New layer based compositor Hitfilm

[Eisenhower]

This looks FANTASTIC! :drool:

[calilifestyle]

and no openexr.

[Dr Dardis]

Firstly, well done on getting your software out there :), genuinely! It's a hard slog.... but
what is this, 1995?

layers < nodes

...always :D

Anyways, keep going, anything that is not adobe get a thumbs up :beer:

[calilifestyle]

yeah it does look nice

[EricM]

The picture on the banner (new york with the smoke trails) comes form Video copilot (or a tutorialà if I'm not mistaken. But it's indeed nice to see some competition.

A little (totally) bit offtopic, I'm fairly familiar with AE and I both see it's simplicity and shortcomings as a layer-based compositor, but the one thing I don't quite understand in node-based compositors a la Nuke is how you deal with timing without a proper timeline like in an editor... not just a setting keyframes, but like sliding whole blocks of animations and footage to match a sound or change the whole pace etc...

(Note I don't have nuke, so I'm really left in the dark.)

[Dr Dardis]

...one thing I don't quite understand in node-based compositors a la Nuke is how you deal with timing without a proper timeline like in an editor... not just a setting keyframes, but like sliding whole blocks of animations and footage to match a sound or change the whole pace etc...

I am not across Nuke, but fusion does have a timeline that functions exactly like that. And a graph editor too. You get the power and readability of nodes, but the help of the timeline and graph too...

[ndeboar]

A little (totally) bit offtopic, I'm fairly familiar with AE and I both see it's simplicity and shortcomings as a layer-based compositor, but the one thing I don't quite understand in node-based compositors a la Nuke is how you deal with timing without a proper timeline like in an editor... not just a setting keyframes, but like sliding whole blocks of animations and footage to match a sound or change the whole pace etc...

Talk is it will have one soon, but to answer you Q.

In the Animation/VFX industry, generally we work with footage already cut down to a shot. Like when your working on an animation shot, your just working with renders of a set length, never have to push things around. Compositing shouldnt really be editing.

Although, motion graphics is something different, and that's the gap AE fils in my eyes. Suck todo it with out a timeline.

[EricM]

Thanks for the reply. I indeed come from a mograph perspective, where timing and editing (and being a one-man studio) is everything, moreso than the "depth" and complexity of your composite. I understand the "per shot" mentality of bigger vfx houses, but I still find it strange not to have a timeline... I didn't know fusion had one, that's great to make the jump from layer-based to node based I guess.

As for Hitfilm, for an entry/consumer level app, layer-based is probably much more intuitive than nodes as it's closer to traditional editing and paint programs mentality that people may already know. The soft itself is marketed as an "all in one editor and compositor", so it makes sense. By the time they hit the walls of the system, they probably will want to shift to a professional product.

On the other hand, it really shows that AE needs a serious revamp at the very least in its 3D viewport and standard particles. I'm downloading the whole package to give it a go, but it seems really good value for money (150/300 euros) for young filmmakers, especially when you consider the price of AE + Trapcode's particular alone.

Add PFHoe, and you have plenty of tools for backyard gunfights and lightsabers shot on camcorders. It may just be a toy, but it does seem like a very cool toy.I wish I had something like that when I was 16...

[pluMmet]

Seems interesting.

[Firas]

If Hitfilm developers hear me :

YOU NEED A GOOD SCRIPTING engine, ability to read from text file, or even more, ability to read data from internet ..

Particle system .. combine particular with Plexus.

u need to find your Andrew Kramer, its not as hard as it looks..but this is important in the long term to show your tool.

am a fan of aftereffects .. and recently I delivered a weather system, using adobe pixel bender , ae expressions, and C# : http://www.behance.net/gallery/Weather-system-infofillerstv/1643610

but a composting + editing + programming tool will make me move to it.

good luck.

[Aneks]

Windows only?

BTW. Nuke has a dope sheet. how is that any different from any other kind fo timeline ?

[el_diablo]

I think they have got a good product for youtube generation wanting to do editing and effects. Could sell well, depending on marketing effort.

[ctguitars]

This HITFILM thing used be VISIONLAB STUDIO from:

http://fxhome.com

OLD REVIEW (2006): http://www.microfilmmaker.com/reviews/Issue11/VisLab_1.html

This now seems to be gone and replaced with HITFILM.

I Bought VISIONLAB STUDIO ages ago. Good app, very rarely updated.

HITFILM is a total new version of VISIONLAB as opposed to an upgrade. Vouchers to existing customers will be sent out giving a 40% reduction in the $399 price as mentioned in Video here:

http://fxhome.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=45091&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Aidan

[calilifestyle]

oh nice 20% off if you where a member

[PiotrekM]

Thanks for the reply. I indeed come from a mograph perspective, where timing and editing (and being a one-man studio) is everything, moreso than the "depth" and complexity of your composite. I understand the "per shot" mentality of bigger vfx houses, but I still find it strange not to have a timeline... I didn't know fusion had one, that's great to make the jump from layer-based to node based I guess.

Fusion/nuke timeline aint layer-based compositing. If you do mograph stuff AE is the only option. Although when you have 100 layers with precomp in precomp in precomp in precomp, you wish you had node based workflow.

[karthikarctic]

great video editor and compositor app. Just what i was looking for. Now that adobe video packages have become 64bit and i deal with a 32 bit system, and i am just lost with Lightworks!! :(. I very much like the looks of this app. great optimization and the effects and other functionality are quite intuitive. ofcourse, i have to work more to be well versed in it.

I do wish if i can do roto work using Hitfilm for footage not shot with blue screens. Is that possible now.

[Tarnimus]

I work at FXhome, the developer of HitFilm. Thought I'd drop by to say 'hello' and thank you for discussing our new release. We have many ideas and plans for the software and feedback from guys such as yourselves is really invaluable as it gives us a better idea of where to focus our development efforts.

Particle system .. combine particular with Plexus.

HitFilm Ultimate already has a powerful particle system that is comparable with Particular. We've not really scratched the surface of its potential yet in the videos we've released. If there are specific features you'd like to see in the particle simulator please do let me know and I'll pass it along to the devs.

u need to find your Andrew Kramer, its not as hard as it looks..but this is important in the long term to show your tool.

Absolutely. We hope to have several Andrew Kramers eventually. :) It is, of course, early days so far, as HitFilm has only been available for about three days. We're going to be putting up as much content as we can ourselves, to get everybody up to speed.

Thanks again for your interest - I'll keep an eye on the topic in case you guys have any questions.

[Firas]

Tarnimus, Great to meet with the developers .. I build my experience on maya + aftereffect + scripting for both.

Hitfilm will be my first choice if it supports friendly scripting abilities.. this summer am planing to to script a procedural video edit tool..its an experimental project for now..

so .. scripting (to access data from outside) + expressions support .. and i process you to do magic :)

particles : different force fields, goal, flock behavior, emitting secondary particles on events (like death, collide) or changing shape/behavior if it enters inside a defined volume.

A spring force between particles .. drawing lines ..

let me hear from you :)

[Tarnimus]

Thanks for the feedback. Those are all features we'd love to put into HitFilm, it's just a matter of resources. :) It's good to know what people are interested in so that we can prioritise the right features to develop.

[webhead]

Windows only?

I would be interested in a Mac version sometime in the near future if possible.

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.