IndependentFilm.com

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. GenArts Inc., the premier provider of specialized visual effects software for the film, television and video industries, announced today the availability of GenArts SapphireTM 5 for Apple Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express, and Motion. The next generation of Sapphire 5 offers editors and artists marked improvements to performance and productivity as well as new tools needed to create high-quality transitions and maximum-impact visual effects.

Available immediately, Sapphire 5 is the one suite of visual effects plug-ins considered indispensable industry-wide. The latest release includes over 200 plug-ins – such as glows, lens flares, edge rays and transitions. For existing users, Sapphire 5 also includes a host of new effects (like TVDamage and Technicolor) and new transitions (like DissolveLensFlare and Swish3D).

FCP users can expect a dramatic spike in productivity, thanks to additional key improvements to Sapphire 5. Drag-on transitions eliminate the time-intensive process of building them within FCP itself, and full NVIDIA GPU acceleration enables a more fluid interactive user experience even at HD resolutions to maximize creativity. Altogether, these Final Cut Pro plug-ins enable a level of creativity and quality that raises the bar in visual effects, while also greatly enhancing productivity and performance without an investment in new infrastructure. More information about Sapphire 5 for FCP, FCE and Motion can be found on the official product page at: http://www.genarts.com/product/sapphire/final-cut-pro/features.

Pricing
A new, non-floating Sapphire 5 license for Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and Final Cut Express is priced at $1,699 (floating license is $2,499). Existing users upgrading from Sapphire 2 to Sapphire 5 may take advantage of a special price of $299 (floating upgrade is $499). Sapphire 5 is also available for rental at $169 a month.

GenArts, Inc. is the premier provider of specialized digital visual effects software for the film, broadcast and video industries. As visual effects have become essential to the art of storytelling, GenArts’ tools have emerged as the standard for creating breathtaking visual effects in thousands of feature films and television shows, and more than 5,000 commercials and music videos. The explosion of online and corporate video creation has led to the widespread adoption of GenArts software by a range of S&P 500 companies, leading museums, and educational institutions for communications,marketing and learning applications. GenArts’ software enjoys the unique distinction of having been a key component of an Oscar-nominated film for the past 13 consecutive years. The GenArts SapphireTM, MonstersTM, RaptorsTM, TinderTM and particleIllusionTM portfolio equips digital artists with a collection of state-of-the-art visual effects such as glows, light rays, lens flares, film, fire, fluid and particles to create the continually innovative looks that bring the entertainment industry’s dazzling stories and broadcasts to life. GenArts’ tools seamlessly integrate as software plug-ins into all leading editing and compositing systems. GenArts was founded in 1996 in Cambridge, Mass. www.genarts.com Become a fan of GenArts on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/genarts and follow us on Twitter: @GenArtsInc.

Tags: GenArts, Sapphire