In a significant move for the compositing- community, Maxon has announced the acquisition of the Autograph team from Left Angle. As Left Angle winds down its operations, its staff, known for their expertise in modern compositing workflows, will join Maxon’s expanding family. Autograph, developed by Left Angle, was created with the vision to rethink compositing from the ground up, offering a modern toolset for motion designers and visual effects artists. The integration of Autograph’s technology and team into Maxon’s ecosystem is expected to foster innovation and development of new tools that cater to the evolving needs of artists and creators worldwide.(left-angle.com) For more information, visit Maxon’s official announcement: Maxon Welcomes Autograph Team Following Left Angle Transition.

And since we probably won’t be using the cool company name “Left Angle” anymore, here are some post which had that tag:

Autograph Starter: Free Motion Graphics Tool with a Twist

Autograph 2025: Sign Here for New Features

From the left..

The post Maxon Acquires Autograph: A New Chapter in Compositing Tools first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Already Covered: Virtual Production, 60 Hz Open Worlds & Wile E. Coyote

Before diving in: if you’re looking for details on enhanced virtual production tools, the new 60 Hz simulation capabilities, or how Wile E. Coyote now animates sans anvils in UE5.6, check our previous coverage. This article focuses on everything not already dissected there.

Performance Enhancements

Unreal Engine 5.6 introduces optimizations aimed at achieving stable 60 frames per second across modern platforms. Hardware Ray Tracing (HWRT) has been beefed up for faster Lumen Global Illumination and Reflection performance. CPU bottlenecks have been reduced, especially in scenes with high complexity. An experimental Fast Geometry Streaming Plugin handles large static geometry more efficiently. New device profiles help developers target performance baselines more easily.

Animation and Rigging Improvements

Control freaks rejoice: the in-editor animation toolset gets a polish. Motion Trails now offer arc editing, offset pinning, and custom visualization styles like Dashed, Heat/Speed, and Time-based overlays. The upgraded Tween Tools now support hotkeys for indirect control, Overshoot mode, and Time Offset sliders, turning keyframe fiddling into less of a mouse marathon. Control Rig Physics (experimental) introduces procedural physics into character rigs—turning bounce and sway from post-process cheat into actual rig behavior.

MetaHuman Creator Integration

The MetaHuman Creator is now integrated directly into Unreal Engine. Users can sculpt highly varied body shapes and assign complete outfits via the new Outfit asset type, which autoscales to fit any form. MetaHuman Animator now works with most webcams, smartphones, and even audio as input for real-time performance capture.

Sequencer and UI Enhancements

The Sequencer gets a usability upgrade, starting with a new Navigation Tool that untangles hierarchical chaos. Real-time Audio Scrubbing brings syncing dialogue and action closer to real-time accuracy. Meanwhile, the Viewport Toolbar gets new Quick Access Controls and Section Menus. The redesigned Content Browser makes finding and organizing assets marginally less painful. A Beta version of the Project Launcher UI rounds it out, with launch profile creation and management now less like an obscure mini-game.

PCG and Mocap Manager

Procedural Content Generation (PCG) tools now support inline constants in the Node Graph, enabling direct manipulation of values without detours. Multithreading support and GPU optimizations speed up execution. The PCG Biome Core v2 plugin accelerates biome creation workflows. For motion capture aficionados, the new Mocap Manager provides a fully integrated solution for recording, visualizing, and managing performance capture in-editor. Also new: Quick Render, which allows for one-click still or sequence rendering from the current viewport or camera.

Heads-up: Some features, especially those marked as experimental like Control Rig Physics and parts of the PCG workflow, should be carefully evaluated before integration into production pipelines. Stability isn’t implied – just hinted at with optimism. For full release notes and Epic’s official write-up, head to Unreal Engine 5.6 Release Notes.

The post Unreal Engine 5.6, Fully released. Still 60 FPS, still Smarter MetaHumans, and still possibly Fewer CPU Tantrums first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

In October 2024, the Blender Foundation conducted its first user feedback survey, gathering insights from over 7,000 participants worldwide. The survey aimed to understand user satisfaction, demographics, and areas for improvement in Blender’s development.(Blender – Survey)

Demographics and Participation

The majority of respondents were between 19 and 35 years old, with significant participation from the United States, India, and Germany. English was the primary interface language for most users, followed by Chinese and Spanish. Interestingly, older demographics placed higher importance on Blender’s mission to provide free tools for content creation.

User Satisfaction

When asked about their satisfaction with Blender, 66% of users rated themselves as “very happy,” indicating a strong approval of the software’s capabilities and development direction.

Community Engagement

While the majority of participants did not have any Blender ID community badges, the “30 years” campaign badge was the most popular among those who did. This indicates a strong sense of community and engagement among long-term users.

First 3D Software Experience

The survey revealed a roughly even split between users who started their 3D journey with Blender and those who began with other software such as 3DS Max, Maya, and Cinema 4D. This diversity highlights Blender’s ability to attract both newcomers and experienced artists from other platforms.

Other 3D Software in Use

Blender may be the go-to tool for most respondents, but it’s far from the only one in their pipeline. According to the survey, over half of all participants use additional 3D software alongside Blender. The top mentions? Autodesk Maya and 3ds Max still hold ground, especially among users who migrated to Blender. Cinema 4D makes a strong showing, particularly in motion graphics-heavy workflows. Houdini appears frequently, mostly among users handling procedural content and simulation-heavy tasks. Unreal Engine, while technically not a DCC (digital content creation) tool, also ranks high due to its integration in real-time workflows and game development. This mix underlines Blender’s role not as a lone wolf, but as a highly cooperative tool within hybrid production environments.

Why Users Choose Blender

When it comes to motivations, the most common reason users gave for adopting Blender can be summed up in one word: freedom. The open-source model is more than a philosophical point—it’s a practical one. Survey participants value not just the zero-dollar price tag, but also the transparency of development and the availability of the source code.

The second most popular reason was Blender’s all-in-one workflow, meaning users can model, animate, shade, light, render, and even composite in one environment—without needing to jump between applications. Other motivators included the supportive community, the high cadence of new releases, and the sheer fun of using the software. Apparently, Blender is one of the few production tools that doesn’t make its users scream into the void—at least not daily.

The Top 5 Most Used Add-ons

Blender’s flexibility shines through its add-on ecosystem, and the survey’s data backs that up. Topping the list of most used add-ons is Node Wrangler, an indispensable tool for shader work that dramatically speeds up node-based workflows. Close behind is LoopTools, loved by modelers for its suite of mesh editing tools. BlenderKit comes next, serving as a library for ready-made assets, materials, and brushes—popular among users looking to speed up asset production.

The fourth spot is held by F2, which enhances face creation during modeling, particularly useful in low-poly workflows. Finally, Rigify rounds out the top five, giving animators a fast way to generate rigging systems without diving into manual bone hierarchy madness. Together, these five add-ons show what users actually rely on—not flashy plugins, but pragmatic tools that cut time and cognitive overhead.

Conclusion

The 2024 Blender user survey provides insights into the community’s satisfaction and areas for improvement. With a strong base of happy users and a commitment to free, accessible tools, Blender continues to be a leading choice for 3D artists worldwide. For more detailed results, visit the Blender Feedback Survey 2024 Results.

The post Blender’s 2024 User Survey Results: The Good, the Bad, and the ? first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Epic Games has released the Unreal Engine 5.6 Preview, now available for download via the Epic Games Launcher and GitHub. This preview introduces several significant updates aimed at enhancing the development experience across various domains.

The preview emphasizes the capability to create vast, high-fidelity open worlds while maintaining consistent 60Hz frame rates. This enhancement is geared towards delivering smoother performance in expansive environments.

Unreal Engine 5.6 features the most substantial update to its animation authoring tools to date. While specific details are not provided, this overhaul suggests a focus on improving the animation workflow for developers.

The MetaHuman Creator is now integrated directly within the engine. This integration includes capabilities for blending and sculpting MetaHuman bodies, improved visual fidelity, and new real-time workflows for the MetaHuman Animator.

Enhanced Content Browser and Viewport Layout

The introduction of Content Browser 2.0 and a new Viewport toolbar layout aims to streamline the development process, allowing for faster content creation and easier navigation within the engine.

Procedural Workflows for Expansive Worlds

Developers can now build expansive worlds more efficiently using enhanced procedural workflows. These workflows are designed to facilitate the rapid creation of complex environments.

Availability and Stability Notice

The Unreal Engine 5.6 Preview is currently available for download. However, as a preview release, it is still in active development and may be unstable. Users are advised to back up existing projects before testing the new features.

For more information and to download the preview, visit the official announcement.

The post Unreal Engine 5.6 Preview: Now with 60Hz Open Worlds and In-Engine MetaHumans first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Excerpt:

Weight painting in Blender is a critical process that assigns influence values to vertices, determining how much a bone affects them during animation. This technique is essential for creating smooth and natural deformations in character rigs. However, achieving precise weight distribution can be labor-intensive, often requiring meticulous manual adjustments.

Introducing Robust Weight Transfer by Sent From Space

To alleviate the challenges of weight painting, Sent From Space has developed the Robust Weight Transfer add-on for Blender. This tool is designed to streamline the weight transfer process, enabling artists to achieve smooth results with minimal effort.

Key Features of Robust Weight Transfer

The Robust Weight Transfer add-on offers a one-click solution for transferring weights from one mesh to another. This functionality is particularly beneficial when working with complex models or when integrating new mesh components into existing rigs. By automating the weight transfer process, the add-on reduces the need for extensive manual weight painting, thereby enhancing workflow efficiency.

Availability and Compatibility

The Robust Weight Transfer add-on is available as a free download, with a pay-what-you-want pricing model, allowing users to support the developer if they choose. It is compatible with Blender versions ranging from 2.9 to 4.1, accommodating a wide range of users. The download package includes versions tailored for different Blender releases, ensuring optimal performance across various setups.

Conclusion

In the realm of 3D modeling and animation, tools that enhance efficiency without compromising quality are invaluable. Sent From Space’s Robust Weight Transfer add-on for Blender exemplifies this by offering a streamlined solution to the often cumbersome task of weight painting. As with any new tool, it is advisable to test it thoroughly before integrating it into your production pipeline to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

The post Weight No More: Streamlining Blender’s Weight Painting with Robust Weight Transfer first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Autodesk has rolled out Flame Family 2026, now available through your Autodesk accounts.

OpenColorIO Replaces SynColor

Leading the update is the complete switchover from SynColor to OpenColorIO as Flame’s new colour management engine. By adopting OpenColorIO, Flame now offers a more flexible and industry-standard approach to colour management. This change promises enhanced color accuracy and consistency, a feature that is sure to please colourists and compositors who live and breathe subtle gradations and strict technical standards. (Find more information about OpenColorIO at the Academy Software Foundation and OCIO websites.)

Redesigned Project Management Panel

The Project Management panel has been completely redesigned to implement many user-requested features. With an interface that marries intuitive design and robust functionality, this update streamlines project oversight and asset organization. For technical directors constantly juggling deadlines and file structures, this revamp is a breath of fresh air—because who wouldn’t appreciate a smoother ride through the chaotic production pipeline? But, the switch might be a rough ride.

Project-Based Media and Asset Storage

Saying farewell to the old volume-based system, media, renders, caches, and media references now reside in a project-based structure. This fundamental shift dramatically improves file management efficiency and asset tracking across your projects. By anchoring assets directly to projects instead of abstract volumes, production teams are empowered with faster, more reliable data handling—a change that promises fewer midnight crises and more creative clarity. Again, once the artists accepted this change, and have implemented it.

Introducing Type: The New Text Tool

A long-awaited update for those in need of typography finesse arrives with the debut of Type—a tool replacing the old Text tool. This new asset not only modernizes text handling but also integrates seamlessly with the existing workflow, ensuring that your title sequences and on-screen copy now benefit from improved performance and functionality.

Machine Learning Enhancements for Video Sequences

Quick Application of DRX Files with Tokens

Another highlight is the new ability to quickly apply different DRX files to multiple timeline segments. This is achieved by setting tokens in the definition of the “Effect File Path” within the DaVinci Resolve Renderer OpenFX plugin. For editors and effects artists, this means rapid iteration and consistent application of effects across a project without the usual tedium. It’s like having a magic wand that makes sure every segment gets its perfect dose of visual enhancement with minimal fuss.

Updated SDKs: ARRI, Sony RAW, and Blackmagic Design Raw

Rounding out the enhancements, the ARRI, Sony RAW, and Blackmagic Design Raw SDKs have been updated.

Conclusion: Test and Integrate with Caution

However, as with any major update, it’s imperative to test these new tools and workflows within your own projects before fully committing to them in high-stakes productions. A thorough evaluation to ensure that these innovations integrate seamlessly into your established pipeline is EXTREEEEEEEMLY advisable.

A word of caution: OS makes a difference.

Quoting directly:

Due to software and hardware differences, the following features are not available on Mac systems:

GPU debayering
The Machine Learning mode in Media Export and in the Resize & Crop, Render, and Write File tools.
Running an inference on the GPU (Inference, Morph, and Timewarp)
Running an inference in 16-bit fp (Inference, Morph, and Timewarp)

There are also some differences to note when working with certain effects on a Mac system:

Hardware anti-aliasing (HWAA) is limited to 4x.
You can add one Image-based lighting (IBL) map per Action object.
When using the PBS Shader in Action on a Mac system, you are limited to Base Color, Roughness, Metallic, AO, and Opacity shader types.
You are limited to 16 textures per Action object; therefore, in large Action scenes, you may notice that some features are not available (shadow casting, for example).

The post Flame 2026: OCIO, Files and Timeline Magic first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Epic Games, in collaboration with Enduring Games, has unveiled a comprehensive five-part tutorial series aimed at developers and artists transitioning from Unity to Unreal Engine. This series addresses the growing interest in Unreal Engine as an alternative to Unity, especially in light of recent changes in Unity’s licensing model.

Series Overview

The tutorial series, titled “Switching to Unreal,” is structured to guide users through the nuances of Unreal Engine, contrasting it with Unity’s architecture. Key topics include:

• Visual Scripting: A comparison between Unity’s visual scripting tools and Unreal Engine’s Blueprint system, highlighting the strengths and use-cases of each.
• Programming Transition: Guidance on moving from C# in Unity to C++ in Unreal, detailing the differences in syntax, structure, and best practices.
  
• Memory Management: An exploration of Unreal Engine’s garbage collection mechanisms, offering insights into optimizing workflows and ensuring efficient memory usage.
• Gameplay Framework: An in-depth look at how C++ and Blueprints integrate within Unreal Engine’s Gameplay Framework, providing a foundation for building robust game mechanics.
• Core Plugins and Tools: An overview of essential Unreal Engine tools such as the Gameplay Ability System, Gameplay State Trees, Enhanced Input, and Data Drivers, illustrating their roles in game development.

Accessibility and Target Audience

Designed for both developers and artists, the series aims to demystify the transition process, making Unreal Engine’s features more approachable for those accustomed to Unity’s environment. By providing direct comparisons and practical examples, the tutorials serve as a bridge between the two platforms.

Conclusion

As the game development landscape evolves, tools and engines must adapt to the needs of their users. Epic Games’ initiative to facilitate a smoother transition from Unity to Unreal Engine reflects a commitment to supporting the developer community. For those considering a switch, this tutorial series offers a valuable resource to navigate the change effectively.

Access the entire playlist here:

The post Blueprints & C++: Epic’s New Tutorial Series for Unity Devs first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

In a move that’s sure to delight post-production professionals, Blackmagic Design has released DaVinci Resolve 19.1.4, bringing ProRes support to Windows and Linux platforms. This update marks a significant enhancement for cross-platform workflows, allowing editors and colorists greater flexibility in their projects.

ProRes Support Across Platforms

The standout feature of this update is the introduction of ProRes support for Windows and Linux users. Previously, ProRes—a high-quality video codec developed by Apple—was predominantly accessible on macOS. By extending support to other operating systems, Blackmagic Design enables a more seamless experience for professionals working across different platforms.

Benefits for Post-Production Workflows

With ProRes support now available on Windows and Linux, post-production teams can expect improved compatibility and efficiency. This update facilitates smoother collaboration between professionals using diverse systems, reducing the need for time-consuming transcoding processes. As a result, editors, VFX artists, and colorists can focus more on their creative tasks and less on technical hurdles.

Availability and Pricing

DaVinci Resolve 19.1.4 is available for download on Blackmagic Design’s official website. The update is free for existing users, maintaining Blackmagic Design’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality tools for the creative community. For new users, DaVinci Resolve offers both a free version and a Studio version with advanced features, priced at $295.

A Word of Caution

While the addition of ProRes support is a welcome development, it’s advisable to thoroughly test this new feature within your specific workflow before implementing it in critical projects. Ensuring compatibility and stability in your production environment is crucial to maintaining project integrity.

For more details and to download the update, visit Blackmagic Design’s official support page.

The post DaVinci Resolve 19.1.4: ProRes Support Now on Windows and Linux first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Günter Hagedorn.

5D Cyborg was there to mix-up things before unfortunately succumbing to a premature end. So let’s timewarp back to the age of the Cyborg.

Once upon a time…2001

When you look at the high-end VFX market of the late 1990 and early 2000s, there were two very distinct paradigms facing each other. On the one side you had very expensive high end turnkey systems, such as Quantel Henry or Discreet Flame & Inferno. Those did not only have a really astronomical price tag, they were also closed off systems. Quantels Henry for example ran on proprietary hardware.

On the other side you had an emerging market of software-only packages that were designed to run on off-the shelf hardware. While still pricey by today’s standards, those packages like Combustion, After Effects and Shake were only a fraction of the cost of the high-end counterparts, but they came at a snail-pace rendering speed and sometimes prohibitive limitations on resolutions and bit depth.

Enter the Masher

But, apart from the high price tag, the high-end systems had another predicament they were in – lack of connectivity. Especially Henry suffered from that and tried to find solutions to open up the system while at the same time sticking with its proprietary approach. One of these solutions was the 5D Masher. 5D Solutions at that time was a plug-in developer, supplying plug-ins for a range of hosts – this was years before OFX and basically every new point release of software on the host application required a plugin update as well. And Quantel was a special case as its proprietary hardware didn’t allow it to run third-party plug-ins. 5D came up with a very unique solution. They got a rack-mountable PC workstation – build by Boxx Solutions – with a video I/O that interfaced with the Quantel system and could basically be remote controlled from there, sending off a clip via the video I/O to that workstation, called the 5D Masher. On the masher it would be processed in the background and then be send back to the host system, ready to be inserted into your composite or timeline.

But there was a very tight bottleneck: The whole communication between the Quantel System and the Masher had to be built around Javascript. And while the processing speed of the Masher itself was acceptable, the update speed on the Quantel system to set up a plug-in was atrociously slow. Also, the artist was forced to set up only one plug-in at a time. Furthermore, plug-in setups had to be saved separately, basically undermining the whole Quantel concept of clip history. In the end, as explained in our previous look back at the Henry, the 5D Masher was a stopgap measure that was only slowing down the inevitable fall of the proprietary solutions from Quantel.

But the Masher also started something new at 5D Solutions: The British company got a lot of client feedback on the masher and that in essence was: Give us a Masher with a monitor and a User Interface so that we can put it next to our Finishing System. Now this part of the story might be a little bit of a retroactive legend building, but what we saw next from 5D was pretty much that: The 5D Cyborg.

Unleashing the Cyborg

In that first version it had basic 2D compositing capabilities and most of the 5D Monsters Plugins. In that iteration it couldn’t do much more than a Henry with a Masher attached but, wow, it could do that fast. The Cyborg system came – like Henry or Flame – as a turnkey solution. For that, 5D once again partnered up with Boxx Solutions and shipped it on a certified Windows NT Workstation with a Wildcat 3 Graphics Card by 3D Labs. Even the Sony 24” Monitor and the Wacom Tablet and Pen were part of that turnkey solution.

I started my very first employment as a junior Henry Artist at “Das Werk” in Frankfurt in the Summer of 2001. At that time “Das Werk” was a beta site for 5D Cyborg and Thomas Maier, now a respected colorist, was taking care of the beta as a student intern. Seeing how he was able to very quickly put something together that took me ages to run through the Masher really got me hooked. When he ended his internship I spent every free minute of my time in that beta suite. But unlike Thomas I was a full employee, expected to do my share of jobs. Trying to fit in my ever growing fascination with Cyborg into my daily work schedule was easier than expected. I just started to offload more and more effects work to that Cyborg system. Also, it was a gap I could jump into. I wanted to grow beyond the Quantel systems, but at that time, the only alternative would have been Discreet Inferno. Now those machines were not only expensive, but also fully booked. Also, there was a more-than-healthy rivalry between the Discreet Artists and the Quantel Artists. Back then you were either one or the other: The Quantel Artists were considered grunt workers that took brute-force approaches by the Discreet Artists. In turn the Discreet Artists were thought of as overthinking divas by the Quantel Artists. But in the end it was far easier for me to dig into the machine that nobody else cared about rather than fighting to get some precious screen time on a fully booked Inferno Workstation. Easing me into this was the fact that Cyborg was Windows-based. I knew my way around that OS as opposed to UNIX, which was back then the Infernos OS.

My interest in Cyborg didn’t go unnoticed. As a Junior Artist, I often sat in the passenger seat of client-attended Henry sessions. With my knowledge of Cyborg I could apply myself much more. It started with really simple conversion tasks. Load a file sequence into Cyborg and let it play in loop so that we can capture it into Henry. By today’s standards it is unfathomable that a seven-figure workstation was not able to do that on its own in the early 2000s. From there it continued with Rotos, Tracking and of course Plug-Ins. And the senior Henry artists saw the added value. “Das Werk” had four Henry Infinity suites at that time and it was decided to equip two of these suites with a Cyborg System.

The delivery of those two machines coincided with the release of version 2 of the Cyborg software – and this was the time where one could see that 5Ds ambitions were much higher than a simple assist workstation. EDL Conform, 3D Compositing environment and Timeline Editing truly unleashed the Cyborg. It was also at that time that 5D further defined the product line-up: There was a Cyborg S with Standard Definition I/O and just 2D compositing capabilities for roughly € 120.000 and a High Definition version called Cyborg M with all the bells and whistles for € 210.000 – an astronomical sum by today’s standard, but, as Alex Gabrysh wrote in his Cyborg v2 review in Digital Production 2002:04 “No matter which configuration of Cyborg you wish for, the price is a battle cry to competing systems and will definitely shake things up.”  

The 3D environment was blistering fast compared to all the competition out there. It really took advantage of the Wildcat 3 Graphics Card and the software utilizing OpenGL. In that regard 5D was unique – while the hardware was not custom-built like Henry nor the operating system customized like with Discreet, it was not written for generic off-the-shelf hardware either. When you ran Cyborg without that specific card, the 3D environment was much more unresponsive and more on par with the performance of Shake and Combustion at that time.

What makes a Cyborg?

The user interface took its lessons much more from the high end workstations than from the software-only solutions. The interface was clean, had no floating windows and was very clip-centric. Clips could be organized on reels and also edited there. But the real timeline, which was introduced in Version 2, didn’t live on that desktop. Rather, it was sitting right inside the compositing module – called “Create” – and it lived there as a node. This was a revelation. Neither Henry nor Flame/Inferno possessed a multi-layer timeline. Those were only privy to editorial systems at that time which in turn couldn’t deliver broadcast quality. But with a timeline as a node, artists were able to insert effects up and downstream of the edit, host multiple edits in the same compositing set up and change timings of layers while working inside their composite.

Another feature that made Cyborg unique between the two giants of Henry and Flame/Inferno was the native implementation of Primatte. At that time Primatte was so far ahead of its competition and having that right inside of your finishing system was just awesome. But Cyborg also broke new ground in other areas. Already in version 1 it had optical flow functionality quite ahead of its competition. Not only were the results pretty good, it also had a very clever approach to rendering. With Cyborg being clip-centric, the Motion estimation was rendered as a separate clip just once, giving the artist the ability to process multiple versions of a timewarp without going through constant re-Renders. Once again, this is expected behavior today, but at that time, almost all software packages were either rgb or rgba-based. Nuke was the first software to really embrace the concept of multi-channel and really utilize AOVs, and that was made available to the industry only in 2002.

The point tracker inside of Cyborg was far superior to the one in Henry and also the first one that could give the famous discreet tracker a run for its money. Also it came along with the very nice pre-tracking feature, where you could already see a HUD preview of your track while placing the tracker. And the paint module, while not being vector-based and hence destructive, introduced the ability to rotate the canvas either by shortcut or the 4D mouse that shipped with a Wacom tablet at that time. If you think that some of these features sound somewhat familiar, just keep on reading, we will get to that part of the story. 

Making an impression

To describe the impact Cyborg had onto our industry at that time one simply had to walk Hall 7 of the IBC in Amsterdam in 2001. Discreet had a huge booth with multiple workstations and Quantel’s booth doubled the discreet one in size, sporting a stage with seats for up to fifty attendees. Quantel presented its new flagship product, the iQ. While the hardware was impressive, the software was really not there yet, especially in regards to compositing. There were rumors that discreet was working on a new architecture, but it would take until NAB 2002 for Mezzo and Strata to be revealed. And then, near the south wall of Hall 7, was the 5D booth – and that one was crowded. Not for the plugins, not for the swag, but for Cyborg. Cyborg was the buzzword of that show and people talked about this machine being a potential Flame-killer. 

The two Cyborg systems were set up at Das Werk right alongside two of the Henrys. That really kickstarted my involvement in productions. What happened was that a symbiosis formed between the Senior Artist and me as a Junior Artist. While I would introduce them to the capabilities of the Cyborg and a file-based workflow, they would teach me about compositing itself and – even more important back then – the fine art of working with clients. To this day I am still grateful for all things I learned back then and for having such great teachers.

The Cyborg also broadened the spectrum of jobs I could participate in: Unlike Henry, Cyborg was resolution-independent. So when a Barilla Commercial directed by Wim Wenders came in and it was clear that the two Infernos would not be enough compositing power to finish this project in time, the Cyborgs were a welcome addition and I got my very first taste of high-resolution work. And while the crashy Paint module gave me headaches, the crowd replication work we did on that was really something for the twenty-two year old me.

However, not everything was great. With 5D still being a plug-in manufacturer, support for third party plugins was not exactly exuberant. There were no Gen-Arts Sapphire Plugins, neither was there a Cyborg version of the Tinder Tools by The Foundry – Yes, back than The Foundry was still a plug-in company. Versions of Knoll Lens Flare Pack and Digital Arnachy’s Text Arnachy were announced, but…

Stock market disasters, legal battles and new adventures

Out of the blue customers were hit by the news that the 5D closed offices on October 11th, 2002. That was only one month after IBC, where 5D announced a cheaper solution based on Cyborg called Eclypse and previewed the 2.5 version of the Cyborg software. So what has happened? A couple of years before, 5D Solutions sold a totally different part of their business, the printing division, to a company called Global Graphics for 24.7 Million Euro. Most of this amount however, was paid in stocks. During the dot com crisis, these stocks plummeted, but 5D was still liable for taxes on the original price of the stock at the time of the purchase. One could basically call this second degree murder by the stock market. The offices in London, L.A. and Miami were closed and all the assets went into litigation.

At the time I thought my time with Cyborg would now come to a very abrupt end – I was heartbroken. Little did I know that it would take another five years for me to finally part ways with that little monster of a machine. What took much less time was the liquidation of 5D itself. The people responsible for the plug-in division bought the division out of the liquidation mass themselves and founded Speedsix software. For seven years they maintained the Monster plug-in set until they eventually got bought by rival GenArts, known for their set of Sapphire plug-ins, in 2009. It should be another seven years before GenArts, in turn, is bought by Boris FX. While the monsters themselves are no longer around, some of them found their way into the Sapphire’s Suite of plug-ins.

And Cyborg itself? For two months, the user base held its collective breath.There were rumors that Quantel, Thomson, Avid, even Apple might be interested in picking up the reins on Cyborg. In the end, Discreet, by then already part of Autodesk, bought the intellectual property on Cyborg. Naturally, I hoped of course that Quantel would win the bid – but the “best of both worlds” scenario that I envisioned back then might have been a little bit biased. 

Now suddenly Discreet owned the property that was once labelled as a potential Flame-killer. They did what you would expect – kill the product. But, eventually, over the years, some of my more beloved Cyborg features found their way into Autodesk products. It would just take a couple of more years for me to find them there.

Some of the developers and management divided however that this was not the end and founded Assimilate Inc. and build Scratch – a color grading and digital intermediate solution that is still on the market today. While many of us tried to see in Scratch the spiritual successor to Cyborg, it was clearly a very different product aimed at a different task in our industry. The only ones that begged to differ in this matter was Autodesk, who sued Assimilate Inc. in 2008 on the grounds that they allegedly infringed on the Cyborg intellectual property that they purchased back in 2002. The example Autodesk gave was the functionality of a Confirm/Escape button and the concept of a pop-up calculator window. It seemed as petty back then as it does now, as these concepts even back then were not unique to neither Cyborg nor Flame. However, in 2010 Assimilate settled with Autodesk, acknowledging that Cyborg code was actually used in Scratch. 

Not quite dead yet

But the effects of companies getting into rough water and new companies emerging were not limited to software companies. In spring of 2003, while “Das Werk” itself was in chapter 11, a new company emerged, with me being one of their first employees. The company was called “Acht Frankfurt”, and started off with two Henrys, one brand-new Quantel eQ and four Cyborgs. Three of them were actually previously owned by CIS Hollywood and used on the first Season of “Star Trek – Enterprise”. This fact  thrilled me – being a huge Trekkie my whole life – to no end.

So why would a freshly founded company invest in a defunct product? Well, the answer is quite simple: By then all the Artists joining Acht were quite skilled in using Cyborg – we were able to work on these machines from day one. We couldn’t anticipate that these actually held up until October 2007. That was when Acht switched to Autodesk Flame. Up until that point we threw so much work at those machines they were not necessarily designed to do. For Lexus we did a 10:1 master, 5760×576 pixel. In 2005 we actually increased this to almost 8K for a installation for Mercedes Benz. This was something no other workstation could do at the time, most of them being limited by 4k width at the max. We also did a music promo with a runtime of three and a half minutes, containing up to nine layers of bluescreen. Comped by a single artist in nine days. This would not have been possible without the native primatte keyer.

But there were also drawbacks. Cyborg stopped being developed before it reached a critical mass in the industry – hence we had no freelancer base to scale up our workforce. And while we were able to squeeze an impressive number of years out of the system, with it being centered around the Wildcat III, we had no option to increase the performance of those workstations. As long as the jobs were predominantly SD, this was not an issue, but by 2007 it was clear that Acht needed workstations for the HD age.

For me, there was a certain irony that Acht took delivery of the Flame systems that were going to replace the Cyborgs on the very last day I worked for that company. But at my next location, Deli Pictures in Hamburg, i was finally able to get my hands on a Flame and boy, did i find some old friends. A number of features have actually made it into Flame. The concept of a timeline residing inside of the compositing environment, the rotatable canvas in paint and of course the optical flow for slow motions and many more little features showed up.

So what is the legacy of cyborg? In my opinion, it cannot be underestimated how cyborg bridged the gap between the proprietary world of the nineties and the open, networked and connected world we do find ourselves in today. Cyborg entered the scene at just the right time and dared to do things differently. In a relatively short timespan, 5D was able to put together a system that gave the two market leaders a run for their money. Also bear in mind that around that time a lot of companies tried to enter the compositing market. There was Sony’s ill-fated Soccrato, there was Tremor by Nothing real and some more tried. Even the established companies Quantel and Discreet tried to reinvent themselves with new products, and both of them failed as well. Developing a compositing, let alone a finishing application is very hard work. There is a reason why all the major compositing applications out there today reach back for at least thirty years. And for a very brief moment, there was a Cyborg out there who was about to shake all that up. One can only dream what would have been…

The post The Rise and Fall of Cyborg first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Christoph Zapletal.

TL:DR: 5K is great if you want to have a lot of stuff on your screen, and the screen excels on displaying pure information, and otherwise is a solid companion to your main broadcast monitor.

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The standout feature of the ASUS ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV is its 5K resolution (5120 x 2880 pixels). For most (but not all) work, the difference between 4K and 5K at typical (!) viewing distances can be negligible, especially when working with compressed or lower-resolution content. Scaling footage to 5K often leads to a loss of sharpness, with the added pixels not providing a noticeable improvement.

But isn’t bigger better?

Where 5K does make a significant difference is in non-video/color tasks, such as using the monitor as a secondary display for software interfaces. The clarity provided by 5K resolution is quite nice when managing complex tool-sets and windows, making this monitor ideal for professionals who rely on precise visual organization. So, if you squint at your node-tree, scroll for ages through settings, or can’t see the bottom of the To-Do-List, 5K (Especially when running it in portrait) is very nice indeed. Well, not when the To-Do-List is this long, but you know what I mean.

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Pixel Density and Color Accuracy

The ProArt PA27JCV offers an impressive pixel density of 210 PPI, more than 2.5 times that of a typical 27-inch Full HD display. In terms of color accuracy, the PA27JCV covers 99% of the DCI-P3 color space, which is more than enough for content creators needing reliable colors. We measured a Delta-E below 2 (Again, the edge of what we are actually confident of saying with the available Colorimeters). That means, if you want to watch some of your footage, or have the Media Browser / Library on that screen, you will not have any problems, judging which Shots, Takes or Renders are best.

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Tech Specs

The 27-inch IPS panel features 5120 x 2880 resolution with a 218 PPI density. It offers 100% sRGB, 95% Adobe RGB, and 99% DCI-P3 color accuracy. The monitor delivers 400 cd/m² typical brightness, 500 cd/m² peak HDR, and supports HDR10 with 10-bit color depth. It has USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery, and adjustable tilt, height, and pivot. VESA DisplayHDR 500 and TÜV Low Blue Light certification ensure a comfortable viewing experience. For more details, visit the ASUS ProArt Display PA27JCV Tech Specs.

One additional thing, because I personally think all company should be commended for the efforts: The packaging is almost completely plastic free, recyclable, no Styrofoam, and can be reused in some ways, or, give it to your cat – if we didn’t have to send the sample back, the editorial floof would have claimed that box.

Adaptive Color and Brightness: Pros and Cons for Color Grading

The ProArt PA27JCV features adaptive brightness and color adjustments, which automatically adjust to ambient lighting conditions. While this is useful for office work or as a secondary display, it can interfere with color-critical tasks like color grading. For professionals who require precise color accuracy, these dynamic adjustments can distort colors. Thankfully, these adaptive features can be disabled, allowing users to manually control brightness and color temperature. The settings are comprehensive, and there are many , many parameters to tweak – Adaptive light AND a sensor for background keep the screen “in the sweet spot” all day long, no matter how bright/dark the weather is outside, and no matter which of your fellow artists works under a spotlight or is going full troglodyte. Basically: The second screen in your setup gets “out of the way” and just does what it told.

But there is a backside to that: If you don’t realize there are two systems for light, and you use it as main monitor, you will either have to turn of both, or, if you didn’t read the manual with full concentration (Not that this has happened to me, ever….*cough*) you’ll think something is seriously wrong when the screen cycles into the measured area.

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Brightness and HDR: Comfort and Clarity for Extended Sessions

While not the brightest monitor, the ProArt PA27JCV strikes a balance between vibrant and comfortable brightness. With VESA DisplayHDR 500 certification, it produces deep blacks and bright whites, delivering excellent contrast for professional workflows. The monitor’s peak brightness is sufficient for most tasks, providing a vibrant viewing experience without straining your eyes during extended use.

But one thing is “spot on”: The anti-glare. Asus has hit the sweet spot between “no reflections” and “crisp colors”, making the PA27 a workhorse , even in difficult “environmental situations”. Keeping with the theme of the Second screen: You can place it where it is convenient, and don’t have to worry about light-treating your environment. And, comparing to another Screen with 5K, proper Antiglare is a gamechanger – not to mention about half the price, and you get a stand included in the price.

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Connectivity

The screen comes with a built-in KVM (Which we did’t test, because currently there is only one workstation around), as well as 2 HDMI 2.1, a Display Port 1.4, an USB-C (with 96 Watt Power Delivery, Displaysignal, Data and Audio, making it a single connection to your mobile Workstation), as well as a Usb-Hub with two easy to reach ports in the left corner of the screen, one USB-C and One USB-A, and last but not least, a headphone jack, if you are “hotdesking” (I don’t know if that is a verb these days…) So, that is solid and has everything you need in a Multi-Monitor Setup.

Additional thoughts after 2 Months of testing …

Since I had this screen on my desk, let me tell you a few notes – I ran it in Portrait mode, which is such a relief with the extra resolution – no more scrolling in many things and with the excellent anti-glare, the window opposite the screen does not bother me at all.

While talking about placement: The Vesa-Mount is solid and to spec, but Asus made the “Shell” around it quite tight – if you have a “bigger mount”, that might require some wiggling.

And one other thing: Since I was running it in Portrait, usually you see the “Angle” Problems with both brightness and color. Even if IPS-Panels in this case are better than TN-Panels, usually there is some “tradeoff” – but in all this time of testing, I haven’t noticed it – you have to actually look for the problem, otherwise it will not impact your daily work.

Pricing and Value: Who Should Invest?

Well, so, this means, we are the point where we ask: Should you get one?

Before considering that, there is a caveat: When you are working with the Adobe Suite, you might consider the three-month-promotion, which this screen is eligible for – so, register in the “MyAsusApp”, then click through Redeem and put in your serial number, and choose which Adobe thing you want. That lowers the actual price for the screen. If you aren’t working with the adobe tools, then… well, forget what I just said.

So, what do you have to pay for this product? The current price is around 940€, which is not cheap, but not absurd either – considering that ASUS Screens keep and are solid work machines. But, as is the development in this day and age, the street price will come down – Amazon lists the screen for 900€, and we have seen offerings around the 800€ mark – which make the screen maybe not a “steal”, but a solid offering for everybody who can’t take a 1440p – Interface anymore.

For all those die-hard Mac users, who enjoyed 5K with the old Intel iMac and are still waiting for a 27“ iMac with Apple silicon, this is good news. After all, the 5K LG (with the same panel) is not available any more, and Apple is still asking Apple prices for their screen. So, if you don’t desperately need a stylish all-in-one aluminum gadget, a tiny aluminum gadget called Mac mini Pro and this Asus model should please your eyes and your purse.

(Remark by Uli Plank, who is already slightly tippsy
around 9 p.m. after one or two Japanese Highballs
in SE-Asia, but still longing for his 2017 iMac’s screen.)

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Conclusion: Best for Interface Work

The ASUS ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV excels as a high-resolution monitor for managing complex software interfaces. Its sharpness and color accuracy make it a valuable tool for professionals who need clarity and precision in their workflow. However, for tasks involving color grading, the monitor’s adaptive features and 5K resolution may not be as advantageous as they seem.

Ultimately, this monitor is best suited for professionals who need a reliable secondary screen or a sharp display for design work—not necessarily for color-critical video post-production, but as a very, very good GUI-monitor. Who would have thought that screens would diversify to a point like this!

The post ASUS ProArt Display 5K PA27JCV first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

As of its five-year anniversary, Adobe has announced that Fresco, their popular drawing and painting app, is now completely free. Originally designed for digital artists, Fresco’s move to free availability opens doors for new ways of integrating hand-drawn assets into projects. But before you rush to install it, here’s a closer look at what this tool offers—and whether it’s a fit for your workflow.

What is Adobe Fresco?

For those not familiar with Fresco, it’s an app designed primarily for digital art, with a focus on drawing, painting, and sketching. Its features range from pixel brushes to vector brushes, and it includes advanced blending modes to simulate real-world textures and effects. If you’re thinking, “I’m not an illustrator, does this even matter?”—stick with me. Fresco’s vector functionality is useful for those working in motion graphics and animation pipelines, especially when it comes to creating scalable assets for VFX or UI/UX elements in games.

Why Does Going Free Matter?

Let’s be honest—“free” is a strong motivator. But, for production artists, the question always remains: Is it stable? Is it reliable? Fresco is part of the Creative Cloud ecosystem, so it syncs easily with other Adobe apps like Photoshop, After Effects, and Illustrator. While you might not use Fresco for final production stages, it could be an excellent tool for previs) rough concept art or even storyboarding.

This move to make Fresco free also reduces the barrier for experimenting with hand-drawn elements in visual effects work. If you’re building concepts for a 3D animation or a new VR environment, Fresco offers a low-risk way to add that extra creative touch.

Integration with Other Tools

Integration is where Fresco starts to show potential for VFX artists. It’s compatible with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, so anything drawn in Fresco can be easily transferred to these programs for more advanced editing, compositing, or coloring. Additionally, Adobe’s Cloud Documents system means all work is saved automatically and accessible across devices.

This means if you’re sketching assets for a game or blocking out elements for a sequence, you don’t have to worry about loss of fidelity or having to redo work. Assets created in Fresco can easily transition into post-production pipelines, ready for further refinement in tools like After Effects or Premiere Pro. Just keep in mind that while the core drawing features are free, Adobe still offers some advanced features behind a paywall.

Stability and Simplicity

While Fresco’s creative potential is high, the real question is its practicality for post-production work. Simplicity and stability—two words every production artist lives by. Fresco, with its five-year track record, has developed into a stable product that focuses on ease of use. You’re not going to be bogged down by a thousand menus and overly complex features—this isn’t Houdini, after all. For professionals, it’s about grabbing a tool that works and diving right in.

And if you’re worried about whether a drawing app fits in your high-demand VFX pipeline, remember, Fresco is an additional tool—not a replacement. It’s not going to replace Nuke or Resolve, but it can definitely make parts of your workflow easier, especially in the early creative phases.

If you need more than what the free version offers, Adobe’s Creative Cloud subscription starts at $9.99/month, giving you access to the full range of brushes and tools. That said, this move to make Fresco freely accessible gives artists a chance to experiment without the need for an immediate financial investment. Just make sure you assess what features you might actually need before upgrading. More details here.

Final Thoughts: Is Fresco for You?

So, should you integrate Adobe Fresco into your workflow? It depends on how much drawing, sketching, or vector work you currently do. For game developers, especially those working on UI/UX design or creating custom assets, the ability to switch seamlessly between pixel and vector graphics is a plus. For film and VFX, it might be more of a niche tool, useful primarily in previs or storyboarding. Either way, it’s free now, so there’s little harm in downloading it and giving it a try.

But, as always, before you fully integrate any new software into your pipeline, test it out on non-critical projects. Nothing ruins a deadline faster than buggy software—though Fresco’s solid five-year development history suggests it’s up for the challenge.

Keep in mind, as with all new tools, it’s best to thoroughly test Fresco before committing it to any large-scale project. What works in theory might not always translate well in high-stakes post-production environments.

The post Adobe Fresco Goes Free first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.