The Briefing Room

So very much happening with Wes Plate and Automatic Duck; a busy production schedule and a busy travel schedule are keeping Wes, well, very busy. Here’s a snapshot of what’s going on with the Duck:

Pro Import FCP 2.04

Pro Import FCP 2.04 is now available for download from our website at http://www.automaticduck.com/support/updates/

Version 2.04 addresses issues found since the 2.03 release last year and also adds new “Use Existing Media” codec compatibilies for DV25, DV50 and DVProHD Avid media.

With Pro Import FCP 2.04 you can import Avid sequences that use DV25, DV50 or DVCProHD media with the “Use Existing Media” option and Pro Import FCP will create QuickTime reference movies to the Avid OMF or MXF media files using Apple’s own QuickTime codecs. This means Final Cut Pro is very happy to play back the media files and you shouldn’t see any possible conflicts from the Avid Codecs.

Toon Boom StoryBoard Pro

Another exciting development in the world of Pro Import FCP is that it can now import AAF files exported from Toon Boom’s StoryBoard Pro. StoryBoard Pro is excellent for creating animated storyboards and by bringing your animatic into Final Cut Pro you can work right away with your timings worked out in preproduction.

Automatic Duck has teamed up with Toon Boom to offer excellent pricing on a bundle of Pro Import FCP and StoryBoard Pro. Purchase the two pieces of software together from Toon Boom’s online store for $1099, a savings of nearly $300 (PIFCP is normally $495, SBP normally $899, $495+$899 would be $1394).

To purchase the bundle of Pro Import FCP and StoryBoard Pro, click here to visit Toon Boom’s online store.

Pro Import AE 4.02

Pro Import AE has been updated to version 4.02 and is available for download from http://www.automaticduck.com/support/updates/

This version corrects issues discovered since the release of 4.01 last year. This includes a recent issue with QuickTime 7.4.1 on Windows.

User Group visits

Automatic Duck president Wes Plate will be visiting a few Final Cut Pro and Avid user groups to preview some of the new capabilities coming in Pro Export FCP 4.0. More visits are expected later this year, but coming up in May and June the following are planned…

SF Cutters (San Francisco FCP UG) - May 29

http://www.sfcutters.org/

Moving Pictures Collective (NY FCP UG) - June 12

http://www.movingpicturescollective.org/

If you’re in San Francisco or New York City on the above dates it would great to see you at the meeting. Later this year we’re planning to visit user groups in Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orlando and more.