As some professionals have already predicted, VR technology will most likely be the next revolution in visual content as the high-quality VR solutions and toolsets are already popping up left and right and looks like it’s going to be the “next big thing”. After major tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Adobe and GoPro have dipped their toes in VR, there’s certainly no surprise that ASSIMILATE has also joined the party by announcing its new SCRATCH VR Suite, the only professional VR fully-fledged suite with an all-inclusive, real-time toolset for working flawlessly within a 360 environment.
The software provides countless possibilities when it comes to processing VR media. Anything from previewing and processing of 360-degree dailies, conforming, colour grading, compositing to finishing and mastering in multiple formats and resolutions are already part of the SCRATCH VR toolset and VR workflow.
Furthermore, SCRATCH VR also includes SCRATCH Web, and creative tools that are specific to the VR suite. SCRATCH Web is a key component of the SCRATCH VR data workflow and ecosystem, enabling real-time, on-line collaboration and review via Google Cardboard and Samsung GearVR headsets. The SCRATCH VR Suite includes the latest post-production tools and features of SCRATCH version 8.4.
It’s worth noting that content creators will automatically be upgraded to SCRATCH 8.5 at no additional cost.
A basic set of the dedicated VR tools is available in the standard versions of SCRATCH, SCRATCH Play and SCRATCH Web. The new SCRATCH VR suite includes the following basic tools, as well as the new advanced grade and composite tools.
- Control panel for Oculus Rift – All the Play controls used to browse through your timeline become available in the Oculus display as an overlay on top of the image. The Oculus Playback control, on the other hand, allows you to do the basic grade of your production without ever taking off the Oculus.
- Pan 360 framing controls – New Yaw, Pitch and Roll controls to re-orient a 360-equirectangular shot are already available. This function allows you to control the point-of-interest of a shot, making sure it is in the middle. When editing multiple shots one after the other, you can ensure the point-of-interest of each shot is in the same direction.
- Effects wrapping – When applying an effect, such as a blur or clarity, SCRATCH samples pixels from the opposite side to calculate the effect on the left / right side of an image. This prevents a seam in the middle of the image when viewing it in a 360 projection.
- 360 repeat option – When the canvas falls over the left or right edge of the main image, it will be repeated on the opposite side. The shape will automatically wrap in a 360 projection without any seam.
- Pan 360 – Use the equirectangular-2D effects node to blend any 2D element into your 360 projection, or to include a text, logo, effect (e.g. lens flare) or graphic element (of a different size than the source image) neatly into the 360 scene. Use the Yaw, Pitch and Roll controls to position the element into your 360 scene. You can further tweak the position and perspective of the element by using the canvas parameters of the layer of the element on the color frame.
SCRATCH VR comes with a limited time special NAB price of $995 along with included regular updates for new and improved tools and feature sets. The software will be showcased at NAB 2016, the ASSIMILATE booth N8525 in the VR Pavilion, north hall.
[source: ASSIMILATE]
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