The spectrum of editing systems on display at the 2017 NAB Show reflected the changing demands of today’s post production. Notice how often one of those demands is for free training versions of high end systems.
A major update for video in ADOBE Creative Cloud delivered new features for graphics, titling, animation and sharing assets in addition to supporting HDR, VR and 4K. We also saw Premiere Pro 11.1.0 using editable motion graphics templates and the ability to create positionally-aware ambisonic audio for VR.
EditMate from ARVATO SYSTEMS can manage Adobe Premiere Pro CC projects and related media files by giving editors the option to “check out” projects and associated media for offline work on their local devices.
Avid MediaCentral
AUTODESK Flame 2018 update 1 includes new action paint improvements such as 16-bit floating point depth support, scene detect and conform enhancements. It also features Batch, a node-based procedural compositing environment and an Editorial Timeline that oversees projects to create consistent looks and correctly match graded and 3D VFX shots.
AVID MediaCentral was given new cloudbased applications reflecting their justannounced partnership with Microsoft. Pro Tools can now mix Atmos multichannel sound natively, and ScriptSearch and PhraseFind are back on Media Composer. For budding editors there is a “freemium” version of their NLE called Avid Media Composer | First to learn on gratis.
Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve with Fairlight Audio post-production suite
BLACKMAGIC DESIGN debuted DaVinci Resolve 14, now with Fairlight audio postproduction suite, 10X performance improvement and collaboration tools that let multiple people edit, color and mix audio from multiple systems. Earlier versions of DaVinci Resolve can now be downloaded for free on the Blackmagic Design site.
The Lightworks NLE Pro v14.0 from EDITSHARE has a new look and extensive new features including a simplified user interface, user-defined “Auto Effects,” and intuitive support for GoPro cameras. A free version is also available with output limited to Vimeo and YouTube 720p max.
GRASS VALLEY introduced EDIUS v8.5, which can now handle HDR PQ Gamma and an improved H.264 encoder, H.265 (HEVC) decode capability and Hi DPI monitor support. Grass Valley also has separated their Mync content management/media player from their GV Browser as a standalone product, free-of-charge for a limited time.
ROHDE & SCHWARZ unveiled v6.2 of its CLIPSTER finishing system with UHD HDR mastering and 32-bit floating point processing. This enables the generation of 4K/UHD HDR masters including mapping of the extended luminance range into ST2086 (PQ), directly from an uncompressed linear light digital source.
SAM VIBE
SAM introduced the Vibe post production system, which offers a variety of editing options, including Rio (formerly “Quantel Rio”) high-end craft NLE, Premiere Pro CC plug-in, or SAM’s Go! news editor in a browser. It can output either into a newsroom or directly to social media. Vibe uses a hybrid of off-the-shelf IT storage and SAM’s own sQ servers managed by a unified orchestration layer.
GRAPHICS
Graphics systems took center stage at the NAB Show both in on-screen displays and by gathering crowds in the exhibit halls.
The AUTODESK Maya 2017 update 3 encompasses several enhancements to character creation tools such as interactive grooming with XGen, an all-new UV workflow, and updates to the motion graphics toolset including a live link with Adobe After Effects CC. Autodesk 3ds Max 2018 offers Arnold 5.0 rendering thanks to a new MAXtoA 1.0 plug-in.
BORIS FX demonstrated Mocha VR, which the company says is the first plug-in to bring native 360-degree optimized planar tracking, masking, object removal, and horizon stabilization tools to Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe After Effects CC. Sapphire, their high-end VFX plug-in collection, will be offered in eight separate categories called “Sapphire Units.”
BRAINSTORM MULTIMEDIA unveiled their InfinitySet 3 AR/VR system, which not only seamlessly integrates Aston projects, but can edit, manage and create 2D/3D motion graphics. A highlight of their exhibit was the VideoCAVE, a Mixed Reality application using monitors in a real set.
CHYRONHEGO brought out Click Effects PRIME, a turnkey graphics authoring system for live arena- and stadium-based A/V presentations. They also showed updates to the CAMIO Universe newsroom ecosystem, and v5 of NewsTicker.
NEWBLUEFX had a new version of Titler Live Broadcast, now with After Effects CC project import, tear-away panels in both the Playout and title Designer interface, revamped workspace controls, and animated updates as new data comes in.
PIXEL POWER, in partnership with Amazon Web Services, demonstrated a premium channel playout complete with sophisticated graphics and automation. Pixel Power’s Gallium Workflow Orchestration enables broadcasters to execute workflow tasks based on media content while their StreamMaster Media Processing manages processing functions executed to media content.
Ross Xpression 7.0
ROSS VIDEO debuted XPression v7.0, which adds support for Microsoft Windows 10. This will help users building or providing their own hardware for XPression Designer, XPression Studio GO!, XPression Prime GO! and XPression Live CG. We also saw XPression’s INcoder transcode engine, which now passes the original timecode from QuickTime media source clips.
TELESTREAM announced an update to the Vantage Post Producer Titler Engine, powered by NewBlueFX. This update will enable the automation of Adobe After Effects CC version rendering by providing the means to replace After Effects CC project layers in rendered versions to be used in Post Producer automated outputs.
VIZRT featured the biggest augmented reality and virtual reality display at show. Vizrt’s new story creation tool, Viz Story, enables journalists to edit video, add graphics and publish to social media within minutes. Vizrt also demonstrated a standalone weather alerts system to manage, control and automate the display of critical weather advisories.
