The Foundry Reveals NUKE 9

The Foundry Release NUKE 9

The Foundry have had great success with NUKE. The release of version 9 with NUKE Studio adds a timeline and turns NUKE into a complete tool for editing and compositing

 Since 2007 The Foundry have been developing and marketing NUKE, a node based digital compositing package which was originally written as an in-house tool for Digital Domain. In that time it has been extremely successful and has become the tool of choice for many VFX artists working in Feature Films, Television and Commercials.

The Foundry have just announced NUKE 9 with the addition of NUKE Studio, which adds timeline based editing and conforming tools to the Node based compositing tools of NUKE and NUKEX. Editors can conform material or create edits in NUKE Studio, then add node based composites to clips in the timeline. A lot of the effects are GPU accelerated and will play back in real time on suitable systems.

The Foundry have also certified a hardware package based on an HP Workstation with Nvidia Graphics and Blackmagic I/O hardware to provide real-time 4K playback in NUKE Studio.

NUKE 9 and NUKE Studio will be available later this year with the option for new users to purchase the software on a monthly basis, therefore dividing the costs and making it easier for small FX houses and One Man Bands to get into NUKE. NUKE will be $351 per month with NUKEX at $660 per month and NUKE Studio at $770 per month.

Early next year there will also be a free version for non-commercial use which will allow hobbyists and researchers to get to grips with NUKE and learn how to use it.

You can read The Foundry's full press release after the break.

 London, October 2014 – Leading creative software developer, The Foundry, today unveiled NUKE 9, the biggest ever shake up of its NUKE technology, including the brand new addition of NUKE STUDIO. The offering brings powerful node-based VFX, Editorial and Finishing into a new single studio application, as well as provides core upgrades to the advanced compositing workflows of NUKE and NUKEX.

NUKE STUDIO empowers creative individuals working independently, as well as collaborative teams working on quick-turnaround projects, in a way that's previously never been possible. Users can run a whole project from a single desktop, even while sitting with a client, and use NUKE STUDIO's powerful collaborative controls to share work with a wider team and manage this from a central integrated location.

Specific exclusive features of NUKE STUDIO include:
● Complete online-editing toolkit - Intuitive and familiar editorial tools get the job done fast, whether it's on set editing, online conform, or simply knocking out quick edits.
● In-timeline real-time effects - Powerful GPU accelerated effects can be added right in the timeline, letting artists quickly experiment, polish and achieve the high-end look they need.
● Fluid end-to-end workflow - Combined timeline and node-graph workflow lets artists work the way they want with all the power to create a project in one application from start to finish.
● Powerful collaborative control - A hub for total project control lets artists share scripts, work collaboratively with annotations and version up and down with ease.
● Real-time 4K playback - Plays in-application and through SDI-Out Hardware giving confidence to client attended sessions. For the first time, The Foundry has certified an HP® and NVIDIA® configuration with Blackmagic.
● Intelligent built-in rendering - Built-in render farm functionality automatically uses all available resources to enhance speed and performance, either on a single machine or when connected to multiple.

Ludo Fealy, Owner of nineteentwenty comments: "The addition of NUKE STUDIO brings the ability to tackle a project from start to finish in a very cost effective way. It also provides the ability to run a client attend session that is so essential to us in commercial production.

"I've been along for the ride during the course of NUKE STUDIO's development and am now glad I made the decision to base my workflow around The Foundry's products when we opened our doors last year."

Grant Miller, Creative Director at Ingenuity Engine comments: "We've been very anxious for The Foundry's release of NUKE STUDIO - we started using it on commercial projects the second we got our hands on the beta.

"NUKE STUDIO completes The Foundry's toolset by adding a timeline-based, client-facing application that makes commercial finishing both a breeze and cost-effective. It integrates seamlessly with the other NUKE products used throughout the studio, allowing for fluid collaboration in a common and familiar environment."

From release, NUKE STUDIO will join MARI and MODO in the PRODUCTION COLLECTIVE, providing an affordable way to access a really comprehensive toolset - perfect for multi-faceted artists.

In addition to NUKE STUDIO, NUKE 9 brings fantastic performance and feature updates to the compositing system present across the entire NUKE range. These include a Native Flipbook tool for NUKE and NUKEX; huge performance improvements that cover not only overall NUKE performance but specifically the EXR reader, Deep EXR reader, Particle system and Scanline renderer; Enhanced 2D format support; and cutting edge retiming updates.

NUKEX and NUKE STUDIO also include an overhaul to the Planar Tracker, to include a new region tracking algorithm; and huge updates to the Vector Generator, Motion Blur and KRONOS tools, with the addition of a new motion estimation algorithm based on OCULA technology.

Jon Wadelton, NUKE Product Manager at The Foundry comments: "This release, our most ambitious to date, addresses input from artists working in ever-evolving, increasingly demanding environments. Artists working with NUKE and NUKEX will see the major improvements to performance as well as a wide range of feature updates and innovative new technology. And now, with NUKE STUDIO, artists can conform, edit, color-correct, add effects and playback at 4K - essentially run a whole project from a single desktop and even sit with a client while doing it."

MORE FLEXIBLE PRICING FOR GREATER ACCESS

With the expansion of the NUKE range, The Foundry has also introduced two ways for people to get on board with NUKE, creating financially viable options for both professional and non-commercial users:

● First Seat 12-Month Payment Plan: First-time users to NUKE can split the cost of either a NUKE, NUKEX, NUKE STUDIO or PRODUCTION COLLECTIVE license over 12 monthly payments. Users do not incur any additional fees or charges and will own the software at the end. This payment plan is only available for new customers without any existing NUKE, NUKEX, NUKE STUDIO or PRODUCTION COLLECTIVE licenses. This plan is designed to make it easier for new users, in particular start-ups and freelance artists, to get started with NUKE.
● Free for non-commercial use license of NUKE, NUKEX and NUKE STUDIO: Designed to make it possible for more people to start learning NUKE, The Foundry will release a free for non-commercial use version of NUKE STUDIO early next year. This is a free non-watermarked but functionally restricted version of NUKE, NUKEX and NUKE STUDIO available to download a 30-day rolling license for anyone not working commercially.

Philippa Carroll, NUKE Product Marketing Manager at The Foundry comments:
"NUKE 9 is an amazing release for everyone. We've not only listened to what the market wants on a technical level, but the softer requirements as well. Therefore, in addition to bringing a powerful, flexible and modern new range of products to market, we've identified ways to make NUKE more accessible than ever before. With our First Seat 12-Month Payment Plan, we help new users get started with NUKE in a more cost-effective way for them. We're also really excited to introduce a free for non-commercial use version of NUKE STUDIO. This complements our existing education offering and provides a way for anyone, not working commercially, to learn and experience NUKE.

"So whatever your line of VFX work and regardless of team size, we're confident we now have a NUKE or combination of NUKE products to suit your needs."

NUKE 9 will be available by the end of November 2014. It's also the first release of NUKE to support the new Mac Pro and is an apple authorized Pro Res third party product. The full pricing range can be found at www.thefoundry.co.uk/nuke/pricingandlicensing.

For further production information on NUKE, visit http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/nuke