InBroadcast
Editing tools becomes lightweight clients in the cloud while virtual set integrations with games engines render broadcast graphics photoreal
As the demand for OTT, mobile and social video continues to accelerate, publishers need to expand the volume of content they create and increase the speed at which they produce it. One way of accelerating production workflows to meet the demands of mobile and digital audiences is to host the editing application in the cloud.
Grabyo Editor is a set of browser-based editing tools for creating and distributing short video clips, highlights and social video from live streams, VOD and mobile sources. Combined with Grabyo’s live production platform and publishing capabilities, it will offer digital teams a cloud-based platform for fast, flexible editing with distribution to social, mobile and OTT platforms.
The browser-based experience will support picture-in-picture frames, graphics overlays, audio controls, and time-based asset-splitting.
“By removing the complexity of more traditional editing software, users will be able to take advantage of powerful video editing features without the need for extensive training or specific hardware or software,” Gareth Capon, Grabyo CEO, said.
Adobe Creative Cloud updates include Selective colour grading and management with new Lumetri Color tools in Premiere Pro and After Effects. It has new tools for 180-degree immersive video in Premiere Pro and After Effects, including ingest, effects and output in Google VR 180 for viewing on YouTube; and audio clean up features that permit you to dial down or remove background noise and reverb from a sound clip.
Perhaps the more significant announcement from Adobe is the beta of Project Rush, a video editing app available on mobile and desktop designed specifically for online content creators. Work automatically syncs to the cloud, so you can start on your phone or tablet and move to your laptop for further editing. Rush has all the same features on mobile and desktop, allowing you to work wherever you want without losing creative flexibility.
Rush includes colour correction and uses Audition to auto-detect audio to improve sound quality and reduce background noise. Adobe Stock is integrated right into Rush, for access to a constant stream of new Motion Graphics templates and it should be easy to create and publish different versions of video to suit different social media outlets.
Forbidden Technologies has what it calls “the workstation experience” in the cloud. Now released for Mac as well Linux, Blackbird Edge enables video ingest and editing for teams in remote locations with bandwidth as low as 2Mb per second. The Blackbird codec transcodes the video and uploads it to Microsoft Azure for collaborative production.
It plays edited media directly without any need for pre-render, supports jog and shuttle, as well as any playback speed and direction. It is claimed as only solution to provide such responsive frame-accurate navigation in the cloud.
“Blackbird Edge also removes the need for original sources to be uploaded before cloud editing can start with the Blackbird video being used to create the editing decisions, which are later reflected in a full resolution render,” explains Forbidden CEO, Ian McDonough. “With the ability to publish locally, in many workflows, only the final hig- rez version of the edit is uploaded to the cloud for distribution, reducing internet bandwidth requirement at the Edge location by up to 99%.”
Avid focused on Avid On Demand, a software as a service running on Microsoft Azure that allows users – principally large editorial teams - to access Web-based versions of MediaCentral, the company’s media production and management platform.
Avid Nexis E5 NL is a new storage solution that sports a web-based app for managing, controlling and monitoring its installation. The appliance can be accessed through MediaCentral Cloud UX or Media Composer, and also integrates with Avid’s production management system to drive collaboration.
Other announcements from the firm include NewTek NDI (network device interface) output from Media Composer and Avid Artist DNxIP for media workflow connectivity supporting SMPTE 2022-6.
Explained Jeff Rosica, Avid CEO and President. “We’ve accelerated our delivery of open platforms, tools, apps, services and solutions to make it easier for our customers to end disparity among technology in their operations, so they can work faster on smaller budgets, and still thrill and retain viewers on any platform.”
Marquis Broadcast’s Fotonflite can be used as a point-to-point transfer system for Media Composer projects and media workspaces. It allows files to be moved between source Avid ISIS/NEXIS systems and a range of target storage types, including Avid, generic and proprietary storage. This tool is claimed to be unique in its ability to directly connect and securely synchronise live Avid ISIS/NEXIS systems, especially with Avid work-in-progress, and is ideal for connecting production centres over the internet, for example, Pinewood and Hollywood.
Games engines
Games engines are being integrated into film and broadcast virtual studio environments where their superior rendering power is capable of photorealistic scenery.
Frontier is Ross Video’s graphics platform based on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and used on The Future Group game show Lost in Time. It uses Ross’ UX control platform as an operator-friendly front end, so operators are not required to know Unreal to use the system.
Brainstorm’s virtual set and AR solution InfinitySet 3, allows for the combination of the Brainstorm eStudio renderer alongside Unreal. Merging of Aston graphics projects within InfinitySet adds yet another level of potentially visually engaging content for virtual studio environments. The latest features include the dynamic control of external lights and chroma keyer settings.
“This virtual and augmented reality solution is the benchmark for high-end, real-time photorealistic virtual studio content,” declares David Alexander, Brainstorm’s commercial director. “Technologies like TrackFree or unparalleled features such as TeleTransporter, 3D Presenter or VideoGate are helping customers to engage audiences while significantly reducing costs.”
Vizrt and tracking company Ncam Technologies have demonstrated how the latest version of NcamAR for UE4 integrated with Viz Engine can combine template-based graphics and texts with Unreal Engine game assets for enhanced storytelling within live productions.
Mo-Sys has combined its realtime StarTracker camera tracking technology with Unreal Engine’s interface and the ray-tracing render strengths of Chaos Group’s V-Ra to create what it describes as a complete, automated virtual production workflow for VFX. Projects with more modest budgets – such as soaps, commercials, corporate videos, and micro-budget feature films – can use it to create “a superior render quality” in real and near-time, according to Mo-Sys founder Michael Geissler.
“Before StarTrackerVFX, it was difficult and expensive for studios to film on a green screen when the camera wasn’t stationary. But StarTrackerVFX’s integration with the likes of Chaos Group has now given all-sized budgets the ability to precisely match the real camera’s position, orientation and lens distortion with the virtual world.”
Broadcast graphics
Vizrt’s render engine with Viz Artist 3.11 features new bone and skin-based mesh deformation tools as well as real-time motion capture and photorealistic rendering. Three-dimensional models can be imported with predefined animations, but can also be driven by live motion capture streamed to Viz Engine. Vizrt has also implemented HDR in Viz Engine supporting HLG and PQ HDR formats and compatibility with the S-Log3 HDR format developed by Sony.
Ross Video’s motion graphics engine XPression v8.5 includes NLE plug-in support for Adobe Premiere Pro for Windows, an HTML5 version of the XPression MOS plug-in and enhancements to XPression’s DataLinq tools. A 64-bit edition of the product extends XPression’s cache management, allowing for larger XPression projects. As part of this, users will also find support for importing Cinema4D models and scenes.
LyricX 3.4, is the latest iteration of ChyronHego’s graphics creation and playout solution. It now includes support for DNxHD with a new GTC clip player and clip workflow tools such as a GTC clip converter.
PRIME Graphics 3.1, addresses five use cases within a single graphics design and playout platform: character generation; a clip player, a video wall solution, a graphics-driven touch-screen platform, and a branding solution. ChyronHego’s CAMIO 4.5, the company's graphic asset management solution includes a new render engine; the ability to publish content straight from the newsroom to social media; and the latest version of LUCI5, an HTML5 plugin.
The firm’s weather graphics solution Metacast 2.6 arrives fully integrated with the CAMIO Universe and new features such as advanced animations for all layers, including weather model layers. In addition, Metacast also includes new playout tools that make efficient use of the keyboard for queuing and taking graphics to air.
VFX
Foundry’s 3D painting and texturing tool, Mari 4.2 introduces mirror projection features that brings simultaneous, symmetrical painting workflows to artists without the need for specialized UV layouts. Previously, explains the developer, painting the same designs on both sides of a symmetrically formed model required a considerable amount of asset preparation with a lot of repetitive actions. Now, artists can paint on one side of a mirror plane while Mari projects the same paint to the other side of the mirror plane, dramatically increasing efficiency.
This is the second major Mari update in 2018. The next feature release will feature the debut of the Mari Material System. This will ensure Mari can utilize any texture driven material data in a material painting workflow, and will be rolled out in phases.
There can be few VFX facilities which don’t have a tool or two from Boris FX. The developer is launching new versions of its flagship products next year but gave a sneak peak to IBC visitors.
According to founder Boris Yamnitsky, “Fans of Particle Illusion, now part of Continuum 2019, will love creating stunning motion graphics elements with an easy-to-learn interface and blazing GPU acceleration. The legendary Lens Flare inside Sapphire 2019 has been improved with a new streamlined designer UI and professional presets, and Mocha Pro’s new workspace and magnetic spline tools deliver significant advances in motion tracking and roto-masking.
It is also releasing a new Boris FX App Manager that will make activating and deactivating Sapphire, Continuum, and Mocha Pro licenses a breeze.
The big news from Blackmagic Design is the introduction of a RAW codec for its cameras including the URSA Mini Pro. This is intended to retain more colour information from acquisition throughout post. Kees Van Oostrum, President of the ASC, commended the initiative, saying Blackmagic RAW “could entirely change the workflow going from camera through post production. It will be an important change for post because the editorial team can work with the camera original files, which are fast enough to use for everyday editing. That means less confusion in regards to creative choices I make at the camera. The images can now travel throughout the entire workflow because we’re shooting, editing and grading with the same files.”
Support for the codec is available in DaVinci Resolve from the BMD support website as a free upgrade for existing users. It joins the now shipping version of Resolve 15 which among, a myriad other things, adds an entirely new Fusion page with over 250 tools for compositing, paint, particles, animated titles and includes a major update to Fairlight audio.
Netflix Post Alliance
Finally, it’s worth noting the formation by Netflix of a Post Technology Alliance of vendors intended to raise the production of value of Netflix content, particularly around UHD and HDR. Product from select vendors meeting Netflix specifications will be certificated with a logo. Members of the Alliance includes vendors involved in cameras, creative editorial, grading, and IMF packaging, with products from Adobe, Arri, Avid, Blackmagic, Canon, Colorfront, Fraunhofer IIS, Filmlight, Marquise, MTI Film, Ownzones, Panasonic, Red, Rohde & Schwarz, and Sony.
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