Automatic Duck Launches Pro Import AE 4.0

Automatic Duck, the creators of Timeline Integration Engine software for digital media artists, today announced it will debut Pro Import AE 4.0 at NAB 2007 this month in Las Vegas. Pro Import AE 4.0 represents a major upgrade to Automatic Duck's signature timeline translation tool for Adobe After Effects artists and has been developed with significant input and feedback from the Company's extensive user base.

With the launch of Pro Import AE 4.0, Automatic Duck is addressing a number of new developments impacting users, including the recent launch of Adobe Creative Suite 3, the industry shift to Intel-based Mac systems and the need for improved support for HDV, DVCProHD and XDCAM formats for Final Cut Pro users. Also added are improvements to Motion project import, with Particle and Replicator layers now coming in to After Effects. In a major improvement, Multiclips from Final Cut Pro are now supported and Avid Timewarp effects are now converted to Time Remapping and Dip to Color transitions also translate.

Additionally, Pro Import AE 4.0 introduces an advanced new user interface that offers users a number of powerful, streamlining capabilities including the option for layers to "step up" or "step down" in the After Effects timeline, an option to use Avid rendered media in After Effects and an option to pre-comp layers based on the tracks from the NLE.

"Pro Import AE is one of Automatic Duck's most popular and impassioned tools with a tremendous following in the After Effects community. We've taken great strides to tap into this community to understand their needs as the tools and technologies they rely on everyday continue to evolve so rapidly," said Wes Plate, president of Automatic Duck. "Pro Import AE 4.0 covers a lot of ground à¢Ã¢Â‚¬” from FCP Multiclip support to Avid render media support to an innovative new user interface designed to make the workflow that much more powerful yet fluent and effortless. NAB 2007 is the perfect forum for our customers to see first-hand the improvements we've made."

- A new advanced interface that offers many new import options:
—— For layers to "step up" or "step down" in the After Effects timeline
—— To override the composition setting of the new comp
—— To use Avid rendered media in After Effects
—— To precomp layers based on the tracks from the NLE
– After Effects Creative Suite 3 compatibility;
- Universal Binary, native on both PowerPC and Intel Macs (and Windows);
- Support for Final Cut Pro multiclips;
- Support for displaying Motion particles and replicators in After Effects;
- Translation of Red Giant Software's Colorista plug-in from Final Cut Pro to After Effects;
- Support for Avid Advanced Keyframes in picture-in-picture and 3D Warp;
- Support for Avid Timewarps;
- Support for Dip-to-Color transitions;
- Support for Final Cut Pro Basic 3D effect;
- Support for Video Strobe effects;
- Improved support for HDV, DVCProHD and XDCAM for Final Cut Pro users

Development on Pro Import AE 4.0 will be continuous until it is generally available this summer. Additional new features added will be announced at that time.

Pricing and Availability
Pro Import AE 4.0 will be available in the Summer of 2007 and will be priced at $495. Users who purchased new licenses or upgrades to Pro Import AE 3.0 on or after April 2, 2007 will be offered a limited chance to upgrade to version 4.0 at no charge when it is generally available. Users of Pro Import AE 3.0 who purchased before April 2, 2007, as well as users of older After Effects import plug-ins, will be able to upgrade for $195 per license.

www.automaticduck.com