Industry-leading real-time visual effects design and compositing system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autodesk® Flame® 2012 software brings 3D design and visual effects together in an interactive compositing application for finishing.  As a turnkey system, Flame combines high quality performance with the creative tools necessary to help you take complex high-resolution projects from conform to final delivery without compromising quality.  By mixing traditional 2D compositing tools and 3D technology within a true 3D design space, Flame helps you deliver outstanding results on time while still maintaining an interactive artistic experience.  With Flame you can scale your creative capacity with Autodesk® Flare™ 2012 software and exchange assets with 3D applications to build an integrated 3D creative finishing pipeline.

 

Autodesk^® Flame^® Premium 2012 software combines Autodesk’s best tools for creative 3D finishing.  It combines the proven toolset of Flame 2012, the real-time color grading of Autodesk^® Lustre^® 2012 software and the editorial finishing tools of Autodesk^® Smoke^® Advanced 2012 software. 

Flame Premium helps you:

• Evolve your business to offer visual effects and color grading finishing services
• Build a modern finishing pipeline based on the proven Autodesk tools
• Integrate next-generation 3D creative capabilities for color and light into your finishing workflow 

Flame Premium 2012: What’s Cool

Relighting Tools in Action (NEW)

New relighting tools in Action offer comprehensive options for working with light within the true 3D compositing space of Flame Premium.

With comprehensive light management tools, you’ll find new ways to integrate lighting effects directly in the Action compositing environment – where you need them.  The results are some of the most realistic lighting effects you’ve ever seen. Add or subtract light from 2D or 3D scenes. Create realistic glints, glares, lens flares and edge effects that mimic real world lighting artifacts in true 3D space.  Use new and improved light types to add volumetric and direct lights that cast authentic 3D shadows.  And, if your project is Stereoscopic 3D, working with relighting tools in Action can take the headache out of adding lighting effects to 3D composites, as lighting is rendered for both the left- and right-eye view. And because it’s in Flame, you can count on the faster and more interactive finishing workflow your clients expect.

Highlights are:

3D Shadows:  Flame Premium 2012 brings true 3D cast shadows to Action.  Each light has shadow casting properties within Action.  Individual objects can be set to cast and/or receive shadows, shadow edges feature softness and falloff controls and shadows can be combined from multiple light sources to create more realistic composites

New Light Types:  Mix and match new point, spot, area, directional and ambient lights within Action for greater flexibility when compositing with lights.  Each new light has its own look and effect on 3D scenes – from environmental effects to spot and ambient light.  These new lights are designed to match the light parameters of Autodesk^® Maya^® software to make sure better compatibility when importing scenes via Autodesk^® FBX^® asset exchange technology 

Lens Flares:  A new lens flare node inside of Action integrates ultra-realistic lighting artifacts into 3D composites.  Start with pre-built templates or adjust fully customizable parameters to create stunning lighting effects that look great in both mono- and stereoscopic composites.  Unlike plugins that simply overlay light effects on top of finished composites, the new lens flare object attaches to lights within composites to simulate real-world lighting in true 3D space.  As you adjust the lights of your composite, accurate hotspots, glints and highlights are automatically generated in 3D space.  Accurate occlusion effects can be created as lights pass behind media layers, mattes, 3D geometry or close to the edge of the screen

Volumetric Rays: Simulate volumetric lighting effects in true 3D space with the help of the new Ray object in Action.  Like the new Lens Flare tools, volumetric lighting effects exist in the true 3D compositing space of Action.  This means you can generate volumetric effects that are realistically influenced by media and 3D layers in both mono- and stereoscopic composites.  Attached to lights inside of the Action schematic, the Rays node can produce realistic lighting effects that can shimmer, be occluded by other objects in the scene, and even shine through transparent objects

IBL Mapping:  New support for IBL mapping inside of Action allows Flame artists to simulate infinite HDR backgrounds and better reproduce environmental lighting effects on surfaces and 3D geometry.  Flame Premium 2012 supports cubic, spherical and latitude/longitude IBL mapping that can also be used to produce powerful image based lighting effects.  Objects and media layers can be influenced by IBL maps to blend foreground and background images for more realistic composites

Stereoscopic 3D (S3D) Finishing

Flame Premium 2012 provides an out-of-the box solution for delivering high-value Stereoscopic 3D (S3D) finished content.  In Flame Premium, you’ll find a creative toolset that understands 3D at a fundamental level – from real-time 3D color grading to a rich 3D visual effects toolset – it’s a great way to offer stereoscopic finishing using proven Autodesk tools.  New in Flame Premium 2012 is the ability to dynamically integrate 3D lighting effects into S3D composites.  GPU acceleration means you’ll remain interactive even when mixing lighting effects, multi-resolution stereoscopic media, 3D geometry and CG assets in the same 3D scene.  There’s also a completely redesigned camera and object tracking system with automated tools to compensate for on-set S3D production problems - making compositing in S3D workflows easier.  With Flame Premium 2012, you have Autodesk’s best tools for stereoscopic finishing to take on challenging projects and deliver your best work.

Highlights are:

Multi-Layer S3D Timelines (NEW):  New support for multi-layer timelines in VFX and grading allow artists to build or conform complex S3D timelines and move them between creative tasks without flattening.  This makes sure a non-destructive bi-directional S3D workflow between color and finishing even when working with complex timelines (available in Flame Premium only)

Real-time S3D Color Grading:  When you’re grading, you need real-time tools that let you iterate as you develop the  right look for your project.  Flame Premium lets artists work faster with support for  GPU technology.  Both primary and secondary grades can be previewed in real-time at resolution up to 2K on mono- and stereoscopic projects (available in Flame Premium only).

Timeline Soft Effect Workflow:  Flame Premium supports vertical editing and compositing of multi-layer S3D timelines with automatic linking of effects between left and right-eye media layers.  This brings a fast and familiar creative workflow to stereoscopic projects for greater  flexibility in post

Action 3D Compositing Environment:  Working with stereoscopic 3D composites requires a creative toolset that understands true 3D space.  Flame Premium features Action – where artists can build stunning composites that mix left- and right-eye media layers, 3D lighting effects and true 3D geometry.  New tools for relighting are integrated directly into Action making sure realistic lighting effects work within your S3D composites – rather than be applied on top of rendered results

S3D Camera and Object Tracking:  When you need to track elements in your Stereoscopic scene, 3D tracking is key. Flame Premium 2012 helps you solve cameras for stereoscopic content as easily as monoscopic footage. The completely redesigned 3D tracking workflow inside of Action features correction for lens distortion and automatic keystoning correction – tools to help deal with common stereoscopic production problems.

FBX Camera:  Flame Premium features the same camera model as Autodesk Maya.  This rig, known for delivering S3D content, means artists can count on accurate results even when mixing 2D and 3D elements in a single composite.  Bi-directional exchange of FBX Camera data with Maya allows for cross-pipeline collaboration and even greater  flexibility when working to finish 2D or stereoscopic projects

 

Workflow with 3D

CGI is an essential part of most high-end commercial projects.  Building a modern pipeline for delivering CG-intensive projects requires efficiency and high-quality tools throughout your pipeline from previz to finishing.  Flame Premium 2012 brings comprehensive and interactive 3D finishing tools to the modern production pipeline through efficient integration with Autodesk animation products.

FBX Enhancements (NEW) 
Autodesk’s FBX format is an open asset interchange standard for 3D datasets.  Support for FBX in Flame Premium 2012 means more information can be shared between animators and finishing artists.  This makes for more creative iteration further into the finishing process and a better experience in supervised finishing sessions.  Leveraging CG assets in finishing allows changes and versions to occur in post – when speed and interactivity are essential. 

Highlights are:

Geometry Cache:  Flame Premium now supports the import of geometry cache animations from Maya via FBX.  This allows complex cloth, physics simulations or character animations to be imported as live geometry into Action.  Imported geometry can be textured, deformed and relit while maintaining the imported animation.  The result is a powerful hybrid 2D/3D workflow that combines the power of Maya for creating 3D elements with the speed and interactivity of Flame

Projective Textures:  Very easily and more accurately project high-quality rendered textures onto 3D geometry for dynamic control of shading and texturing inside Action. Projective textures allow you to have more control in the finishing process when working with rendered layers from CG but still need the flexibility of relighting or selective texturing

Substance Materials via FBX:  Substance procedural materials are now translated as a standard preset format between Autodesk Maya and Autodesk^® 3ds Max^® software to Flame via FBX.  This means proper translation of textures and the ability to change or version using common photorealistic substance textures in finishing

 

Render Pass Workflow Enhancements (New)
When working with rendered results from CGI, finishing artists need a flexible media workflow that can accommodate changes and versions on the fly.  Flame Premium 2012 has new open workflow options that allow for more transparency from input to output when working on CG-intensive projects.

Highlights are:

Gateway Clip:  This new open clip format uses an XML file to represent multiple media sources and metadata as a single element within Flame Premium.  Gateway clips can contain multiple render passes, multiple rendered versions of a scene from 3D or a combination of media files and metadata.   The advantage is that facilities can more easily integrate Flame Premium into their custom CG pipelines and rendering workflows.  This allows finishing artists to have  appropriate and up-to-date clips for compositing at their fingertips

Gateway Import Node in Batch:  Artists have direct access to Gateway clips inside the Batch procedural compositing environment.  This is especially powerful in concurrent CG and finishing workflows where finishing artists need immediate access to the latest version as soon as renders are completed.  The open nature of the Gateway clip structure allows facilities to customize their workflow with Flame Premium to keep Gateway clips updated using external media management systems

Setup and Render History:  When exporting in Batch, Flame Premium can embed setup information and multiple rendered results in a Gateway Clip’s XML file.  These new sources are available to any creative finishing application (Flame, Smoke, Lustre, Flame Premium, Autodesk^® Flare™ 2012 software) and include source format, media, and setup information – giving you access to the history of your media, from input to compositing to output.

3D Visual Effects

3D Compositing

Flame Premium 2012 introduces a range of new technical and creative tools designed to make 3D compositing as fast and interactive as traditional 2D compositing – maintaining the legendary Flame speed and intuitive workflow that artists have come to depend upon.

Highlights are:

Redesigned 3D Tracking Workflow (NEW):  A redesigned 3D camera and object tracking workflow is integrated directly into Action.  A new Analyzer node allows for multiple instances of 3D tracking within a single composite.  It can solve both mono- and stereoscopic scenes and features tools for dealing with lens distortion and keystoning.  Integration with the new GMask node in Action also allows for automatic shape tracking and analysis constraint in true 3D space.  

Point Cloud Object (NEW):  This new functionality combines the speed and simplicity of traditional 2D tracking with the power of Flame software’s new 3D tracking workflow. Trackers generated using the Analyzer node can be selectively converted into Point Cloud Objects creating a new 3D object inside of Action.  This makes it easier to position elements in 3D space as you snap nodes or branches to any point within the tracking data 

Gmask in Action (NEW):  A new Gmask node has been introduced directly into the Action 3D compositing environment.  Masks can be created as open splines, polygons or freeform shapes for flexible use in both technical and creative contexts.  As an Action node, this new tool can be selectively applied to objects within the Action schematic.  And as a 3D object within Action, transparency based on Z-depth is possible even when working with 3D geometry

Optimized UI in Action (NEW):  A new Action Node Bin optimizes the use of UI real estate and provides a more consistent look across the application – enabling finishing artists to move faster between creative tasks and minimize time navigating menus

Award-Winning Keying: Flame Premium features Autodesk’s best tools for keying – from simple RGB keys to the advanced the Master Keyer and 3D Keyer.  The Modular Keyer offers the flexibility to build custom keying pipelines that help you tackle tough jobs.  With a variety of keyers to choose from and built-in edge tools, color suppression and garbage masking, you’ll be ready for tough keying challenges

Tracking and Stabilizing: A full-featured tracking and stabilizing toolset allows you to solve 2D and S3D cameras, isolate objects in moving scenes and complete difficult keys faster with fully trackable garbage masks.

 

Flame FX

FlameFX is a collection of powerful technical and creative tools that can help speed your workflow and reduce your dependence on third party plugins.  Unlike plug-ins, Flame Premium integrates these tools into your workflow where you need them.  New FX tools in Flame Premium 2012 are GPU accelerated procedural nodes for basic compositing and image manipulations: warping, rippling, edge detection, embossing and adding film artifacts.

Highlights are:

2D Transform (NEW)– With built-in filtering options, scale, rotation, perspective, and field of view parameters, you can quickly and easily perform simple transforms on your front and matte clips.

Blend and Comp (NEW) – Simple yet flexible functionality for blending clips over a background image. User definable blending type, gain controls, logic operations, and Adobe^® Photoshop^® compatible blending modes help create better composites

Deform (NEW) – Warping tools with presets to quickly create magnify, pinch, ripple twirl, and wave effects

RGB Edge Detect (NEW) – Generate edges from RGB images quickly.  Use edges in technical workflows to better blend foreground elements into composites or use them in creative workflows to generate dynamic outline effects.

Bump Displace (NEW) – Fast and interactive 2D displacement effects featuring integrated lighting outside of the Action environment

Damage (NEW) – Easily create film and video effects with presets for old film, analog video and digital compression artifacts

Pixel Spread (NEW) – Generate better looking keyed results with the ability to selectively expand pixel colors around edges of input mattes.      

Denoise (NEW) – New noise reduction algorithm with filtering and media options.

Depth of Field (NEW) – New depth of field tool.

Lens Flare Object (NEW) – Integrate ultra-realistic lighting artifacts into 3D composites.  Start with pre-built templates or adjust fully customizable parameters to create stunning lighting effects that look great in both mono- and stereoscopic composites. Amazing occlusion effects can be created as lights pass behind media layers, mattes, 3D geometry or close to the edge of the screen

Volumetric Rays Object (NEW) – Generate volumetric lighting effects that are realistically influenced by media and 3D layers in both mono- and stereoscopic composites.  Attached to lights inside of the Action schematic, the Edge Rays node can produce realistic lighting effects that can shimmer, be occluded by other objects in the scene, and even shine through transparent objects

Motif – Motif makes it faster and easier to generate symmetrical patterns that can be used in a variety of creative situations – from textures on 3D objects to backgrounds or motion graphics effects

Substance Textures – More easily create photorealistic textures from scratch with a library of at least 100 organic, fabric, and material presets. From glowing lava, ultra-sleek marble, and shimmering satin to glass, water, ice, and other refractive materials, New in Flame Premium 2012, a common set Substance presets can be transferred from Maya and 3ds Max via FBX

Particle Presets – Create powerful 3D particle effects in true 3D space. Use as is or customize presets to create the effects you want. Particle presets help you design realistic and creative particle effects quickly

Glow – A fast and easy-to-use glow tool for creating stylized edge effects

Gradient – Generate complex color ramps using multiple anchor points and transparencies

Blur tools  – A comprehensive set of GPU-accelerated blur tools featuring RGB Blur, 3D Blur, and Motion Blur. Quickly Box, Gaussian, Radial, and Directional blurs. Use depth map information to defocus based on the separation of elements in a rendered composite.  Or create pre- and post-motion effects based on movement within the a single clip or separate motion vector clip

Action

Flame Premium features Action – a true 3D compositing environment offering the interactive speed of traditional 2D compositing and powerful 3D tools that help you integrate elements into finished composites. With new Relight tools integrated directly into Action, it’s easier to create realistic lighting effects.   GPU accelerated performance means you can work fast as you blend multi-resolution media layers, 3D lighting effects, and geometry to create stunning visual effects.

Batch

Batch is a node-based procedural compositing pipeline featuring the full Flame creative toolset.  With Batch, you have the flexibility to build custom processing trees as you tailor each effect to the task at hand.  You can more easily version shots or break complex composites into easier-to-manage sub-sections.  And only Flame Premium offers the full Batch and Action creative toolset within the timeline workflow of Smoke Advanced. 

Real-Time Color Grading

Flame Premium blends color and visual effects tasks into a single creative offering for finishing.  In Flame Premium, artists can move more easily between Flame for 3D visual effects and professional tools for real-time color grading.  With tools for end-to-end finishing, you’ll save time in session by non-destructively moving entire multi-layer timelines between grading and finishing.  Regardless of whether your adding color to your visual effects workflow, or adding full service finishing to your grading workflow, Flame Premium 2012 combines Autodesk’s best tools for color grading with the proven visual effects tools of Flame to provide a more flexible and complete finishing solution.

Highlights are:

Color and VFX Together: Adding professional tools for real-time color grading to your VFX workflow allow you to offer a broader range of creative finishing services that can help keep jobs and clients in your facility longer.  And tight integration between visual effects and color within Flame Premium mean artists can spend more time being creative – not managing media.

Library UI (NEW): A redesigned shot bin in grading (Lustre) represents footage using the familiar visual convention of Flame and Smoke.  Source clips (represented in green) and entire timelines (represented in red) can be dragged and dropped between reels or to the timeline for grading.   Multiple clips can quickly be assembled in the timeline using a drag-and-drop workflow, making it easier to assemble multiple source clips, reels or edited timelines

Multi-Layer Timeline (NEW): New ability to add layers or video tracks in grading give artists more options when working with multiple versions of entire timelines or multiple grades for individual segments.  Video tracks make it possible to create copies of timelines that can be used for versioning or multiple grades.  Layers enable quick versioning within a timeline by allowing artists to stack multiple grades of a single segment and more quickly move between them for review

Containers (NEW):  When working with complex multi-layer timelines in grading (Lustre), artists can non-destructively collapse layers into a single segment.  This creates a container – effectively a mini-timeline that can house multiple vertical segments including edits and transitions.  Individual layers can be selected within containers to determine which layer is visible in the master timeline.  This added functionality makes it easier to manage and version complex timelines when grading and enables better bi-directional timeline compatibility when working between color and VFX tools

Matte Containers (NEW):  Take full advantage of the compositing power of Flame within the grading environement by using mattes created in VFX (Flame and Smoke) as isolation mattes for selective color correction (Lustre).  Timelines from VFX with existing Matte Containers transfer intact to the grading timeline, and allow selection of up to 4 matte layers to be used for selective color correction   

Multi-channel Clips (NEW):  It’s never been easier to work with multiple matte passes when grading regardless of where the mattes are created.  Multi-channel clips can be created within the grading timeline to marry matte passes to source footage.  Each source clip can have an unlimited number of channels associated with it, and up to 4 channels can be assigned for use in secondary color correction.  Each layer can be slipped or adjusted to offset or correct timing between source and matte clips

GPU Accelerated Performance:  When you’re grading, you need real-time tools that let you iterate as you develop the look for your project.  Flame Premium lets artists work fast even when grading complex multi-layer timelines with support for GPU technology.  Both primary and secondary grades can be previewed in real-time at resolution up to 2K on mono- and stereoscopic projects

Non-Linear Color Grading: Multilayer timelines and gestural tools in grading allow the colorist to make edits, shot versions and grade versions faster.   Compare multiple shots in your sequence, jump between shots, and see them side by side in different contexts for a faster nonlinear workflow that gives you more time to experiment with grades and variations. 

 

Editorial Finishing

Flame Premium offers an intuitive timeline-based workflow combining the power of the Flame creative toolset and the logical progression of timeline navigation.  It unlocks the full Flame Batch and Action creative toolset within the timeline workflow of Smoke Advanced, artists can choose their workflow based on project needs and without limiting their creative toolset. 

Advanced Conforming:  Advanced conform tools for EDL, AAF, OMF, and Apple^® Final Cut Pro^® XML files allow faster creation of multi-layer timelines that can be shared between VFX, editorial and grading toolsets.  Common media support between creative workflows allows for a faster and more efficient translation of conformed timelines without having to convert media

The Timeline you Know, the Tools you Want : Flame Premium is the only way to access the full power of the Flame Batch and Action creative toolset within the timeline workflow of Smoke Advanced.  This gives artists the freedom to choose the creative workflow that’s best for the project at hand – timeline or desktop – without having to limit your creative toolset

Powerful Audio tools: Flame Premium features timeline based audio editing and processing tools with up to 32 tracks of real-time playback.  When working with multiple deliverable formats, audio tracks can be adjusted for speed or pitch to have an accurate sync regardless of framerate.