Autodesk has introduced Autodesk Smoke 2013 video editing software, a completely redesigned and repackaged version of the all-in-one video editing and visual effects tool for Mac.

Smoke 2013, born out of two decades of visual effects leadership, features a unified creative workflow that brings powerful node-based compositing right in the timeline at a new price of $3,495.

“Autodesk combined over 20 years of visual effects leadership and customer feedback to create video editing and effects software that serves the current and evolving marketplace for high-quality video content. Early feedback has been gratifyingly enthusiastic,” said Marc Petit, senior vice president, Autodesk Media & Entertainment.

“The industry is already abuzz with excitement for this upcoming version of Smoke,” Matt Silverman, creative director at San Francisco-based Bonfire Studios, said. “Autodesk creates tools for pros and listens to pros to create their tools.”

A recent Autodesk-commissioned survey of film and video production companies found that editors and studio owners are grappling with limited budgets, file management complexity and tight project timelines. Of the respondents, 42 percent cited dealing with different file formats as one of the biggest challenges with current editing and finishing tools.

Eighty two percent called out Smoke software’s support for HD and higher resolution formats and 60 per cent its all-in-one package as the most valuable features to help combat production complexity and streamline their post-production workflow.

The research showed a thriving professional video market with more Hollywood blockbuster-quality content required for web, new mobile platforms, interactive advertising and traditional broadcast.

Evan Schechtman, chief technology officer and industry evangelist, Transmedia Company, said: “The professional video market is eagerly awaiting an improved post-production workflow and demanding pipeline efficiency. The new all-in-one Smoke, with its unified editing and effects workflow, can be that tool. Smoke can help editors simplify their workflow, centrally manage their media, work interactively with high-res media throughout their projects and deliver high-end content.”

“Time is not a renewable resource. A multi-application workflow with all the round-tripping is time that’s taken away from being creative. With Smoke, you have all those tools in one place. You cannot underestimate the power of what we call ‘the super app’.”

“The idea of non-linear editing-centric visual effects is what we’ve all been crying out for a decade. This version of Smoke is disruptive. This version of Smoke is going to be a change agent,” added Schechtman.

Autodesk Smoke 2013 will be available later this year at a retail price of $3,495 per license. – TradeArabia News Service