ASSIMILATE today announced its new SCRATCH 8.4, the latest version of its advanced, real-time post-production tools and workflow. “Leading the industry in offering the latest advancements in digital cinema technology is the cornerstone of what we do. Assimilate is all about developing real-time tools and a workflow that DITs, post-production artists and all filmmakers need to be creative, productive, and competitive,” said Jeff Edson, CEO at Assimilate. “With SCRATCH 8.4, users get an abundance of advanced features that enable them to excel at what they do, and at a price everyone can afford. And with a host of SCRATCH industry partners, they can build an extensive and integrated SCRATCH ecosystem that gives an even greater boost to their productivity.”
SCRATCH 8.4 Highlights
1) New ACES log-grading option: Working in ACES is now as easy as working in any other Log-space media. ACES Log gives the SCRATCH grading tools a more natural feel and response when working with ACES clips. There’s no need to convert media or implement additional steps in your ACES workflow: simply set your SCRATCH project to use ACES Log and the SCRATCH color-space management will take care of any required transforms.
2) Mac update: SCRATCH now supports the new (10 bit) deep-color option in the latest OSX version.
3) Added multi-lingual options: In addition to a simple switch from English to a Chinese UI, SCRATCH now has bi-directional editing capabilities for text in Arabic, Hebrew or other bi-directional languages. It’s as easy as a modern text editor. This is useful for entering any metadata in your SCRATCH project, as well as rendering sub-titles, or adding burn-in text onto your output.
4) Increased conform flexibility: You can now import a partial timeline from an EDL, AAF or XML, and use placeholders for any missing media, while preserving all the metadata from the conform file. Easily replace the placeholder at a later time, when the missing media becomes available.
5) Advanced creative tools: SCRATCH has updated features to boost your creativity. The enhanced softness goes beyond the standard circle or rectangle layers with a free-form shape layer. The enhanced noise generator allows you to better blend composite elements from different sources into your main scene.
6) New video-wall option: Quickly view and compare a series of versions of a single shot, or compare multiple shots within a timeline in one view. Together with the new right-view option, you can have all the versions displayed on your reference screen or projector for your client, and update in real time. Meanwhile, you can continue to work on the individual shots on your main UI display.
7) Added support for Kinefinity RAW: SCRATCH is still the only post-production tool on the planet to support native Kinefinity RAW (KRW and DNG) files. Start working immediately in the RAW footage without the need for conversions.
8) Added SCRATCH Web features:
♦ Quick-link option to create a direct link to a publication, or optionally restrict that link with an expiration date, or protect it with a password.
♦ Send links to clients for content review. A SCRATCH Web account is not needed for the client.
♦ Subdomains for customization – go beyond changing the background of the log-in screen and uploading your logo. Create a subdomain to brand your facility.
9) Enhanced XML scripting options: With new system-event commands, you can further extend and integrate SCRATCH with other tools to create an advanced and fully automated processing-pipeline, using SCRATCH as the foundation.
What Customers Are Saying
Jerome Thelia, colorist, director and producer of the new documentary Bounce, offers a succinct summary, “SCRATCH always keeps pace with the latest features needed in the industry, and SCRATCH 8.4 lives up to that expectation. It just continues to get better and easier to use, which for me translates into greater creativity and productivity.” See Thelia’s work at http://cargocollective.com/mergegroup/filter/Jerome/Jerome-Thelia-Colorist.
John Thorborg, acclaimed colorist in the Netherlands and Belgium, stated, "8.4 will prove to be another milestone in the history of SCRATCH for creative tools — extending beyond pure grading to a platform that serves as the backbone in facilities, from on-set to post-production and finishing". Thorborg has a long-term relationship with Assimilate’s development team, providing expert feedback and insight on new industry developments as well as early alpha-and beta-versions of the software. See Thorborg’s work at https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-thorborg-28948184.
Price and Availability
SCRATCH 8.4 is available immediately at a range of price points, from $60 (US) per month to $650 (US) per year. Site licenses are also available. Learn more about SCRATCH at http://www.assimilateinc.com/products/. Purchase at the Assimilate Store http://store.assimilateinc.com/categories.php?category=ASSIMILATE-Software
About ASSIMILATE
ASSIMILATE is the premier provider of real-time post-production and workflow tools that have proven essential to the successful creation of studio and 2D/3D independent feature films, documentaries, TV episodes, and music videos. The SCRATCH product line, running on Windows and OS X, equips directors, DPs, on-set DITs and post-production artists with the state-of-the-art, cost-effective, data-centric solutions they need to meet the challenges of increased creativity and productivity amid ever-shrinking budgets. SCRATCH is resolution independent, supporting multiple formats, including ARRI RAW, KineRAW, Sony F5/55/65 and Cyber Shot s700, Phantom, Panasonic Varicam 4K, Canon C300/C500, Canon 3DGoPro, as well as enhanced support for all RED cameras. SCRATCH is the only post-production tool to support native Kinefinity RAW (KRW and DNG) files. SCRATCH enables mixing and matching of any camera format, resolution or color space (including ACES) on the same timeline. Learn more at www.assimilateinc.com.
