer: The POWER port in your laptop docking station provides up to 100W to fast charge your laptop, no need to worry about the power shortage anymore. 3* USB 3.0 and 1* USB-C(5Gbps, transfer large files in seconds) & 2* USB 2.0 Port design for your wireless device without signal interference, What’s more, it also built-in SD/TF slots for photographers easy access to files from SD and TF Card.❥❥❥（If your computer is windows 11, please update graphics card driver）
  • Wide Compatibility for Mac OS and Windows: No drives needed.18 IN 1 docking station is compatible with the latest laptops and smart devices with Type C port which support DP Alt Mode. Like: Dell XPS 13/15, Lenovo ThinkPad X1,Dell Latitude/Precision,HP EliteBook 745 G5,Surface Pro 7,Surface Book 2, MSI GS65 /GS75,2019 MacBook pro (16-inch), 2018/2019 MacBook Pro (15-inch), 2017/2018 MacBook Pro (13-inch).Note DP 1.4 supports 4K@60Hz and DP 1.2 supports 4K@30H.

Strangely, I can’t find this particular dock when I go to the MOKiN Amazon store but the direct link to it is still there. You have to love their header image which is a MacBook Pro showing some kind of video or imaging app with a color correction tool on the monitor while that monitor doesn’t seem to be connected to the dock that is shown in the image. And there’s no video or imaging app running in the Mac’s dock.

How did the thing work overall?

I’m not sure why they called it a “Dtation” … but hey, typos happen. 

The first thing I noticed was that the specs on the side and the back of the box didn’t include Thunderbolt which was mentioned in the product name. USB-C is there, but no Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is very important to Mac users, which this thing supposedly supports.

I think I knew that when I ordered this thing, it did not include an actual Thunderbolt port. So I thought I’d ask for support about this and here is the exchange.

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 5

🤦‍♂️

After that exchange, I unboxed the MOKiN and plugged it into my iMac Pro running MacOS 11.7 Big Sur. To my surprise, it seemed to connect just fine. 

There is a good smattering of ports on the dock and while I didn’t test all of them I did test the ones I use most often. And the Mokin dock was able to connect to four different Macs without issue (I did not try this dock with a PC).

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 6
Thunderbolt 3 is not mentioned anywhere on the front box.
I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 7
Or the back of the box. Nowhere on this box do I see mention of Thunderbolt support.

I don’t mean to get hung up on the Thunderbolt vs USB-C thing but they do have important differences, especially with video editing where you might have Thunderbolt specific devices like RAIDs or video hardware.

One interesting aspect of this hub/dock is that it is also an SSD enclosure; you can bring your own internal SSD stick and shove it inside the thing. I don’t know much about buying a raw SSD stick but the manual told me I need to get a B Key or B&M Key connector type. I was skeptical it would work, so I tried this $15 128 GB stick of … where else … Amazon!

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 8

It worked. Plugging the hub back in, I was asked to initialize the new disk. Doing that and presto, I have a new SSD mounted on the desktop.

Overall the dock is okay for simple use, and I am using it on a home editing system. I have speakers plugged into it, but I could just as easily plug them into my Mac. 

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 9

It sits under my iMac Pro, providing easy access to the USB-A ports for a few peripherals like a Loupedeck and a dongle. I keep the one USB-C port on the front connected to a cable to I can quickly connect a USB-C drive. 

When connected, the USB-C drive speeds are not as fast as a direct connection to the Mac.

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 10
This is a SanDisk SSD drive connected to the MOKiN USB-C dock.
I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 11
That’s not as fast as connecting the same SSD directly to the Mac.

 

Having the built-in SSD is a great idea

My favorite thing about this dock is the built-in SSD. Having a fast SSD connected through a hub for things like your NLE scratch disk or a LucidLink cache is quite smart. That would let you get that cache and lots of connectivity all on one Thunderbolt / USB-C port without taking up another port on your Mac. 

I bought a cheap USB-C docking station so you don't have to 12
This isn’t very fast for an attached SSD. I’m not sure if this is slow because of the dock or if I bought the wrong SSD stick.

II don’t see any of the more name-brand docks that offer a built-in SSD option, but if you know of one, please comment below. 

But do I trust it?

With connectivity mostly working, I can’t fault this cheap dock since it was just that … cheap. 

A few things it seems to do just fine:

  • I’ve plugged speakers into the mini audio jack and it passes audio to them.
  • The USB-A ports for work fine and I’ve connected keyboards, mice, dongles and other peripherals just fine.
  • I was able to connect two HDMI displays (I didn’t have a third) without an issue.
  • The Ethernet connection works and maintains a fast internet connection.

A few issues I encountered:

  • On occasion, a USB-C drive would randomly unmount. This was random and sporadic and I can’t necessarily attribute that to the dock but this didn’t happen with the same drives directly connected to the Mac(s).
  • Thunderbolt drives and devices do not mount.
  • That exchange with support about Thunderbolt 3 was … interesting.

Do I really trust this cheap dock in mission-critical situations?

But then I must ask myself: do I really trust this cheap dock in mission-critical situations?

  • Is it always going to connect as it should?
  • Is the SSD always going to mount?
  • Is it going to pass all the data it is supposed to pass without dropping a connection or corrupting data?

And that’s where this cheap dock falls down. I do not trust this dock like an OWC dock or a Cal-Digit dock. Those manufacturers have proven themselves to our industry time and time again. While their docks are more expensive, they stand behind them with quality and support. They also offer a wide variety of docks and hubs.

And they don’t sell a USB-C dock as Thunderbolt. I still can’t get over that one. 

Post-production professionals: a PNYA conference about job security

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

Post-production professionals: a PNYA conference about job securityThe current WGA strike has brought film and television production to a virtual standstill, creating further challenges for post-production professionals. A conference aims to discuss a situation that can grow worse.

Scheduled for Thursday, June 8 at 4:00pm EDT, the free video conference from Post New York Alliance deals with a question that is now being faced by many professionals in the industry: what’s next? Can post production professionals who’ve relied on scripted productions pivot to unscripted? What are the pathways? Do skillsets for documentaries and scripted features overlap? Where do they differ? Is there enough work to go around? What about the future? Don’t miss this episode of Post Break for a chance to gain crucial advice on navigating a rocky employment market.

In fact, the current WGA strike has brought film and television production to a virtual standstill, creating further challenges for post-production professionals whose job security was already threatened by shrinking slates and cost-cutting measures imposed by networks and streamers. With potential strikes looming from SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild, the situation could grow worse.

Under the title Scripted to Unscripted, Post-Production Pathways, the Post Break video conference will discuss “how to stay nimble with work opportunities in turbulent times” as post production professionals are facing a shortage of work opportunities. Is it possible for post people who have been relying on the steady flow of scripted productions to now pivot to unscripted? What are the pathways? Where do the skills for documentaries and scripted features overlap? Where do they differ? Is there enough work to go around?

Scripted to Unscripted, Post-Production Pathways

In the next edition of Post Break, producer/writer/editor Mike Noble will talk with director/producer Celia Aniskovich and film editor Jamie Kirkpatrick about the impact the strike is having on post pros—and what they can do about it. Jamie and Celia, both have experience going from scripted series and films to unscripted documentaries and reality.

Here is some more information about the guests and moderator:

Post-production professionals: a PNYA conference about job securityCelia Aniskovich is a New York-based director and producer. She began her career in live broadcast news as an NBC page before transitioning into narrative and documentary filmmaking. She has directed, produced, developed and consulted on numerous US and UK projects, and her films and series have been broadcast around the world. How to Fix a Drug Scandal, which Aniskovich co-produced, reached the top five most-watched shows on Netflix three days after its 2020 premiere. Fear City: New York vs the Mafia, which she field produced, became the number one most-watched show on Netflix 24 hours after its premiere. She also produced the successful Surviving Jeffrey Epstein for Lifetime.

In 2021, Aniskovich released Spy Affair, a 6-part podcast series for Wondery Originals based on the story of alleged Russian spy Maria Butina. She also wrote, directed and produced Burn It Down!, a feature documentary about Woodstock 99 for MRC Studios/Rolling Stone that had its world premiere at the 2021 BFI London Film Festival. She executive produced and directed Fruitcake Fraud, a feature documentary for Discovery+ (nominated for a Realscreen Award), and produced Beanie Mania¸ a film for HBO Max. Her latest project, the feature documentary Call Me Miss Cleo, premiered in December 2022 on HBO Max. Aniskovich has worked on multiple Emmy-nominated programs and is repped by WME. She graduated from Fordham University in the Bronx and is a life-long Mets fan.

Post-production professionals: a PNYA conference about job securityJamie Kirkpatrick has been at the forefront of New York’s independent film scene for over 20 years. His diverse filmography includes such notable titles as Lost in Translation, Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (which had a special screening at the Obama White House), My Friend Dahmer and John Leguizamo’s recent, critically-acclaimed, directorial debut Critical Thinking.  Other recent credits include the Western Old Henry, the cinematic musical Beau and the highly anticipated comedic crime drama Providence. His enthusiasm for cinematic storytelling is matched only by his dedication to the craft of film editing, his encyclopedic knowledge of the works of Krzysztof Kieslowski and his well-documented weakness for a good doughnut.  He has also worked extensively in network television and commercials and has directed two award-winning short films, The Regular and Squeeze.

Post-production professionals: a PNYA conference about job securityModerator:

Mike Noble started his career in documentaries, film and television in Washington, DC, where he was editor and associate producer on a number of documentaries, including the Emmy-winning Korean War Stories with Walter Cronkite. He worked at Discovery Communications and served as supervising editor for a number of series across multiple networks and was also a post supervisor at Discovery’s production center.  He is now a freelance producer/editor/writer based in NYC and has recently edited episodes of Murder in the Heartland, The Price of Glee, and the acclaimed crime documentary Fruitcake Fraud.  His latest work can be seen on Murder at Carter County Mines, currently streaming on Discovery+ and MAX.

What: Scripted to Unscripted, Post-Production Pathways

When: June 8, 4:00 pm EDT.

REGISTER HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqd-CqpzsiGNbJdjuwHi6U6ApBOoKMUPUW#/registration

Canon EOS R5, R5C, R6 Mark II support ProRes RAW

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

Canon EOS R5, R5C, R6 Mark II support ProRes RAWRegarded as the universal RAW video format, ProRes RAW is now supported by Canon’s EOS R5, R5C, R6 Mark II cameras. Canon is the first camera maker to take advantage of this game-changing technology.

Atomos announced immediate support for Apple ProRes RAW plug-ins, an innovation that lets camera manufacturers provide their own ProRes RAW processing pipeline to take advantage of the unique properties of their cameras, sensors, lenses, and more. It’s a groundbreaking development in the world of RAW video processing – Atomos’ immediate support for Apple ProRes RAW plug-ins, making it easier for camera makers to deliver the highest image quality.

ProRes RAW is widely regarded as the universal RAW video format. With the introduction of plug-ins, now every camera maker can provide their own unique processing, in a completely confidential way, by writing a single ProRes RAW plug-in that brings out the best quality and unique looks created by their own cameras.

Apple ProRes RAW combines the visual and workflow benefits of RAW video with the incredible real-time performance of ProRes, allowing you to record stunning ProRes RAW video in resolutions up to 8K. It combines quality and speed, allowing you to import, edit, and grade pristine RAW data straight from your camera sensor without slowing down your edit. The power of ProRes and the flexibility of RAW allows you to work at increased resolutions, increased frame rates, and increased bit-depths — all whilst maintaining a small file size.

Canon EOS R5, R5C, R6 Mark II support ProRes RAWAtomos supports over 50 camera models

ProRes RAW becomes, in effect, the conduit for their custom processing, carrying the unique characteristics of any camera, sensor, processing, and lens combination into post-production. ProRes RAW plug-ins will be supported in Final Cut Pro as well as many third-party applications that have licensed the ProRes RAW SDK, such as nonlinear editors (NLEs) and color correction applications.

According to Atomos, the process is very straightforward: simply install the camera vendor’s ProRes RAW plug-in and Final Cut Pro will automatically show all the new enhanced features of the supported camera. Using a ProRes RAW plug-in enables camera-specific adjustments such as custom white balancing, noise reduction, demosaicing, lens distortion correction, and more.

Canon is the first camera maker to deliver a ProRes RAW Plug-in, with the EOS R5, R5 C and R6 Mark II cameras outputting RAW to an Atomos monitor-recorder. Atomos has already enabled full ProRes RAW plug-in support for these cameras in the current release firmware for Ninja V, Ninja V+, and Shogun Connect. Atomos supports over 50 camera models – Sony, Canon, Panasonic, Nikon, Z CAM, Olympus, Fujifilm, Leica, and Sigma – recording ProRes RAW from the camera’s RAW output over SDI or HDMI, so is uniquely placed to record this new enhanced metadata standard.

“We are very proud to be working alongside Apple and Canon to bring this ProRes RAW innovation to market,” Elbourne added. “We were first to market with an 8K ProRes RAW compatible mirrorless camera – the Canon EOS R5 – and now we are making another huge advancement with the ProRes RAW format.”

The ProRes RAW plug-in model has been designed to work not only with macOS but also with Windows and Linux.

After Effects Roundup May 2023

by Rich Young
This post is by Rich Young from ProVideo Coalition

 

The After Effects 23.4 release, previewed at NAB, was released. New features include:

  • Properties Panel with support for Layer Transforms, Text, Paragraph, and Shapes. Support for Essential Graphics in the Properties Panel will be released in the future.
  • Effect Manager with Crash Detection
  • Startup and Repair including Safe Mode
  • 3D Gizmo Constrained Snapping
  • Support for Sony Venice 2 and iPhone Cinematic Mode footage
  • Quality of Life improvements such as better Project Panel Sorting, additional Audio Sample Rate support (16Khz, 64Khz, 88.2Khz and 176.4Khz), updated Default, Standard and Small Screen workspaces, and an updated Track Matte pick whip icon.
  • Numerous bug fixes for stability and functionality improvements.
  • There were also some changes in the SDK, with more coming in the age of AI.

Here’s are user perspectives on this release: After Effects 23.4 UPDATE | What’s NEW? from Adobe Basics and What’s New in After Effects 2023 from SternFX (one of many recent AE videos from Eran Stern).

 

Additionally, Adobe Support shared April 2023 After Effects Community Recap, which includes a solution to a freeze crash on Windows from ShiveringCactus: VFX Tutorials.

 

The May 2023 update of Premiere Pro (23.4) introduced Text-Based Editing and includes important fixes and user-requested improvements like Background auto save.

Learn what’s new in Premiere Pro in video from Premiere Basics, Olufemii, and Premiere Gal discussed the update.

 

The May 2023 release of Photoshop (24.5) included Adjustment Presets, the Remove Tool, Contextual Task Bar, Improved Gradients, and in the Photoshop (Beta) app, Generative Fill to extend Adobe Firefly.

Note that “while generative AI features are in beta, all generated output is for personal use only and cannot be used commercially.”

Generative Fill (Beta) overshadows the other features for now. It’s straitforward to use but there are some gotchas popping up, as explained in Generative Fill In Photoshop – Low Resolution Fix! from Photoshop Training Channel.

Also below, Terry White covered all the new features.

 

Chris Zwar continued his discussion of AE and color management here on PVC in his video and article, Color Management Part 17: Linear Compositing.After Effects Roundup May 2023 3

 

Michael Ponch shared You DON’T NEED the SABER Plugin 2023 | Advanced Glow FX in After Effects.

 

Motion By Scott shared 4 Super Easy Ways To TRANSFORM Your After Effects Projects.

 

School of Motion posted Stop Digging For Settings With This New AE Panel on the Properties Panel, as well as Is Generative Fill Useful for Motion Designers.

 

Battle Axe hired gun Jake In Motion posted What’s New in Rubberhose 3.

 

John The Video Guy posted 10 GAME CHANGING After Effects Tips & Tricks In 2023, though you may have already changed your game. If intermediate levels tips are too much, Ben Marriott says I’ll Teach You After Effects in 60 Minutes…

 

Boone Loves Video is really Boone loves maps, and lucky for us, because he continues sharing. Among his latest is How to Animate Wavy Line Borders🌊(NO PLUGINS REQUIRED).

 

Create This Infinite Tunnel Loop Using Any Shape in After Effects from SonduckFilm uses a repeater, not the Radio Waves effects.

After Effects Roundup May 2023 4

 

Ω

Please note that these roundups are for quick review and comparison. There is almost always vital information from the originating authors at the links provided — and often free presets, projects, or stock footage too.

@aerich suffers from information overload. Feel free to comment or contribute!

Product Studio: using AI to create photos of products

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

Product Studio: using AI to create photos of productsProVideo Coalition recently showed  an AI tool that creates photos of menu dishes. Now Google introducs another headache for photographers: Product Studio, using AI to create photos of products.

Introduced as a tool to help small businesses connect with online shoppers, Product Studio is available from Google, at its new and simplified Merchant Center. Product Studio is designed for one thing: to help businesses create product imagery using generative AI.

We recently covered here at ProVideo Coalition LunchbBox’s AI Food Generator, a tool that is born out of necessity, according to the people behind it. Lunchbox, a company that offers a variety of services related to online ordering, knew of the importance of photography to attract clients to menu lists in restaurants, but was also aware of the problem that is to create the photography for those listings. So, they decided to use AI to create the photograph, as a service offered to their potential clients.

As I wrote then, “professional photographers who regularly photograph food dishes may soon not be able to work for some clients, as a new AI app, free to use, creates any type of dish you want in a matter of minutes.” Well, now the same can be said about Product Studio, and I believe the fact that Google is behind it will make this solution much more popular than LunchbBox’s AI Food Generator.

Product Studio was introduced during the recent Google Marketing Live, as part of the new generative AI advancements developed by Google and that will bring AI front and center, making it, the company says,  “the best tool in your marketing toolkit — helping you make decisions, solve problems and enhance your creativity”.

Product Studio: using AI to create photos of productsCreating images is expensive and time consuming

These days, shopping can happen anytime and anywhere, and Google is aware that it can be challenging for businesses to stand out and connect with new customers. Eye-catching, unique imagery helps grab shoppers’ attention, but creating that content requires a lot of time and resources. Google notes that “It’s not always easy to get a range of high-quality images, though. Businesses tell us creating lifestyle images gets expensive and time consuming.” So…

So, the easy way out is to cut the middleman… I mean the photographer, and that’s where Product Studio comes in. This new tool will help merchants easily create unique product imagery using generative AI right from Merchant Center Next, Google’s simplified platform for businesses to manage how their products show up on Google.

In e-commerce, eye-catching images are a business’s digital window displays — and merchants with the right mix of imagery online can get better results. In fact, while many product offers on Google have just one image, the company says it sees an increase in both impressions (+76%) and clicks (+32%) for product offers that include more than one image.

Product Studio brings the benefits of generative AI to businesses of all sizes, helping them easily create unique and tailored product imagery for free and get more value from the images they already have. Here are some of the key features:

  • Add custom product scenes: Create new imagery based on changing marketing needs — whether seasonal, campaign-based or simply experimental — without the added cost of new photoshoots. For example, a skincare company could highlight a special seasonal version of a product by requesting an image of the product “surrounded by peaches, with tropical plants in the background.”
  • Remove a distracting product background: Want a plain white background for a product image? Businesses can quickly remove a complex background in Product Studio.
  • Quickly increase resolution: Improve the quality of small or low-resolution images without having to reshoot a product.

Product Shot will be available to merchants in the United States first, through Merchant Center Next, Google’s improved platform to list products across the platform, starting in the next few months. These features will also be available to merchants using the Google & YouTube app on Shopify.

While the solution itself does not take photographers out of the equation, and may be intended for small businesses, the truth is that not all photographers work with big companies, and some do shoot product for… small companies, small businesses like them. Having an AI tool that creates product images is just another way to make life difficult for – some – photographers. All because creating good images is expensive and time consuming…

Fight of the File Formats! PNGs or EXRs?

by Chris Zwar
This post is by Chris Zwar from ProVideo Coalition

Are some file formats faster than others? There are many different image file formats out there, and they all have different features. But when you queue up your composition to render and choose a Prores or MP4, or a TIFF or a JPG, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is if rendering one format is faster than another…

But the performance differences between the various formats are quite significant, and not something that should be ignored. Take a second to think about hardware upgrades. If your render takes 15 minutes, how much would you spend to make it take 10 minutes, or 5 minutes? If you can get a 15 minutes render down to only 90 seconds, then you’ve made it 10 x faster. That’s a pretty big improvement, and would represent several generations of hardware and potentially thousands of dollars.

But what if you can get the same increase in performance just by choosing a different file format? For free, right now, with no new hardware?

If you’re using PNG files, then you can. All you have to do is stop using them.

The video has all the details, but here’s the summary.

A few years ago I wrote an extensive series on After Effects & Performance, which spans 18 articles and about 100,000 words.  As part of that series, I tried benchmarking various file formats to see if there was much of a performance difference between them. To my surprise, I discovered that PNG files are really, astonishingly slow. Much slower than any other file format.

In one test, the PNG render was over 20 times slower than other formats such as JPEG, TIFF and Prores. While I wrote about the results in Part 14 of the Performance series, the incredible slowness was so unexpected that I wondered if it was a bug. But apparently not.

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After Effects & Performance is an 18-part, 100,000 word series on everything that After Effects does… check it out!

It was so surprising that I always intended to re-check the results again, which is what I’ve done here. These are simple benchmarks that only test the speed differences of the various file formats themselves – there’s no other image processing or effects rendering going on.

The test renders were only 50 frames long, but that was still enough to demonstrate clear differences in rendering times between the various formats. Although I also tested rendering at various bit depths, there was hardly any performance difference here.  This was surprising to me, but also good to know. While plugins and other image processing can be slower when working in 16 or 32 bit modes, it’s nice to know that file formats themselves don’t seemed affected.

Benchmarking properly is hard, but also very tedious. Some of the render times here vary by only 1 or 2 seconds. If I’d run the same tests multiple times and averaged the results, I’m pretty sure those differences would disappear. It’s not unusual to try rendering the same thing many times and have the times vary by a second or two.

But the difference between 15 minutes and 2 minutes?  That’s not going to disappear.

Are we the bad guys?

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This older article from 2018 includes details of a former bug that made some types of EXR files slow. But it’s old news! They work great now…

One of the motivations for testing different file formats is the persistent notion that EXR files are slow, or at least extra slow in After Effects.  This is also something that I have written about extensively, first in 2018 and more recently when I looked at the DWA compression type.

Up until 2019, there was some truth to this rumor. There was a bug in the way that After Effects dealt with some types of EXR files, which made them very slow. The bug only affected multi-channel EXRs, and only once they got to a certain file size, so a small EXR file with only RGBA channels would be fine. This is probably why it took so long for the bug to be discovered. For After Effects 2018 and 2019, you could manually install an updated version of the EXR plugin to work around the bug, and then Adobe completely overhauled EXR support with the release of After Effects 2020.

This is a pretty important thing to understand.

EXR support in After Effects was completely overhauled more than three years ago, and any suggestion that EXRs are slow is now simply wrong.

The EXR file format was developed by Industrial Light & Magic specifically for digital visual fx, and it remains the industry standard file format for vfx and high-end post production. Anyone working with HDR images, or with 32bit floating point projects in After Effects should be using EXR files.  It’s a no-brainer.

Really, the question is why would you use PNG files? There’s a word for anyone who suggests you should use a PNG file and that word is “wrong”.

If you want to render to an 8 bit image sequence with an alpha channel, at least use TIFFs.  You can choose to use LZW compression to keep the file size down and they’re massively faster than PNGs. Without LZW compression, they’re even faster but the file sizes will be much larger.

So the lesson is simple:

Don’t use PNGs!

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EXR files are my default setting. You can read more about why right here…

The EXR format actually offers several different types of image compression, including zip. My own preference is to use the DWA algorithm, which I write about here. Maybe I’ll try some more benchmarks specifically looking at EXR compression in the future…

There are lots of graphs in the video above, and to save you trying to hit the pause button at the right time, I’ve included most of them below.

Bear in mind that these are relatively short renders – 50 frames only – and as mentioned above, variations of 1 or 2 seconds are pretty normal. But not 800 seconds. That’s not normal.

 

Anyway I’ve been writing After Effects articles and tutorials for over 20 years, so please take the time to check out my other articles.

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Cine Gear Expo returns to Hollywood after 4 years

by Jose Antunes
This post is by Jose Antunes from ProVideo Coalition

Cine Gear Expo returns to Hollywood after 4 yearsIt’s back again! Films, tech, talks & comradery lineup for Cine Gear Expo, June 1-3, 2023, in Hollywood, held at The Studios at Paramount.

Yes, it’s here, it’s just about to start! The Cine Gear Expo returns to Hollywood after 4 years. The organizers say that “activities rev up Thursday, June 1 with the Film Competition Screenings, featuring entries from students and professionals in the Independent Short Films, Student Films, and Music Video/Commercial categories. Friday at noon doors open to the exhibits.” Are you ready?

“I am thrilled to extend my warmest greetings as we gather once again for the most anticipated event for professionals in the film and entertainment industry. Cine Gear Expo is back, and by popular demand we are
returning to the iconic Paramount Studios, where it all started. The first one happened back in 1996, with the help of my late husband and co-founder Karl Kresser” writes Juliane Grosso, CEO – Cine Gear Expo, on the opening note of the CineGear News Los Angeles 2023, which you can download following the link.

Here is what to expect, based on what has been before, again following the description shared by the organizers: technology vendors line the famous New York streets and the B-Tank area which is hard to miss with its authentic Adams Family hearse from the hit show Wednesday that’s parked nearby OnLocation’s shiny 17’ one-stop location production truck. This year four soundstages house scores of indoor exhibits where lights-out zones best display the latest lighting, monitors, cameras, and other technology for motion pictures.

Lighting brands will be there in force with the newest tech from ARRI, Astera, Aputure, Creamsource, DeSisti, Hudson Spider, Kino Flo, Fiilex, Godex, Hobolite, K5600, Litepanels, Lux Lighting, Mole-Richardson, Nanlite, Quasar Science, Rotolight, Rosco, Sumolight, Velvet, Zylight, and more. To remotely control minute positioning of hefty fixtures, Matthew’s Studio Equipment demos new Litemover.

Cine Gear Expo returns to Hollywood after 4 yearsLatest cameras, monitors and much more

There will be hands-on opportunities galore to peek at the latest cameras from ARRI, Blackmagic, Canon, Sony and Panasonic Lumix. With the age of optics in full swing, the field widens with over 15 brands: Angenieux, Atlas, Canon, Cooke, Hawk, Vantage, Zeiss, Sigma, Fujifilm, Leitz, Irix, Duclos, Schneider, Tokina and P+S Technik. For insight into the field, visitors can meet Jay Holben and Chris Probst ASC, authors of The Cine Lens Manual.

To rig camera packages, attendees can demo the newest cages, handles, etc. from the likes of Wooden Camera, Vocas, and Bright Tangerine, as well as on and off camera monitors from SmallHD, Atomos, Sony, Flanders, Lilliput, and wireless video systems from Teradek. Camera support too, will be on hand including trusted brands like Miller, Libec, and Ronford Baker, cranes from Technocrane, dollies from Chapman, and human worn systems like the Tiffen Steadicam, Topcrane, and Cinema Devices. Not to forget Gimbals demo’d by DJI and robotics systems from Emotimo, MRMC, Motion Impossible, and Sisu.

Virtual production anyone? Look for virtual LED wall exhibitors Brompton and Roe, and for the big picture, visitors can see the Stepping into Virtual Production panel sponsored by Rosco and Lux Machina, on Friday, June 2.

Educational panels will be in full swing on Friday and Saturday with presentations by Synology, Canon, Sony, Sony CI MediaCloud and Teradek, Band Pro, Digital Cinema Society, Women in Media, Lumix & Lux Machina, Rosco, ARRI, Abel Cine, and IATSE 728. The popular Got Agent? panel returns as well as the always-popular Dialogue with ASC Cinematographers.

Film Screenings are back. This year Digital Cinema Society and Zeiss Cinematography present a special showing of the talked-about HBO CAS 2023 Camera Assessment in the state-of-the-art Paramount Theatre, complete with a Q&A following. Plus, there will be a special screening of Air, featuring Ben Affleck, followed by a discussion with award-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson, ASC.

Cinegear admission is Free before May 27, 2023, 11:59pm PDT. For directions, schedule, and more information visit www.cinegearexpo.com. Register for Free admission at https://www.cinegearexpo.com/la-expo/registration/