Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 5, 2017. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Anyone already preparing for the next VFX project and wishing to prevent possible cramps during plate preparation can take a look at the rotoscoping tool from Flowbox. Since the end of last year, the tool has been available to buy under a subscription model. Anyone who wants to test the tool directly can also register for a trial version here.
Rotoscoping features
With the three functions “rotoDraw”, “rotoSNAP”, and “ripple edit”, Flowbox attempts to simplify masking time-consuming roto objects. These functions are used primarily for organic objects as well as clothing and hair. Flowbox also offers a point tracker for tracking masks. The software is also compatible with Wacom tablets. You can find an overview of the roto features here.
Import/export and pipeline
Aside from the common image formats (BMP, EXR, JPG, PNG, SVG, TIFF, and more), Flowbox can also import Mocha projects and use Corner Pin data. For pipeline integration, Flowbox relies on exchange with the Nuke compositing program from The Foundry: Nuke Roto Nodes with animation can therefore be exported.
Compositing features
Alongside the current roto focus, compositing with Flowbox is already possible. Current features include Blur, ColorCorrect, CornerPin, DifferenceKey, Gamma, Key, Merge, Premultiply, and Transform. You can find a detailed list here.
Price and requirements
Flowbox Roto is available for Windows (64-bit, from Windows 7), macOS (from 10.11), and Linux (CentOS/RHEL 6 and higher).
You can choose between two payment models for the tool: the first model is a monthly subscription for €43, the second an annual subscription for €417 per year or €35 per month. If you only want to register for a free trial version, you can find it here.
