Cambridge, Massachusetts–October 16, 2009   GenArts Inc., the premier provider of specialized visual effects software for the film, television and video industries, announced today GenArts Sapphire™ version 3.02 (v3.02) for Avid Systems. The upgrade extends support for Avid’s AVX2 plug-in interface to Avid DS v10.2.1 and later.

This improves conform compatibility with effects generated from offline and online editing systems, allowing all Avid systems to seamlessly conform to DS and Symphony systems. GenArts Sapphire v3.02 also supports floating licenses and license rentals for all Avid systems.

While the prospect of creating sophisticated visual effects on Avid Media Composer and Symphony made the AVX2 plug-in interface popular among offline editors, it also created frustration for online editors using Avid DS systems, which only supported AVX1. Now, with Avid’s recent release of DS v10.2.1 supporting AVX2 effects, GenArts Sapphire v3.02 for Avid makes it possible for the Sapphire effects used in any Avid project to work on any Avid system. Visit http://community.avid.com/forums/p/76089/425464.aspx for more details on the Avid DS v10.2.1 update.

With GenArts Sapphire v3.02, Avid DS users can:

• Conform from Avid offline projects using AVX2. Online editors are now able to finish Avid projects without worrying which AVX version offline editors are working from; conversely, offline editors can now always use AVX2 (and the temporal Sapphire effects that go with it) to do their initial edits, since it is also available to online editors.
• Take full advantage of effects that leverage alternate frame access. An additional 15 Sapphire plug-ins that are only supported on AVX2 are now available to DS users. These effects include the popular Feedback/Trails, TimeWarpRGB and TimeDisplace effects.
• Open Avid project files that contain any version of Sapphire effects back to version 1, and automatically promote them to the latest version.

“Full AVX2 support makes it easier than ever to conform projects using the latest GenArts Sapphire plug-ins with Avid DS,” said Derek Herr, Lead Compositing Editor at The Post Group. “We’re thrilled that we no longer have to worry about AVX version issues between our offline and online editors. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Bravo!”

GenArts Sapphire v3.02 for Avid also supports floating licensing (via RLM servers) and license rentals for all Avid systems. For floating license users, this means maximum flexibility to support the dynamic requirements of temporary and freelance editors; lower support costs and less system downtime by seamlessly moving licenses from one machine to another; and visibility into license and upgrade budgets. License renters can take advantage of lower cost of entry for Avid users and maximum flexibility to assign the cost of using Sapphire licenses directly to a given project. Please visit http://www.genarts.com/product/sapphire/rent for more information on the Sapphire Rental Program and visit http://www.genarts.com/product/sapphire/float for more information on the advantages of a Sapphire floating license.

“GenArts Sapphire has become the specialized VFX software of choice for offline Avid editors around the world,” said Steve Bannerman, CMO of GenArts. “Version 3 has enjoyed a tremendous adoption rate driven by the measurable productivity enhancements it delivers. Full support for AVX2 and the new licensing options available in v3.02 will raise the productivity bar even higher, offering the seamless support for DS systems that online artists have been hungry for.”

Pricing and Availability
GenArts Sapphire v3.02 for Avid systems is available immediately and is a free upgrade to existing version 3 users. Please visit http://www.genarts.com/purchase/sapphire/avid for floating and rental license pricing. AVX2 support on DS requires Avid DS version 10.2.1 or later.

Since the company’s founding in 1996, GenArts software has been utilized in hundreds of films, television broadcasts and commercials, including more than 20 Oscar-nominated pieces such as Titanic; I, Robot; Armageddon; Star Wars Episode I, II and III; The Matrix trilogy; The Lord of the Rings trilogy; Pearl Harbor; Spider Man; Pirates of the Caribbean; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; Transformers; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and many more.

About GenArts
GenArts, Inc. is the premier provider of specialized digital visual effects for the film, broadcast and video industries. The GenArts Sapphire, Monsters and Raptors portfolio equips digital artists with a collection of state-of-the-art image processing and synthesis effects such as glows, light rays, lens flares, lightning, film damage, fire and fluid effects. The effects seamlessly integrate as software plug-ins into leading editing and compositing systems from Adobe, Apple, Avid, Autodesk, Assimilate, Eyeon, FilmLight, The Foundry, Quantel and SGO. The company was founded in 1996 in Cambridge, Mass. http://www.genarts.com

(Oxford, UK–October 13, 2009) Vicon, developer of motion capture products, today launched Bonita, a small, affordable optical capture camera for tracking and analyzing motion. Bonita is capable of capturing 240FPS while being small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Vicon has also announced the launch of Tracker, a robust object tracking software providing unparalleled data accuracy for integration in 3D applications.

“Our 25-year history for technological innovations and our experience perfecting camera calibration and 3D reconstruction techniques has led to the development of Bonita and Tracker,” said Doug Reinke, CEO and President, Vicon. “These two very exciting introductions have been designed to be powerful, easy to use, cost-effective and are tailor-made for those working in industrial engineering, robotics, human factors engineering, virtual engineering and academia.”

Bonita is Vicon’s smallest optical capture camera that has been engineered to be powerful, accurate, reliable and affordable. It’s easy to set up and accurate enough to capture with positional accuracy down to one millimeter in a 4m x 4m volume.

Key Features in Bonita Include:

• Single PoE (Power over Ethernet) connection to the PC via an off-the-shelf Ethernet switch enables easy configuration and system connectivity
• A variable focal length lens enables full flexibility within a variety of environments
• 68 high-powered LEDs outperform other cameras in its class with better illumination of markers
• Small form factor allows you to place the camera in small areas, while maintaining performance

Tracker is a powerful object tracking application providing unrivalled data accuracy for integration in to 3D applications.

Key Features in Tracker Include:

• Optimized rigid body tracker gives you reliable data that is tolerant to occlusion of markers
• Low latency output allows data to be received very quickly after an observed event
• Easy to use software enables you to get going quickly so you don’t need to worry about running the system
• Flexible integration with third-party applications enables you to read the data stream from the system in one of three ways; TCP, UDP and VRPN. This gives maximum compatibility with third party applications or development environments such as C++ (Windows 32/64, Linux), Labview, Virtools and TrackD
• Full support for Windows Vista enables Tracker to be used out of the box with the latest computers
• Tracker software is compatible with Vicon MX3+, F-Series and T-Series cameras. It can also be used independent of any hardware using the Vicon Virtual System Emulator. This option is particularly useful for third-party integrators who want to test Tracker data or produce plug-ins

Bonita will be priced at $30,000 for an eight-camera system, including the Tracker software. Both products begin shipping autumn 2009. For further information click here.

About Vicon Academy
Award®-winning Vicon is the world’s largest supplier of precision motion tracking systems, and match moving software. It serves customers in the CG animation industry, film, visual effects, computer games, and broadcast television, as well as engineering and life science industries. Vicon operates in four offices worldwide, including its Los Angeles-based Entertainment headquarters: a 26,000 square-foot facility equipped with three performance capture stages for Vicon’s service company House of Moves.

Vicon is a subsidiary of OMG (Oxford Metrics Group – LSE: OMG), plc., a group of technology companies that produces image-understanding solutions for the Entertainment, Defense, Life Science and Engineering markets. Other holdings include: 2d3, a manufacturer of specialized image understanding software for defense applications; Yotta DCL our highways surveying business in the UK; and Yotta MVS, a leading US provider of data collection services for the assessment of property taxation.

Vicon and OMG global clients include: Life Science leaders University of Pennsylvania, the VA Hospitals, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Titleist Golf, The Andrews Institute; Engineering industry leaders Ford, BMW, Airbus, Lockheed, Pratt-Whitney, NASA, Caterpillar, International Truck, and Toyota; and Entertainment companies Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Computer Entertainment, Industrial Light and Magic, Sega, Nintendo, Ubisoft, Vivendi, Electronic Arts, Square Enix and many others

(Toronto, Canada–October 9, 2009) Building on the successful launch of Fusion™ 6.0 this summer and the upcoming release of Generation® 2.0, eyeon Software Inc. has introduced a new a la carte pricing structure for software purchases.

The new pricing model will allow artists and facilities to select from a range of purchasing options, with a variety of upfront costs and annual subscription fees.

A la carte pricing is available for both Fusion and Generation, with a new Superscription option for Fusion that includes both Imagica’s keyer, Primatte® and Re:Vision Effect’s optical-flow based retiming solution, Twixtor. With the imminent release of Generation 2.0, the new site-pricing offer is already being well-received.

“Did the new pricing help us? Well, it allowed us to buy right now, and not have to wait until the next instalment on our project came in,” said Chad Capeland, Director of R&D at Anatomical Travelogue in New York City. “In the case of Generation, that was really important, because we’re building our whole pipeline around it and we need to be able to do R&D on it. The new pricing allowed us to buy two copies, so we can have two people doing pipeline development, one doing I/O testing and the other doing scripting.”

Anatomical Travelogue is currently working on an immersive 3D venue project, including scented air jets and speakers built into the seat. “Generation 2 will give us the ability to review our sequences in stereo so we can make sure the edit continuity is preserved and no one gets motion sickness. We’ll also be able to do all of our conforms in-house now, which will be a big timesaver for us.”

For facilities tackling complex new projects, or simply trying to take their studio to the next level, the new pricing structure allows them to get on board with the latest software much more easily. “It’s a big weight off my shoulders,” said Capeland, “and we didn’t have to pitch a big purchase to management.”

“The new pricing is a big help for us, because it spreads the cost of ownership out much more manageably,” said Di He, owner of AIVFX. The Toronto facility specializes in 3D character animations and documentary production. Most recently AIVFX used Fusion and Generation on a Chinese short film, which has been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science for consideration for this year’s Oscars. “Fusion and Generation were a great help on this project. We love them!”

eyeon’s new flexible pricing model follows on the success of the 2009 Own Your Art at $995 Down program. “It is clear that people need better payment alternatives than have been typically available, and eyeon now delivers a number of options that are necessary in today’s market,” explains Joanne Dicaire, Director of Sales and Marketing at eyeon. “With all of the new stereo projects, and with increasingly complex VFX work expected in tighter deadlines, facilities need as many tools as possible as quickly as possible.”

Pricing and Availability

Altogether, eyeon is offering three new pricing packages.

Fusion 6.0: Existing Multi-Seat Discounts
$2,995 to $4,995 (depending on the number of licenses purchased) with $395 annual subscription fee.

Fusion 6.0: New Subscription Plus
$1,495 per license with $995 annual subscription fee.

Fusion 6.0: New Superscription
$2,495 per license (includes Twixtor and Primatte) with $995 annual subscription fee.

Generation 2.0: 2+2=1 Offer
The new site-pricing offer starts with two seats each of Generation Studio and two Generation Players for the cost of one Generation Studio at $5,995.

For more information on the new a la carte pricing options, or for quotes on site licensing, contact eyeon Software at  +1 (416) 686-8411  +1 (416) 686-8411 ext. 130 or email sales@eyeonline.com

(October 1, 2009) Leading rendering solutions provider ArtVPS has announced the immediate availability of version 0.3 of Shaderlight, its flagship interactive rendering plug-in for 3ds Max. Shaderlight 0.3 boasts a number of enhancements over previous versions.

Overall speed has been increased by 100 percent for complex production scenes, and early image quality of glossy materials and area lights has been significantly improved. Other benefits include increased image resolution and the addition of a message window to track log messages during interactive rendering.

Shaderlight delivers dramatic productivity and creativity improvements over traditional ray-trace engines. Intelligent pixels understand where they fit in a 3D image and what to do if something changes, enabling users to change materials, environments, lights or textures – the MELT elements – of a full resolution image at any stage of the rendering process without having to re-render.

“Shaderlight has received some great feedback from early adopters and many of the improvements in version 0.3 have been added in direct response to this. Prior to v0.3 the Art Professional Material was a test bed for new ideas. We have now redesigned it to create a flexible, physically accurate material that’s even easier to understand and use,” says Kate Marshall, Marketing Director at ArtVPS. “The user’s experience is at the core of our development programme and we ask that Shaderlight users continue to share their thoughts on the Shaderlight forum and file bug-reports on any problems they encounter.”

New features in Shaderlight 0.3 include:

• Redesigned Art Professional Material: Significant changes have been made to the ArtMaterial to create a flexible, physically accurate material that is easy to understand and use
• Improved resolution: Shaderlight can now render interactively to any custom resolution up to 1920×1920
• Improved performance: Speed has been increased by up to 100 percent for complex production scenes with notable improved performance for skylight, area lights and glossy materials
• Improved image quality: Progressive image refinement has been improved, with particular reference to the early image quality of glossy materials and area lights
• New message window: A message window has been added to track log messages during interactive rendering
• Bug fixes: Several bugs have been fixed to improve overall stability as well as feature-related bugs such as invisible objects not rendering

Shaderlight 0.3 is free to existing Shaderlight users and is available to download from http://www.artvps.com. New customers will pay $75 for version 0.3 but will receive a significant discount on the purchase of Shaderlight 1.0, which will be released at the end of the year.

To help new users get to grips with Shaderlight, a number of scenes that demonstrate its capabilities are available from: http://www.artvps.com/content/resources#sample-scenes

About ArtVPS
ArtVPS leads the way in the development of photorealistic rendering solutions that generate visually accurate representations of 3D scenes. Its revolutionary flagship rendering technology, Shaderlight™, is a physically based, progressive ray-tracer that enables interactive, nonlinear changes to the key MELT attributes (materials, environments, lighting and textures) at any stage within the rendering process – even on production-ready images.

Shaderlight is aimed at 3D artists and computer graphics professionals within the product design, architecture, engineering and media industries. The technology will transform 3D visualisation workflows, and represents a dramatic boost to both productivity and creative freedom when compared to traditional linear ray-trace renderers, which require the rendering process to start again whenever image parameters are changed.

Founded in 2002, ArtVPS quickly established itself as the leading developer of dedicated rendering hardware, developing the first processor designed exclusively to accelerate ray tracing of 3D data. ArtVPS is now pioneering the development of rendering software that fully exploits the increased capabilities of today’s processor technology.

http://www.artvps.com

(London, UK–October 1, 2009) Digital Heaven, one of the leading creators of software for Apple’s Pro Apps, today announced the release of Disksomnia 2.0 – a new version of the popular free disk utility for Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Express.

This new version adds compatibility with Mac OS X Snow Leopard among other refinements.

Disksomnia solves the common problem of some external disks ignoring the disabled sleep option in the Energy Saver pane of System Preferences. For video editing, where media files may be spread around multiple external disks, waiting for the disk to wake up again can be problematic, especially when playing an edited sequence.

Disksomnia runs invisibly in the background and detects when Final Cut Pro or Final Cut Express are running. Every 55 seconds, Disksomnia scans the mounted disks and writes a single hidden file to all external disks. This regular “poking” of the disks keeps them awake and ensures that the editing process is as smooth as possible. The application has a negligible overhead so system performance will not be affected and after installation requires no further intervention from the user.

Pricing and availability:
Disksomnia for Mac OS X is free and available by registering on the Digital Heaven website.

Digital Heaven: http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk
Disksomnia 2.0: http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/disksomnia
Request Form: http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/freeware
Application Icon: http://www.digital-heaven.co.uk/files/images/Disksomnia-icon-1000.png

Digital Heaven was founded in 2000 by ex-BBC Resources video editor Martin Baker. For six years the company provided broadcast post production facilities for clients such as the BBC, Channel Four and many independent production companies. After the success of their first software products, the company shifted its focus in 2005 to exclusively concentrate on software development. In total, 14 Final Cut Plug-ins and four other applications have been added to the product range. VideoSpace, a free widget for Mac OS X Tiger which calculates the disk space required for a given duration and codec setting was released in October 2005. Clocking up over 10,000 downloads in the first month of release, VideoSpace was featured as a Macworld ‘Widget of the Week’ and as a staff favourite on Apple’s widget download page

• Livestream Livepack is available for monthly or yearly rental directly from Livestream.
• Typical delivery within a week.
• Livepack includes : Hardware unit to encode and transmit, custom designed backpack, dedicated IP address to stream to your Livestream channel, Firewire cable, all 3G/EVDO network contract and charges included in rental price.
• Optional : External batteries (Up to 3 hours of autonomy)
• Not included : DV camera, tripod (Inquire for recommendations).
• Currently available in US only (Inquire for other countries).
• Up to 1Mbps uplink connectivity

Pricing:

• Month-to-month rental (no commitment) $2,500/month + shipping cost.
• Yearly rental (12 month commitment) $1,500/month + shipping cost.
• Special LiveU pricing for use with Livestream Platform only.
• Includes 30 hours of streaming uplink time per month – all 3G telecom charges included.
• Payment method : Visa, Mastercard, AMEX.
• Deposit : First month payment and one month deposit required before shipping.
• To order email getlivepack@livestream.com

(Hollywood, California–September 29, 2009) Prime Focus, one of the world’s largest visual entertainment services groups, is proud to announce the launch of View-D™, a proprietary 2D-to-3D conversion process that allows filmmakers to efficiently create stereoscopic 3D movies from source material shot on virtually any medium.

View-D™ will be introduced at international launch events in Mumbai, London and Los Angeles to unveil the Prime Focus global rebrand, in which Post Logic and Frantic Films VFX will be brought together under the Prime Focus name.

“3D moviemaking has proven to be more than a passing trend — it’s rejuvenating international box offices and giving filmmakers a new storytelling technique that enriches the movie-going experience,” said Michael Fink, CEO, Prime Focus VFX. “Prime Focus is a visual effects facility, so we’ve been calculating 3D space from 2D images for years, and developed the technology behind View-D™ after having worked on several stereo 3D shows. With View-D™, we’re offering the industry an exciting new production method to convert both library titles and new releases to terrific stereoscopic quality in considerably less time than other methods.”

View-D™ was developed under the guidance of Chris Bond, President and Senior Visual Effects Supervisor of Prime Focus VFX. “We’re very excited to be offering View-D™ to the industry,” stated Bond. “With View-D™, it’s about giving filmmakers the gift of time, because our approach allows the possibility of interactive creative sessions with our stereographers, similar to a DI session. Filmmakers can also now shoot a movie with a single camera, on film, without having to be locked into digital cameras and potentially complicated stereoscopic camera rigs. View-D™ critically shortens the length of time of conversion, such that conversions can now be fit into the postproduction schedule.”

About Prime Focus Prime Focus is a global Visual Entertainment Services group that provides creative and technical services to the film, broadcast, commercials, gaming, internet and media industries.

The group offers a genuine end-to-end solution from pre-production to final delivery – including previsualisation, equipment hire, visual effects, video and audio post-production, digital intermediate, digital asset management and distribution.

Prime Focus employs more than 1200 people with state-of-the-art facilities throughout the key markets of North America, the UK and India. Using its ‘worldsourcing’ business model, Prime Focus provides a network that combines global cost advantages, resources and talent pool with strong relationships and a deep understanding of the local markets.

Prime Focus is a public stock company with shares traded in the Mumbai and National Stock exchanges in India (Symbol – PRIMEFOCUS). Prime Focus also owns and operates Prime Focus London plc (Symbol – PFO), which is publicly traded in the LSE’s AIM market. For more information, please visit http://www.primefocusworld.com

(Amsterdam-IBC–September 24, 2009) ARRI announced a new range of 35mm-format digital cameras at IBC 2009 – codenamed Alexa – that will advance digital production to the next level.

Designed around a newly developed CMOS sensor with unsurpassed sensitivity and dynamic range, the cameras will couple superb image quality with simplified, flexible, integrated workflow concepts for efficient postproduction. The Alexa product lineup, starting at a price tag of approximately €50k, will be available for sale commencing the second quarter of 2010.

Compact and lightweight, the new range of cameras will provide an affordable toolset to address every level of TV, Commercial and Feature Film production.

The planned entry level model utilizes a 16:9 sensor and the most advanced electronic viewfinder on the market. A more fully-featured version continues ARRI’s tradition of offering a 4:3 sensor and a rotating mirror shutter linked to an optical viewfinder as the optimum choice for cinematographers. A number of recording options, including several innovative on-board solutions, have been designed to simplify workflows and to provide greatest versatility both on set and in post-production. This new generation of ARRI digital cameras incorporates significant technological innovations and was developed in close communication with prominent industry insiders applying the invaluable experience gained with ARRI’s current digital camera, the D-21.

In this dynamic marketplace, ARRI is mindful of its customers and their concerns for investments in rapidly changing and obsolescing technologies. Applying 90 years of mechanical and optical expertise with state-of-the-art digital technology, ARRI Digital Cameras will offer features, performance and longevity other products are unlikely to match. Current owners of the D-21 will have first options on the new cameras, with upgrade packages and migration pathways designed to keep them competitive at the forefront of digital acquisition for years to come.

To learn more, go to http://www.arridigital.com.

About the company: Located in Munich, Germany, Arnold and Richter Cine Technik (A&R) was founded in 1917 and is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture equipment in the world. In 2001, ARRI was restructured and converted into a closely held corporation. The company is involved in all aspects of the film industry: engineering, design, manufacturing, production, visual effects, post-production, equipment rental and laboratory services (film and sound). Manufactured products and technologies include professional digital acquisition with the ARRIFLEX D-21, in addition to camera systems for 16mm, 35mm, 65mm film, location and studio lighting fixtures, digital imaging systems like the ARRISCAN, ARRILASER, ARRICUBE, ARRIQCP and our new software, ARRI Relativity™. These products and services are offered through a network of subsidiary companies, agents and representatives worldwide.

For locations and more information, visit: http://www.arri.com

The world’s most advanced film and video editing systems — coming soon

Discover storytelling on the cutting edge and be more productive and creative than ever before. The new Media Composer 4, Symphony 4, and NewsCutter 8 are coming soon and offer many new timesaving features, powerful capabilities, and creative enhancements to put you ahead of the pack.

Whether you cut films, TV shows, commercials, or other digital media, you can work faster, integrate into more workflows, and arm yourself with even more dazzling effects and creative tools. And with prices starting at just $2,295 USMSRP, these Avid editing systems have never offered so much for so little. Here’s a look at just some of the new key features that await you.

Media Composer 4

• Mix and match SD and HD formats, frame rates, and resolutions all within the same timeline
• Allow Pro Tools editors to sync with Mac-based Media Composer systems through Video Satellite
• Encode and deliver final masters in Panasonic AVC-Intra format, and let projects remain in their native format from acquisition to final delivery
• Instantly access and edit GFCAM 50- and 100 Mb-formatted media through AMA
• Be more creative and productive with new updates to the included Production Suite

Symphony 4

• Monitor 1080p24 HD projects on NTSC monitors with Symphony systems
• Apply primary and secondary color correction to AVC-Intra and GFCAM material natively, without transcoding or converting files
• Capture and preserve ancillary and closed captioning data on Nitris DX and Mojo DX systems
• Integrate more easily into AVC-Intra pipelines, and deliver masters to AVC-I-compatible equipment for further handling and playout
• Instantly access and edit GFCAM 50- and 100 Mb-formatted media through AMA

NewsCutter 8

• Easily access and use material from any central, regional, or local station Interplay system
• Streamline the news gathering workflow in the field or in the studio with direct access to XDCAM, P2, and GFCAM media through AMA
• Acquire, edit, and deliver playback-ready packages completely in the popular AVC-Intra (P2) format
• Use footage from any source and in any frame rate within the same timeline using Mix and Match
• Review and retrieve archived material faster by creating low-res proxies of archived HD 720p media

Just $295 for education + Free student upgrades  
To empower the next generation of successful editors, Media Composer 4 Academic is just $295 USMSRP for students and educational institutions. Beginning September 30, 2009, students with academic versions of Media Composer software (versions 3.5 through 4 purchased on or after March 1, 2009) will qualify for complimentary upgrades for four years from the date of software activation.

Media Composer, Symphony, and NewsCutter systems will be available on September 30, 2009