REVIEW | CREATIVITY
108 MacDirectory
One of the most amazing aspects of the
computer revolution is desktop-based
video. What is equally amazing is that the
kinds of effects that saturated every scene
of films such as the
Star Wars prequels
were created with a stack of maxed-out
personal computers and using tweaked
off-the-shelf software.
This is largely due to the efforts and
imagination of such companies as Boris
FX – the people who
bring us such powerful effects, filters,
transitions, and 3-D compositing tools as
Red, Continuum, and Final Effects.
Working with such applications as Media
100, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Avid,
AfterEffects, and others, these tools
translate the task of video editing from
the mundane to the truly amazing.
Frankly, if you have one Boris FX title, you
want them all. This has recently been
made both easy and more affordable with
the introduction of the Boris Box Set. It is
available at the reasonable price of $1,995
(60 percent below retail) and, if you are a
current owner of Red, Blue, FEC, CC, or
Media 100 producer, you can knock off
an additional $400. This may seem a bit
much for your average corporate creative
department, but with these tools in hand,
there is no question that you are playing
with the big boys.
There are two different box sets for Mac
and for Windows. Titles in common are
Red 4.2, BCC 5, FEC 5, and Title Toolkit.
The Windows version also includes the 3-
D motion graphics package Boris Blue
(currently under development for the
Mac). The Mac version extends BCC and
FEC to support Apple as well, and it
includes a copy of Artel Software's video
editor, Media 100 Producer
.
These are truly powerful tools that
provide everything from 3-D rotoscoping
to motion tracking both objects and
effects, from 3-D titling and chart
generation to advanced keying, not to
mention tons of filters and transition
generators. While these tools come with
hundreds of presents, the ability to tweak
and to save custom presets is so great
that one could spend months doing
nothing more than experimenting.
While most editors and effects folks start
off with a non-linear editor such as Final
Cut, Premiere or Avid, and then enhance
their tool set, the Mac version of the Boris
Box Set comes with Media 100 Producer
12.6; the software-only version of Artel's
easy to use and highly intuitive video
package. This is available in a Leopard
compatible version, which includes such
new features as HDV acquire, multi-
channel audio acquire and remapping,
and the ability to run of the same AJA
video card driver as Final Cut Pro, and off
the same boot disk. To check out a
QuickTime overview, go to
.
Boris Continuum Complete is a first-class
package of some 180 filters and
transitions that vary from good to
spectacular. Among its more notable
features are tools for the seamless
deletion of moving foreground objects,
volumetric lighting, and the ability to map
a parameter to a moving object, such as
attaching light rays to a moving flashlight.
Final Effects Complete provides such tools
as particle system filters, procedural
generators, advanced keying and matting,
fur, glass, embossing and more, and in an
easy-to-use fashion, with most filters
featuring less than a dozen parameters to
handle everything.
Boris Red is the flagship product here.
Serving as both a NLE plug-in and a stand-
alone application, is most commonly seen
in the animated 3-D logo sequences for
professional sports broadcasts. (See
MD,
Spring 2007.) While the interface doesn't
show the polish of AfterEffects or Motion,
it is an amazing tool. In addition, it
incorporates the complete Boris FX plug-in
set and Boris Graffiti 2-D / 3-D title
animation package.
As with competing packages, the quality
and usefulness of the components vary,
but there are few dogs in this kennel. The
main drawback is in the lack of hours in a
workday to explore the huge range of
awe-inspiring visuals that can be created
with these tools.
The Boris Box Set is the ideal means of
translating the task of editing and effects
creation from the mundane into the
fantastic. While priced above the grasp of
most amateurs and hobbyists, this
package will go far in enhancing the
bottom line of any corporate visual
department or video house. Besides,
these tools are just plain fun.
BORIS BOX SET > WHEN YOU WANT IT ALL
WORDS BY TREY YANCY
Product Boris Box Set
Made by BorisFX
Price $1,995 ($1,595 upgrade from
single title)
Pros Supports a wide range of
applications, great tool set
Cons Red's dated interface,
missing Boris Blue
Rating
HHHHH
