Camcorder News

January 17th, 2006 - Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the release of Adobe After Effects 7.0. After Effects has been one of the primary editing tools used in the creation of motion graphics and visual effects for film, video, DVD and the Internet. New features with this upgrade include accelerated OpenGL 2.0 support, and a new export system for Flash Video (FLV) files, and a redesigned, unified visual interface.

Adobe After Effects 7.0 will build on the software program that has already has a large following in the video and arts industries. The program, stated Jim Guerard, vice president of product management, Web and Video Solutions, is for "the most demanding film and video professionals… to easily create compelling motion graphics and visual effects."

The new interface will provide options to move panels, eliminate unneeded or overlapping windows, save customized workspace structures, and control brightness. In addition to the interface overhaul, After Effects 7.0 includes Adobe Bridge, a visual file browser, which will allow users to sort through and choose among hundreds of Animation and Behavior settings that control and animate text, effects, transitions and backgrounds.

When using After Effects 7.0 as part of the Adobe Production Studio software suite, users will be able to take advantage of Adobe Dynamic Link, a workflow enhancing technology that allows changes to be made to a project across multiple Adobe programs, like After Effects and Premiere Pro, without immediate rendering.

After Effect 7.0 will also speed up production time with accelerated on-screen rendering, thanks to the expanded support for OpenGL 2.0. The Professional Edition of After Effects 7.0 will include a new 32-bit High Dynamic Range to better match color and light behavior, producing more accurate photo-realism. The Professional Edition will also feature Timewarp to manipulate the speed of footage with motion vectors, resulting in less image degradation and minimal artifacts.

Included on all editions of Adobe After Effects 7.0 is the ability to export Flash Video (FLV) files, a new integration for Adobe products since their purchase of Macromedia in December 2005. The inclusion of Flash Video compatibility will greatly increase the opportunities for After Effects users looking to publish video on the web.

Adobe After Effects 7.0 will run on Mac OSX 10.3.9 or 10.4 as well as Windows XP. It will be immediately available through either Adobe Authorized Resellers or Adobes online store. The street price is estimated at $999 for the Professional Edition and $699 for the Standard Edition. Upgrade pricing are estimated at around $199 and $499 for Standard to Professional Editions.

After Effect 7.0's new user interface