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08 April 2004 (see also the GenArts Sapphire set review in 29 January 2004) |
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courtesy of Dik Baskerville
Note: AE 6 is OS X only. This is time sensitive information; Windows users don't have this problem. Dik is gracious in keeping us up-to-date, but please contact the developer for the final word -- and feel free to keep us informed.
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OS-X PLUG-IN NEWS:
(1) Synthetic-Ap has said that they are previewing a new version of Color Finesse at NAB. This will contain "new features," although there are no details of these in the newsletter, so I guess we'll have to wait for NAB attendees to give impressions of it. The newsletter didn't even state whether this will be CF 1.5 or CF 2.0....
(2) Ex Electric Image co-founder Mark Granger has established a new company, GrangerFX, whose first AE plug-in, GrangerFX has already been released for Windows. The Mac OS version was said be in Beta from mid-March. NAB release.
GrangerFX is actually a host for canned effects and transitions, which can be built in EI Universe. A bunch of already canned transitions and effects, TrinityFX is bundled with GrangerFX (in fact GrangerFX seems not to be available without the bundle). TrinityFX's swathe (500+) of effects smack of the defunct (for OS-X anyway) Pinnacle Hollywood-FX. The resolution of the effects seems to be fixed -- so 384 work for NTSC res (rectangular pixels?) and less than half that work for for PAL. This seems like a severe limitation, and presumably makes the plug useless for people using non-standard formats or HD. The TrinityFX effects are derived from those used on Trinity Play and the developer claims that they render in near realtime, including ray-traced-look effects. More details at grangerfx.com.
(3) Profound Effects has introduced their Camera POV set, which has 8 plugs for simulating looking through the viewfinder of various types of camera, and 4 more general plugs. There are versions for AE/FCP and for AVID AVX. Combustion 3.0 support currently Win only. In AE the plugs are 8 or 16-bit.
Plugs include: Digital Camera, Generic Camcorder, High-end Camcorder, High-end SLR, Night Vision Camera, Old SLR, Security Camera, SLR, Bloom, LCD Grid Look, Scanlines and Video Noise. The plugs have a wide range of parameters to customize the viewfinder simulations or localized effect "looks" (e.g. the Video Noise plug can create an interesting range of noise types, that I haven't seen before. There is a demo.
(4) RE:Vision Effects have introduced updated versions of ReelSmart Motion Blur (to 3.0) and Fieldskit (to 1.4) and have introduced a new, more economical way of buying their plugs, as the Effections and Effections plus bundles.
(5) Trapcode say that they will be << showing our brand new product: Trapcode Particular>> at NAB. This is <<a serious 3D particle system for Adobe After Effects. Release date: May 10th, 2004.>> Time will tell whether this will make ParticleIllusion unnecessary for AE users….
Trapcode also has new bundles: 3SPack and LightPack DeLux (sic) as well as LightPack and Suite DeLux (all plug-ins). I'm in two minds about bundles like these, as they are configured. E.g. for Trapcode, all of the packs include Shine and Starglow and I would guess 90% percent of existing Trapcode customers would have one of these, which means the bundles will be of no use to them. So, great for new customers, no use to the Trapcode loyal. I'd much rather see a scheme for single plug sales where the more you have already bought, the more discount you get on new plugs. This would be much harder to run as a web-sales 'bot, of course, but it would be fairer.
(6) Boris FX has announced that <<Continuum Complete 3 for Adobe® After Effects, Adobe® Premiere Pro, Apple® Final Cut Pro, Discreet Combustion, Digital Fusion, and Boris Red is expected to ship Q2 2004.>> The AVID AVX version is already shipping and contains over 40 new filters in the set. Presumably the AE version will offer something similar.
(7) I've still not seen a firm release date for the Conoa-powered DA 3D Layer. Another one to watch for at NAB.
(8) The Foundry's site lists << Kronos (retimer) and Steadiness plug-ins on After Effects>> as being on their booth at NAB. The Press Release reads: << We'll also be previewing Kronos and Steadiness plug-ins for After Effects and Avid|DS. Kronos is a world class vector retimer. Steadiness uses motion vectors to automatically remove the camera shake from sequences without having to track objects in the scene.>> I've seen no other details.
(9) Panopticum Animatext 3D, Curtains and Rulers (available for Win XP) have still not been announced for OS-X.
10) Red Giant has introduced a new flavour of Magic Bullet for Final Cut Pro, called Magic Bullet for Editors. There will be versions for Vegas and PPro later in the year (for people who are interested in Windows stuff too).
The Red Giant site says:
<<Magic Bullet for Editors has four main components:
- Magic Bullet Looks 50 preset Looks
- Look Suite Extensive color controls to create and save your own look
- Misfire film damage Realistic film damage effects>>
For anyone else in the world that would make 3 components, and actually it's two since the preset looks are an intrinsic part of the Look Suite in MB proper. The bits you don't get from MB full version are the Magic Bullet deinterlacer, Letterboxer and the Broadcast Spec plug. On the other hand you get the Misfire film damage plug, which must have MB full version owners wondering when they're going to get that too, since they paid $995 rather than $299. The other main difference between the two is that MB Full version is 16-bit.
(11) Fandev (fandev.com) have introduced a new plug, Bikini Dots, which the site says:
<<
- creates a matrix of circles (dots), the color value of each dot is the average sampled pixel value of that area from the source image.
- The size of every dot in the matrix can be modulated by the lightness, saturation or hue value.
- You can also use BikiniDots to render stroke effects, the strokes are generated from one or several paths. Strokes generated from BikiniDots differ from other stroke generating plug-ins were BikiniDots takes the input source image in account when creating the stroke. >>
It's $89 and it's quite surprising that Useful Things hasn't already done it - or maybe it does, with the right combination of scripts.
OS-X Compliant Plug-ins available now!!
2d3 Boujou Import
Abneil Software Andrew's (Video) Plugins 1.1
Abneil Software Blend1 (freeware)
Algolith Algolith Bundle
Alien Skin Software Eye Candy for AE
Automatic Duck Automatic Duck Pro Import 2.0
Belle Nuit Montage Mimikri
BigFX FilmFX 2.5 for Mac
Boris Continuum Basics
Boris Continuum Complete 2.0
Boris Boris FX 6.1 (FCP, but not AE)
Boris Boris Graffiti 2 (FCP, but not AE)
Boris Boris RED 2.5 (FCP, but not AE)
Boris Title Toolkit (AE, but not FCP)
Bresnev Shu _Expression Effects
Bresnev Shu KoalaLumpor _JavaScript for AE
Bresnev Shu Path Palette
Buena Software Inc. Dissolve Factory (FCP/AE)
Buena Software Inc. Effect Essentials (FCP/AE)
Conoa Conoa 3D
Conoa Conoa Easy Shapes
Conoa Conoa EasyTinter
Conoa Conoa Sphere
Diaquest Diaquest DDR After Effects Plug-in
DigiEffects DE Aurorix
DigiEffects DE Berserk
DigiEffects DE Cinelook Broadcast
DigiEffects DE Cinelook Film Res
DigiEffects DE Cinemotion
DigiEffects DE Delirium
Digital Anarchy 3D Assistants
Digital Anarchy 3D Assistants EZ
Digital Anarchy Anarchy Toolbox
Digital Anarchy ColorTheory
Digital Anarchy Geomancy
Digital Anarchy Gradient!
Digital Anarchy Psunami ($25 upgrade)
Digital Anarchy Text Anarchy 2.0
Digital Element Aurora, Sky
Digital Element Aurora, Water
Digital Film Tools DFT 55MM
Digital Film Tools DFT Composite Suite
Digital Film Tools DFT Digital Film Lab
Digital Film Tools DFT Fast Blur
Digital Film Tools DFT zMatte
dvGarage dvMatte Pro 1.0
FAN AFX2QTL
FAN AFX2VPB
FAN Bikini Dots
FAN Grader
FAN Supressor
FAN XMult (Free)
Flam3.com AE Flame
Fnord Software J2K (Freeware)
Fnord Software Power Picker
Fnord Software SuperPNG (Freeware)
Fnord Software Übercolor
Forge Freeform AE ($99 upgrade)
Frischluft fLAIR
Frischluft LensCare
Frischluft Freeware
GenArts Sapphire Complete (Bundle)
GenArts Sapphire 1 - Lighting Effects
GenArts Sapphire 2 - Stylize Effects
GenArts Sapphire 3 - Adj/Blur/Comp/Distort
GenArts Sapphire 4 - Render/Time/Transitions
Harald Heim/Panopticum Plugin Galaxy AE
KaZuhiro FuRuhata HeboHebo (6 out of 7 work in OS-X)
Maxon Cinema 4D Importer
Media 100 Inc. Final Effects Complete (upgrade fee++)
Media 100 Inc. Media-100 Project Importer
META/DMA ScopoGigio
Panopticum Anima Text 2.0
Panopticum Array 1.6
Panopticum Engraver
Panopticum Figure
Panopticum Fire 3
Panopticum Grid
Panopticum Lens Pro 3.5 Bundle
Panopticum Rich Typing
Panopticum Tools
Pete Warden's Plugins Freeware
Phillip-Spoeth Sinedot/Sinedot II/Retrodots/Shear
Profound Effects Camera POV
Profound Effects Crop
Profound Effects DNM Bullnose Mask
Profound Effects Swim
Profound Effects Reveal
Profound Effects Useful Assistants
Profound Effects Useful Things
RE:Vision Effects Effections (Bundle)
RE:Vision Effects Effections Plus (Bundle)
RE:Vision Effects FieldsKit
RE:Vision Effects RE:Fill
RE:Vision Effects RE:Flex
RE:Vision Effects ReelSmart Motion Blur Pro
RE:Vision Effects ReelSmart Motion Blur
RE:Vision Effects Shade/Shape
RE:Vision Effects Twixtor Pro
RE:Vision Effects Twixtor
RE:Vision Effects SmoothKit
RE:Vision Effects Video Gogh
Realviz Retimer SD
Realviz Retimer HD
Red Giant Software Commotion Roto Import
Red Giant Software Composite Wizard ($30 upgrade)
Red Giant Software Image Lounge ($30 upgrade)
Red Giant Software Knoll Light Factory
Red Giant Software Orphanage Magic Bullet SD
Red Giant Software Orphanage Magic Bullet HD
Red Giant Software Orphanage Magic Bullet For Editors (FCP, not AE)
Red Giant Software Primatte ($149 upgrade)
Sakurai Optical Lab Final Focus
Sakurai Optical Lab Iris Filter
Sebastian Mecklenburg Freeware
Stagetools Moving Picture
Synthetic Aperture Color Finesse 1.0.3 (not FCP)
Synthetic Aperture Echo Fire
Synthetic Aperture Test Gear
The Foundry Tinderbox 1 //
The Foundry Tinderbox 2 //
The Foundry Tinderbox 3 //
Trapcode 3D Stroke
Trapcode 3S Pack (Bundle)
Trapcode LightPack (Bundle)
Trapcode LightPack DeLux (Bundle)
Trapcode Lux
Trapcode Shine
Trapcode Sound Keys
Trapcode Suite DeLux (Bundle)
Trapcode Starglow
Ultimatte AdvantEdge ($495 upgrade, inc. USB dongle)
Virtix Effects for AE and FCP
Visual Infinity Grain Surgery 2.0
Walker Effects Walker Effects 2.0 Basic
Walker Effects Walker Effects 2.0 Designer
Walker Effects Walker Effects 2.0 Professional
Zaxwerks Invigorator 3.0 Classic
Zaxwerks Invigorator 3.0 Pro
(**Lost the following plugs from BAE/BC: Boris 3D Text [already superceded by improved BC 3D Text,] BC 3D Text, Boris Clouds [already superceded by improved BC Clouds,] Boris Basic 3D, Boris Flat 3D Text)
(// look at The Foundry.co.uk website for updates. Some of the updates are backwards compatible and some are not.)
(++$249 if you own ICE or FE products from ICE/Media-100, or $395 if you own a Metacreations set. Does not include soft versions of the ICE'd DE or Ultimatte plugs.)
OS-X Compliant Plug-ins which should be available Q2. 2004
BorisFX Boris Continuum Complete 3.0
Conoa/Digital Anarchy 3D Layer
DigiEffects DE Cinelook 2
ElectricFX eFX Extract3D
GrangerFX GrangerFX
GrangerFX TrinityFX
The Foundry Kronos
The Foundry Steadiness
Trapcode Particular
OS-X Compliant Plug-ins in development
2d3 SteadyMove Pro
Non-OS-X Compliant Sets Superceded by New OS-X Branding
Boris Boris AE ++
Boris Boris Continuum ++
Ultimatte Ultimatte Classic **
Media 100 FE Complete ^^
Media 100 ICE Soft F/X ^^
Media 100 ICE Soft Edges ^^
(++ Superceded by Boris Continuum Complete/Calligraphy. The following plugs reached end of life: Boris 3D Text, BC 3D Text, Boris Clouds, Boris Basic 3D, Boris Flat 3D Text)
(** Superceded by Ultimatte AdvantEdge)
(^^ All incorporated in Media-100 Final Effects Complete except for the
following: ICE Geometrics, ICE Motion, ICE Super Shadow, FE Particle
Systems, FE Particle Systems LE, FE Radial Blur, FE Wide Time, ICE DE
Chaotic Noise, ICE DE Chaotic Rainbow, ICE DE Fog Alpha, ICE DE FogBank, ICEDE Starfield, ICE DE VideoLook, ICE'd Ultimatte)
No Public Announcement regarding OS-X Compatibility
Diaquest DQSoft.PIC
Electric Fish Color Pal
Electric Fish QTVRMatte
ElectricFX eFX Pyro
ElectricFX eFX Pyro3D
Forged Images Make Film Look Comp
Koji (Japan) Koji's Plugins
Media 100 Inc. ICEfx Base (accelerated)
Media 100 Inc. ICE'd Cinelook (accelerated)
Media 100 Inc. ICE'd Edges (accelerated)
Media 100 Inc. ICE'D Final Effects Complete (accelerated)
Panopticum AnimaText 3D
Panopticum Curtains
Panopticum Rulers
OS-X plug-ins which are not currently supported for AE
Boris Boris FX 6.1 (when used in AE)
Boris Boris Graffiti 2 (when used in AE)
Boris Boris RED 2.5 (when used in AE)
Plug-Ins which will probably never run under OS-X
Adobe AE PS+ Extrude/Pinch/Ripple/Spherize
Adobe AE PS+ Tiles/Twirl/Wave/Zigzag
Adobe AE (ex-CultFX) CE Color Solid (redundant)
Adobe AE (ex-CultFX) CE FireUp (redundant)
Alias|Wavefront Paint Effects
Atomic Power Radio Wave
Atomic Power Radio Shape
Atomic Power Radio Star
Atomic Power Multiplane
Atomic Power Turbulator
Atomic Power Evolution Set (AE3.1 compatible version)
Boris Boris 3D Text
Boris BC 3D Text
Boris Boris Clouds
Boris Boris Basic 3D
Boris Boris Flat 3D Text
Boris Boris Rhythm
Boris Boris Z-Order
Cycore Cult Effects Vol. 1 (Adobe IDs different)
Cycore CE Set Channel (redundant)
Cycore CE View Channel (superceded)
DigiEffects DE Cyclonist
DigiEffects TILT Plug-ins (x7) [DE Delirium]
Kaleidafex Matte Pack
Media 100 FE Force Motion Blur
Media 100 FE Particle Systems
Media 100 FE Particle Systems LE
Media 100 FE Radial Blur
Media 100 FE Wide Time
Media 100 ICE Geometrics
Media 100 ICE Motion
Media 100 ICE Super Shadow
Pinnacle Systems Hollywood FX
Pixelan SpiceMaster
Zbig Zbig Chroma Keyer
