Academy Software Foundation (ASWF)’s OpenFX project is set to release OpenFX version 1.5 later this summer, marking a significant update that promises to streamline workflows and boost creativity for VFX artists and developers.
First developed in 2004 and adopted into the Foundation in 2022, OpenFX is a popular open source plugin standard that allows interoperability between image processing tools in the VFX industry, making it easier for artists to access a wider set of tools as plugins that can run on multiple editing, video processing, and VFX applications with little or no modification.
Details of the release are available on the ASWF blog “New OpenFX Release Streamlines Workflows and Creative Applications,” but here are some highlights:
The update will introduce a suite of new features, including:
- Color Management: Enhanced color management APIs to ensure accurate and consistent color rendering across different source media, devices, and platforms.
- DrawSuite: On-screen drawing capabilities allow hosts and plugins to work together without requiring OpenGL.
- GPU Support: Comprehensive GPU support between hosts and plugins, including OpenCL, CUDA, and Metal, for accelerated performance and smoother rendering.
- Choice Params: Improved parameter handling with the addition of choice parameters, allowing for more intuitive and organized user interfaces.
- Binary Data: Support for binary data to facilitate the handling of plugin-specific data types and improve processing efficiency.
- Windows ARM64: Version 1.5 enables future compatibility with Windows ARM64, expanding the range of supported devices and platforms.
- Houdini Support: SideFX has announced support for OpenFX in their upcoming version 20.5 of Houdini, in the new Copernicus image-processing node.
“We are thrilled to bring these advancements to the OpenFX community with the version 1.5 release,” said Gary Oberbrunner, CEO of Dark Star Systems and TSC Chair of the OpenFX project. “This significant update shows our continuing commitment to providing VFX software developers with the creative tools they need to push the boundaries of visual effects.”
Source: Academy Software Foundation
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
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