The new technological introductions at the NAB Show are like spokes of a wheel, all leading to post production and editing. As usual, edit systems integrate the inputs to facilitate the outputs and here is a summary of the newest systems seen at the show.
EDITING
Oystein Naess (R) of Avid talks through a point about the company’s Media Composer software and Media Access system with Blake Kliewer of Paragon Media.ADOBE introduced updates to all the video tools in its Adobe Creative Cloud including a new color panel in its Adobe Premiere Pro CC NLE, and the mesmerizing Morph Cut used to bridge jump cuts. Adobe also previewed Project “Candy,” a mobile CC Capture app, capturing lighting schemes on a smartphone.
A host of new Mini-Converters from AJA VIDEO SYSTEMS including the FiDO-4TST and FiDO-4R-ST quad-channel 3G-SDI to ST Fiber systems almost overshadowed AJA’s announcement of a new firmware upgrade for its CION 4K camera.
AUTODESK presented major upgrades to its Maya, 3ds Max and Flame Premium software, all now dubbed “2016” and being offered on a pay-as-you-go basis through “Desktop Subscription.” Flame and Flame Premium have gained a comprehensive, high-end VFX and creative finishing toolset and faster, interactive performance.
AVID announced it is adding key content creation capabilities to its Avid MediaCentral Platform. They also introduced Avid Artist | DnxIO for faster video ingest, editing, and output. And, sound the trumpets, they are going to be offering Media Composer | First, a free slimmed down version of their popular NLE.
An interesting new editing/logging application from AXLE VIDEO is intended to compliment rather than replace craft NLE’s. Called axle Edit it’s designed to let mobile journalists create rough cuts using local or server-based media on iPhones or iPads.
Now that BORISFX has acquired Imagineer Systems, the innovators of mocha planar tracking treated visitors to their NAB exhibit with the latest Media 100 Suite, a full-featured video editing software for Mac OS X featuring broad support for 4K, 2K, HD and SD standards.
By releasing Lightworks 12.0.3, now on Window, Linux and Mac OS X, EDITSHARE was offering significant improvements to the AAF workflow between Lightworks and Avid. Lightworks 12.0.3 allows Avid to automatically link to MXF media from a Lightworks AAF.
Forscene, introduced by FORBIDDEN TECHNOLOGIES is a completely cloudbased logging, editing, reviewing and publishing browser-based platform. There is no hardware or software to buy because it is financed by a weekly or monthly license fee, and the Forescene NLE supports a broad range of editing skills.
It was all about IP for GRASS VALLEY and their EDIUS Pro 7 NLE was seen happily marching through fields of 4K, handling more resolutions, formats and frame rates than any other editor on the market giving it the ability to “Edit Anything, Anywhere.” All versions of EDIUS integrate with GV STRATUS and K2 Dyno.
MATROX featured their new VS4Recorder Pro app that makes multicam editing easier and more efficient. Designed for use with Matrox VS4 quad HD capture cards, each VS4Recorder Pro captures up to four video and audio inputs to create files for use with editing apps from Adobe, Apple and Avid.
QUANTEL and SNELL showcased Live-Touch, a small-form studio sports highlighting system with a purpose-designed control panel. They also demonstrated a complete IP system including routing, production switching, processing and playout, and we saw Pablo Rio handling 8K 60p in realtime.
IMF (Interoperable Master Format) was the keyword at the ROHDE & SCHWARZ exhibit, with their finishing system, Clipster, performing all the steps in a DI, IMF, AS-02 or AS-11 workflow on one system. Clipster provides online editing of video data and format conversion with real-time playback. IMF is the only standardized mastering solution for UHD.
SGO showcased the latest versions of their Mistika finishing suite and the node-based MambaFX compositing software. Using the newly integrated Mistika Precision Panel, Mistika was shown creatively manipulating high resolution and HDR material in real time.
Tucked behind their big brother Sony Broadcast’s exhibit area, SONY CREATIVE SOFTWARE demonstrated the latest version of their Vegas Pro 13 NLE, now with HitFilm 3 Pro advanced 3D compositing with over 130 plug-ins, brand new effects and a cutting edge particle system. They also debuted SCS’s newest media production package, Catalyst Production Suite.
VIDEOLICIOUS unvieled an iOS app that lets users record a reporter’s stand-up on an iPhone or iPad (like a video selfie), while screen taps simultaneously insert selected B-roll. When done, Videolicious v3.5.1 plays back a completed news package with opening graphics, dissolved cover video, and fadeout. Then just stream it back to the station.
Created by filmmaker Rollo Wenlock in Wellington, New Zealand, WIPSTER made its U.S. debut in the Plug-in Pavilion at the 2015 NAB Show. Wipster shared workspace for video makers offers cloud-based frameaccurate editing review features along with a new ability to collaboratively share secure folders and work in progress with even the least technically-savvy client or producer.
GRAPHICS
Graphics used to be the sprinkles on the ice cream cone of visual entertainment. But now, as proved at the NAB Show, they have become an integral component of digital production itself.
Martin Appleton (L) of Orad describes the features of the company’s virtual studio and graphics system to Sang Keun Lee of CJ E&M in South Korea.AJT SYSTEMS debuted its LiveBook GFX Scorebug System, which was demonstrated as a fully-integrated, portable, productionready, HD Score Bug System, including the feature rich Camino template editor. The LiveBook GFX now integrates with the NewTek Tricaster via IP.
AUTODESK announced that Flame Premium, Maya 3D, Shotgun and RV, will support ACES 1.0, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ color management and interchange standards.
BOINX SOFTWARE demonstrated the Broadcast Graphics Machine, a hardware/software solution for broadcast graphics based on a Mac mini with a Blackmagic Design DeckLink 4K Extreme card in a 19-inch rackmount enclosure.
In an impressive theatre presentation at its NAB 2015 booth, BRAINSTORM MULTIMEDIA put Infinity Set 3DG through its paces including new features like full control over six independent Aston projects and the possibility of introducing graphics in your 3D environment.
BTI BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY showed how its new Mac Mini Tickers can create inexpensive animated lower third graphics with built-in data services on the cost-efficient Mac Mini platform.
CHYRONHEGO launched Metacast Media Maker, which delivers all of the robust rendering and output capabilities of the company’s full Metacast system in a set of pre-defined templates.
The NUKE family of products from THE FOUNDRY gained new power with an enhanced version of NUKE STUDIO nodebased VFX, editorial and finishing software now including overlay tracks and blending modes.
The Giant Octopus motion graphics system from FX DESIGN GROUP presented complete show packages, news and sports branding, creative direction, and promo packages.
MAXON showed its line of Cinema4D products for 3D motion graphics and animation with new release 16 which now includes a modeling PolyPen super tool, a motion tracker and a reflectance material channel.
NEWTEK debuted a number of new features for LightWave 2015, including advanced Bullet Constraints, Importance Sampling, Match Perspective, the Genoma 2 Character Rigging System, Edge Rendering, and 64-bit support. LightWave 2015 also includes new enhancements to the Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR). 4Designer, the foundation of ORAD’s graphics systems, was hard at work providing content for news, elections, sports events, weather segments, business reports and more.
PLAYBOX TECHNOLOGY heralded its entrance into the NewTek Developer Network by demonstrating its PlayBox Technology TitleBox IP graphics product fully integrated with the TriCaster multi-camera video production system.
PIXEL POWER’s Buzz was seen integrating content from Twitter or other social media streams into the Pixel Power graphics workflow creating effortless, automated on-air displays. Buzz’s interface was designed with non-technical staff in mind.
REALITY CHECK SYSTEMS (RCS) demonstrated how its Launchpad interactive touchscreen application can combine custom software and state-of-the-art hardware with live sports data from the cloud to create dynamic graphics, telestrations and visualizations for on-air talent.
A collection of seven plug-ins for use in NLEs and effects software called Magic Bullet Suite from RED GIANT included Looks for general grading, Colorista III for color correction, Film to mimic real film stock film looks, Mojo’s Hollywood-inspired color profiles, Cosmo to enhance makeup, Denoiser II noise removal, and LUT Buddy to generate, import, or export lookup tables.
ROSS VIDEO unveiled XPression Studio 4K and BlueBox 4K graphics systems that bring UHD video and key graphics into production switchers. The latest XPression features include: Ncam integration for augmented reality and virtual sets, GV EDIUS NLE integration, and QuickTime export. It also showcased its XPression Clips IT production clip server.
VENTUZ TECHNOLOGY AG reveled in its new partnership with Blackmagic Design, showcasing the throughput of Blackmagic’s hardware combined with the real-time capabilities of the Ventuz render engine as it simplifies working in 4K with affordable, off-the-shelf equipment.
VIZRT demonstrated how its live 4K immersive graphics, combined with RED Digital Cinema and Ncam provides realtime camera tracking and rendering for enhanced reality in 4K.
WEATHER GRAPHICS
ACCUWEATHER demonstrated how its new partnership with Radiate Media allows its StoryTeller Interactive Touchscreen system to be fully integrated with Radiate Media TruTraffic, enabling an advanced traffic reporting experience for local TV news.
BEEHIVE SYSTEMS showcased its WASP3D weather solution, an advanced templatized graphic system featuring its unique UBT (Unified Basic Templating) feature, which allows graphic artists to create a design interface in the Drone Designer module.
WSI, the professional division of The Weather Company, announced the launch of Max Reality, a dynamic augmented reality by creating unprecedented 3D images of storms and traffic events. Max Reality is the newest addition to the Max EcoSystem.
WEATHER METRICS debuted its WVPro Basic camera and redesigned Flex-Channel digital channel in a box, both with a new, intuitive user interface.
