New From Lightworks by Patrick Gregston Tektronix has released version 6 of the Lightworks software. Incorporating an integrated titling package, this version provides a number of long sought after and awaited features. Titling includes a number of fonts, four independent layers, which can roll or crawl. Titles can be any of the colors in the computer pallet, or filled with textures such as foil, chrome or any you might import from a graphics program. You can also import your credit list from a text document. The titling tool is accessed through the graphics tool. Also included is an import/export package which supports OMF2 and WAV files. Now all sound can be handed off to any OMF2 compliant or WAV based sound editing system. Most visible to editors in daily use is the new Trimview function, which is a more structured version of the "alt-2" locking of monitors together in any picture trim. This is optional for those of you who didn't use it and prefer the previous function. ATektronix and Panavision Tektronix, Inc. has teamed with Panavision to develop a new television production tool called the Panavision Take 1 Digital Video Assist. This system streamlines the production and post-production of multi-camera shows that are destined for television release by turning once serial tasks into a parallel process. The Take 1 system takes advantage of the unique four-channel capabilities of the Tektronix Profile video file server and the ability to transfer material in the V.I.P4500 online editing system at faster than real time. The V.I.P4500 is used as an offline editing system, using the videotape footage, then as an autoconforming online editing machine using the material transferred from film. The system consists of a laptop computer than runs proprietary Take 1 software that connects to a four-channel Profile server via ethernet. Take 1 logs all shots and records up to four cameras simultaneously on the Profile server. In addition, the system records the line cut information from the live switcher. When connected to a V.I.P4500 editing machine via fibre channel, the editor can start editing the program before the film is sent to the processing lab. One fun and handy tool is the ability to turn any gallery into an edit, with or without marked selections on the individual shots. Other noteworthy additions include custom room configurations which can be carried on a floppy from job to job, a new Stripview scrolling where the current frame remains stationary and the stripview scrolls behind it, and a new audio monitoring panel which enables internal mixing of tracks to individual outputs. Tracks can be grouped on the stripview so that multiple , say stereo, tracks can be cut or trimmed in a single operation. In displays, the BITC panel can now show any code or label during playout, including ink codes, keycodes, and audio timecode. For film finish, there is 3-perf support, retrofit, and Cut-list view from within the application. Also the "find material" function will search for key or code numbers. Specific to Heavyworks are five minute per gigabyte pictures in both 24FPS and 60 field modes. I will be staging version 6 seminars later this month. Call 818-766-5000 to reserve a seat. Recently there have been a number of people ask "what do I say to people about why I use Lightworks?" Well, other than that you prefer it, tell people the following true stories - the man who began Avid in his garage and was taken over by venture capitalists, is now involved with an electronic assistant product that you access over the phone. The man (the silhouette on the right) who developed Lightworks on his kitchen table and was swallowed by a $2 billion a year corporation, is now producing a feature film. It seems pretty obvious which one was inspired by the storytelling process, and which one was inspired by technology. Another is the ergonomic grace of the Lightworks. Editors at ABC once conducted a benchmark test consisting of a dissolve, a wipe, a pull-up, slipping audio and re-syncing. The Avid required about 35 strokes and the Lightworks 11.   Patrick Gregston is a Guild Board Member and a partner in Electric Picture Solutions.   Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 19, No. 4 - July/August 1998   Guild Home | Newsletter Home | Top of Page   Copyright © 1998, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776