The White House Plumbers

Colorfront has developed new connectivity and image-processing capabilities across its Express Dailies, On-Set Dailies and Transkoder systems at IBC 2022. These include improved integration into NDI and IMF component-based media workflows, expanded support for AWS cloud storage and the most recent digital camera and audio formats, plus new timeline editorial and UI tools.

Remote Operations

Express Dailies, On-Set Dailies and Transkoder now all feature 16-bit NDI video output, so that users can take advantage of this protocol, now in wide use, in their workflows. NewTek’s video transport codec NDI (Network Device Interface) is built into video-compatible products and used to deliver and receive low-latency, frame-accurate video via LANS (Local Area Networks).

For cloud-based operations, a field in which Colorfront now has considerable experience, all products have been optimised for faster import and loading of media on AWS S3 cloud storage, especially useful for IMF component-based workflows.

Colorfront has been working with Adobe Frame.io as well to integrate the Dailies and Transkoder software into Frame.io’s Camera to Cloud initiative. This work has resulted in improvement to connectivity and new support for the open source OAuth 2.0 authorisation protocol, for up to date, secure authentication that is simple to use.

IMF Workflow Support

We Crashed

Colorfront recognises the evolution and growing adoption of IMF component-based media workflows and the associated stress on mastering operators who need to generate, review and deliver complex IMF packages. Validation tools for detecting incorrect Dolby Vision metadata, audio loudness problems and inconsistent letterboxing/frameline configurations have been improved, and give essential information during the packaging or QC process.

For example, by reviewing auto-generated markers created for specific issue types, an operator can quickly catch problems with the audio, image and metadata content of the composition. Also, when checking localised or supplemental VF CPLs (version files composition playlists), it is now easier for a QC operator to isolate inserts from previously QCd assets and compare them to the base version.

New Formats

Keeping up with new developments in digital cinematography is an important aspect of Colorfront’s work. Their applications feature support for the new ARRI ALEXA 35 and RED V-RAPTOR XL 8K VV cameras, and using Express Dailies and On-Set Dailies on Mac Studio M1 Ultra-based systems helps accelerate performance through Apple Metal optimisation.

Other upgrades include handling of camera lens metadata and enhanced High-Throughput JPEG 2000 (HTJ2K) compression for IMF. HTJ2K substantially speeds-up JPEG 2000 at the expense of slightly reduced coding efficiency – that is, HTJ2K retains JPEG 2000's advanced features, with reduced quality scalability, but is faster and much more efficient than the traditional JPEG.

Mixtape

Digital Cinema Colour Pipelines

Colour pipeline capabilities now run on an updated Colorfront Engine. The tools also support ACES viewing pipelines via ACES 1.3, the most recent Academy Color Encoding System. ACES 1.3 has a new gamut compression algorithm for dealing with extremely bright saturated objects, colour space conversion transforms that support Sony VENICE, and better interoperability with third party applications via ACES Metadata File (AMF). AMF describes look metadata for recreating the same image on different systems.

In response to customer feedback, Colorfront has been working on a number of user enhancements across its products. Examples are timeline improvements for multi-channel audio editing, spatial audio workflow, a new hot key editor and multiple usability improvements, all designed to make the preparation and assembly of assets faster and more flexible. Due to support for third party OpenFX, users can add textural qualities to content using Invizgrain and LiveGrain film grain simulation plug-ins.

Transkoder has new export capabilities – Dolby Vision HEVC (Profile 5 and 8.1) using Dolby Encoding Engine, and Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos content. These are available as deliverable options for HEVC encoders, as well as quality assurance tools for Dolby Atmos spatial audio. www.colorfront.com