For those who don’t know the tool: Vegas Pro (formerly Sony Vegas) is a Windows-first nonlinear editor built for fast timeline cutting, finishing, and delivery, with tight audio tools, broad format support, and a workflow that stays nimble even when projects get messy.

Boris FX announced the acquisition of Vegas Pro, Sound Forge, and Acid Pro from MAGIX Software GmbH. The deal folds a long-running Windows NLE and two established audio tools into the same product family as the company’s existing VFX, motion graphics, audio, and photo toolsets, and it also brings new AI technology into the organization.

The product development teams and engineers behind Vegas Pro, Sound Forge, and Acid Pro will come over with BorisFX, with teams based in Madison, Wisconsin, and Germany. And to get all that rolling, the Vegas Pro 2026 release is the first major update in this new setup, introducing new features across the lineup and signalling that more development and integration work is planned beyond this initial drop.

If you learned to cut on Vegas Pro (Sony Vegas, previously) back when the last millennium was still the current one, you are not alone. I first used Vegas Pro more than a quarter of a century ago, and my knees just filed a bug report about that fact.

Vegas Pro 2026 aims straight at speed, stability, and staying local

Vegas Pro is available in three editions: Vegas Pro, Vegas Pro Plus, and Vegas Pro Ultimate. The 2026 release introduces major new features across the lineup, with an explicit focus on workflow and stability. The core editing workflow adds advanced 2D and 3D titling options, support for NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, a newly updated AI model, AI-driven transcription and voice generation tools, and support for the ProRes RAW format.

There is also a new integrated title package called the Continuum Title Pack, described as a collection of 2D and 3D motion graphics and titling tools from the Continuum toolset. It includes 70 drag-and-drop presets, and it is designed to let users design, extrude, deform, and animate titles and graphics without leaving Vegas Pro.

On the performance side, the Blackwell GPU support is positioned around accelerating playback, compositing, effects processing, and rendering, and it also calls out smoother handling for 4:2:2 footage by removing the need for software decoding for AVC or HEVC formats on supported systems. On the codec side, Vegas Pro 2026 adds native, Apple-certified ProRes RAW support on Windows, with RAW parameter control inside the application, including colour space, ISO, and white balance.

Depth masks, transcripts, and voiceover, without the cloud detour

The Enhanced Z-Depth Effect is an AI-based depth model trained by the in-house machine learning team, with the goal of more accurate, higher-resolution depth masks and improved foreground and background separation. It is aimed at practical compositing-style use, like placing text behind people or adjusting background treatment quickly.

Speech-to-Text is a fully offline voice-over transcription with no internet connection required, with support for over 100 languages, text-based editing, automatic subtitle creation, and unlimited transcriptions with multiple model options to balance quality and performance. This offline transcription feature is available exclusively with Vegas Pro subscriptions.

Text-to-Speech is also described as offline, creating voiceovers locally on a PC with no internet connection required. It supports 9 languages and 54 voices, allows unlimited voiceover lengths, and includes adjustable speed, pitch, and volume controls. It is also available exclusively with Vegas Pro subscriptions.

Subscriptions also include access to a Storyblocks media library inside Vegas Pro, offering royalty-free stock footage, music, and sound effects directly in the application.

Plus and Ultimate lean into effects and audio

Vegas Pro Plus includes everything in Vegas Pro and adds tracking and masking tools, motion graphics and particle effects, audio editing, and AI-driven audio cleanup. It includes Mocha Vegas planar tracking, described as a way to track surfaces and objects, create masks and roto shapes, stabilise footage, and apply tracked effects using the same planar tracking tech used in other products. It is integrated directly within Vegas Pro Plus. It also includes Particle Illusion Pro, a real-time GPU 2D and 3D particle engine with thousands of presets and customizable emitters, available as a plugin.

Vegas Pro Ultimate includes Vegas Pro Plus and adds two VFX plugin packages, AI-powered audio clean and stem separation, and photo editing and digital artist tools. It includes Mocha Pro and Continuum, plus CrumplePop SoundApp as a standalone audio toolkit, and Optics as a photo editing toolkit available as an Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom plugin and as a standalone application.

Pricing is clear, and licensing is not “one size fits all”

Vegas Pro and Vegas Pro Plus are available with subscription or perpetual licensing. Vegas Pro Ultimate is available as a subscription plan.

Monthly subscriptions are $17.95 for Vegas Pro, $24.95 for Vegas Pro Plus, and $39.95 for Vegas Pro Ultimate. Annual subscriptions are $99.95, $149.95, and $199.95.

Upgrade and support plans are listed at $143.95 for Vegas Pro and $199.95 for Vegas Pro Plus. Perpetual licenses are $219.95 for Vegas Pro and $299.95 for Vegas Pro Plus.

A practical gotcha lives in plain sight: offline Speech-to-Text and offline Text-to-Speech are subscription-only features in this release, so your licensing choice directly affects your feature set.

The toolbox effect, now with fewer missing pieces

The product family list includes tools for video editing, VFX, motion graphics, audio, and photography plugins powered by AI, and it includes – as you damn well know – products such as Silhouette, SynthEyes, Continuum, Sapphire and Mocha Pro, alongside Vegas Pro and multiple audio tools like CrumplePop and Sound Forge. Currently it is not included in the Suite, just in the family – but we’ll see what happens there.

For my own day-to-day, that combination feels like a pretty complete toolbox, because it covers editorial, tracking, roto and paint, camera solving, and a lot of audio cleanup and finishing in one place, with fewer reasons to go hunting for another wrench mid-project.

Sound Forge

Sound Forge is a dedicated environment for detailed audio work beyond the timeline, positioned for precise editing, mastering, and restoration. It is also a comprehensive tool for audio recording, editing, sound design, and mastering, built around a single audio file workflow.

Features cited include recording up to 32 channels at once, automatic record start, a second-source audio option, restoration tools, quick dialogue editing, applying effects, and WaveColor visualisation, plus fast background operations intended to save time. It is integrating seamlessly with Vegas Pro or working alongside a preferred digital audio workstation.

Acid Pro

Acid Pro is the third new tool in the Boris -Verse, and it is a loop-based music software designed to make it easy to create songs and beats without prior experience, built around a simple workflow and a large collection of royalty-free loops. It includes automatic pitch and tempo matching, live preview, multitrack recording, editing, and mixing.

It also includes hit-point markers for tight video sync and an intuitive timeline arranger. In other words, it sits right where a lot of editors first meet music creation: quick structure, quick iteration, and fast alignment to picture, without pretending every user wants to become a full-time producer overnight. That last part is a personal reaction, not a spec sheet.

Training and upgrades

To celebrate the launch, Vegas Pro users can claim complimentary access to the Vegas Pro Essentials training series, a premium download normally priced at $49.95. The 22-part course includes more than three hours of instruction, with included footage, project files, and high-resolution lesson videos, and it is available until Friday, December 5, 2026.

Customers who own any previous version of Vegas Pro or Sound Forge can upgrade to the latest versions at a single, simplified price until Friday, December 5, 2026, via the webshop.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/vegas-pro/
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/sound-forge/
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/acid-pro/
https://borisfx.com/

The post Boris FX welcomes Vegas Pro first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: SynthEyes by Boris FX is a dedicated 3D camera tracking and matchmoving software used across film, VFX, and advertising production. It interfaces smoothly with Nuke, After Effects, Fusion and other DCC applications, delivering fast, precise solves for integration of CG into live action. Part of the Boris FX Suite, SynthEyes sits alongside tools such as Mocha Pro, Continuum, Sapphire, and Silhouette, forming a tightly integrated pipeline of visual effects and finishing plugins.

Free matchmove mastery – for a limited time

Boris FX has announced SynthEyes Essentials, a new training series designed to teach both the conceptual foundations and practical workflows of matchmoving in SynthEyes. The package, usually priced at USD 95, is available as a free premium download until 31 December 2025.

The offer includes over three hours of professional instruction, spread across eighteen videos, with accompanying project files and sample footage. The series is taught by Boris FX product specialist Christoph Zapletal, a long-time VFX artist and trainer – and Digital Production’s own Compositing, Flame and Star trek Author.

Topics include matchmove theory, camera solving, AI-assisted workflows, roto masking, lens distortion management, mesh generation, and object tracking. Boris FX positions the series as a comprehensive, concept-driven training rather than a feature-by-feature tutorial. If you want to learn what you are doing, and not just which button to press, this is the course for you.

What do you get?

Across eighteen lessons and twelve blocks, SynthEyes Essentials builds a structured learning path from theory to application. It starts with conceptual understanding, progresses through tracking, solving, calibration, and ends with practical export and integration workflows. Each block is designed to be modular, allowing artists to focus on specific parts of the matchmove process or follow the series sequentially for a full onboarding to SynthEyes.

Foundations and Core Concepts

The course opens with an Introduction and a clear explanation of the Underlying Concepts of matchmoving. These first lessons establish the theoretical foundation of what camera solving actually does, namely mapping 2D image data into a consistent 3D coordinate space. Christoph outlines how SynthEyes interprets motion, focal length, and parallax, giving artists a solid base before they begin working hands-on. This section sets the tone for the entire training: conceptual understanding first, tools second.

Tracking Workflows

Once the principles are clear, the series moves into practical tracking. Lessons on Automated Tracking and Supervised Tracking demonstrate SynthEyes’ two primary approaches to extracting tracking data. Automated tracking covers point generation and solving for shots that can be processed algorithmically. The supervised section focuses on when and how to step in manually: tuning track points, correcting drift, and controlling motion paths when the automated system struggles. Together, these chapters establish a complete understanding of tracking strategies for real production footage.

Solving and Refinement

The next stage is “The Solver Room”, where all the accumulated tracking data is converted into a working 3D solve. The solver section demonstrates how SynthEyes interprets the camera’s path and reconstructs the scene’s geometry. The training then introduces Roto Masking, showing how to isolate moving foreground elements or exclude unwanted regions from the tracking process. This not only improves accuracy but also keeps solves stable in complex or occluded shots.

Lens and Calibration

Zapletal then focuses on optical parameters in three consecutive chapters: Lens Distortion, Lens Calculation, and Lens Calibration. These lessons explain how real-world lenses introduce distortion, how SynthEyes models and compensates for it, and how to calculate or calibrate lenses from footage or reference data. This block is particularly useful for artists working with varying cameras or mixed-format source material, where lens data is inconsistent or missing.

Coordinate Systems and Scene Setup

The two lessons titled Coordinate Systems Part 1 and Part 2 explain how SynthEyes handles scene orientation, scale, and alignment. Understanding coordinate spaces is crucial when exporting solves to downstream 3D applications such as Nuke or Maya. These chapters ensure that solved data lines up correctly with CG scenes and compositing environments, avoiding scale and rotation mismatches in later stages of production.

Mesh Generation

The Mesh Generation Part 1 and 2 chapters explore SynthEyes’ built-in mesh tools. Artists learn how to create proxy geometry that helps verify solves, anchor objects in space, and visualise tracking quality. These lessons demonstrate both automated and manual mesh workflows, preparing users for typical use cases like ground plane setup or background modelling for compositing reference.

Object Tracking

Next, Object Tracking Part 1 and Part 2 move beyond camera solves to show how SynthEyes handles independent object motion. This section is key for shots with multiple moving elements—cars, props, or handheld devices. It explains how to isolate and track objects independently while maintaining a consistent world space between multiple solves.

Export and Integration

The final three chapters deal with transferring the finished solve to other applications. Zapletal demonstrates exporting cameras, point clouds, meshes, and nulls to standard 3D and compositing packages. Topics include export format choices, scaling conventions, and verification of data integrity. The course closes with best practices for integrating SynthEyes results into downstream VFX or editing pipelines.

Availability and next steps

Artists can download SynthEyes Essentials for free via the Boris FX webshop until the end of December 2025. From 1 January 2026, it will be priced at USD 95 for the premium download, though the videos will remain freely viewable on the Boris FX website. As with any training-based workflow adoption, users are advised to validate techniques and settings against their own production data before deploying in critical pipeline stages, but, after we have seen a few of the videos, this one will be useful for pretty much everybody.

The post SynthEyes Essentials Training is here and Free for the Holidays first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Silhouette has always been marketed as the tool for people who can’t escape roto. With Silhouette 2025.5, Boris FX has put machine learning helpers front and centre: object detection, face segmentation, and prompt-based masking join the node tree. The goal is simple: fewer clicks, more consistent mattes, and less time spent duplicating hand masks across 400 shots of the same jawline.

Silhouette 2025.5: Prompt it, mask it, propagate it

The Mask ML node now accepts natural language prompts. Type “car” or “tree” and Silhouette produces a mask. Type a longer description, and the AI will attempt a semantic search to find matching pixels.

Selected elements are added to an object list, which then feeds into Matte Assist ML. Instead of baking a single alpha, objects can be output as Cryptomatte data, letting artists toggle them on and off directly in Silhouette or export them for compositing in any other app with Cryptomatte support. This system is not just UI-driven: prompt-based masking is also scriptable, making it viable for automated pipelines. In theory, you could send hundreds of shots through a command-line batch, prompt them for “car,” and get consistent object mattes without opening the GUI. In practice, test before you trust it.

Faces in pieces

The new Face ML node detects and segments eyes, lips, mouth, and surrounding skin into separate mattes. Like Mask ML, it can output standard alpha channels or Cryptomatte data. This is meant for invisible beauty work: subtle retouches, clean-ups, and feature-by-feature adjustments without manual roto. The node delivers tracked mattes, meaning the eyelid follows the eye across frames without an assistant spending the weekend keyframing bezier handles.

SynthEyes inside Silhouette 2025.5

Perhaps the most significant addition: 3D camera solving powered by SynthEyes, now built directly into the 3D Scene node. Until now, Silhouette users imported camera solves from external trackers. With 2025.5, clicking “solve” runs a SynthEyes-based tracker on the footage, returning camera data, point clouds, and per-frame point tracks.

Once solved, users can create 3D cards from selected points, assign colours or labels, and then use unprojection/reprojection to paint or composite directly into stabilised views. The solved camera allows for matchmove paint strokes: work on the unprojected plate, then reapply strokes in the moving scene.

The system reports solve accuracy as average error in horizontal pixels. As a rule, anything under one pixel is usable. For example, an average error of 0.7165 px across 400+ frames is considered solid. The node also includes solver presets: nodal pans, locked shots, or full free-move.

To avoid bad data, Silhouette introduces an occlusion matte input. Feeding a mask into the node tells the tracker which areas to ignore (sea, sky, or other irrelevant regions). This can dramatically lower error values and concentrate tracking points on useful geometry. In short: no more hopping between Silhouette and external trackers for simple 3D cards and matchmove paint.

Nodes refreshed

Several existing nodes have been upgraded:

• Cryptomatte: Supports overlays on input images and selective matte activation directly in the viewer.
• Tracker: Gains an occlusion matte input and direct 3D integration, allowing the Point Tracker to generate a tracked layer from selected 3D points.
• Mask ML: Now outputs multiple objects via Cryptomatte, plus text-prompt detection.
• Matte Assist ML: Introduces compute caching for smooth playback without recomputation, and separate Cryptomatte outputs when multiple objects are present.

Machine learning gets faster

Three major AI nodes received new models and performance updates:

• Matte Assist ML: Object count raised from 16 to 48.
• Denoise ML: Adds “Better” and “Faster” v3.0 models optimised for compression+noise single images.
• UpRes ML: Gains NVIDIA RTX Video Super Resolution support on Windows. Updated v2.0 models ship in “Better” and “Faster” variants. All options process frame by frame for consistent results.

Combined with a new ML node caching system, playback of AI-driven mattes is significantly smoother in both standalone Silhouette and its plug-in form.

Workflows and scripting

Silhouette 2025.5 quietly upgrades scripting support. Prompt-based masking and AI mattes can be triggered via command line, enabling automated pipelines for large projects. For production facilities with centralised render farms, this makes AI masking a candidate for batch pre-processing before shots reach compositors.

Silhouette’s place in the toolbox

Silhouette remains Boris FX’s specialised roto, paint, and compositing package, the software you call when planar trackers and bezier masks stop being funny. Boris FX itself has been busy. Alongside Silhouette, the company maintains Mocha, Continuum, and Sapphire, a trinity of plug-ins already considered staples in post. With recent moves into audio tools as well, Boris FX is positioning itself as an unavoidable extension layer for almost every VFX and finishing pipeline.

The post Silhouette 2025.5: Roto With Prompts, Faces, and a Built-In SynthEyes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Boris FX has released Silhouette 2025, the latest version of its VFX, paint, and rotoscoping toolset. While still focused on high-end compositing and roto workflows, this release leans heavily into AI-based fixes and expanded 3D handling. Spoiler: yes, you can now import FBX and Alembic files.

3D Scene: Now in Three Dimensions

The new 3D Scene node lets artists import Alembic or FBX files, allowing cards to be placed in 3D space. Once imported, 3D tracks can be solved into a plane and cards positioned accordingly. Use these cards in the Transform node for insert shots, match moves, and stabilization. You can unproject images, paint or composite on them, and then reproject the results – paint strokes transform along with their associated cards, which you can also converted into roto layers. The viewer supports unprojection and stabilization directly using cards, and for when 2D is still enough: 3D trackers can be converted into traditional 2D point trackers.

PowerMesh Morph: Paint Organics Without Pain

Built around Mocha Pro’s PowerMesh tracking, PowerMesh Morph allows frame-to-frame morphing across warped or organically deforming surfaces. Artists can paint directly on undistorted footage and create morphs between painted keyframes. The Data output from Mocha Pro plugs directly into the PowerMesh Morph Data input, using sub-planar tracking data to drive the morph.

Matte Refine ML: Goodbye Hairy Edges

Matte Refine ML does what previously took hours of tedious work: it converts hard mattes into natural, soft-edged transitions with semi-transparency. Details like hair, fur, feathers, or any fine texture are preserved with minimal effort. As a bonus, it pairs well with Matte Assist ML to generate the initial hard matte before refinement.

Depth Map ML: One-Click Depth Control

Depth Map ML uses AI to instantly generate grayscale depth maps from a scene. The model offers two different AI types and built-in matte controls to refine the results. Once generated, the depth data can be used with other elements in the Depth node, or to drive blur and color corrections, or even to create mattes by isolating particular depth zones.

Compound Nodes: Group Hug for Your Graph

Compound Nodes combine multiple nodes into a single supernode with parameter grouping for easier management. Users can add, remove, or rename nodes and ports, hide unnecessary parameters, and publish the node group. The compound is stored externally and can be shared or reused across projects or systems. Your future self will thank you.

Updated Nodes: Sapphire, Mocha Pro & Particle Illusion

Silhouette 2025 integrates the 2025 editions of Boris FX’s sibling tools:

• Sapphire includes a new VHS Damage effect, cinematic lens flares, and curated presets.
• Mocha Pro adds two new AI-based masking/tracking tools, improves 3D camera solving, and makes data export less of a ritual.
• Particle Illusion supports repeatable 3D particle animations and now allows copying/pasting gradients and sprites, because repetitive clicks don’t make effects better.

Price and Availability

Pricing for Silhouette 2025 is available on the official Boris FX site.

Rentals start at 40€ per Month for AE/Resolve/Premiere/Nuke, whereas the Standalone version is at 65€

And as one of the few ones, there is still a perpetual standalone available! For just €1940, you can own a perpetual Licence! And you don’t have to give it back someday!

One Last Thing

Silhouette 2025 is clearly expanding its toolkit into 3D-aware workflows and AI-supported fixes. But as always: exciting features are one thing, actual stability and usability in pipeline conditions are another. Test thoroughly before rolling anything out in production. And maybe don’t trust the machine learning with grandma’s wedding footage.

The post Silhouette 2025 Features: Compound Nodes, Matte Refine, and More first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Boris FX has rolled out Silhouette 2024.5, a significant update to its compositing software, particularly for roto and paint tasks. The primary focus of this release is the introduction of machine learning (ML) tools that streamline rotoscoping. These tools help users track and isolate objects within complex scenes faster than before. According to the manufacturer, this enhancement can significantly reduce manual frame-by-frame work, which is traditionally time-consuming. Artists can now automate much of the repetitive processes involved in object masking and tracking.

The new update also includes ML-based paint tools. These tools assist in automating clean-up tasks, such as wire removal or dust cleanup, which typically require pixel-perfect adjustments. While these features can potentially speed up workflows, Boris FX advises that every update should be thoroughly tested before integrating it into active projects, especially for high-stakes post-production work.

Enhanced Workflow Integration

Silhouette 2024.5 is optimized for integration with other industry-standard tools, such as Adobe After Effects, Nuke, and Flame, which many users already rely on for their compositing and finishing work. The ML roto and paint tools are designed to work seamlessly with existing tracking and masking workflows in these applications. For example, the AI Roto feature allows you to transfer ML-generated roto shapes to other software, preserving keyframe data and minimizing workflow disruptions. This cross-platform compatibility ensures that VFX professionals using Silhouette in larger pipelines won’t experience significant downtime when incorporating the new tools into their work.

Additionally, the software includes an updated GPU acceleration feature. This aims to reduce rendering times when using high-resolution footage and complex effects. Users who work with 4K or higher footage will likely notice an improvement in performance, although system-specific factors like hardware configuration will naturally play a role in how noticeable the difference is.

Paint Tools and Automation

The ML paint tools offer automation for clean-up tasks. Traditional paint methods involve manually painting over imperfections in multiple frames, requiring tedious adjustments to ensure continuity. The ML-based paint tools aim to reduce this by learning from user inputs, automating repetitive tasks like dust busting, rig removal, and blemish correction. These tools are not infallible, so users may still need to perform some manual adjustments, but the overall workflow could be faster.

One key addition is the enhanced frame-interpolation tool, which allows you to fill in gaps between frames more effectively, reducing the time needed for hand-animated sequences or clean-up jobs. This feature could be particularly beneficial for artists working on projects with tight deadlines, though Boris FX recommends that results be closely reviewed before finalizing any scene.

Price and Licensing Model

Silhouette 2024.5 is available as part of Boris FX’s annual subscription model. Existing users can upgrade at a reduced rate, while new users will need to purchase a full subscription. There’s also an option for a perpetual license, but it’s significantly more expensive. As usual, the pricing varies depending on the specific features and support options you select. Boris FX provides tiered subscription plans, including options for single users, small studios, and enterprise-level customers.

For further details, visit the Boris FX website and check out the Silhouette 2024.5 product documentation.

The post Boris FX Updates Silhouette to 2024.5 with New Machine Learning Features first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.