At NAB 2011, <a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight launches Blackboard 2, an entirely new control surface for its award-winning Baselight colour grading system. The unique and revolutionary design of Blackboard 2 promises to transform high-end finishing for feature films, television and advertising.
<a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight will be previewing Blackboard 2 and all its latest developments on Stand SL7920. It will also be hosting in-depth demonstrations of the new developments in the Paramount Room at The Renaissance Hotel.
Blackboard 1 set new standards in functionality and design, but after more than two years in development, Blackboard 2 represents a new concept in control surfaces. Every key is ‘soft’ programmable and is labeled from below with back projection that changes as the functions change. Blackboard 2 can therefore accommodate future functionality additions without the need for redesign and suit individual preferences and the needs of individual projects.
Additionally, the control surface includes a series of configurable “haptic” controls that allow users to perform certain functions in a more intuitive and tactile manner. Blackboard 2 also features four high-resolution screens that provide the user with live, in-context feedback about complex grading functions.
“Blackboard 2 represents a huge ergonomic shift that will result in increased productivity and transform grading into a more dynamic and exciting process for both the colourist and the client,” said <a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight co-founder Wolfgang Lempp.
“For post-production service providers, Blackboard 2 offers a way to empower artists and differentiate a facility from its competitors by providing a premium, creative service.” Lempp added that the surface’s bold, curvilinear design is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, making it an eye-catching addition to any post-production suite.
Blackboard 2 departs sharply from traditional control services where most keys are hard-wired and require modifiers and/or multiple keystrokes to accommodate an ever increasing feature set. With Blackboard 2, complex functions can be accomplished by a single keystroke. The new control surface is also much easier to learn and master than traditional surfaces as functions are presented in-context. Colourists familiar with the original Blackboard will instantly feel at home with Blackboard 2.
Significantly, Blackboard 2 provides an open path to future innovation. New functionality can be designed with their own modal configuration. “It is an ideal platform for a client-attended, high-productivity environment”, said Lempp, “whatever the tool used to improve the final image.”
<a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight will continue to manufacture and market the original Blackboard, which remains the industry’s best hard-key control surface.
<a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight plans to begin shipping Blackboard 2 in the summer.
About <a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight
<a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight develops film scanning, colour grading and colour management systems that are transforming film and video post-production and setting new standards for quality, reliability and performance. The company’s products are in use every day by leading post-production facilities around the globe as essential components in their digital intermediate, commercials and video production pipelines. Fuelled by some of the industry’s brightest minds, <a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight is committed to delivering innovative tools that allow creative professionals to work at the forefront of the digital media revolution. Founded in 2001, <a href="www.filmlight.ltd.uk.>FilmLight is headquartered in London, where its research, design and manufacturing operations are centred. Sales and support are conducted through regional service centres located in London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Sydney, Auckland and Singapore, and through qualified partners worldwide. For more information, visit www.filmlight.ltd.uk.
