Generation 2 is a major update to the acclaimed Generation visual effects desktop, the must-have workflow frontend for artists and studios. With tight deadlines, revision management and team work, Generation excels at providing a flexible desktop for studios to manage many projects, shots, versions, and elements. Customizable, scriptable and designed for teams, Generation makes it easy to integrate into existing studio workflow.

Generation Version 2 New Features



Red and EXR support

With the new direct support for playing back RED .r3d files, the integration into modern production pipelines took another step ahead. OpenEXR playback can check for any combination of the included layers.



Stereo playback

Playing back stereoscopic files on a vast range of different display devices, and with different encoding methods, allows anybody in the workflow from the VFX Supervisor and his 20k$ stereo monitor down to the individual artist and his cardboard glasses to quickly check the look and feel of the shots.



Dissolves and improved editing controls

Easier editing and Dissolves between clips makes it a snap to conform your EDL into an online project to concentrate on the actual work of making your production look great.



3D LUT

3D LUTs from a wide variety of flavors can be applied per clip, per project, and displays. The quick selector bar allows for easy switching between different LUTs to make sure the output is exactly what the client needs.



Display Color Controls

Gain, Gamma and Brightness and Contrast adjustment for the display. Log Linear color controls. Film based stops controls. Individual Red, Green, Blue and Alpha channel views. Flipping and Flopping image mirroring to freshen the perspective of repeated viewing of sequences.



Python scripting support

Hook into Generation and control it with your scripting language of choice. The choice of using any combination of LUA and Python gives your IT department the freedom they need and the control they want.



XML conversion of scratch style projects

Get your Scratch project into and out of Generation fast and dynamic. Workflow and fitting into existing pipelines have always been key features of Generation.



New interface features and refinements

New interface features such as displaying handles and annotations during playback make every artist's life easier. A sophisticated search-function can define your in-house filename convention as a pattern and search for any field. The new customizable scripting menu makes it a snap to put your favorite scripts directly at your pointer.



Multi playback layout

Multiple clips can be played back simultaneously with a user definable offset to quickly compare versions and check for continuity. The clips can be arranged on the workspace completely to your design.



Letter Boxing

Crop and letter box sequences to see how images format on a range of display devices.



Local and Network proxies

To speed up your workflow again, proxies can sit on the network or on your local drive. Just flip the switch to change between faster playback and company-wide synchronized proxies.



New Tool bar and features

Lays out the controls and functions of the program for easier and faster navigation of features and commands, including artist definable scripting menus. Customizable Context Menu for scripts which helps users organize and access scripts as well as customize functionality into a studio's pipeline.



Audio Annotation

Per clip audio annotations allow for recording and attachment audio notes to items on the desktop. Save time typing instructions, just speak them.



Metadata

Overlay Metadata information on the screen. Image format info, timecode, file paths, etc, to track sequences and versions.



Selection Sets

Quick selection clips to playback in sequence or as comparisons. Selections can be distilled to sub projects for easy management and categorization.



Generation

"Generation fits perfectly into our existing Fusion pipeline. Keeping track of multiple versions and doing reviews is a blast! The ability to assemble an entire project and manage the content is just awesome! Playing back, editing and collaborating on shots from all departments are essential to our workflow."

Theodor Groeneboom, Head Of Fusion, Prime Focus London



Tracking, Versioning and Review for Postproduction

Generation is a Visual Effects Desktop application family that provides a visual canvas and collaborative platform for managing postproduction pipelines. The result is an integrated post workflow for supervisors and artist teams. Because the entire application is scriptable, facilities can integrate their existing in-house tools, including asset management, rather than having to modify their existing pipeline to fit with Generation.



Collaboration

From the beginning, Generation was developed within studio environments to ensure that it meshed with real-world conditions. The Generation interface combines a comprehensive shot-tracking system with an editing panel for working with EDLs and playlists. The system includes annotation and grease pencil drawing tools for live discussions of shots or sequences. Comments entered by one artist appear immediately on any connected machines, whether on the same LAN or at remote locations connected via VPN. Annotated frames are indicated in the timeline but the comments are hidden during playback. A complete record of all decisions and client requests is saved with each project.



Version Management

Revision histories for every shot are displayed as thumbnail stacks with the most recent version at the bottom. The current version plays back automatically, or custom playlists can be built by dragging over individual shots. If changes to a composite shot have been made since the last rendering of a clip, Generation flags that shot for rendering.



Playback

Generation provides disk-based playback of content at resolutions of up to 4K and supports all standard file formats. Content can be processed and rendered out at any bit-depth, including floating point. Generation is GPU-accelerated, so the user can switch between views or resize images during real-time playback.



EDL XML Project importing

Generation supports standard EDL formats and will autoconform playlists. Edits made in Generation, including shot replacements, trimming etc. can be exported as EDLs back to the editor's suite. Generation is also able to import and export playlists from Assimilate Scratch, including shot version histories.



The Generation Product Family

A Tool for Every Role



Generation Suite

Generation Suite is for managing and administering projects, whether with small teams or facilities with thousands of artists, at a single location or spread across multiple international sites. Generation Suite provides all the playback, collaboration, and management tools of Generation Studio, bundled with eyeon's Fusion compositing application, a VFX solution with a 20-year history. Together, the package provides a master suite for the filmmaking pipeline, and makes it simple to manage the review and “the fix” in parallel.



Generation Studio

Generation Studio includes the same editing, versioning, annotation, and collaboration tools found in Generation Suite. Generation Studio allows supervisors and artists to improve the efficiency of their existing pipeline by providing a project overview with the ability to edit multiple shots, maintain version histories and collaborate with their whole team.



Generation Player

Generation Player is designed to provide instant review for artists as they work. The application provides playback of single clips and entire Generation projects so that the artist can view her work in context. Generation Player includes collaborative commenting and grease pencil notation features, but does not allow editing, ensuring the integrity of the project is protected.



Generation Studio Features



Integration

• Open ASCII architecture

• Automate and Control remotely via the Network

• Easily scriptable for custom integration within any pipeline



Versioning

• Project stages visible and navigable at all times

• Complete version history for each shot

• Timestamps and artist IDs for all materials

• Automated incremental saves of project

• Unlimited undo functionality



Collaboration

• Live on-line chat

• Grease pencil drawing tools

• Per-shot comments and full project comments

• Audio comments can be attached per shot

• Saved record of all decisions and client requests



Playback

• Disk-based playback up to 4K

• GPU-accelerated performance

• Switch views and resize windows during playback

• Scrubbing, Speed changes, Reverse playback

• Looping of shots and sections, with quick set functions

• Split-view for comparison of two clips, versions, or sequences

• Metadata overlay during playback

• View RGBA or isolate individual channels



Editing

• EDL and XML importing and conforming

• Cutting, Trimming, and Slipping

• Clip splitting

• Dissolves

• Create multiple subprojects

• One-click custom playlists



Generation provides a visual version history.



Compatibility

• Playback support for standard image file formats, (CIN, DPX, MOV, etc.)

• Industry standard 3D Look Up Table format support

• Edit Decision List import and export

• Import and export version histories from Assimilate Scratch



Compositing

• Full integration with eyeon Fusion

• Auto-flagging of updated composition shots

• Composition dependencies tracked and maintained

• View all source elements of compositions



Audio

• Scratch track audio with waveform display

• Trimming and slipping



Proxy Mode

• Automatically generate local mirrors and proxies for entire project

• Maintain multiple identical mirrors without requiring additional RAID hardware

• Mirrors and Proxies defragmented on-the-fly for optimal playback performance

• Local editing without server access



Rendering

• Render out to any format or resolution

• Render out multiple format versions

• Disk defragmentation during proxy rendering

• Full bit-depth, including floating-point

• Integrated render farm management