D2 Software Inc., a subsidiary of Digital Domain Inc., is now shipping v4.5 of Nuke, the high-end compositing system built by artists, for artists, was and recently used by Weta Digital on KING KONG.
Already offering one of the industrys most robust 3D workspace with .obj support and 3D camera projection, Nuke now incorporates a brand new image-based keyer and tools for additional creative flexibility when working in 3D. With a focus on making Nuke accessible to the broadest range of users, the newest release also introduces a new UI mode, support for Mac OSX and broader support for Open FX and a new pricing structure.
Nuke artists will find a brand new image-based keyer (IBK) in v4.5, which provides a unique and flexible method for pulling high-quality keys. In traditional keyers, algorithms are based on the weighted relationship between the color channels involved in creating a key, locking them together so that as artists adjust one color channel, another color channel is proportionally adjusted. By contrast, the IBKs algorithm enables artists to work on each color channel individually, for greater creative flexibility. It also includes specialized tools to deal with matte edges and the halo effect (or fringes) common in blue and greenscreen footage. The IBK, uniquely available in Nuke, delivers substantial timesavings when producing high quality composites, and is especially good at keying uneven blue/greenscreens.
Robert Nederhorst, vfx supervisor at Sway Studio, beta tested the v4.5 release. My hat is off to the D2 developers on this one; theyve created some fantastic new features for the 4.5 release. If the workflow and technical updates werent enough, they decided to put in completely new keying technology that really makes some serious waves at seriously difficult keying. This release re-affirms our reason for choosing Nuke originally it truly is built by artists, for artists. The Nuke toolset is absolutely unmatched by any other system out there.
Already providing capabilities for environment creation and contextual manipulation of 3D elements not found in any other desktop system, Nuke lets users get even further into the 3D toolset in v4.5. Now, 3D objects are more like 2D elements in that they are no longer unchangeable objects users can apply multiple independent transforms and can have shaders and materials applied directly within Nuke's 3D environment. Not only does this architectural change give artists greater flexibility in manipulating elements in 3D, it also makes the 3D workspace a more responsive and solid platform that will result in accelerated development and integration of new features in the future.
The newest Nuke release is based on a core UI update. V4.5 adds the ability to save UI layouts and introduces a new UI workflow that maximizes efficiency for experienced and new users alike. Updated default settings and a new control panel bin enable new users to manage windows and property dialog boxes using conventions familiar to desktop software users, while long-time Nuke users can opt to work in the traditional Nuke mode, to suit a variety of compositing styles. Also, as a result of the core UI update, users can now take any parameter, including range curve displays and dropdown menus, from a group of nodes, and include them in a Nuke Gizmo, or custom effect; which gives greater flexibility to technical directors and artists alike. Nuke now supports OSX, as well as providing full support for the OpenFX plug-in architecture, enabling artists to use the full range of effects plug-ins from The Foundry, Primatte and other providers.
D2 Software product manager, Dominick Spina, said, As more users join the Nuke community were working closely with them to incorporate their feedback. V4.5 takes all the great things about Nuke the complex 3D setups, TCL scripting across 64 channels, and its superior film production workflow and makes them more accessible to new users, through UI updates that let them work the way theyre used to. We also put new pricing in place to better reflect the needs of the desktop compositing market and to offer significant volume discounts to the large, multi-seat customers that Nuke was built for.
Nuke is available for Linux, Irix, Windows and Mac platforms. V4.5 is a no-cost upgrade for customers under current support contracts and available through D2 Software and authorized resellers for $4,995 (software license), with annual maintenance at $999 per year. Additional render nodes are priced at $745 per seat, with annual maintenance at $149 per year. With v4.5, D2 Software now offers new quarterly lease options and volume discounts beginning at five seats, enabling customers who purchase/lease multiple licenses to save significantly on their software license/render node costs per seat. The company also offers discounted educational pricing for qualified institutions. Please contact D2 or authorized resellers for further information.
Nuke is the first commercially available, high-end compositing system designed by artists, for artists to solve production issues that all visual effects studios encounter. It began as the in-house compositing and effects application at Digital Domain, where it won an Academy Award for Technical Achievement and has been used to generate effects for more than 45 feature films and hundreds of commercials and music videos. Since its commercial release, more than 25 leading effects houses worldwide, including DNA Productions, ReelFX, Sway, Gray Matter Effects, Optical & Graphics, and others, have made the production-proven Nuke compositor part of their pipelines. Available for the Linux, Irix, Windows and Mac platforms, Nuke delivers unparalleled speed, an extensible 64-channel TCL-based architecture, and a powerful feature set that is unrivaled in the desktop market. For further information, please visit www.d2software.com
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
