What's New in 2018

Colour Policy Export

It is now possible to export a Colour Policy as locked. When you do so elements from the Colour Policy won't be editable from within Flame. Moreover, it won't be possible to change the Colour Policy in Edit Project.

To edit the Colour Policy you can either:

• Edit the files in a Shell / Terminal.
• Set the DL_UNLOCK_CM_POLICY environment variable before you start Flame.

View Transform

Batch Colour Space Propagation

Viewports & Broadcast Monitor

• Using one of the Viewport diagnostics keyboard shortcuts to select the Viewing Transform rule now correctly enables Exposure, Contrast, and Gamma. These shortcuts can be viewed, and their settings edited, in the Colour Management preferences, under the Diagnostics tab.
• The Colour Management settings (Exposure, Contrast, Gamma) of a viewport are now bypassed in the Broadcast Monitor when Viewport Monitoring is enabled in the Broadcast Monitor preferences, and the Bypass option is enabled in the viewport.
• The Viewport and Broadcast syncing option for the Viewing Transform have been reworked so they are easier to use.
• The Sync buttons have been replaced by a single button in which two options are offered: "Broadcast and Viewport" and "Do not Sync".
  • These options are available in all environment and tools using the Multiview system and from all the different Player views.
  • The default value is "Broadcast and Viewport".
• The "Broadcast and Viewport" option synchronizes all the View Transform of all the Broadcast Monitor (Viewport Monitoring mode) and Viewport if the selected Viewing Transform is available.
  • Viewports and Broadcast of every Multiview layouts are synchronized.
  • Players and Broadcast of every Player views are synchronized
  Note: Batch Groups not currently set as active are not affected.
• The "Do not Sync" option prevents the Viewing Transform from being synchronized between the different Player views and Broadcast.
  Note: he selected Viewing Transform of a Player view is now shared between its different tabs (Source, Sequence, Container, Batch) even if "Do not Sync" is the selected option.
• The Broadcast no longer shows the selected clip its first applicable Viewing Rule in the Broadcast Monitor when the clip is selected in the Desktop Reels or Freeform view. It now correctly shows the clip with its currently selected Viewing Rule, which can be selected from the Player.

New SynColor Build

Colour Management in Action

• In Action, thumbnails of input media are now colour managed in the Media List and in the Schematic.
• You cannot select which Viewing rule is applied to the thumbnails: the first applicable rule defined in the Viewing Rules is automatically applied.

Media Tagging

• You can now use a user-defined colour space to tag media. 
This allows you to invert an Input Transform or View Transform that involves a user colour space, amongst other things.
• Adding a new colour space can now be done wherever an Input or Tag Only colour space can be selected.
• There is a new menu in the Add New Input Colour Space dialog box called "Viewing Rule Eligibility". This specifies how the colour space is handled by the Viewing Rules' Allowed Colour Spaces filter. For example, if you identify the user colour space as Log, then it is considered as part of the "Any Log" and "Any Scene-linear or Log" categories in the Viewing Rules.

Miscellaneous Colour Management Enhancements

• The From Project option is now available in the following functions:
  • Edit Colour Space > Auto Convert > Working Space
  • Set Sequence Gap Colour Space > Tag Only
• Tagging with a user-created display colour space now works correctly.
• Colour transforms for CanonLog3 are now available, as well as some other transforms.
• It is now possible to invert a Viewing Transform at the MediaHub Import and Import node level using the Invert button.

Improved AAF Support

Support for the AAF sequence format has been improved, in both import and export. This improvement means that an imported AAF is translated with more accuracy and reliability than before. And if an effect is not supported, it can now be identified with a pink segment marker by enabling the new option Mark Unknown Effects. See AAF Supported Transitions and Effects. AAF from the following products have been validated in Flame

• Avid Media Composer (8.5.3 and newer)
• DaVinci Resolve (12.5.3 and newer)

This also means that an AAF exported by Flame are now more accurate. See Publishing an AAF Sequence.

• Avid Media Composer (8.5.3 and newer)
• DaVinci Resolve (12.5.3 and newer)
• Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2017 and newer)
• Avid Pro Tools (12.2 and newer)

FCP 10.3 XML File Support (XML 1.6)

Flame now includes minimal support for XML 1.6. Apple has changed the way combined video and audio media files (i.e. movie files) are referenced in XML 1.6. In this release, only the video portion is displayed in conformed sequences. If you need to work with the audio segments, see FCP X Sequence Import: Supported Transitions and Effects.

FCP XML from Adobe Premiere CC 2017 Support

Basic support for XML generated in Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2017.

Sequences can be imported from XML that contain Project and Bin data (The project and bin data is ignored).

Timeline

• The Timeline Version added by the Create Batch Group function is now labelled Shots Track by default. Batch Group segments created for a Timeline that already has a Shots Track will be added to it instead of a new track, as long as the space required by the new Batch Group segment is free.
• It is possible to remove the "Shots Track" label from the Timeline Tracks, using the contextual menu. The tag is removed on all sequences located inside the current Sequences Reel.
• It is possible to manually flag a Timeline Version as Shots Track. The tag is only added to the current Sequence.
• A new option named Duplicate Segment Connections is available from the Contextual menu of a connected Timeline segment. This option allows you to create a duplicate version of the connected segment above the existing one.
  • The new segment has _copy appended to the Segment name by default.
  • The new segment is created on every sequence where a connected segment exists.
  • The operation is selection-based.
  • If there's a gap on the track above the selected segment(s), the copy is added to that track.
  • If there is no track above or if there is one but it is filled with another segment, then a new track is automatically added.

  For more details, see this video from the Flame Learning Channel: Updating a Segment Connection - Flame 2018.

Matching

• The Match Criteria window can now remain open while tending to other parts of the Conform tab. This allows you to modify the Match Criteria and see the update live in the Conform list.
• Match Criteria are saved when the Close button is pressed and Match Criteria that were selected when the dialog window was opened are restored when the Cancel button is pressed.
• Presets are no longer automatically added when the Close button is pressed. They are now manually added using the Add Preset button.
• The Strict Matching toggle button has been removed. The functionality has been moved to the Match Criteria dialog window.
• Strict mode can be enabled from the Match Criteria table.
  • Active is automatically enabled when it's disabled and Strict is activated.
  • Source Timecode, Handles, Resolution, Bit Depth, Frame Rate, UMID, and File Type are always Strict when Active.

• It is possible to modify the amount of characters used by Name, Tape and File Name when Strict is disabled. This is done by changing the corresponding values in the Advanced column.

Compare Mode

• It is now possible to use a Compare mode in the Conform player.
• The Compare button toggles between the currently selected single view mode (Primary Version, Secondary Version, Stereo) and the currently selected dual view mode (Blend, Difference, Vertical Split, Horizontal Split, Angle Split, Side by Side).
• You can edit the Compare mode, using the "Edit Compare Modes" dialog window accessible from the Conform Player Options drop-down menu. The comparison is always made between the content of the current sequence Secondary track and either the current source Primary Track (if the currently selected sequence segment is unlinked) or the current sequence Primary Track (if the currently selected sequence segment is linked).

Conform Preview Window

• Previous Clip, Next Clip and Link buttons have been added to the Conform Preview window. This enables quick navigation between multiple matches for an event and intuitive linking to the desired clip. The Source tab is automatically selected when an unlinked event is selected and the Sequence tab is automatically selected when a linked event is selected.
• In addition, the Previous Clip and Next Clip shortcuts now cycle through the filtered matches.

Linking

• It is now possible to automatically link events with a single match clip (green checkmark) after the Search Location is set or modified. The Auto Link Matches option is available from the Options menu.
  • The option is disabled by default.
  • The option status is persistent and saved within the user profile.

• The next unlinked event is automatically selected when an event is linked using any of the Link methods.
• Link Selected is no longer constrained to events using the same Matches. It can be performed on all selected items at once, independently of the clip you are linking.
• Link To Media can now be undone.

Sources

• The Sources reel of the current Reel Group is now used as the default Conform Search Location.
• The Clear All option, available in the Conform entry Contextual menu, has been modified:
  • It is not available when the Sources Reel is set as the Conform Search Location.
  • It is not available when there is no Sources Reel available in the current Reel Group.
  • It is renamed to Reset to Sources Reel when another reel is set as the Conform Search Location.

• When relinking sources that already conform to the following Match Criteria, you are no longer prompted to Add or Rename the sources, regardless of whether or not Save Sources is enabled - the matched sources are simply relinked:
  • Its timecode span is equal or smaller than the timecode span of the original source.
  • The number of audio tracks is equal or smaller to that of the original source.
  • The number of video tracks is equal or smaller to that of the original source.
  • Both sources are of the same type (audio or video).

Miscellaneous Conform Enhancements

• An effort has been made to prevent the Conform list from being framed (and automatically scrolling) when certain operations are performed. For example, the Conform list no longer scrolls back to the top every time a Link operation is performed and it is not framed when you modify the Match Criteria or perform editorial operations in the Timeline.
• An FCP XML, AAF or EDL dragged from the MediaHub and dropped in the Media Panel is now automatically opened as a sequence, under the following conditions:
  • It is dropped in the Desktop section of the Media Panel.
  • It is dropped in the Default Library and Protect From Editing is disabled in the Preferences.

• The Conform List now updates on the fly when you scroll to change a value in the Match Criteria Advanced field.
• The Conform List has been optimized for speed and responsiveness.
• Sub-clips are now seen as a container when conformed from AAF.
• It is now possible to conform AAF & FCP XML that contain content of varying frame rates. The video of content that is at a different frame rate than the sequence will have a Timewarp effect applied to it, in order to adapt it to the appropriate frame rate. Audio media is reformatted to ensure video and audio synchronization.

Custom Index Token

A new Custom Index token has been added to the Rename, Rename Shot, and Comment Tokens list. Its tokenized name is <index>.

• Padding: represented with # signs like in other tokens.
• Start Point: represented with the @ sign and a numeric value.
• Increment: represented with the + sign and a numeric value.

For example, using sh<index####@10+10> on three selected segments will return sh0010, sh0020, sh0030.

The Custom Index is baked-in once applied, which means that subsequent instances of the same segment will not show the <index> token in the Pattern field, but the resolved token previously applied. The index is version-based and the order is based on the Record Time.

For more details, see this video from the Flame Learning Channel: Customizing with Segment Renaming - Flame 2018.

Scene Detection

A Scene Detection tool is available to perform scene detection on a Timeline segment. Scene detection is useful when you are working on a single segment made up of multiple scenes. Scene detection locates the frames at which the scenes change and splices the shot at those points. When you apply scene detection to a Timeline segment, it is broken up into numerous smaller segments that you can then edit independently.

The Scene Detect button is available from the Timeline FX bar above the Timeline when the Clip Thumbnail is selected. You can also perform Scene Detection by selecting a segment and selecting Scene Detect from the contextual menu. See: Scene Detection.

For more details, see this video from the Flame Learning Channel: Scene Detection - Flame 2018.

Miscellaneous Timeline Enhancements

• In a sequence on the Timeline, it is now possible select multiple Open Clip segments and then click "Mark as Viewed".

Maps and Substance Improvements

• A new Height PBS Map is now available, either as part PBS map or as part of Substance PBR. This new map ensures that Substance assets used inside Action offer results identical to those from the Substance Player. See PBS Mapping.
• A new Substance Materialize PBR node is now available in Action. Use this node to create your own PBR texture using an existing bitmap input. See Substance Materialize and Substance Materialize PBR.
• Two new mapping options, tri-planar and tri-perspective, are now available to every texture map (except for Parallax, Reflection and UV). Tri-mapping is a planar (or perspective) mapping which is applied thrice, once for each direction (X, Y, Z). The three resulting texture elements are then blended to give the final result.

Shading

The Shader node's Physically Based mode has been augmented with more PBR capabilities with new parameters Sheen, SheenTint, ClearCoat, and ClearCoat Gloss. Sheen creates a light wrap type of effect. Clearcoat adds specularities on material that have a high value of Roughness, something that was impossible before.

New ObjectID Render Pass

An ObjectID render pass returns a map where each fragment contains the information of the object rendered into it. See Outputs Options.

• This Render Pass returns a map where each fragment contains the information of the object rendered into it.
• A different ObjectID is produced for each schematic path ending at a renderable object or an object group. For example, a Replica node generates only one ObjectID for all its instances.
• The Object ID output pass is available in all 3D selective shaders as well as in the Stingray shaders using the 3D Selective.

Improved Alembic support

• A new import option, Consolidate Geometry, offers better performance with large data sets.
• Another import option, Create Object Group, creates object groups to improve performance of Alembic files.
• An Alembic Face Set now appears as an Object Group node, similar to the Object Group used to display an FBX. This requires that the Face Set option be enabled when exporting an Alembic file from 3D applications. Face Sets offer better performance by removing the Axis objects, simplifying the data structure.

Miscellaneous Action Improvements

UI Improvements

• Camera Orbit/Track/Dolly keyboard shortcuts are now available in Light/Projector/Camera Object (F8) view, allowing you to use the same workflow as the one already possible in the Result view.
• Hiding an object in the Action schematic also hides its manipulators in the viewport.
• Selecting an object's manipulator in the viewport now automatically selects its parented axis. This makes it easier to set keyframes and view them in the timebar.
• The keyboard shortcut Space+H can now hide every Axis in the 3D viewport except for the top Axis in the transform hierarchy. This help selecting the right Axis when a lot of Axis are located at the same position.
• In the Action schematic, if the colour space of a clip doesn't match Action's colour space, the colour space/resolution information of that clip is displayed in blue.

32-bit Rendering

• The Action node (not the Action module from the Tools tab) can now be set to process using 32-bit precision. Set in Batch Prefs > Rendering > Action Precision > 32-bit Graphics. Note that enabling this setting may degrade performance.

Matchbox Improvements

• The Stingray DOF Matchbox shader now has an Exclude Background option.
• Camera FX Stringray Reflection now has more accurate reflection angles and gives better overall results.

A New Edit Mode

A new Edit Mode is now available in the Paint node. When in the Edit mode, you can:

• Change the characteristics of a stroke, such as its colour, size, or the frames to which it applies.
• Use the Edit Box to move, reshape, and rotate the stroke.
• Delete a stroke.
• Duplicate a stroke.
• Reorder the strokes layering
• Toggle the visibility of a stroke

See Editing Brush Strokes.

Paint Animation

• New stroke animation channels allows you to animate your creations over time: position, scale, rotation, size, and opacity.
• Position channels are compatible with Action Axis channels allowing for easy expression linking.
• New Auto Paint possibilities using two distinct animation channels allowing to edit independently the Start and the End of the drawing stamp of a stroke.

See Animating Strokes

Improved Strokes

• You can now draw perfect lines, circle, square, and rectangles, using the new options available from Paint > Type.
• Enable the new Consolidate button to create every stroke in the same stroke Edit entry. This consolidates the blending into a single operation instead of having multiple blending operations. It also means the consolidated strokes are moved or edited as a single stroke, whether it is with an Edit box or with the Stroke list.

Updated Paint Modes

New paint modes are now available, identical to modes available in the Paint tool:

• Wash
• Shade
• Drag
• Eraser

This last mode produces the same result as the eraser on the Wacom pen, but uses the attributes of a regular brush. See Using Paint Modes.

Miscellaneous Paint Node Improvements

• The kernel of the Blur brush mode can now be edited.
• While painting in Paint Both mode, every brush now creates a proper Matte output.
• There are now as many blending modes available to the Paint node as there are modes available to the Comp node.
• Two new stroke Range options:
  • To Frame: The stroke appears from Frame 1 to the selected outgoing frame.
  • Range: The stroke appears from the selected incoming frame to the selected outgoing frame.
• You can now toggle on or off the cross-hair (Alt+H) and brush icons (Alt+C):
• You can now define up to 10 Brush Sets, and access them using shortcuts 1 through 0.
• You can now select the different Paint modes using keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+1 to Ctrl+0, with Ctrl+ - for the eraser.
  Note: Those are the keyboard shortcuts for the Flame profile; search for Clone in the Keyboard Shortcut editor to find out the shortcuts in other profiles.

For more details, see these videos from the Flame Learning Channel:

• Batch Paint - Part 1 - 32-bit support, paint tools and updates - Flame 2018
• Batch Paint - Part 2 - Editing a Paint Stroke Duration - Flame 2018
• Batch Paint - Part 3 - Editing and Animating Paint Strokes - Flame 2018
• Batch Paint - Part 4 - Animating Strokes Over Time - Flame 2018

Shortcuts Updates

• The Rectangle Selection and Enable Auto Link shortcuts are now assigned to Pointer Button 1 in addition to Control in the Smoke Classic and Smoke FCP user profiles.
• The Pan shortcut now works in every table display throughout the application.

BrowseD

• The BrowseD service is being retired and is no longer available in Lustre 2018 and above.

Media Import

• It is now possible to import 32-bit float media through Wiretap Gateway, Wiretap server, and locally. However, the media is converted to 16-bit float on import.
  • Media Import: OpenEXR (including Multi-Channel).
    Note: 32-bit integer channels in OpenEXR are not supported.
  • Wiretap Interchange: 32-bit media and sequences loaded from Flame through the Source Grading workflow are converted to 16-bit float on import in Lustre and returned to Flame as 16-bit float media. Sequences are flagged as 32-bit float.

• The Connected Colour Workflow clamps the Lustre and Read File nodes to 16-bit float, when working with 32-bit float media.

Colour Management

• The Colour Management View transform mode set on a clip in Flame is preserved in Lustre, however it cannot be edited.
• A Timeline, imported via the wiretap server, that contains a clip with a view transform mode, has its UI disabled in Lustre to protect it from editing. The transform is applied in the player, but you cannot edit it. The only way to modify it is by copying another colour management mode using the selector, or by loading a transcode template.
• The library and the browser display this information accurately. This means that if we transcode or render a clip that has a view transform, the destination clip is tagged with this colour space.
• When the 'From File or Rules' option is selected, the content’s colour space is automatically assigned and a message is displayed, detailing the mapped colour space.
• The Colour Transform plugin is now capable of reading all LUT and Colour Transform file formats supported by Autodesk Colour Management.

Project Management

• Project and User creation in a standalone Lustre 2018 installation is the streamlined with the Flame Premium configuration. The Projects and Users are created and stored in the same file location as Flame Premium. This change implies that if you are using a pre 2018 standalone Lustre installation, you must modify the init.cfg file of the 2018 Standalone Lustre so that the 'MainProjectHome' and 'MainUserHome' file paths point to the same location as the previous configuration, in order to be able to work with those Projects and Users.

Playback

• New Low Latency playback mode (without audio), which removes the delay between DVI and SDI (AJA SDI Preview only). ALT+click the SDI button to enable this mode.

Miscellaneous Enhancements

• Better interactivity with multiple secondaries when using Lustre Reactor GPU caching in the GPU pipeline. This enhances:
  • Keyer
  • Shapes
  • Plugins
  • Stereo 3D

• Copying the lock state of a tool no longer copies the parameters of the tool.
• Toggling Secondaries On and Off now sets the Change Flag.
• Rendering Dust Busting data on 16-bit float media with Crop enabled no longer results in file corruption.
• Rendering16-bit float media with Burn (CPU) no longer results in file corruption.
• Collapsing a cut no longer deselects the Secondary Matte track.
• More robust playback synchronization when working with Stereo 3D and using AJA Kona for SDI monitoring.