FREMONT, CA — Blackmagic Design is now shipping both Fusion 8 and Fusion 8 Studio, the company’s advanced visual effects and motion graphics software. The releases are available for download from the Blackmagic Design Website (www.blackmagicdesign.com) for both Mac OS X and Windows.
The release of Fusion 8 is the first Mac compatible release. It was previously a Windows-only product. Fusion 8 Studio is now also available in 10, 20 or 50 multi user licenses, making it easy to install in larger creative groups and studios. The multi user licenses feature a single USB dongle programmed with multiple licenses that plug into a machine running Fusion Server, which is installed by default with Fusion Studio. Fusion Server manages the licenses across the Ethernet network. That means licenses can be floating and are not tied to any single machine, making it easy to administer in large facilities with lots of users.
Fusion 8 coming to the Mac opens the door to high end visual effects for existing motion graphic artists, broadcast designers, video editors, visual effects compositors, and 3D animators. In addition, projects can be easily moved between Mac and Windows versions of Fusion so customers can work on the platform of their choice.
Fusion 8 features a more intuitive and modern looking interface that makes it easier for new users to learn how to use the software, while also maintaining the consistency that long time users need to continue working without having to relearn anything. As part of the port to Mac OS X, the underlying architecture in Fusion has been modernized. Now that the port to Mac OS X is complete, the Fusion engineering team will work with the visual effects community to add even more powerful new features and continue modernizing the software's workflow and user interface.
Fusion offers a massive toolset consisting of hundreds of built-in tools for pulling keys, tracking objects, rotoscoping, retouching images, animating titles, and creating particle effects, all in a true 3D workspace. Fusion can also import 3D models, point cloud data, cameras or even entire 3D scenes from Maya, 3DS Max or LightWave and render them seamlessly with other elements. Deep pixel tools can be used to add volumetric fog, lighting and reflection mapping of rendered objects using world position passes so customers can create amazing atmospheric effects that render in seconds, instead of hours.
Fusion 8 is available in two versions. Fusion 8 for Mac and Windows is free for customers and offers a full professional 3D visual effects and compositing system. Fusion 8 Studio for Mac and Windows is priced at $995 and has the same features as the free version, but also adds advanced optical flow image analysis tools for stereoscopic 3D work, retiming and stabilization. Fusion Studio also includes support for third-party OpenFX plug-ins, unlimited distributed network rendering, and Generation for studio wide multi user collaboration to track, manage, review and approve shots when working with large creative teams on complex projects.