Communiqué de presse en VO :  
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Toxik 2008 announced with new price
 
(SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug.1, 2007) Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), today launched Autodesk Toxik 2008, the latest version of its desktop software for feature film procedural compositing.
 
Toxik has shaped numerous blockbuster films, including Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Apocalypto and The Fountain. Designed for visual effects artists, Toxik 2008 combines an extensive creative toolset with real-time, interactive compositing of high-dynamic-range imagery (HDRI).
 
Toxik 2008 is available as a stand-alone product on both the Windows and Linux operating systems. It offers greater interoperability with Autodesk Maya 3D modeling, animation and rendering software, thereby helping artists combine 2D and 3D techniques to solve complex production problems,
 
"The growing scale and complexity of computer-generated imagery in visual effects work is driving convergence between 2D and 3D pipelines," said Marc Petit, senior vice president, Autodesk Media & Entertainment. "Transferring camera and rendering information from Maya to Toxik allows artists to make creative decisions in an interactive environment; in the context of live-action footage or computer-generated elements. This gives artists more freedom to experiment and allows them to quickly achieve the shot they want for their client."
 
With the latest technology in HDRI, Toxik 2008 gives users a greater dynamic range of exposures than traditional digital imaging techniques, accurately representing a wide range of intensity levels, ranging from direct sunlight to the deepest shadows. With the combination of real-time, interactive compositing of 2K, 4K and higher-resolution imagery, and a deep creative toolset, Toxik 2008 allows users to combine computer-generated and live-action footage to create compelling content for today's high-end films and television shows.
 
"During Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, we used Toxik extensively alongside Flame for both prep work and full compositing of shots," said Phil Brennan, Head of Production at Post Asylum. "Toxik's Python scripting and Wiretap interface enabled the two products to work seamlessly together, greatly increasing the efficiency of our compositing pipeline."
 
Key New Features in Toxik 2008
Bicubic Warping: Allows users to manipulate image distortion and perspective to create photo-realistic composites
Interoperability with Maya: the Maya render layers, cameras, locators, axis and world space information load directly into Toxik, allowing users to add live-action elements or 3D post techniques like depth-of-field and motion blur.
(gary's note - ive also got this workign with 3ds Max too)
Versioning Tool: Allows users to manage multiple iterations and outputs with support for multi-channel open EXR import. For a complete feature listing and to learn more about Toxik 2008 visit http://www.autodesk.com/toxik
 
Pricing and Availability
Autodesk anticipates that Toxik 2008 (Windows and Linux) will be available worldwide fall 2007. North American suggested retail pricing for one Toxik creative seat is US $3,485*. Toxik 2008 will be demonstrated on August 6, 2007 at Autodesk's San Diego User Group Event and will also be showcased at the SIGGRAPH 2007 conference in San Diego, California from August 7-9, 2007 at Autodesk Booth #703.
*International pricing may vary.
 
The previous product version, Toxik 2007, is available on both Windows and Linux operating systems, featuring a fully integrated, high-performance Oracle database that offers transparent metadata management, multi-user collaboration and advanced version tracking for film pipelines.
 

 

 
    *
    * Demonstration
    * Features & Specifications
 
Detailed Features
 
Autodesk® Toxik™ collaborative digital compositing software lets you create stunning visual effects while tracking every action and task seamlessly.
 
Streamline your facility workflow and experience truly collaborative digital compositing. With robust features such as Paint and the Master Keyer, unique collaboration features, and the ability to manipulate high resolution imagery Autodesk Toxik enables high quality, dynamic compositing and fast, parallel workflows.
Feature Overview: User Interface
 
    * Workspaces
    * Views
    * Touch UI
    * Ultra-High Resolution Interaction
    * Feature Overview: Creative Tools
    * Reaction
    * Keying and Rotoscoping
    * Paint
    * Tracking and Stabilization
    * 2D Compositing
    * Animation
    * Suave Renderer
    * High Dynamic Range Imagery
    * Color Management
    * Image Processing
    * Enterprise Collaboration
    * Versioning
    * Python Scripting
    * File I/O
    * Media Cache
    * API
    * Network Rendering
    * Debug Tools
 
Workspaces
 
    * Toxik offers preset and customizable UI layouts for optimized task-based workflow. Configure single and multiple view layouts and quickly switch between layouts.
    * Default task groups include: Animation, Color Correct, Compositing, Importing, Keying, Manage Data, Motion Match, and Rotoscoping.
    * Hotkeys enable efficient, rapid, UI switching.
    * User-definable tasks and presets provide unlimited customization of the workspace to match the preferred workflow of each individual artist.
    * Post notes to track your work accurately and efficiently.†
 
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Views
 
    * A variety of views allow you to easily inspect and edit your work. Views can be placed in any viewport, and resized as desired.
    * Composition Browser—list all nodes and parameters of your current composition.
    * Layer Editor— view and organize your composition elements (image layers, materials, axis, geometry); conveniently apply tools to these elements within this view.
    * Curve Editor—create advanced animations.
    * Track Editor—easily keep track of the timing of all animated parameters.
    * Desktop—visually organize multiple compositions.
    * Player—real-time disk and RAM playback and preview.
    * Schematic—node-based interface for 2D and 3D compositing.
    * Import Browser—display the media files available on your network.
    * System Browser—manage administrative tasks, such as user account creation and project management.
    * Tool Browser—display all available tools you can add to your composition.
    * Library Browser—display all project folders in the Toxik database.
 
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Touch UI
 
    * The Touch UI is a fast, interactive way of accessing tools. It includes:
    * Gate—gestural access to core application functions.
    * Drop Gate—advanced drag-and-drop functionality.
    * Pick and Stick—interactive multiclip selection.
    * Pick List—store frequently-used Toxik elements for quick access. You can add tools, views, compositions, and search queries.
    * Transparent Overlays.
 
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Ultra-High Resolution Interaction
 
    * Interactive display and manipulation of extremely high-resolution imagery, including images beyond 21K.
    * Dynamic, tiled proxy management with intelligent computation and display of visible image detail (pixels).
    * Highly optimized 32-bit and 16-bit float processing and display region of interest and tiled processing.
    * Interactive RAM caching with Intermediate Result advanced disk caching mechanism
    * Intelligent Redraw—continuous redraw during user interaction. Artists do not have to wait for complex redraws to finish before continuing design efforts.
 
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Feature Overview: Creative Tools
 
    * Toxik features a comprehensive range of modular creative tools, each supporting separate input and masking layers for localized work.
    * Tools—granular tools provide core functionality. Categories include Alpha, Channel, Color Correction, Composition, Effects, Filtering, Formatting, Grain Management, Image Generation, Keying, Testing, Time, Transform.
    * Super Tools—combine multiple tools in a single node for advanced functionality and faster interaction. Individual node menus are conveniently accessible at the main schematic level. Ability to expand a super tool to view and edit its component nodes.
 
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Reaction
 
    * Fluid, interactive 3D compositing environment supports unlimited layers at any image resolution.
    * Schematic flowchart with hierarchical parenting for custom layer transformations and material mapping.
    * Ultrafine control of material parameters such as transfer modes, bump mapping, and environment mapping.
    * Unlimited light sources with optional shadow casting.
    * Layer projections.
    * Multiple cameras with customizable field of view, clipping planes, focal distance, shutter speed, and aperture (f-stops).
    * High-quality software rendering and interactive hardware modes.
    * Render effects include anti-aliasing, filters, motion blur, and depth of field.
    * Integrated tracking and stabilization.
    * Grid display enhances 3D scene orientation and placement of elements.
 
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Keying and Rotoscoping
 
    * Keyer super tool combines ease-of-use with flexibility to customize tools for effective use with any source material.
    * Master Keyer—advanced keying technology for quickly creating precise mattes. Easily make refinements with intuitive, gestural editing of the matte, spill suppression, and edge blending.
    * Integrated Degrain assists with matte extraction from noisy footage.
    * Blend & alpha tools provide additional tools for realistic and creative results.
    * Luminance, difference, and linear keyers. Color Curves and Diamond Keyer provide intuitive tools for selective color correction and masking.
    * Spline garbage masks offer user-defined edge softness.
 
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Paint
 
    * Drop gate support for efficiency adding compositions, layers, or tools.*
    * Pressure-sensitive, raster-based paint.
    * Unlimited layers.
    * Customizable brushes.
    * Clone, Reveal, and Blend modes.
    * View strokes in context of composition.
    * Painted frames are shared and useable by all Toxik collaborators, even on remote workstations.
 
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Tracking and Stabilization
 
    * Fast and accurate motion analysis for 2D tracking of position, scale, and rotation.
    * Stabilize camera motion, or only remove camera shake.
    * Recovery from obstructed and outgoing reference points.
    * 1-point and 2-point stabilization; 1-point, 2-point, and 4-point tracking.
 
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2D Compositing
 
    * 2D Transform took streamlines 2D compositing with full gestural control, ability to link multiple transforms, plus concatenation and new Jinc filtering for superb image quality.*
    * Unpremultiply conveniently handles alpha-premultiplied images whose foreground may have been composited on any solid color.*
    * Blend and Comp tool supports alpha channel on front and back layer.
    * Large library of blend modes—Normal, Add, Subtract, Screen, Overlay, and many more.
    * Alpha tools include blend modes and compositing operators—Over, Atop, Inside, and more.
    * Edge tools–edge detection, alpha cleanup, and edge control.  
 
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Warping and Lens Distort*
 
    * New tools to quickly warp and distort images-Crumple, Displace, Magnify, Polar, and more.
    * Lens Distort tool corrects or simulates lens distortion in a clip.
    * Jinc filtering delivers incredibly sharp results.
 
Slate*
 
    * Burn in text over a clip to facilitate review and approval.
    * Type custom text.
    * Automatic insertion of production data including frame number, timecode, date, and more.
 
Animation
 
    * Manual and auto keyframing, drag-and-drop expression editing, editable spline curves and timing tracks.
    * Expresso—expression calculator provides easy creation of expressions for any channel.
    * Curve Editor and Track Editor for viewing and control of animation values and timing.
    * Filter channel display for improved usability in large, complex setups.
 
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Suave Renderer
 
    * Proprietary Autodesk Jinc filter provides unparalleled image quality.*
    * 32-bit, HDRI-capable rendering with per pixel shading.
    * High-quality texture filtering: elliptical weighted average and Mitchell.
    * High-quality antialiasing: Box, Conic, Max, Quadratic, Narrow Gaussian, Wide Gaussian, Cubic, Cooks, and Mit Net Noch.
    * Realistic shadow mapping and high-quality motion blur.
    * Highly tuned 3D renderer designed specifically for compositing applications.
 
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High Dynamic Range Imagery
 
    * Remap Color tool for viewing HDR images on a limited dynamic range display such as a computer monitor.*
    * Clamp Color limits colors to a given color gamut.*
    * Photo Lab interactive HDR color corrector.
    * Histogram color corrector.
    * 32-bit filtering designed for HDR images.
    * Exposure control directly in the player.
    * In-context compositing of un-premultiplied images without clamping.
    * 32-bit unclamped processing engine.
    * Support for 16-bit half float and OpenEXR.
 
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Color Management
 
    * 3D LUT and 1D Look-Up-Table (LUT) support.
    * Viewer and Import LUTs.
    * API allows customization of import LUTs.
    * Lustre® Color Management includes monitor calibration software and a library of display and conversion LUTs. †
 
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Image Processing
 
    * Motion—motion estimation analysis tool will generate forward and backward motion vectors for an image source. †
    * Re-timer—change footage speed and add convincing motion effects using motion estimation technology. †
    * Add grain or remove grain for seamless integration of CG and film elements. †
    * Degrain features spatial and temporal frame analysis.
    * High-Quality Resize including Mitchell and Lanczos filtering.
    * Filters include fast Gaussian blur, median, sharpen, unsharp mask.
    * Additional blur options include directional blur, radial blur, and modulation blur to simulate depth of field blur. †
 
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Feature Overview: Facility Tools
 
Enterprise Collaboration
 
    * Centralized data management through an enterprise-class relational database (Oracle® Standard Edition).
    * Support for multiple workgroups, or single integrated pipelines.
    * Multiuser concurrent access to metadata for collaboration.
    * Ability to dynamically link to other users’ compositions to review and share work and versions.
    * Versioning tools for streamlining review and approval process.
    * Floating software licenses (note: database server is node-locked).
 
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Versioning
 
    * Published results allow you to create unlimited versions of a composition. The database tracks all versions of all compositions.
    * Flexible publish modes allows user to specify the amount of data to share
    * Versioning enables you to determine whether you use the latest, current, or a manually selected version.
    * Token based auto-naming of versions (system/metadata).
 
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Python Scripting
 
    * Nonproprietary scripting capabilities through Python bindings.
    * Script-driven automation of film postproduction processes.
    * Automate repetitive off-line tasks. Automate and control background rendering and the production of dailies.
    * Import and preprocess media, making sure all the material necessary for a particular shot is available before an artist starts working on it.
    * Enable an effective integration with other third-party products by controlling the movement of media and metadata entirely by scripts.
    * Query and extract metadata out of the database.
    * Exchange information with other production databases.
    * Automate archiving for backup, offline, and near-line storage. Intelligent dependency tracking allows for compositions to be restored with alternative paths, providing flexibility in managing storage and workstation resources.
 
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File I/O
 
    * Popular graphics formats supported include: OpenEXR, Cineon, DPX, TGA, IFF, PNG, TIFF, HDR, JPEG, BMP, and Softimage.
    * Automate media loading and rendering with scripts to offload administrative tasks from the artists.
    * 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit per channel (float) support.
    * Wiretap support provides file exchange with Autodesk advanced systems applications: Autodesk® Inferno®, Autodesk® Flame®, Autodesk® Flint®, Autodesk® Fire®, and Autodesk® Smoke®.
    * UNC path support enables access to files and directories across entire network.
 
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Media Cache
 
    * Intelligent local disk cache accelerates interactivity and rendering.
    * Delivers instant, real-time playback of clips.
    * Importing media to the media cache reduces network load in the facility as fewer requests are made to the central storage server.
 
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API
 
    * Full object-oriented C++ application programming interface (API) and well-documented Software Developers’ Kit (SDK).
    * Allows full integration of third-party applications within Toxik.
    * Provides the ability to create your own UI and on-screen manipulators within the Toxik player.
    * High-performance processing-level primitives for 32-bit float.
    * Open standard OpenFX plug-in architecture support.
 
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Network Rendering
 
    * Background rendering over multiple render nodes.
    * Command line rendering support.
    * Autodesk Backburner 3.0 render manager provides a graphical interface for viewing, controlling, and prioritizing render tasks.
 
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Debug Tools
 
    * Show Tiles—enables you to visualize the tiling mechanism.
    * Statistics—provides real-time statistics on the performance of the processing pipeline for debugging and performance tuning purposes. Includes information on UI and processing threads, disk I/O, and drawing to graphics.

Et le même en VF
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Autodesk lance le logiciel Autodesk Toxik 2008 pour la création d'effets visuels des longs métrages
Toxik 2008 répond au besoin d'unifier les effets visuels des workflows 2D et 3D
 
SAN RAFAEL, Californie, le 3 août 2007 Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ : ADSK) vient de lancer Autodesk Toxik 2008, la toute dernière version de son logiciel de compositing d'effets visuels pour les longs métrages. Toxik a été utilisé dans de nombreux films à succès dont Pirates des Caraïbes: Jusqu’au bout du monde, Apocalypto et The Fountain. Conçu pour les créateurs d'effets visuels, Toxik 2008 comprend une gamme complète d’outils créatifs en temps réel et un système de gestion interactive d'images au format HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imagery).
 
Toxik 2008 est disponible pour les systèmes d’exploitation Windows et Linux. Il offre davantage d’interopérabilité avec le logiciel de modélisation, d’animation et de rendu Autodesk Maya 3D, aidant ainsi les artistes à combiner les techniques 2D et 3D pour résoudre les problèmes complexes de production.
 
« L’échelle et la complexité grandissantes de l’imagerie conçue par ordinateur entraînent une convergence entre les pipelines de production de 2D et de 3D », déclare Marc Petit, vice-président d'Autodesk Media & Entertainment. « Transférer les informations de la caméra et du rendu de Maya à Toxik permet aux artistes de prendre des décisions de façon interactive, dans un contexte de tournage réel ou d'éléments générés par ordinateur. Ceci donne aux artistes davantage de liberté d’expérimentation et leur permet de réaliser rapidement le plan qu’ils veulent pour leur client. »
 
Grâce à la dernière technologie HDRI, Toxik 2008 offre aux utilisateurs une plus grande échelle d'exposition que les techniques d'imageries numériques traditionnelles. Toxik 2008 permet de représenter avec précision une large gamme d’intensité allant de la lumière directe du soleil aux ombres les plus profondes. En combinant le compositing interactif en temps réel en 2K, 4K, l'imagerie à haute résolution et sa gamme d'outils créative et élaborée, Toxik 2008 donne la possibilité aux utilisateurs de gérer à la fois les prises de vues directes et les images générées par ordinateurs, et de créer ainsi des contenus de qualité pour les longs-métrages et les émissions télévisées.
 
« Pour le film Pirates des Caraïbes : Jusqu’au bout du monde, nous avons beaucoup utilisé Toxik et Flame, à la fois pour le travail préparatoire et pour la composition finale des plans », explique Phil Brennan, Responsable de la production chez Post Asylum. « Le script Python et l’interface Wiretap de Toxik ont permis une parfaite collaboration des deux produits, augmentant ainsi l’efficacité de notre pipeline de compositing. »
 
Nouvelles caractéristiques de Toxik 2008
- Déformation bicubique (Bicubic Warping) : Permet aux utilisateurs de manipuler la distorsion et la perspective d’une image et de créer des composites photoréalistes
- Interopérabilité avec Maya (Interoperability with Maya) : Les couches de rendu, les caméras, les repères, les axes et les informations d'espace de Maya sont directement transférés dans Toxik, ce qui permet aux utilisateurs d’ajouter des éléments réels ou des techniques 3D telles que la profondeur de champ ou le motion blur.
- Outil de versionnage (Versioning Tool) : Permet aux utilisateurs de gérer différentes itérations et productions avec un support pour les importations multiplex Open EXR.
 
Pour en savoir plus sur Toxik 2008, visitez www.autodesk.com/toxik ou contacter Post Logic, revendeur agréé d'Autodesk Media & Entertainment au 01 46 37 77 61.
 
Prix et disponibilité
Autodesk Toxik 2008 (Windows et Linux) sera disponible à l’automne 2007.
Le prix de vente conseillé en Europe pour un siège créatif est de 3 500 euros HT.
Toxik 2008 sera en démonstration le 6 août 2007 au SIGGRAPH 2007 (San Diego, Californie) du 7 au 9 août 2007, sur le stand Autodesk N° 703.
 
La version précédente du produit, Toxik 2007, est disponible pour les systèmes d’exploitation Windows et Linux. Elle présente une base de données haute performance Oracle qui permet une gestion transparente des méta-données, une collaboration multi-utilisateurs et un outil puissant de suivi de version pour la création de longs métrages.
 
À propos d’Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. est le leader mondial en logiciel de design 2D et 3D pour les marchés de la fabrication, de la construction et des médias et divertissement. Depuis son introduction du logiciel AutoCAD en 1982, Autodesk a élaboré un large portefeuille de solutions de prototypes numériques à la pointe de la technologie qui aident les utilisateurs à vivre leurs idées avant qu’elles ne soient réelles. Les sociétés de Fortune 1000 comptent sur Autodesk pour ses outils servant à visualiser, à stimuler et à analyser une performance réelle dès les premiers stades de son processus de conception afin d’économiser du temps et de l’argent, d’en améliorer la qualité et de favoriser l’innovation. Pour tout renseignement supplémentaire, visitez www.autodesk.com.