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Adobe announces Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11 with new filters, more beginner-friendly UI
Earlier this year Adobe announced Photoshop CS6 with a new user interface, and now Elements, its line of beginner-level products, is getting a facelift too. The company just introduced Photoshop and Premiere Elements 11, and while the two apps include a handful of new photo- and video-editing features, the bigger story is that they're designed to be less intimidating to newbies. Both have a more readable UI, for instance, as opposed to the old theme with the dark background and low-contrast icons. Things like preview thumbnails have been brought to the forefront so that they're easier to find. Also, both pieces of software ship with a re-tooled image organizer that puts commonly used functions front and center, with lesser-used features like keyword tagging hidden in the menus. The organizer also now has Google Maps integration, so you can view your shots on a map. You can also for the first time view by event, or by the names of people tagged in photos. As for new features, Photoshop Elements is getting a series of new comic-inspired filters, including "Pen and Ink," "Graphic Novel" and, yes, "Comic." Photoshop Elements now allows European customers to upload photos to Cewe, while Premiere Elements supports Vimeo uploads. (Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Shutterfly and SmugMug sharing were already built in.) Amateur videographers will also enjoy a series of new Hollywood-inspired filters, including Red Noir, a "Sin City"-esque effect with red accents, and "Pandora," which is meant to evoke "Avatar." Finally, you can use Time Remapping and Reverse Time to speed up footage or slow it down, respectively. Fans of the software will notice the pricing hasn't changed: the two apps cost $100 each, or $150 as a bundle. Folks who are upgrading will pay $80 a pop, or $120 for both. Look for both on Adobe's site today, with the old-fashioned boxed software hitting retailers soon.
Final Cut Studio on sale again via Apple telesales, video editors worldwide breathe sighs of relief
If you're one of the many Final Cut Pro users unhappy with Apple's latest version -- and you haven't been lured into Adobe's open arms -- today brings good news. According to MacRumors, Cupertino will continue to offer the previous, discontinued version via telephone sales. Calling 800-MY-APPLE and asking for Final Cut Studio (part number MB642Z/A) will net you Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, DVD Studio Pro 4, Color 1.5 and Compressor 3.5 for $999, or $899 for qualified educational customers. That's a far cry from the $299.99 for Final Cut Pro X, but if you're interested in, say, opening legacy projects or outputting to tape, you might grudgingly pony up the extra dough.
Adobe lures unhappy Final Cut Pro X users with half-price video editing tools
To say the latest version of Final Cut Pro wasn't well received, would be a major understatement. Well, Adobe hasn't wasted any time taking advantage of consumer discontent, and is now offering dissatisfied users of Apple's video editing software a 50 percent discount to make the switch to its alternatives, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and CS5.5 Production Premium. If you're not feeling the latest iteration (or any version) of Final Cut Pro or Avid's Media Composer, the offer stands through September 30th. And here we thought Apple and Adobe had buried the hatchet. Full PR after the break.
Apple posts Final Cut Pro X FAQ following backlash, promises multicamera support and other updates
Though Apple took to the pages of The New York Times last week to respond to a chorus of criticism about Final Cut Pro X, it's clear the company is going to have to go a little further in assuaging videographers who were alarmed to learn that the built-from-the-ground-up software omits certain key features found in Final Cut Pro 7. The outfit has posted an FAQ page on its site, which answers oft-repeated questions, yes, but also reassures users that some -- but not all -- of these features are on the way. Specifically, Apple promised that multicamera editing is coming as part of the "next major release" and that XML exporting is on the agenda, too. Additionally, volume licensing for orders of 20 or more will be available "soon," while an update this summer will allow you to use metadata tags to categorize audio tracks by type and then export them from Final Cut Pro X. Still, you're going to have to get used to the fact that you can't import old FCP files without data loss-- and don't expect updates for tape-based editing, either. As always, hit that source link for the full spill.
Cinemassively: Mercury Metropolitan's 18th birthday
Mercury Metropolitan, an enterprising former teen from the Second Life Teen Grid, turned 18 today. The moment it happened, teens donned picket signs labeling him a pedophile and urged him to be transferred to the Main Grid. Well, no, that's not really what happened. However, the moment he turned 18, he was torn from his friends that he's known for 2.5 years.I'll be publishing an interview with him later today, but the teens asked me last week if I'd prepare a video slideshow for his surprise birthday party on Tuesday. It seemed like a good excuse to discuss moviemaking software for those that aren't artistically-inclined. muvee AutoProducer 6 allows you to add songs, video clips, and pictures. It will turn them into a movie for you, cutting according to the song and the style that you chose. At that point, you can swap out clips on the timeline if you don't think that they fit in well.This software, which runs $110-130 USD, actually gives you a decent amount of control if you're not that into editing. They also offer the opportunity to purchase additional style packs that will change the look, feel, and editing style of your Machinima project. They even announced today that they plan to support the h.264 codec! muvee isn't for anyone above novice skill level, but it does take the sting out of editing hundreds of pictures into a movie.
