Lost Marble’s Moho 14.4 update, charmingly titled “Side Quest,” arrives as a free upgrade for all Moho 14 owners. It’s more than a maintenance patch, it’s an expansion that connects 2D animation workflows to 3D pipelines and game engines via native glTF/GLB export.

The new exporter allows animators to bring Moho rigs, skeletons, and animation directly into Unreal Engine, Unity, or Godot, as well as 3D applications such as Blender. For production artists juggling both dimensions, this means Moho’s bone-based 2D animation can now live inside fully interactive environments without tedious conversion work.

The glTF Portal

At the centre of the Side Quest update lies the new glTF/GLB exporter. It preserves key rigging data such as bones, mainline animation, Smart Bones, Dynamic Bones, and Actions and transforms them into reusable animation clips ready for playback inside real-time engines. Each Action created in Moho, such as walk, jump or idle, is saved into the glTF file as independent animation data, making it possible to drive game character behaviour through player input.

Smart Bones, Moho’s custom rigging controls that manipulate complex deformations, now translate into Morph Targets (also known as Shape Keys) on export. This mapping ensures expressive deformations, like mouth shapes or limb warps, survive the jump into 3D software. Lost Marble notes that while not all Moho features are supported by glTF, the exporter retains the most essential rigging and animation data for cross-environment use.

Smart Bones Go 360°

Beyond the export layer, Moho 14.4 introduces a new 360° Smart Bone type. If a bone rotation reaches exactly 360 degrees, Moho automatically identifies it as a full-rotation Smart Bone, enabling artists to control the appearance of artwork at any viewing angle. That means animators can now smoothly rotate limbs, faces, or even entire character poses around a full turn, which is ideal for complex movements such as spins or walk cycles that require full rotational control.

Particles Behaving Better

Particle simulation sees a notable upgrade. Particles can now follow curve-based source layers, creating organic arrangements such as hair strands, tentacles, or tails. A new playback offset lets artists stagger particle timing to produce natural wave-like motion. Distribution has been improved to eliminate uneven gaps, and Moho now allows particle interpolation at variable frame intervals (1s, 2s, 3s, or custom) supporting both traditional and stylised timing.

Workflow Polishing and Quality-of-Life Fixes

The Side Quest update doesn’t stop at headline features. Lost Marble has tweaked dozens of small but significant details that make day-to-day work smoother. Freehand strokes are now more stable and visually consistent, with an improved smoothing algorithm and consolidated undo steps for pen input. Layer caching has been refined, reducing redraw lag when editing complex scenes. Vector layers now cache even when influenced by bones, and timeline zoom levels persist between sessions. Layer selection, particle rendering on macOS, and PSD import behaviour have all been cleaned up. Undo behaviour, motion blur logic, and bone visibility in Vitruvian rigs have been refined, while Moho’s scripting API gains new Lua functions for developers. New device presets have also been added for TourBox and Xencelabs Quick Keys, expanding the software’s hardware compatibility out of the box.

Styling, Simplified

A small but welcome improvement: users can now create a new Style directly from an existing shape. Instead of defining styles before drawing, artists can select any shape and automatically group others sharing its visual properties like fill, line, width, and brush. This makes it trivial to recolour or globally adjust line attributes across entire characters, without manual layer-hunting.

A Long List of Fixes, and a Few Quiet Triumphs

The update also addresses long-standing quirks such as accidental timeline drags, over-sensitive pen inputs, and incorrect particle rendering on macOS. Multi-threaded rendering now supports higher resolutions, and Liquid Shapes gain an obscure but potentially life-saving correction script.

These aren’t glamorous additions, but for working animators, stability improvements often matter more than new toys and Lost Marble’s changelog reads like a response to real production feedback.

Pricing and Availability

Moho Pro 14 retails for USD $399.99, and Moho Debut 14 for USD $59.99. The Side Quest 14.4 update is free for all Moho 14 owners, available now through the Lost Marble website or via Moho’s in-app update check. As always, users should verify compatibility within their specific production pipelines before deploying it in live projects.

Lost Marble Official Announcement: Moho 14.4 Side Quest

The post Moho 14.4 Goes on a Side Quest: 2D Meets Game Engines first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Faceform has shipped Wrap 2025.9 and Wrap4D 2025.9. Both applications update monthly, and the September builds are now available. Pricing remains unchanged: Wrap subscriptions start at $50/month or $360/year, while Wrap4D is available at $90/month or $600/year.

Both tools are widely used for 3D scan processing. Wrap targets single-frame retopology and scan alignment, while Wrap4D extends the process to temporal data such as performance capture. The new releases focus more on bug fixes, interface tweaks, and incremental improvements than on large new features.

Wrap 2025.9: quicker, lighter, more predictable

The Wrap 2025.9 changelog shows that the main addition is a Viewport panel. This panel displays the UV map of any geometry node directly in the application, allowing artists to verify unwraps without exporting to an external DCC. Another significant change is the option for Instant Project Open. By enabling this in the preferences, heavy compute nodes are disabled when loading a project. This reduces startup time for large projects. Nodes can then be selectively re-enabled when needed, giving artists more control over system resources.

The timeline has gained new playback shortcuts, with . and , keys for forward and backward playback and additional modifiers for fine control. Artists can also adjust the timeline range to match the selection of nodes with a single command, or modify playback frame rate with a dedicated shortcut. Python scripting stability has been improved. Recursive crashes in the nodeParamValue function have been fixed, scripts now properly update when nodes are renamed, and errors caused by re-running identical scripts with different results have been addressed.

In the Node Graph, lazy evaluation has been introduced. Nodes are not computed until they are actively needed, whether selected, displayed, or designated as save nodes. This prevents unnecessary computation and improves responsiveness in large graphs. Nodes with 2D image outputs can also be pinned for persistent viewing in the 2D viewport. A new colour copy function allows node colours to be quickly cloned across the graph, which can aid complex project organisation.

Drag-and-drop behaviour has been refined. Multiple files dropped simultaneously will now generate multiple nodes, making it easier to set up geometry and textures together. JSON and TXT files can be dropped to spawn loader nodes such as LoadCamera or LoadVertexMask. Shortcuts allow timeline or frame-rate adjustments during file import.

The panel system has been overhauled. Layouts can now be saved as presets, recalled later, and mirrored or re-oriented with new commands. A new Playback panel joins the UV viewport, and tab insertion has been made more predictable. Overall, Wrap 2025.9 is less about big new features than about making existing workflows lighter and more predictable.

Wrap4D 2025.9: the heavy-duty update

While Wrap gains convenience tools, Wrap4D 2025.9 receives the larger changelog. The only truly new node is ConvertNormalMap, which transfers normal maps between world and tangent space. This is a small but useful addition for pipelines that move assets between DCCs and game engines, where mismatched tangent bases often cause shading artefacts. The timeline system has gained new playback and adjustment commands, mirroring Wrap, but also allows adjusting FPS for video input nodes directly. This gives finer control when working with frame sequences from different capture devices.

The Node Graph benefits from lazy evaluation, reducing unnecessary computation in complex setups. A new pinning feature allows any node with image outputs to be displayed persistently in the 2D viewport. Error reporting has been refined: users can now select the exact error source by clicking icons in the graph. Colour coding has been made easier with a copy-and-apply system for node colours, and node grouping behaviour has been stabilised, fixing issues where moving nodes too quickly caused errors.

Python scripting is more reliable. A new interpretPath function translates path variables to absolute values, making project scripts more portable across machines. Fixes include proper handling of renamed nodes, consistent recomputation when rerunning scripts, and corrected variable cleanup. The user interface gains the same Viewport UV panel as Wrap, plus a multiple-input reorder widget in the node editor. Instant Project Open is also available here, letting artists delay heavy computations until needed. Texture previews in the 3D and 2D viewports no longer suffer from half-pixel offsets, and colour pasting now respects linear values when importing hex codes.

File handling is more flexible. Dropping multiple files spawns multiple nodes, while JSON and TXT files generate appropriate loader nodes. Shortcuts for adjusting FPS or timeline values are available during import. Gallery nodes now spawn within viewport bounds instead of off-screen, and group resizing has been corrected. Panel management has been expanded. Users can save and recall custom layouts, mirror panel arrangements, and insert tabs more precisely. Two new panels, UV and Playback, extend monitoring options.

The command line now supports a -t flag that prints the computation time for each node, sorted and expressed as percentages, which helps to identify bottlenecks. A -w flag prints absolute file paths written to disk. Return codes on computation failure have been corrected, timestamps in verbose mode are accurate, and crash conditions in WrapServer have been resolved.

Batch processing via the Rush GUI now tracks selected projects correctly and respects project priorities. The gallery assets have also been adjusted to anatomical scales, with eyeballs corrected to 24.3 mm and iris loops updated to 12 mm, eliminating previous inconsistencies in facial rigging setups.

Node refinements everywhere

Wrap4D 2025.9 makes dozens of small node-level adjustments. The Brush and VertexMask nodes now inherit wireframe and display settings from their inputs, reducing duplication. The ImageFacialWrapping node gains illumination control parameters and separate semantic weights for lips, eyes, and other regions, giving finer control of fit. The LoadImage node now supports RAW formats including Sony ARW and DNG. MergeImage gains Subtract and Divide blend modes, while its visual editor now shows image borders for debugging.

Camera behaviour has been corrected, preventing crashes when switching to invalid reference images, and fitting to view is now reliable even with hidden geometries. ExtrapolateImage introduces a new push-pull method. BlendRigToGeom adds a blending type parameter, letting users choose between fast or precise computation. FitBlendRig handles empty control strings more gracefully and now reports symmetry errors explicitly. FixSymmetry applies transforms correctly to input geometry, while the LoadBlendRig and corrective rig nodes fix duplicate naming and corrective loading errors.

SelectPolygons now supports direct keyboard shortcuts for grow and shrink operations, speeding up selection tasks. SelectPoints and SelectSmallComponents both receive reliability fixes, while ScreenPointsToImage now sorts points correctly when drawing. Additional refinements include support for two-channel images treated as colour plus alpha, corrected MSAA handling in Render, proper linearisation in TextImage, and crash fixes across many nodes. The PointDetector node now accepts optional initial target points to guide detection, and LoadFrameFromVideo no longer confuses file paths when aborted mid-operation.

Incremental but valuable

Neither Wrap 2025.9 nor Wrap4D 2025.9 introduces sweeping new features. Instead, Faceform has delivered dozens of corrections and small refinements that directly target reliability in production use. For facilities processing large batches of scans or capture data, reduced crash frequency and faster project opening may prove as valuable as new headline tools.

Test before you trust

As always, Faceform’s documentation lists what should now work, not what will always work. Production artists are advised to test thoroughly in non-critical contexts before deploying them in live pipelines.

The post Wrap 2025.9 and Wrap4D 2025.9: Faceform updates first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Topaz Labs confirmed that from 3 October 2025, its software will no longer be sold under perpetual licences. Current perpetual customers keep their licences, but no new perpetual purchases will be possible after this date. Products affected are Topaz Gigapixel, Topaz Photo, and Topaz Video (formerly Gigapixel AI, Photo AI, and Video AI). Until the October deadline, perpetual licences remain available at $99, $199, and $299 respectively.

Subscriptions only

After the deadline, the only way to access future versions is via subscription. Topaz calls out “founding customers” with active upgrade plans. They will receive discounts on Studio subscriptions and additional access privileges. The company has not specified the size of the discounts.
Pricing announced:

• Topaz Gigapixel: $29/month or $149/year, Pro plan $499/year
• Topaz Photo: $39/month or $199/year, Pro plan $599/year
• Topaz Video: $59/month or $299/year, Pro plan $699/year

The shift mirrors the launch of Topaz Studio, a subscription-only bundle that combines all three applications.

What Studio brings

According to the official Topaz Labs forum statement, Studio includes seven products and access to over 100 AI models. Local and cloud-based image processing is bundled without extra cost. New AI models debuting inside Studio include Wonder, Standard MAX, Starlight Sharp, and Nyx XL. Models in development include Face Realism, Subject Preservation, and Mosaic.

What this means in production

For postproduction artists, the switch means one-off investments are replaced by recurring costs. Existing perpetual licences continue to function, but users will need a subscription for updates and new features.

The post Topaz drops perpetual licences, bets on subscriptions with Studio launch first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The September 2025 update of Adobe Photoshop (version 26.11) is modest in scope but introduces a structural change: cross-app cloud projects. Alongside that, Adobe has added Firefly asset import and vector rendering for CJK text. The typography and Firefly updates are clear feature upgrades. The cloud projects, however, touch the way teams manage and share assets across applications.

From Libraries to Projects: what changed?

Creative Cloud has offered “Libraries” for years: shared collections of colours, brushes, symbols, and logos. Libraries are lightweight, designed to pass assets around quickly. But they do not handle project-level structure or permissions.

Photoshop 26.11 introduces cloud projects as containers for multiple file types and assets across Illustrator, Photoshop, and Adobe Express. Unlike Libraries, cloud projects can: Group full files (not just swatches or elements) into a single unit. They also can Assign user roles: editors can change content, while commenters can only review and annotate. So to Keep project-wide organisation, rather than loose collections of items.

In essence, a cloud project is Adobe’s attempt at a collaborative folder, integrated directly into Creative Cloud apps.

Collaboration: practical gains and limits

For freelancers and small studios, cloud projects could simplify version control. Instead of shuttling Illustrator vectors, Photoshop comps, and Express exports back and forth via email or cloud drives, everything lives in one Adobe-managed container.

For larger pipelines, the situation is less straightforward. Many VFX, post, and design studios already rely on dedicated asset management (ShotGrid, ftrack, or in-house DAMs). These systems support pathing, metadata, and automation in ways Creative Cloud has historically struggled with.

Questions remain open:

• How are conflicts handled if two editors open the same file?
• Does Adobe keep a file history or only the latest save?
• How are large binary files (e.g. layered PSDs >1 GB) treated inside projects?

Adobe has not provided detailed technical documentation on these points. Until clarified, projects should be considered convenience features rather than replacements for established pipeline tools.

Permissions: useful, but basic

Role-based access in cloud projects is limited to two tiers: edit and comment. Unlike enterprise DAM systems, there is no granular control over layers, linked assets, or export rights. For example, a user with “comment” rights cannot modify a PSD, but they can still see full-resolution assets. This may raise concerns in projects with strict confidentiality requirements. For teams needing more controlled distribution (for instance, advertising agencies under NDA), traditional controlled file-sharing may remain preferable.

The Firefly angle

The new Firefly integration is deliberately narrow. Firefly-generated images can be imported into Photoshop for refinement, but Firefly remains a standalone app. Edits are non-destructive, meaning the Firefly original is preserved while Photoshop creates a modified copy. This workflow may fit well with cloud projects. Teams could keep Firefly outputs and Photoshop refinements in the same shared project container, reducing file duplication across drives and emails. Still, without in-app generation, the workflow remains split across two applications.

CJK text: better previews, fewer headaches

Typography in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK) has long been one of Photoshop’s weaker areas. Raster-based previews made text appear jagged and inconsistent, especially when shared across machines. Photoshop 26.11 replaces this with vector-based rendering. On-screen previews should now match Illustrator’s fidelity, giving artists sharper results and reducing misalignment in multilingual layouts. In cloud projects, where documents may be passed between different Creative Cloud versions, this could cut down on errors.

Adoption strategy: cautious roll-out

Photoshop 26.11 is available via Creative Cloud subscriptions at no extra cost. Version rollout may vary by OS and region. For individual users, cloud projects and Firefly import may improve daily efficiency. For studios, adoption should be cautious. Cross-app projects may not play well with custom pipeline scripts or local render automation.

As always: test before deploying to production.

The post Photoshop 26.11: Firefly hops in, CJK text sharpens up first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Kyno has returned with version 1.9, the first significant update in years. Now under the ownership of Signiant, the software shows that one of the most practical video workflow tools is still maintained.

Apple Silicon done properly

The most obvious change is support for Apple Silicon processors. Kyno now runs natively on M1 and M2 hardware, avoiding the translation overhead of Rosetta. However, users must download the dedicated installer from the vendor’s site, since the auto-updater still delivers only the Intel build.

A darker, sharper interface

The update also refreshes the interface. Kyno now uses a darker look with higher contrast in selection colours, a larger system font for better readability, and smoother scrolling on macOS. Buttons have moved: the drilldown function is now placed in the general toolbar, while activity progress is linked directly from the status bar. These are minor shifts, but they help when navigating large collections of footage under time pressure.

Staying current with RAW

For camera workflows, the Blackmagic RAW and RED RAW SDKs have been updated to match the latest camera models and firmware. For editors and DITs handling recent cameras, this alone makes the update worth considering.

Metadata and shared storage

The new release introduces volume settings that allow users to store technical metadata and thumbnails directly within a shared file system. Indexing behaviour can now be optimised for shared storage environments, which should reduce inconsistencies when multiple workstations access the same material.

Background analysis and smarter proxies

Pre-analysis of media now runs in the background without blocking the interface. Proxy workflows gain smarter presets that automatically create batches of proxies with scaling. For teams managing large projects, these refinements mean fewer interruptions and more predictable file handling.

Small details that matter

Some changes are less visible but still useful. A new context action, “Show in Enclosing Folder,” helps locate media quickly when working in drilldown mode. The refresh button has been improved; holding Shift while clicking forces a hard refresh, useful if the interface shows inconsistent file states. These small adjustments address long-standing workflow irritations. Not all features survived the update. Integration with Frame.io and Archiware P5 has been removed.

Fixes and maintenance

Security updates and a series of bug fixes round off the release. Copy-paste shortcuts work again, macOS users can now send to Adobe Premiere Pro 2025 without issue, and Windows users benefit from a more reliable update installer. Stability fixes cover problems ranging from broken keyboard shortcuts to folders being incorrectly marked as offline after macOS upgrades.

Still a favourite, cautiously

Kyno remains a favourite among professionals for previewing, transcoding and metadata management. Version 1.9 is no revolution, but it proves the tool is alive and slowly evolving. For users who have invested in Kyno as part of their daily workflow, that alone is significant.

We will be speaking with the developers at IBC and will report back on their plans for the software. Until then, consider this release a maintenance update with a few useful surprises. As always, test before deploying in production.

The post Kyno Update: Still Alive, Still Useful first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Hold onto your UV islands, folks! The latest major update to Sergey Tyapkin’s professional UV creation toolkit for Blender has arrived, featuring new functionality, resolved issues, and full compatibility with Blender 4.4, all designed to enhance your workflow and make it more enjoyable.

ouch Tool: Get Hands-On with Your UVs

The standout addition to Zen UV is the Touch Tool, a flexible UV transformation tool that offers fast and intuitive control for moving, scaling, and rotating UV islands within the UV Editor, capable of both simple and complex transformations.

Auto Unwrap: Unwrapping Made Effortless

Zen UV 5.0 introduces a new Auto Unwrap operator that represents a bridge between the Ministry of Flat Auto Unwrap application and the Zen Sync operator, which switches UV Sync Selection while keeping the selection between modes.

Zen Sync: Seamless Selection Switching

The new Zen Sync operator allows for switching UV Sync Selection while keeping the selection between modes, streamlining the workflow.

Enhanced Selection Operators: Precision at Your Fingertips

The Select operators have been updated with Select Faces By Normal, Filter Islands by Property, Select Self-Intersecting Faces, and Select Stretched Faces, providing more control over the selection process. Zen UV 5.0 introduces a Minimum Stretch algorithm for operators using the native Unwrap, improving the unwrapping process.

Quadrify Operator: Seamlessly Improved

The algorithm for marking seams in the Quadrify operator has been improved, with seams now being added only to the processed island rather than the entire mesh, enhancing efficiency.

Zen UV 5.0 is fully compatible with Blender 4.4, ensuring a seamless integration into your current workflow. For a detailed overview of all the new features and improvements, check out the official release notes. To experience these enhancements firsthand, purchase Zen UV 5.0 here.

Remember, while these new features are designed to enhance your workflow, it’s always prudent to verify their compatibility with your current projects before diving in headfirst. Happy unwrapping!

The post Zen UV 5.0: Unwrapping the Future of UV Mapping in Blender first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The latest release of Plasticity, affectionately dubbed “CAD for Artists” has arrived with version 25.1, bringing a host of features designed to make your modeling experience as smooth as a perfectly beveled edge.

New Commands: CV Sliding and Section Analysis

Plasticity 25.1 introduces two new commands to its toolkit. The CV Sliding on Curves and Solids command allows for precise adjustments during modeling, ensuring your creations are as accurate as your morning coffee’s pour. Meanwhile, the Section Analysis feature enables users to slice through their 3D models, revealing internal structures without the mess—think of it as a virtual autopsy for your designs.

Modeling Enhancements: Square Command and xNURBS Additions

The update doesn’t stop there. Enhancements to the Square Command and other features have been implemented, along with two new xNURBS additions. These include the use of adjacent trimmed edges for smoother transitions and the ability to adjust surface curvature tension, akin to tools found in Lofting and Bridging workflows. It’s like giving your model a spa day, smoothing out all those rough edges.

UI Overhaul: A Modern Makeover

In an effort to keep things fresh, Plasticity 25.1 boasts a modern, streamlined user interface. While preserving key functional elements from previous versions, features are now more intuitively organized and come with new icons to improve usability and workflow efficiency. It’s like rearranging your workspace—if your workspace also got a sleek new paint job.

For a detailed breakdown of all the changes, you can peruse the release notes here.

As with any new tool or feature, it’s advisable to thoroughly test these innovations before integrating them into your current projects. After all, even the most promising updates can have unexpected quirks.

For more information and to download the latest version, visit the official Plasticity website.

The post Plasticity 25.1: Slicing Through Models and Streamlining Workflows first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Adobe has stirred the pot once more with the release of Substance 3D Sampler 5.0, adding a generous dash of new features to its already robust 3D material authoring and capture software.

Path Tracing in the 3D Viewport

The headline feature in this update is the introduction of path tracing within the 3D viewport. This advanced rendering technique allows artists to preview materials with greater accuracy, faithfully replicating properties such as coating, sheen, translucency, and subsurface scattering. The result? What you see is much closer to what you’ll get in the final render, reducing the guesswork and iterative tweaking.

Integration with HP’s Z Captis Material Scanner

For those with Enterprise and Teams subscriptions, Substance 3D Sampler 5.0 now offers native support for HP’s Z Captis material scanner. This integration streamlines the process of capturing real-world materials, enabling users to initiate scans directly from within the software. The captured data is automatically processed into PBR (Physically Based Rendering) channels, ready for immediate use in your projects. It’s like having a magic wand that transforms physical textures into digital assets.

Adobe Standard Material Support and Workflow Enhancements

In a move to promote consistency across applications, the update includes support for the Adobe Standard Material shader when exporting USD (Universal Scene Description) files. This ensures that materials maintain their appearance across different platforms and tools, reducing the need for tedious adjustments.

Additionally, the 3D Viewport has been enhanced with options to display shadows and reflections on the ground plane, along with a grid to indicate the scene’s origin. These visual aids provide better context during the material creation process, making it easier to position and evaluate assets.

Quick Actions and Redesigned Homepage

To further enhance usability, Adobe has introduced ‘Quick Actions’—presets that automatically populate the layer stack for common workflows. This feature accelerates the material creation process, allowing artists to jump-start their projects with predefined settings.

Pricing and Availability

Substance 3D Sampler 5.0 is available via subscription. Individual plans are offered through the Substance 3D Texturing subscription, currently priced at $19.99 per month or $219.88 per year, and the Substance 3D Collection subscription at $49.99 per month or $549.88 per year. The Linux version is accessible through the Creative Cloud for Teams subscription, priced at $1,199.88 annually.

Adobe has announced that, effective March 25, 2025, subscription prices for Substance 3D products will increase. The Substance 3D Texturing plan, which includes Substance 3D Designer, Painter, and Sampler, will rise from $19.99 to $24.99 per month, or from $219.88 to $249.88 annually. The Substance 3D Collection plan, encompassing all applications, will increase from $49.99 to $59.99 monthly, or from $549.88 to $599.88 per year. For teams, the annual subscription will go up from $1,199.88 to $1,439.88. Adobe cites continuous feature updates and product innovation as reasons for these adjustments.

As with any new software release, it’s prudent to thoroughly test these features within your existing workflow before deploying them in live projects. After all, even the most appetizing dishes benefit from a taste test before being served.

The post Adobe’s Substance 3D Sampler 5.0: Now with Path Tracing first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Hold onto your graphics tablets, folks—Blender 4.4 has officially entered beta as of February 6, 2025. The development team is now focusing solely on bug fixes, while Blender 4.5 development kicks off. This beta phase invites users to test the new features and provide feedback to ensure a polished final release.

A Familiar Face on the Splash Screen

Upon launching Blender 4.4, users are greeted by a new splash screen featuring the protagonist from the Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe-winning animated film Flow, created entirely with Blender. Director Gints Zilbalodis recently shared insights into his Blender experience, discussing his solo approach to lighting and rendering for Flow.

https://twitter.com/gintszilbalodis/status/1887201020452765741?mx=2

Animation Gets Organized with Slotted Actions

In the realm of animation and rigging, Blender 4.4 introduces Slotted Actions. This feature allows animators to store animations of multiple entities within the same Action, streamlining the management of complex scenes.

Compositor Enhancements: A Clearer Glare

The Compositor has received significant updates, notably a complete overhaul of the Glare node. These improvements aim to provide more control and better results in post-production workflows.

Grease Pencil and Geometry Nodes: More Power to the Pencil

Grease Pencil continues to evolve, with updates enhancing its functionality for 2D animation within the 3D environment. Geometry Nodes have also seen advancements, offering more flexibility for procedural modeling tasks.

Get Involved: Test and Provide Feedback

Blender 4.4 is in beta until March 12, 2025. Users are encouraged to download the beta version and test the new features, reporting any issues or feedback to help refine the final release. As always, it’s wise to thoroughly test new tools before integrating them into production projects.

For a detailed overview of the new features and to download the beta, visit the official Blender website. Stay tuned for more updates as Blender continues to push the boundaries of open-source 3D creation.

Note: All features mentioned are sourced directly from the official Blender 4.4 beta release nptes.

The post Blender 4.4 Beta Makes a Splash first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Adobe has released Substance 3D Modeler 1.19.0, bringing a suite of features aimed at streamlining the 3D modeling process. Let’s dive into the highlights of this release.

Project Assets Workflow

In the new Export mode, users can now define one or more objects in their scene as an “Asset” to remember export settings. This enhancement allows for tracking multiple sets of export settings within a single scene, simplifying the process of iterating and re-exporting individual objects without constantly revisiting export settings. Additionally, during export, users can determine the polycount by a percentage instead of an explicit number, helping to maintain a consistent polygon density while continuing to revise an asset in ways that could drastically change the desired export polycount. Use the Polycount by selector to switch between Percent or Count.

Shell Parameter for Primitives

The update introduces a Shell parameter to primitives, enabling artists to make the primitive shape hollow. If Shell is set to a non-zero value, the visualization lines on the primitive will show the effect when the primitive is selected; however, the results will only be visible after converting the primitive to clay. This feature is particularly useful for those looking to design objects that require internal cavities without the hassle of manual hollowing.

Adaptive Subdivision in Mesh to Clay

The Mesh to Clay function now employs adaptive subdivision, subdividing only the areas necessary to achieve a specified clay resolution. This improvement ensures that models maintain detail where needed while optimizing performance by reducing unnecessary complexity in less critical areas.

VR Camera Preview Enhancements

For those working in virtual reality, the VR camera previews have been refined to exclude non-physical objects, such as gizmos. This change provides a clearer and more accurate representation of the scene, enhancing the VR modeling experience. For a comprehensive list of new features and improvements in Substance 3D Modeler 1.19.0, visit Adobe’s official release notes. As always, it’s advisable to thoroughly test new features before integrating them into critical projects to ensure they meet your workflow requirements.

Unmetered Assets?

In addition to these updates, Adobe has announced that Substance 3D subscribers now have unmetered access to the Substance 3D Assets library. This change grants users unlimited downloads of over 19,000 materials, 3D models, and HDR lights, eliminating the previous system of download points and monthly limits. This enhancement is available to all subscribers, including those on Substance 3D Texturing and Substance 3D Collection plans, as well as students who receive the content for free. The assets can be accessed through the Substance 3D Assets web portal or directly within Substance 3D Painter.

The post Substance 3D Modeler 1.19: Hollow Shells and Asset Management first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

If your digital eyes have been feeling a little lifeless lately, Tiny Eye 1.3 has your back—or rather, your pupils. The latest update adds 20 new presets, each designed to expand your creative toolkit for real-time graphics and VFX workflows. These presets focus on enhancing realism and variety in eye design, ensuring that characters in your CGI and VFX projects are as expressive as they are eerie.

Tiny Eye, known for its focus on real-time rendering, continues to cater to artists working in fast-paced environments. With the 1.3 update, these 20 new presets simplify eye design without sacrificing flexibility. Whether you’re creating photorealistic human characters, stylized creatures, or downright otherworldly beings, the new presets aim to save time while delivering high-quality results.

For those unfamiliar, Tiny Eye is a dedicated free tool for crafting and tweaking eyes in CGI, popular in both game development and film post-production. Its compatibility with real-time workflows makes it particularly useful for projects requiring rapid iterations. However, as with all emerging updates, it’s best to test these new features in your pipeline before committing them to production-grade projects—because no one needs a buggy eyeball staring them down in the final render.

While Tiny Eye’s latest batch of presets certainly adds to its appeal, remember: new tools, no matter how shiny (or in this case, glossy), need thorough evaluation before adoption. For production artists, stability and usability are king. After all, the best eyeballs are the ones that don’t blink in the face of a deadline.
To explore the full range of presets, visit the official Tiny Eye 1.3 update page.

The post 20 New Presets for Tiny Eye 1.3: Eyes Wide Open first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The mobile video editing tool LumaFusion has introduced two interesting functions with its latest update 5.0: Speed Ramping and Improved Keyframing. Speed Ramping enables smooth adjustment of video speed within a clip, while enhanced keyframing offers more precise control over animations and effects.

Speed ramping is a technique that is widely used in video production and allows you to seamlessly integrate speed changes within a clip. This feature allows you to emphasise certain moments or create dramatic effects by dynamically adjusting the speed. LumaFusion now offers the ability to set speed control points directly in the timeline and smooth the transition between different speeds. This eliminates the need for third-party software and keeps the editing process entirely within one application.

Another key feature of the update is the improved keyframing. Keyframing is a fundamental technique for creating animations and controlling the movement or transformation of clips over time. With the new version of LumaFusion, artists can now set more precise keyframes and fine-tune their movements. This allows more precise control over the position, scale, rotation and transparency of clips. These improvements make complex animations and movements easier, which is particularly helpful when creating effects and transitions.

In addition to speed ramping and keyframing enhancements, LumaFusion now supports a wider range of file formats. In addition to common formats such as MP4 and MOV, ProRes files can now also be imported and edited. ProRes, a high-quality format known for its balance between image quality and file size, is primarily used in professional film production. This extended format support allows you to create projects in LumaFusion that were previously only realisable on desktop software.

In addition to these main functions, the update contains further improvements in the area of audio editing. New audio keyframing options and a more detailed waveform view give you more precise control over the soundtrack of your projects. These improvements are particularly useful when it comes to seamlessly synchronising audio effects and music with visual effects.

As with all software updates, it is recommended that you try out the new features in test projects first to ensure that they work reliably and meet the specific requirements of your workflow.

Pricing and licensing model

LumaFusion is available in the App Store as a **one-time purchase **. For a one-off fee of currently around 30 euros, you get access to all the basic functions of the app, including future updates such as the current one. There are no monthly subscription fees, which makes LumaFusion particularly attractive for artists and filmmakers looking for a cost-effective solution for mobile video editing. Additional in-app purchases, such as special effects and extensions, are also available and can further extend the app’s functionality.

Further details on the latest features can be found on the official LumaFusion website .

The post LumaFusion 5: New features for mobile video editing first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

There are features in Blender that users have been waiting decades for. Light linking is one of them, even if users of other programmes find it hard to believe. For Blender users, however, this really is a new feature that Cycles has been given. We want to try it out together with the particle system from Simulation Nodes, which we built in issue 23:04|05. But first we’ll add another new feature to Blender 4.0, namely the ability to connect points with curves. The result adorns the cover of this issue.

No longer quite (so) tight

First download the result of the simulation nodes workshop and open the file – is.gd/simstrings. If you start the animation with the space bar, you will notice how close together the particles are. A tube is to be laid through each of these particles later, which would only result in a lump with this quantity. Therefore, first reduce the density in the modifier panel to 100.

The seed has to go

The particles are now much less dense. So that we can make threads out of them later, they should not appear randomly on the surface of the object, but always in the same place. This allows us to create a thread-like look even without the conversion to curves. Go to the geometry node workspace and make sure that the “Fire Particle System” node tree is open in the geometry node editor. Look for the “Distribute Points on Faces” node at the bottom left of the node tree and remove the connection in the seed socket. If you now play the animation, the particles look like strings of pearls that slowly disintegrate. Instead, you can move the seed to the outside as a parameter in the modifier panel by dragging it into the empty socket of the group input node.

Points to curves

At the other end of the node tree, the generated points flow out of the “Simulation Output”. At this point, we can convert them to curves. Add a new node Points -> Points to Curves and connect it to the Geometry output of the Simulation Output node and the Geometry input of the Group Output node. Threads now appear in the viewport instead of points. We leave the Set Material node in the tree; we can still use it later to make the particles appear additionally.

Curves to meshes

The curves now appear in the viewport, but not yet in the render, as they do not yet have a surface. This is ensured by the Node Curve -> Operations -> Curve to Mesh. Set this between Points to Curves and Group Output. The curve has now become a mesh, but this consists of individual edges. For a proper surface, we need another curve for the profile. Click on the Profile Curve socket and drag out a new connection. A search field appears when you release the mouse pointer. Here you search for a circle, it is sufficient to enter “ci”, thanks to Type Ahead Find, Curve Circle -> Curve already appears in the second field, which you select. A new node now appears, which creates a circle that then acts as a profile for the curves created from the particles.

Resolution

There is now a lot going on in the viewport, as suddenly a huge amount of geometry wants to be displayed. You can put a stop to this by reducing the resolution in the curve circle node to eight. But perhaps you want to reduce the resolution a little further when experimenting and then increase it again during the final rendering? Switching to the Geometry Node workspace each time and searching for the right node in the Node Editor may not be the most skilful way to do this. It is therefore a good idea to move this parameter to the outside of the modifier UI. Drag out a new node connection as you have just done and search for Group Input. A Group Input node appears, in which all sockets are hidden except for the newly created resolution. The Blender interface is full of little surprises that make everyday work easier.

Node Group Assets

The curves are currently very sharp on each particle, which has a negative effect on shading and may not be the style everyone wants. We need something to round them off like the subsurf modifier for meshes. Such a tool is now supplied in Blender as a Node Group Asset with the new hair assets. We take advantage of the fact that hair and curves are almost the same thing in Blender, the corresponding assets actually all work on curves. So we can also use them with our setup. Add a node Hair -> Deformation -> Smooth Hair Curves and place it between Points to Curve and Curve to Mesh.

The wild curves

The result should look pretty wild, none of the curves are in place anymore. This is due to the Preserve Length setting. Switch this off and our threads are all back in the right place, albeit slightly rounded. You can use the iterations to determine how strong the effect should be. One was enough for our cover, the more you use, the more rounded the curves become.

Bringing back the particles

As we are already simulating the movements of a particle system for the threads anyway, we can use them at the same time by representing them as points again. For this purpose, we have not deleted the Set Material node earlier in the article, but merely separated it. Add a Node Geometry -> Join Geometry between Curve to Mesh and Group Output. Also connect the output of the Set Material node to the Join Geometry node. The particles now appear as point objects in the viewport and should already have the appropriate material in the render preview.

Steel tubes

To give the threads a material as well, add another material slot to the Particle Nodes Container object and create a new material there with metallic at 1.0. However, it must first be assigned in the Geometry Nodes so that it also appears on the tubes. Duplicate the Set Material node and place it between Curve to Mesh and Join Geometry. The threads should now appear very dark again. This is due to a special feature of the source file. In this file, the world is invisible to glossy shaders, which produces an interesting effect, as the points in the shader have a diffuse component and therefore appear as if they themselves are glowing, although not as evenly as would be the case with emission without tricks.

Light Linking

The fact that the world is not visible in shiny reflective surfaces is a simple version of light linking and has been present in Cycles from the very beginning. However, this is shader-based and therefore very generalised. In Blender 4.0, it is now possible for the first time to limit the influence of light sources on objects in a collection. And we would now like to use this to illuminate the threads of two area lights on the left and right, and only the threads, particles and logo, but not the floor. To do this, create a new collection in the Outliner and drag the DP logo and the Particle Nodes container into it.

Orange and Teal

Then create another new collection and two area lights in it, whose shape you set to Rectangle in the Object Data Properties and set Size X to 3.0. Align the two area lights so that they shine on the scene from the left and right and give them two contrasting colours, e.g. the famous combination of orange and aquamarine. You should set the cold light source to a much stronger colour than the warm one, e.g. 200 watts and 50 watts.

Still well hidden

To restrict the illumination of the two area lights to the logo, particles and threads, you must select the collection in which the three objects are located for both in the object properties in the shading panel under Light Linking. Now you no longer illuminate the floor, which draws the viewer’s attention to the particle action.

Fade-in also for threads

However, there is one last detail I would like to mention. The particles fade in our example file because we built our particle system in the last workshop so that it saves the age of each point as a value between 0.0 and 1.0. We can also access these values for the threads. In other words, the curves can also be threaded in and out.

Mastered with flying colours

Go to the Shading Workspace and select the Particle Nodes Container object. Select the Particles Fading Out material in the material slots and select the three connected nodes Attribute, Invert Colour and Colour Ramp in the Shader Editor. Copy them using Ctrl C, then select the material that you have given to the threads, or press Ctrl V in the Shader Editor. Now that you have copied the nodes, connect the output of the Colour Ramp node to the alpha socket of the Principled BSDF. The curves will now appear and fade and you have mastered the technical part of the workshop with flying colours.

Let off steam

Now it’s time to let off steam. For the cover image, I have changed the direction of movement of the particles upwards. You can also change the direction in the Vector Add Node in the Simulation Zone. And at this point, think about how you could make the structure even more user-friendly. For example, by also exposing the direction of movement. Or adding an auxiliary object that specifies the direction and “wind force”?

Conclusion and outlook

Blender 4.0 brings some new features, including the eagerly awaited Light Linking and new Geometry Nodes. Both were combined in this workshop. But there are possibilities to go further. For example, the threads are currently generated at each frame like tangles; with a few more nodes, they could be displayed like a string of particles or like growing hair, quasi perpendicular to the current direction. This method is particularly suitable for motion capture recordings, as it allows a motion path to be created for any point on a character. I used this method for the Udon asset for the RADiCAL blender add-on. RADiCAL is a service for extracting motion data from simple video recordings or livestreams.

The post Blender: An upgrade for our particle system – We lay pipes! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Gottfried Hofmann.

Some time has passed since our first report on “The Element” – at least in the fast-moving world of software. But now version 2.0 is available for download – and here is an excerpt of the latest features – whether it was worth the wait or whether you should simply switch your asset management to this system now is up to you.

Together what belongs together!

The outstanding feature of the 2.0 release is that the element now brings together all parts of a 3D asset – not just the geometry, but also textures. In everyday life, this means that searching for textures and their maps is now done in seconds.

Even if assets from other sources are used, they can be organised and found in a clear standard – and nobody has to try to assign sloppily named folders any more! But not only textures – render layers, normals and roughness files are also combined, categorised and made searchable.

And just to remind you: the element manages, indexes, analyses, searches and presents images, icons, image sequences, 3D assets, 3D SceneFiles (Houdini, Maya, Blender …), project files (Nuke, After Effects, Photoshop …), HDRI images, 360° videos and even PDFs.

Infinite scroller

In principle, there are not “too many assets” – but it can be difficult to find them. The new element offers a corresponding view for this: In the “infinite window” you can simply browse through everything without distraction – also good if you don’t know exactly what you want yet and just want to have a look at what’s available in the library.

As everything is AI-based nowadays, the element naturally also includes this – here in the variant that similar assets are found – be it to tidy up the database, for variations of a shot or simply because you can’t get enough of a motif, it’s up to you!

Users who have footage and plates with different elements that are similar in their initial state – I’m just saying explosions – will find the new video player handy. Within the element, you can see what happens beyond the preview frame – and rotate, flip or fold the image with just one click – and see whether the plate is suitable for the special “upside down” application.

Anyone who collects HDR spheres – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t – needs a preview where you can see exactly what is happening – which is why there is now an exposure slider for quickly adjusting the brightness. Handy for everyday use, but why don’t the other tools have this too?

Other features, such as an enhanced ingest for all possible formats, a tidier (or customisable by you!) interface, as well as better error descriptions for ingest and pipeline, and lots of bug fixes and minor adjustments are of course also included.

If you’re feeling nostalgic or want to get an overview, you can download the first article from DP 22:02 as a free PDF here . And if you want to give it a try, have a look here: das-element.com

The post A new element is here! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

And after the beta phase of Adobe Firefly, everything is now available. Anyone who wanted to could try out the generated features directly at the stand. And as you can see from the cover picture, we still have to learn how to prompt.

So, let’s start with Premiere – the May update had “text based editing”, which worked quite well. Here you don’t edit the frames, but the text of the automatic transcription like a normal text document, and Premiere assigns this and “cuts” it to fit. This makes it very easy to sort the voice contributions and quickly either find important statements or logically re-sort the flow of speech – we all know that when we digress in an interview.

And there is now also “Filler Detection”, which automatically recognises “er”, “um” and so on. All sounds of this kind are also recognised in multi-channel audio – and can be completely deleted at once. Stoiber could have used that!(The great speech from 2002 – if you want, you can load it into the new Premiere and see what remains after 00:30)

Another cool new feature is the integration of the speech enhancement tool in“Adobe Podcast“. This automatic “audio cleaner” removes echoes, noise and everything else from the audio and improves sub-optimal original sounds, interview partners as well as the later transcription and general intelligibility. And now as a “Noise Remover” in Premiere with one click!

In addition, the timeline should react up to 5 times faster – depending on the workstation and material, of course, Auto Tone Mapping has learned three new methods (for iPhone footage, HLG material and automatic recognition of the Rec709 colour space), LUT management and LUT relinking have also been stabilised, and MetaData/TimeCode-Burn in, ProjectTemplates for quick setups and pipelines, marker batch selection and installer instructions for BRAW have been added at the request of users.

After Effects becomes 3D!

There’s a big new feature in After Effects: there’s now a True 3D workspace where you can import, animate, light, shade (and then render, of course) 3D objects. So you can mix 2D objects, motion graphics and 3D objects however you like. And all this with a GPU-accelerated render engine. So you can prepare yourself for everything flying around and spinning in future adverts.

Oh yes, and the lighting is of course also image-based – if you want, you can also generate these images in Adobe Firefly (Nils has summarised how to do this in the current DP).

Another new feature is “AI-supported rotoscoping”, which is designed to speed up and simplify cropping – and in the demo it coped with the usual stumbling blocks such as overlaps, extremities and hair much better and without long waiting times.

Firefly!

And perhaps the most “historic” update: Firefly can now also be used professionally, i.e. Creative Cloud users can generate commercially usable images. Powerpoints are finally clipart-free! Or whatever else you need. The generative AI functions are now built into Photoshop and generate three variations per prompt including history – so if you want to go back, you can relax, try things out and develop the best results.

If you haven’t played with it yet: At firefly.adobe.com you can log in with your Creative Cloud and try out text-to-image, generative fill, text effects, generative colouring, sketch-to-graphic and 3D-to-image for yourself. Caution: Once the play instinct is awakened, an afternoon like this passes very quickly! Not that we’re saying there’s nothing to do on a bank holiday, but perhaps this would be the perfect day to give Firefly a try.

And more!

As always, all further information and new features – as well as access to the beta versions – can be found at adobeeventsonline.com/IBC/. And for all those who want to see the whole thing in action and want to know how to use it sensibly: Adobe MAX is taking place again from 10 to 12 October – online and on site in Los Angeles. Registration is still open – and the line-up of speakers covers practically all trades – photography, video, 3D, illustration and much more. And we are happily waiting to see what features the next beta versions of Adobe have in store.

The post Adobe-Autumn-Update first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

In future, Blender will rely on three instead of four updates per year

The Blender Foundation, the brains behind our favourite open source tool, is planning a change in the release of new versions. The Blender Foundation has announced that in future it will focus on three releases per year instead of four. The change is being made based on the experiences of developers and users in recent years. The plan is to leave the software longer in the Bcon1 and Bcon2 phases – the aim is to give users more time to test the latest version of Blender. The developers hope that this will give developers more time to write code, users more time to test, and Studio TDs and add-on developers more time to maintain tools. With these changes, Blender hopes to optimise the development of Blender and make work easier for users and developers. But now to Blender 3.5 !

Upgrades for Hair and more

If you want to save time, check out Blender 3.5’s new library of hair assets. It’s a set of 26 pre-built Geometry Nodes setups that you can easily insert into your scene. These will help you simplify tasks like creating hair curves on a scalp surface, creating clumps and styling hair.

The new and improved Geometry Nodes-based curved hair system is one of the most notable new features of Blender 3.5. With this upgrade, you can quickly and easily create any type of hair, fur or grass. Best of all, you can load a library of hair assets directly into the software for easy drag-and-drop use.

New nodes for procedural modelling and image processing

With the new Geometry Nodes in Blender 3.5, you can now also use Edges to Face Groups to find groups of faces surrounded by selected edges. In addition, there are now Blur Attributes, with which you can mix the attribute values of neighbouring elements. The new Image Input and Image Info Nodes also expand your creative options for processing images.

Reduce noise in cycle rendering with the new Light Tree

Blender 3.5 introduces the Light Tree, which helps Cycles to sample scenes with many lights more effectively. The result: less noise and faster rendering times. Unfortunately, this function is not yet available on AMD GPUs.

Facial modelling made easy with vector displacement maps

Support for Vector Displacement Map (VDM) brushes in Blender 3.5 is one of the latest features for digital sculptors and character artists. With just one click, you can now create complex shapes for noses, ears, horns and tails on your model. VDM brushes are not included in traditional displacement maps as they can move the surface of the model in all three dimensions. Discover the possibilities!

Support for Vector Displacement Maps

Thanks to support for vector displacement maps, you can now create complex shapes with overhangs in just one brush dab using the Draw Brush in Sculpt mode.

Revamped 3D viewport and improvements for Blender Cycles and Pose Library

The 3D viewport has been polished and has been given a GPU-based compositor backend. The overlays are now displayed on the compositing result so you can see and interact with your mesh and other objects. Blender Cycles has been updated and can now also use a light tree to sample scenes with many lights more effectively. The Pose Library has also been improved with new options and shortcuts.

Upgrade for Grease Pencil

For all Grease Pencil fans, there is now a new Natural Drawing Speed Timing mode in the build modifier that renders strokes at the speed of the pencil used to create them.

And even more!

And that’s not all! Other new features in Blender 3.5 include a new timing mode for the build modifier, a new ease operator in the graph editor and much, much, much more. If you want to know more, you can find the latest release here and we’ll take a closer look at all the details in the next issue of DP!

The post Blender 3.5, Wuhu! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Gottfried Hofmann.

New procedural tools for designing large worlds

With the new in-editor and runtime procedural Content Generation Framework (PCG), you can set rules and parameters to quickly and efficiently populate large scenes with Unreal Engine assets of your choice. This means that the process of creating large worlds is faster and easier.

The introduction of the new Substrate system

The new Substrate system offers a new way to create materials and gives you, as an Unreal Engine user, more control over the look and feel of objects used in real-time applications such as games and linear content creation.

Improvements for virtual production workflows

The new version also brings several improvements for virtual production workflows. New shot creation and scene control tools help to make virtual productions faster and more efficient.

Caution: preview versions are unstable

Please note, however, that preview versions are not fully tested and should therefore be considered unstable until the final version is released. You can find all information here in the forum.

The post Unreal Engine 5.2 Preview is now available! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

LWKS presents Lightworks 2023, the latest version of the classic NLE – both in the free version and in the paid (subscription) “Create” and “Pro” versions. The updated package is available immediately.

Lightworks 2023 combines professional tools for editing, motion graphics, colour correction and audio in a single platform. Following the improvements to the colour management system in 2022, LWKS has added comprehensive HDR workflow support to Lightworks 2023. Another important new feature is the toolset for creating customised layouts. This allows users to create and save customised Lightworks layouts to suit their editing needs and style. Lightworks 2023 has also been enhanced with video mask effects to make working with pre-built effects or creating new effects much easier.

Other important new features include improvements to keyboard shortcuts, control panels, audio tools, video effects and much more. Editors can also look forward to an improved user interface.

Here is the complete list of new features (there are quite a few!).

And if you want to take a look:

The post Lightworks 2023 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

In nuce: Software developer The Foundry (Nuke, Katana, among others) has released Flix 6.5. This is according to an announcement published yesterday, 18 January, on postperspective.com . Flix is a software for story development.

In toto: The Foundry claims to offer its customers more flexibility and customised workflows with the release of version 6.5.

Flexible Group and User Management | What’s New in Flix 6.5

Flix 6.5 | Features Overview

• Support for the VFX Reference Platform 2022 (as also reported in the course of the release of Katana 6.0 by The Foundry. Digital Production reported on 23.12.2022)
• Apple Silicon processors: Are now also natively supported by the Flix client.
• New authorisation system: This is based on groups and roles and is intended to provide more overall control over storytelling. It should also make it more secure for admin users to access information – and share it with other team members.
• Extended range of functions for contact sheets: This is intended to streamline reviewing and feedback; users will also have access to different templates that can be customised – in line with the circumstances of the pipeline.
• New versioning system: The same should allow users to integrate Flix at any point in the course of a film production, as stated in the message on postperspective.com.
• New linking system for media: Panels can be linked automatically within Storyboard Pro, for example.
• Support for managed source files in Storyboard Pro: The benefit of this is that .sbpz projects can be backed up to the server and saved as source files. The announcement from postperspective.com goes on to say that this eliminates the need to remember names or storage locations.
• Enhanced extensibility: This should be achieved through simplified access to programming interfaces – and the provision of comprehensive documentation. In addition, the Webhooks system has been introduced; this enables users to automate repetitive tasks with the help of user-definable, event-based triggers.

Click further: To the official announcement on foundry.com.

The post Latest version of the story development tool released! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.

In nuce: In a message published on foundry.com on 10 January this year, it was announced that new customers can now only purchase software from the Nuke family on a rental basis. The change affects all offerings in the Nuke product family, which are now offered to customers as annual subscriptions.

In toto: According to the announcement, this includes the software offerings Nuke, NukeX, Nuke Studio, Hiero, HieroPlayer and Nuke Render. Perpetual licences will continue to be available until 31.12.2023 – but only for existing customers. Quarterly licences will also continue to be available. Subscriptions to NukeX and Nuke Studio will also include two free Nuke render subscriptions. According to the announcement, this is intended to “help new customers set up render farms”. The Foundry is an important software developer for the media and entertainment industry and is also known for its Nuke compositing software.

Click further: Further information can be found at foundry.com .

Sources: cgpress.org ( announcement by CGPress Staff), foundry.com ( official announcement)

The post New payment model introduced for the Nuke product family! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.