PRODUCER – Maker Machina is a promising all-in-one tool designed mainly for line producers, plus a collaborative tool for different projects, from short commercials to music videos. This software aims to end the nightmare of having all the production data separated into other apps by offering a comprehensive interface where everyone can be on the same page, saving time and making production more efficient. 

Christoph Tilley’s first impressions

In our first video, Xaver showed us how PRODUCER – Maker Machina works, giving a step-by-step explanation of its different features and the things under development. Changing the production paradigm in an industry where everything has evolved quickly, except in this area, could make this software a reference for filmmaking teams. 

Thanks to features like automating repetitive tasks, connecting the different parts of a shoot in the same program, and making communication easier, PRODUCER – Maker Machina offers a blueprint of the entire production without having to use external apps, send emails, make redundant phone calls, etc. 

Right now, there are more than 5,000 filmmakers testing the app, and filmmaker Christoph Tilley gave us his first impressions in the video above while using the software in a commercial shoot out of the office. 

He likes that the program gives you all the production information in one place, speeding up the process in an industry where speed and efficiency are gold. As an independent production company, Christoph finds PRODUCER – Maker Machina liberating, which gives more space to be creative on set and focus on making movies.

The things he would love to see in the future are a sophisticated budgeting tool and a time-tracking tool to avoid switching to external apps like Notion. Finally, Christoph recommends that other filmmakers test the tool and see if it fits their workflow. His team found it helpful and a time-saving tool, which, again, is essential in this industry. Even if just saves an hour per year, PRODUCER is worth it for him.

Price and availability 

You can sign up for PRODUCER in seconds here. The Free plan has no time limit, giving you the best chance to fully explore the tool and unlock its potential. When you sign up before 31st of March, you’ll also be able to take advantage of a limited 50% off deal that is available for Public Beta users only. To claim the offer, follow the instructions here.

What do you think about PRODUCER – Maker Machina? Would you be interested in testing the program? Which features would you like to see in the future? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

This is the first of our video interview series in which Nino Leitner (CineD) sits together with Christoph Tilley (MXR Productions) and Xaver Walser (CEO of PRODUCER – Maker Machina). Initially, Xaver guides everyone through the online software step by step and presents all the features that are currently available. Filmmakers also discuss the biggest pain points in current project production, and why it’s so important to change the existing paradigm and streamline all the processes.

What is the main goal of PRODUCER – Maker Machina?

The idea for an all-in-one production software came to Xaver during a commercial shoot for a watch brand. The client asked him if they could have all the created content, shooting schedules, and feedback notes in one place. Regrettably, the filmmaker had to acknowledge that he had never come across such a comprehensive tool. That was the first step toward founding a start-up with precisely this goal: to give creatives an all-in-one application for managing productions from early concept through to delivery. Or, as Xaver Walser nicely puts it: “To make a painkiller for filmmakers.”

According to Xaver, the new software is called “PRODUCER” because the person who will likely use it the most is a line producer. At the same time, it is developed as a collaborative tool adjustable for projects of varying scales, ranging from a 30-second commercial to music videos, image and corporate films. Feature films are planned to be integrated at a later development stage.

When you select a project from a visual board, as demonstrated above, you will see the entire production process divided into stages we all are familiar with:

This overview helps to make sure that no step will be overlooked. Simultaneously, the software keeps everything related to this particular project centralized. In the video interview, Xaver explains in detail how centralization works. Let’s look at a couple of existing features.

Automating repetitive tasks in PRODUCER – Maker Machina

What PRODUCER – Maker Machina promises to be good at is automating processes and simplifying repetitive tasks. For example, here we have a storyboard section in which you can drag and drop your scribbles, generated pictures, or references from the Internet:

Apart from moving them around until you get the correct storyline, you can connect each of your pictures to a shooting day, a location (from the list you created before), and characters. Also, it’s easy to collaborate with a cinematographer, adding additional information such as angle, movement, shot size, camera lens, etc.

While you’re going through this process, the software automatically creates a shot list for each day based on the information you’ve provided. Simply make the final adjustments by dragging shots into the desired sequence (e.g., for consecutive shots), include the estimated time, and let the program do the math. Double-check, connect the actors from the list to the character roles, add your crew members for this project – and, wait, what? Has PRODUCER – Maker Machina just generated a correct call sheet?

At first glance, the tool does seem easy to use, fast, and flexible. During the presentation, Christoph Tilley remembered how they had just finished a shooting schedule in a clumsy Google doc, and watching the new software made him jealous. Well, I can only relate.

For easy communication

Extensive communication is another big pain point in our industry that PRODUCER – Maker Machina wants to resolve. The software allows users to add comments to each document and at every production stage. Your clients can also collaborate whenever needed. For example, in the post-production section, it is possible to upload your first cut and share it for quick feedback. Additionally, you can compare different versions of the edit side by side, directly in the software.

Of course, there are enough tools out there that offer us the same in terms of editing and delivery. For instance, a lot of filmmakers use Frame.io to gather feedback. Yet, how many times have your clients lost the link to a rough cut? If they could have everything just in one online tool, wouldn’t it be easier for everyone?

What else to expect?

Of course, an image is worth a thousand words, and our written text can only capture a limited number of features. So, make sure to watch our video above to form your own impression of PRODUCER.

It’s worth mentioning that it’s young software and only a starting point for this tool. At the moment, they have around 4000 people testing the application and providing them with feedback. Xaver Walser says they take all input seriously and have a big roadmap ahead. For example, developers want to add an extensive and structured briefing document or offer the possibility to upload dailies beside each day’s call sheet, just to give you an idea of the upcoming features.

Price & availability

You can sign up for PRODUCER in seconds here. The Free plan has no time limit, giving you the best chance to fully explore the tool and unlock its potential. When you sign up before 31st of March, you’ll also be able to take advantage of a limited 50% off deal that is available for Public Beta users only. To claim the offer, follow the instructions here.

Stay tuned for our upcoming videos!

For our video series, Christopher Tilley will take PRODUCER on an upcoming commercial shoot, test it thoroughly, and come back with honest feedback on what worked and what can be improved. So, stay tuned, and don’t miss our follow-up in a couple of weeks!

What do you think of PRODUCER – Maker Machina? How did you feel about the video presentation? Is it something that you were also looking for production-wise? Are there any features that could be added to the software, in your opinion? Let’s talk in the comments below!

Feature image source: PRODUCER Maker Machina

In a well-established market where three leading video editors dominate the industry (Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, and DaVinci Resolve), software companies are launching new products adapted to our times and the latest content creators’ needs. The new Movavi Video Suite fits that category.

An alternative for non-editors

Times have changed, and the visual formats we used to know are only a fraction of what’s produced and shared today. With smartphones as primary creating tools and social media platforms as the main distribution channels, the language of filmmaking has changed. The length, type of content, music, effects, assets used, etc., are only a few of the elements that have to work well for a video to be shared and, therefore, successful.

In this context, anyone can make a video now. You don’t need to be an editor or a filmmaker to film, edit, and publish videos. Content creators, especially those unrelated to the filmmaking industry, need easy tools to do what they intend to do – film with their phone, edit, and upload their creation to share with others. They don’t need complex or expensive gear to publish decent content online. In other words, simpler is better.

This path leads us to the segment of video editing software where Movavi Video Suite fits in perfectly. Programs like DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere can feel overwhelming for beginners or creators who aim for fast workflow and don’t need all the advanced tools these programs offer.

A simple interface

When opening the program, the first thing we notice is a simple and well-organized interface. Everything is there; we don’t need to open new windows and tabs to determine how the program works. To avoid confusion, each panel has texts like ‘Drag files here’ or ‘Drag folder here’ in the file import section or ‘Drop files here’ in the timeline. This hints at the program’s intended users.

The timeline shows all the tools available without navigating the submenus. It’s all straightforward. We can add tracks, select, cut, add a marker, crop a clip, add transitions, etc., by clicking one of the familiar icons next to the timeline.

We can save our videos in the most popular formats in the Export window with a few clicks. However, the program also includes advanced controls to adjust our final video.

An all-in-one solution

We know as editors that one of the most disruptive moments in the creative process is when we have to stop, search somewhere else for music, assets, or stock footage, and then go back to editing. With Movavi Video Suite, this is no longer a problem because it includes libraries with music, sound effects, sample videos, intro videos, animations… everything we need to start and finish the editing process without ever leaving the program.

Tools like ‘Record Video’, ‘Capture Screencast’, or ‘Record Audio’ show Movavi’s commitment to ensuring a seamless creator experience from start to finish.

Movavi includes many effects and presets to polish our videos with a click in a ‘drag and drop’ system. Everything is organized by theme to facilitate our search. We also have essential tools like color adjustments, crop and rotate, pan and zoom, stabilization, chroma, background removal, tracker, scene detection, and speed effects. Moreover, we also have the option to go further and fine-tune things in Manual Mode. AI tools like motion tracking, background removal, or noise removal are available in the latest version.

The included stickers, callouts, and frames also fit nicely in the social media video creator world.

Finally, the Effects Store offers different packs, including effects, music, backgrounds, stickers, etc. We can preview and access them inside the app before purchasing.

Who is MOVAVI Video Suite for?

When I opened Movavi Video Suite for the first time, I intended to make it work without reading a manual or going to Google for help. I was able to edit and export a complete video, using different tools and applying effects with no problem at all.

Movavi gives the user a quick workflow with all its tools, assets, and effects visible. Of course, we will not find the same capabilities as those in professional NLEs, but it is a complete system for beginners and users looking for an all-in-one solution to create their videos. In that sense, I see it competing with similar video apps like Splice or Apple’s iMovie.

Price and availability

A free trial version of the video editing software for mac can be downloaded here.

The MOVAVI Video Suite can be found here. (Currently 20% off until October 29th)

The full version’s annual subscription costs €67,95.

They also have a 55% discount promotion until October 22 for these packs: Video Suite + Photo Editor – €77,95 (annual subscription) and 95,95 € (lifetime subscription)

So, what do you think about this alternative to the more established NLEs? Would you give them a chance to create content that needs a quick workflow? Let us know in the comments below!

Color Trix is a company based in the UK with a long history of plug-ins (LUT Utility, Color Finale, Cinema Grade) and color and VFX solutions for the film industry. 

Color Finale in context

Color Finale is a plug-in for Final Cut Pro X that has been out for a while. Its early versions offered a compact and straightforward solution for colorists using the Apple NLE who didn’t want to switch to more complex ecosystems such as DaVinci Resolve.

Color Finale offered an attractive interface, ease of use, and a layering system that was familiar to previous Premiere Pro or Photoshop users. When FCPX was first released, and we got used to its magnetic timeline, it became the preferred NLE for many editors, filmmakers, and content creators who found a simple yet powerful editor in the Apple product.

In that scenario, without the internal FCPX color tools that were developed later, Color Finale provided the missing piece for a complete postproduction workflow. Color Finale’s advanced tools were perfect for finishing projects, especially for filmmakers with some color grading knowledge. However, the plug-in fell short in terms of more complex situations, and creators usually had to switch to other solutions such as Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve. 

Luckily for Color Finale users, Color Trix has continued improving the plug-in, and their Color Finale Pro 2 includes everything you need for 99% of your projects, including masks, trackers, log wheels, effects, etc. Color Finale Pro 2 is now a complete color grading solution for FCPX. Let’s take a look at its main features.

The Color Finale Pro 2 Inspector

As with any other FCPX plug-in, after applying it, you’ll find the Inspector Control Panel on the right side. This panel gives you access to the primary color correction tools.

The Color Finale 2 Pro Inspector is divided into six sections: 

• The Gear Menu opens the preferences, LUT options, purchases, updates, etc.
• In the Color Management tab, you can select the initial Color Profile for your clip (video, log, Input LUT…). The Assume Log option is helpful when you don’t know the kind of camera or log file you’re working with. 
• The Corrections tab includes all the essential familiar tools every NLE has: contrast, exposure, temperature, saturation, etc. A remarkable feature here is the copy/paste button, which allows you to apply selected changes to other clips. Let’s leave the Layers tab for later because that’s the spice that makes Color Finale different.
• Another element is the False Color button in the Image Analysis tab. This option is helpful to check crushed or clipped areas, as well as correct exposure for your skin tones. You can also select a part of the image to analyze and check its values in the waveform.
• The Film Emulation tab adds film grain to the image, and the different sliders customize the effect. While less advanced than DaVinci Resolve grain, giving a film touch to your clip is helpful. 
• After we make our grade, we can select how much will be applied to the clip with the Mix slider. 

The Layers Tab – Color Finale 2 Pro’s secret sauce

Many of the options mentioned before are available virtually in every photo and video app on the market. 

The magic, however, lies in the Edit Layers button. Once pressed, we can access a “mini DaVinci Resolve color tab” into FCPX. You can apply each tool in a layer style, changing and rearranging their order, changing the opacity, creating sub-groups, selecting blend modes in Photoshop style, etc. The most significant feature, in my opinion, is how easy, visual, and organized the plug-in is. With everything in view, you can create your grades without feeling lost. You can add masks, track them, select parts of the image by luminance, HSL ranges or shapes, etc. In this version, they have included simple effects like blur and sharpness. We can also resize the layers window for more accurate control. 

These are the tools you can play with in the Layers tab:

• Curves
• Color Wheels
• LUT
• Six Vectors
• HLS Curves
• Shuffle layer
• Filters (blur and sharpness)
• Camera matrix
• Log wheels.

Color Finale 2 Pro blends perfectly with the FCPX workflow and will give you all the tools you need to grade and finish any of your creations. Maybe because I learned the craft with the layering system, it feels more visual and organized than FCPX’s native color tools, and once you export the videos, the quality is great.

Color Finale could be an option for filmmakers who have to deal with all the postproduction steps and need speed and clarity in their workflow (like many of us). For more extensive and specialized crews, or when you have more time to finesse your creations, other specific suites can offer more advanced tools and effects for the job.

Color Finale 2 Pro features

• Apple Silicon, Metal 2 native. Up-to-date with the latest versions of macOS and Final Cut Pro
• Optimized for higher resolutions (8k+)
• Improved bypass controls
• Telecine-Style Color Wheels    
• RGB Curves tool    
• HSL Curves tool    
• LUT Gallery    
• Vector Grading With 6 color vectors    
• Shuffle tool
• Color Matching With X-Rite Color Checker Passport Video
• 80 included color-grading presets    
• Support for control panels from Tangent devices
• Color management with ACES working color space
• Group grading
• Save new grades as presets
• LUT export
• HDR support
• Image analysis – false color, isolate area/line
• LUT search and LUT presets
• Log Wheels tool
• Camera Matrix tool
• Area tracker + masks        
• Film grain emulator
• Detail/sharpness tool

Price and availability

Color Finale 2 is available from $99. The Pro version costs $149. You can check the differences between the two versions here. You can also download a fully-featured 7-day free trial.

What do you think of Color Finale 2 Pro? Would you give it a chance and implement it into your workflow?

Filmstro was originally launched in 2016 and allows filmmakers to create music tracks that are designed to fit their films. If you are not familiar with the service, you can watch a video demonstration by my colleague Nino here and read more about Filmstro here.

Choosing the music

There are different ways of searching for music in the Web App, as all tracks are categorized by mood, video genre, instrumental palette, new or featured music, game genre and so on.

Including your video

When adding your chosen video track to the Filmstro Web App, you are not uploading it, but the clip is integrated directly in your browser. Make sure to use MP4 file format for your film, as no PreRes or any other codec is supported. Altogether this is a very easy-to-use and simple workflow.

Once your video is integrated, you can add music to your video and start customizing it to your taste. You can also mix the original video soundtrack with the music you are looking for, to get a better idea of how it would complement the edit.

Customizing your music track

When you’ve found a suitable music track for your video, you can customize the music in several different ways. For example, you can not only adjust the length, the in-, and out-shape, but also the momentum, the power, and the depth of your music track by only dragging 3 simple sliders.

Additionally, you are also able to switch certain sounds on single tracks of your music on and off. For example, if you have a multiple-instrument track, you could only filter out the strings, or the drums. Unfortunately, the Filmstro Web App only provides track numbers instead of clearly labeled tracks. To find out which instrument is assigned to which track you have to listen to every single one.

Conclusions

The Filmstro Web App is a very practical tool that gives you a lot of flexibility by modifying existing music tracks for your film. It almost comes close to the possibilities you have when you are working with a real music composer. Changing an arrangement, changing momentum, changing the way and the intensity the instruments are performing, and changing the power and the size of the ensemble can come in extremely handy when you are looking for the right music for your project.

Of course, as Filmstro is a music library, it is important to have as large a selection of music tracks as possible. It would also be also nice to get an NLE plug-in for Filmstro and to be able to work with keyframes.

Price and availability

The new FilmstroPro Web App is now available on the company’s website. But one of the best things about Filmstro is their lifetime subscription! Indeed, with an investment of only $189, you gain access to their services and an ever-growing library.

Have you been using Filmstro already? How do you like the new features? Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

First launched in 2016, Filmstro brought a breath of fresh air into the world of royalty-free music. The intuitive approach of their desktop app allows filmmakers to create music tracks that are tailor-made to their visuals and not vice versa. It’s literally as simple as dragging 3 sliders that act on the Momentum, Depth, and Power of the track. You can watch a video demonstration by my colleague Nino here.

Several improvements have made Filmstro a better service over the years and now, with the release of FilmstroPro V4, the company is ready to turn its standalone desktop app into a browser-based service.

FilmstroPro V4: now with Filmstro WebApp

FilmstroPro V4 is the fourth generation of the company’s audio adaptive technology. According to founder Sebastian Jaeger, the idea of a browser-based solution has always been there since the early days of Filmstro. However, technology was not as far along as it is now.

Now, after an intense developing period of 9 months, FilmstroPro V4 is here. Or rather, it’s in the cloud and it will be accessible anywhere via the Filmstro WebApp. This new version inherits the same intuitive approach as the desktop app, but it doesn’t require powerful hardware to work.

In fact, all you have to do is select your video within the Filmstro WebApp. Then you can browse through hundreds of available rights-cleared tracks, pick up the one that best suits your project, and make your desired changes using the 3 slider controls. Lastly, you can render out the final result and download it as a .wav file. Your project will be safely stored in your Filmstro web account in case you need to edit it again.

Redesigned with new features

Along with the introduction of the Filmstro WebApp, FilmstroPro V4 also brings new features to this already-capable music editing app. One of the most helpful novelties, especially for new users, is the addition of templates.

After picking up a track, you can choose to make changes fully manually or apply one among the Hero, Action, or Suspense presets. Each of these templates automatically adds keyframes and adjusts the Momentum, Depth, and Power sliders differently to show you how to achieve various results.

Another time-saving tool is the new Audition feature which allows you to preview any change to the 3 slider controls without actually applying it to the track. When the Audition switch is turned on, the timeline is also greyed out to prevent accidental changes to the music.

Last but not least, users can now apply changes to entire music blocks, thus making a whole portion of the track sound quieter or more powerful, according to your creative intention. When working on a “block”, the Snap feature can be enabled to turn each continuous slider into a 3-stage control. You can then apply transitions to each block and fine-tune them to create a smoother passage.

Price and availability

The new FilmstroPro V4 with WebApp is now available on the company’s website. One of the coolest things about Filmstro is their lifetime subscription. Indeed, with an investment of only $189 you gain access to their service forever. This offer is currently available, but will most likely run out in the next couple of months. As far as we are concerned, it would make sense for Filmstro to turn into a monthly-paid service after that.

Finally, if you already have an existing lifetime subscription, you will receive access to FilmstroPro V4 and the Filmstro WebApp for free, while still retaining the ability to use your desktop app indefinitely.

Have you been using Filmstro already? How do like its features? What advantages will you take from this new browser-based version? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

In an ideal world, we would all have a composer, an orchestra and a band at hand to craft exactly the type of music we need for our productions. But the reality is, that there is usually neither the time nor the budget to do just that, for most films anyway – unlike the productions I shoot for as a DP, which are often bigger gigs, the corporate films I produce myself are usually of the smaller kind, which means that there is only budget to go with stock music in the first place. And I am sure that is true for many of you guys as well.

The endless search for stock music for your video …

So what ends up happening: We spend hours and hours looking for the right tracks sifting through hundreds of tracks on stock music websites. Luckily, stock music has become “kind of” affordable for smaller productions these days, with many of these sites, among them Artlist, Epidemic Sounds, Premium Beats, Music Vine, Audiio or Musicbed and many others, offering subscriptions to their services which allow you to use their entire repertoire for as long as you’re subscribed. The downside is that the good tracks are limited too, and it happened to me more than once that I heard the same track over and over again in somebody else’s productions because of that. It’s tiresome, but the biggest issue is still being able to find the music in the first place.

Editing the video to the music – it should be the other way round

Stock music and video is also a “chicken-egg conundrum”: Actually, the music should serve the film, not vice versa. Which is why, as stated in the beginning, in an ideal world we’d hire a composer to make exactly the type of music we want. But what ends up happening is that once we’ve finally found that stock music track that we like, we have to adjust our video edit to fit that piece of music. In the best case, you can cut and paste some snippets from the music so it fits the video better, but it is always a compromise at best.

Rediscovering an alternative with “adaptive stock music” from Filmstro

Filmstro is an app and service that allows you to score your videos using their library of adaptive music tracks – giving you access to a simple set of three sliders for each one of those tracks, which you can move around while watching the video and thereby changing the music and setting keyframes. Those sliders are called “Momentum”, “Depth” and “Power”, and in my experience it depends on the type of music track you choose to see what those sliders actually do. But usually, the “Power” influences percussion elements that give a feeling of rhythm, “Depth” influences things like guitar riffs, and “Momentum” changes the intensity of the bass.

Filmstro widget: to try how it works

Using the widget below, you can try and see how Filmstro works when you use the sliders.

All rights cleared (even feature films & commercials usage) for one-time price

And surprisingly, fiddling with those three elements gives you a great deal of influence over the music track, ideal for adjusting it to a video. When I tried it again, it worked actually much better than I remembered.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve last used Filmstro, but I rediscovered it when they announced that their lifetime license would have a fixed price of $189 (including 60 albums full of adaptable music tracks). Why that matters? You don’t have to pay a subscription to use the service. It’s a one-time purchase, which has become unusual in this day and age where we’ve gotten used to software subscriptions like Adobe Creative Cloud and many others.

The Filmstro app, choice of music & downsides

The stand-alone app itself is available for Mac and Windows, and allows you to import a video clip and export either the video with the music attached after you’re done, or the soundtrack as a WAV, or the audio stems individually. It works reasonably well but I found it sometimes interferes a bit when a browser with a lot of tabs was open in the background – I guess they use Apple’s WebKit and has to share resources somehow. So quitting the browser helped the app a lot. After asking Filmstro, they said that they are working on re-coding the entire base of the service from the ground up, and they also said that any new version of Filmstro will be included for everyone who purchased the lifetime license offer. That felt reassuring to me as “lifetime” is only worth something if you can be sure you’ll be getting updates to new versions in the future too.

What excited me was the variety of music that’s available now and included with the package. Browsing through the selection shows a great range of stuff in a high quality that is definitely able to support bigger productions. Filmstro confirmed that they work directly with composers and that they are open to suggestions from the community if a particular type of track is missing. I will definitely take them up on their offer and request something in the near future, and see what they come up with. A growing library will of course make the service only more interesting, especially because those new tracks should be part of the lifetime license.

Conclusion

I think the price/performance ratio is right with Filmstro’s current offering. Getting the ability to really adjust existing tracks well to your video edits makes it a valuable addition to a filmmaker’s toolset. Sometimes the round-trippling between NLE and their app isn’t too practical but it works (I didn’t try their plugin for Premiere yet as I am trying to stay away from Premiere for my own edits these days, for various reasons.). For $189 it’s a great value and the fact that the music is rights-cleared for any type of use makes it stand out too.

What do you think about Filmstro, have you tried it yet? Or are you happy with using normal stock music services? Let us know in the comments below.

Most of us grew up with movies shot on film. Our brains are used to them, so we associate the production value and gravitas of big-budget features with the special look of film.

Dehancer Pro

It’s ironic that all of the characteristics that make film look like film are really flaws in the technology. Defects that film manufacturers have been trying to get rid of for years.

The different approaches yield widely different results. Dehancer Pro is — hands down — the most feature-rich film emulation plugin I have used so far. In the above video, I walk you through most of the settings and “tools” of the plugin to give you an idea of what it can do and to decide if it’s for you.

Summary

Dehancer Pro is a powerful film emulation plugin with tons of options but with a bit of a learning curve. It’s not a one-button plugin that instantly shows you the desired results. However, if you put in the work and carefully balance all the effects the outcomes are stunning. Granted, some of the effects can be achieved with Resolve’s on-board-tools. But having all tools needed for a convincing film look in one node is worth the investment. Especially if you are using film emulation regularly.

There are lots of built-in stills and cine film stock profiles that are a great starting place for building a look. The grain simulation is second to none and the best I have seen in a plugin to date.

The plugin currently only supports a very small number of cameras. That is not a serious problem with DaVinci Resolve’s powerful features for de-logging. I expect that the Final Cut version of the plugin will support more cameras because color management is more limited in that NLE.

The quality of the simulation comes at a price though.

On my iMacPro (18 Core, 64GB Ram, Radeon Vega Pro 64 16GB), a Dehancer Node with all the tools switched on in an otherwise clean 1080p 25 timeline renders at 11 fps. In UHD I’m down to 8 fps. A powerful computer is needed for real-time performance. Because Dehancer is likely not the only node in the flow.

Pricing and availability

Dehancer Pro is available for purchase for $399 on their website. Windows and macOS are currently supported. A Final Cut Pro version is in the works.

Tip: If you need a plugin that works in Final Cut Pro right away, take a look at the also excellent FilmConvert plugin.

The Dehancer team also offers a “lite” version simply called Dehancer lite and separate plugins for Grain, Bloom, Halation, Breath, a Photo Edition, and a free trial of Dehancer Pro plugin.
Their website also has tons of videos and blog articles to learn more in-depth information about the plug-in, its use, best practice, and inner workings.

Let us know if you like this type of content. Do you want us to do more reviews like this? Please discuss in the comments, and thanks for watching!

Following up on a question we got last week about the differences between the sync solution and Dropbox alternative pCloud and the backup service Backblaze, I’d like to outline the main advantages of Backblaze as an online backup solution with this short article. And I would also like to let you know that till August 16th you can lock in the current price for up to two years of Backblaze before they will increase the price starting in August.

pCloud vs Backblaze

pCLoud, as I mentioned in the last article, is a great alternative to top-dog Dropbox with some amazing features and a very competitive price – you can read more about it here if you have missed it. In short, pCloud is a data sync and sharing solution with up to 2TB of storage with a lifetime membership that’s currently 65% off.

Backblaze on the other hand is a set-it and forget-it type of backup solution, that runs in the background and constantly checks for and uploads any changes in your entire file system. Without any size limit – including every connected storage (note: connected devices need to be present once every 30 days to not be deleted). It does not matter if your system drive is 2GB or 20TB, it will just upload – no questions asked.

The idea behind Backblaze is not to have a sync storage, that can be shared between devices, but more to have a complete backup – all system files included – to be safe in case of a crash, virus, fire or theft. The recovery features are also something quite handy – you can download entire system images, and you can also order a backup on a physical drive to get back up and running without having to download gigabytes of data. Have a USB flash drive (256GB for $99) or USB hard drive (up to 8TB for $189) shipped to you via FedEx. You can even return the drive to Backblaze within 30 days for a refund.

You can access the data via an app as well to use it as an online storage – just know that it’s not as convenient as other sync solutions. Sharing files is also possible, think WeTransfer without any limits.

Does it work?

I used their service for two and a half years until I changed my backup regiment to a local version plus online file syncs with pCloud. For my current setup with multiple workstations this is more useful and when I made my decision money was an issue. Today I would probably keep Backblaze as well in parallel. Just to be safe.

In my experience the system works reliable in the background and uploads the data quick and incremental. You can even set limits to the upload speed to keep bandwidth for browsing. Backblaze also updated their software quite recently for better performance, less CPU use and auto throttling.

The backup is a constant 1:1 copy of your current data. They keep old file versions for 30 days. So if you deleted or changed a file, you can always go back and restore. New is the ability to extend this to a full year of file versions for an additional $2/month.

Backblaze runs on Mac and Windows systems and is perfectly integrated. You install their software and unlock the machine with a license code. You can transfer this code to another machine by un-linking the current one. Each license is only valid for one computer though. So if you´d like to backup a second one, you’ll have to get a second license.

On Mac it integrates in the system preferences and from there you can access and manage your license, change the settings, exclude files and folders and also see some statistics.

Pricing

There isn’t much more to say, in my opinion Backblaze is an easy and reliable service. And until the end of this month (July 2021) they let customers lock in the lower 6$/month tier for up to two years, before they will increase pricing to 7$/month after that. So you can lock in a 60$/year subscription or even a 110$ for 2 years.

old pricing (until end of July 2021):
monthly plan: $6/month (will change in august)
yearly plan: $60/year
2-year plan: $110

new pricing (from August 2021):
monthly plan: $7/month
yearly plan: $70/year
2-year plan: $130

Just like most other services, Backblaze grants you a 15-day trial period for free.

Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage

In addition to automatic backup, Backblaze also offers cloud storage called B2 Cloud Storage. This is a permanent archiving solution for a really minimal price. Cheaper even than AWS. You pay minimal for storage but also a small fee for downloading. So I use it as a permanent backup for important files, that I barely touch.

links: Backblaze | Blog entry about the price increase

Full Disclosure: This article contains some affiliate links to Backblaze, but neither I nor CineD are paid or otherwise compensated by Backblaze. At no extra cost to you, we receive a small commission if you decide to sign up for the Backblaze service.

What backup solutions do you use? Are you relying on online solutions as well, or keep it offline? Are you using any software or copying files by hand? let us know in the comments, we´d love to hear how you are tackling this challange.

Just like with camera technology, screenwriting software has had a boon in the last decade or so. Whatever needs a writer or production may have, an application was created or evolved a feature to fill it. Unfortunately, this has created a fairly saturated market that may put off creatives in search of the right tool.

Eric Roth (IMDb), writer of Forrest Gump and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, still works on a defunct piece of software that runs on MS-DOS. For all the writers wary of wading into the pool of screenwriting software, CineD is here to help.

Final Draft & Fade In

Final Draft and Fade In have been around for ages. The former a decade longer than the latter. According to Final Draft’s homepage, their software is used by 95% of film and television productions. Meanwhile, Fade In states they are the New Industry Standard.

But are they really that great once you get passed the marketing hype?

The newest version, Final Draft 12, comes with an enhanced beat board, a newly updated outline editor, and a notation feature to get you started. There is a lot more in the toolkit once you go digging. For $249.99 brand new, or $99 to upgrade from a previous version, writers are definitely playing for a fully-featured software package to get them started.

Fade In, however, costs $79.95 but boasts an equally impressive list of features. Real-time collaboration capabilities, organization and navigation tools, and industry-standard script breakdowns and production reports.

Mac and Windows are supported by Final Draft and Fade In, while the latter also supports Linux! Each application can open different format types, including .fdx files from Final Draft.

Both of these screenwriting software packages are robust and get the job done. There’s a reason they have been around for so long. Final Draft also has the Big Break Screenwriting Contest. While it doesn’t force you to use their software, it’s an amazing way for Final Draft to help writers looking for their big break. For an individual writer who may not need all the bells and whistles, a lot of these tools may be a distraction. They will help support your production better than streamlined applications, but may also get in the way of your creative process.

CeltX & WriterDuet

As competitors to Final Draft and Fade In, these two screenwriting software packages have had to take a different approach. Both CeltX and WriterDuet run on a subscription model, with the latter being a browser-based application. CeltX was once a desktop application but has evolved into a cloud-based service.

CeltX has shifted its focus over the last couple of iterations and promotes the use of its software for video and game production, as well as screenwriting. The Game&VR Production plan includes features such as interactive story maps and dialogue, narrative reports, branching storylines, and in-line asset tracking. While the Video Production model has options for breakdowns, shot lists, budgeting, scheduling, and call sheets.

On the other hand, WriterDuet began as a browser-based writing application focusing on collaboration. This new cloud-based approach allows writers to pull up their scripts on any device that can run a browser. Heck, if your fridge has Chrome, you can probably write a script on it with WriterDuet. While it’s missing some of the many features of CeltX or even Final Draft, WriterDuet promises to streamline creativity so that your story gets on the page.

CeltX and WriterDuet have very robust subscriptions models. Whatever your need is, there’s a price bracket for it. But that means you’ll be paying every month or year for the opportunity to use each software package. Some brackets do have limits on how many projects you can create, so writers must be extra vigilant when picking one of the other. WriterDuet does have an unlimited free version, but it also limits the amount of work a writer is able to do before paying for a subscription. Both applications can open different format types, including .fdx files from Final Draft.

Like with Final Draft and Fade In, both CeltX and WriterDuet sure have a lot of features that aren’t useful for getting your pages done. They can definitely help with outlining your ideas or supporting your production, but some writers may find these software packages too bloated, or expensive, for daily writing.

Highland 2

Highland is the new kid on the block. Initially created for melt down PDF’s, Highland has evolved into a minimalistic writing software package that can handle any writing you throw at it. It was created by screenwriter and novelist, John August, writer of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, Aladdin, and the Arlo Finch book series.

Highland 2 isn’t like the screenwriting software packages that we looked at above. It does one thing and it does it well. It lets you write. Writers aren’t bogged down by a massive feature list that can at times be distracting or useless to writers. Formatting options get out of your way, allowing creatives to write in plain text. Highland 2 will automatically format everything based on Markdown, a lightweight markup language.

With the Sprint features, writers can set and track writing sessions, which Highland organizes by date, duration, and words added and deleted. A set of templates is also included with Highland to help writers start their script, novel, or university paper. Highland 2 can also open a wide variety of file formats, including .fdx from Final Draft. Finally, a Gender Analysis feature tracks the gender breakdown of speaking parts in your script, which is something Final Draft also added with version 11.

But the best thing about Highland 2? It’s free. You can download it from the Apple Store and get to writing as fast as your computer can download and install it. However, it is limited to the Mac ecosystem, unlike the four applications above, and will put a watermark on your scripts. Thankfully, there is no limit on how many projects you can write.

For writers with a few bucks to throw around, Highland 2 does offer a Pro upgrade for $50. It will remove the watermark and add in extra templates, as well as a Word Analysis and Revision Mode feature.

Writers who are looking for a budget-friendly, MacOS option may find Highland 2 a breath of fresh air. While it won’t help your production with call sheets or your story development with outlines and notecards, Highland 2 won’t stop you from getting your pages done. In fact, it encourages it!

Going old school

Are you a hipster? Don’t have a Mac or PC? Do you find the strain of starring at a computer screen too much to bear? Or maybe you keep getting distracted by the internet from whatever device you’re using?

Here’s a unique option to get your story on paper. Literally.

Old school typewriters are clunky, loud, and incredibly inefficient to use. But something about the analog workflow and aesthetic can really bring out the creativity in a writer. Much like analog film has a way of connecting photographers with their work, the typewriter bridges the gap between your fingers and the paper.

If you are based in LA and Orange County, The Typewriter Guys will be able to help.

If the above writing applications just don’t work for you, try going old school. You may be surprised at what your fingers can type out when you have to work for every letter. Here’s the aforementioned Eric Roth on that matter (MS-DOS, remember?):

The right tool for the job

Almost every software application above has either presented itself as an industry-standard or used the phrase in their marketing material. But as John August said, the only industry standard for scripts is PDF.

If you have an idea for a movie or book, use whatever tool you want that can spit out your material in a PDF format. You can use Microsoft Word, Notepad, MS-DOS, or even a Typewriter. Although with the latter you may have to scan your pages to make them a PDF.

The screenwriting software packages we discussed are not the only tools on the market for writers. Yet, they are a good range of what is available for every budget. Whichever you choose, it may make your writing workflow easier. Some will even help you with your production needs. But in the end, whatever gets your pen to paper, literally or figuratively, is the right tool for the job.

Happy writing!

links: Final Draft | Fade In | CeltX | WriterDuet | Highland | need even more options? Wikipedia has you covered!
featured image credit: Background photo by Lauren Mancke on Unsplash. Screen content: Screenplay of “Big Fish” (2003) IMDb, written by John August (IMDb).

What are your thoughts on the software applications above? Which ones have you used and which ones do you plan on using? Let us know in the comments.