Red Giant unveils Universe online plugin library
http://vimeo.com/88253005
Supernova, Red Giant Software’s in-house plugin development tool. A library of pre-built image-processing modules, Supernova was used to create the 50 new plugins in Universe, the company’s new free online library.
Originally posted on 12 March 2014. Scroll down for updates.
Red Giant Software has launched Universe: a new online library of over 50 GPU-accelerated effects and transitions for After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X and Motion.
You can sign up for free membership now, giving you access to 31 of the tools, and the chance to vote on which effects and transitions Red Giant builds next.
Premium membership, available later in March, will provide beta access to new products, and access to existing tools that have been ported over to the Universe platform.
Those existing tools include well-known products such as Knoll Light Factory EZ – retooled here to run up to five times faster, according to Red Giant – but nothing from the company’s Trapcode, Keying and Color Suites.
System requirements
To use Universe, you’ll need to be running Windows 7 with SP1 or later, or Mac OS X 10.8.5 or later. The plugins work with After Effects CS5.5, Premiere Pro CS6, Final Cut Pro X and Motion 5 or higher.
You’ll also need at least an Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics chip, but Red Giant recommends Nvidia 5xx, 6xx, or 7xx series consumer GPUs, or AMD 6000, 7000, or 200 series cards; or any Quadro or FirePro card.
Built using Supernova
The new plugins were created using Supernova, Red Giant’s in-house development tool, which enables artists to create new plugins by mixing and matching from a large set of ready-made image-processing modules.
You can see Supernova in action in the video above. So far, there’s no word on whether Red Giant plans to turn it into a commercial product.
Updated 30 March: Universe is now officially out of beta, so Premium membership has gone live.
PRESS RELEASE (Excerpts)
Today, Red Giant, makers of Magic Bullet, Trapcode, and PluralEyes, announced Red Giant Universe (public beta) – a community that gives members access to fast and powerful free tools for editing, filmmaking, visual effects and motion design.
“It’s rare we get to introduce technology that is entirely new,” said Sean Safreed, Red Giant co-founder and CTO, who has been working with his team, behind the scenes, on Universe for the last year and a half. “Universe is an entirely new foundation for tools. It marries the simplicity of JavaScript with the power of the GPU to deliver speedy renders and pixel-perfect results. Users are going to love how quickly we offer new plugins.”
In total, Red Giant is releasing an unprecedented 50 new plug-ins at once – with more already in development. Every tool in the Universe library of effects and transitions is GPU-accelerated, both Mac and Windows compatible, and works across multiple host applications including: After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X and Motion. The Universe library of tools is continuously growing—new effects and transitions are added regularly, and existing tools are updated often, based on user feedback.
In addition to the expanding library of free plug-ins, Universe also offers Premium membership, which gives users access to even more tools – including new effects and transitions, as well as existing Red Giant favorites ported over to the new Universe platform (such as Knoll Light Factory EZ, Holomatrix, Retrograde, and ToonIt). Premium membership is available through monthly and yearly subscription, as well as a one-time lifetime membership fee.
What truly makes Universe unique, however, is its community aspects. Through Universe Labs, members get to help choose what effects and transitions Red Giant builds next – while premium members are eligible for invitations to early betas of new products, allowing users to give early feedback and actively help shape Universe’s expansion over time.
Pricing & Availability
Red Giant Universe Free membership is available starting today, with the Premium membership available for purchase in March. Premium pricing will be $10 (monthly), $99 (yearly) and $399 (lifetime).