Sapphire Version 3.02 Supports Avid’s AVX2 Plug-In Interface on DS Systems and New Floating and Rental Licensing Options

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — October 20, 2009 — GenArts Inc., the premier provider of specialized visual effects software for the film, television and video industries, announced today GenArts Sapphire version 3.02 (v3.02) for Avid Systems. The upgrade extends support for Avid’s AVX2 plug-in interface to Avid DS v10.2.1 and later. This improves conform compatibility with effects generated from offline and online editing systems, allowing all Avid systems to seamlessly conform to DS and Symphony systems. GenArts Sapphire v3.02 also supports floating licenses and license rentals for all Avid systems.
While the prospect of creating sophisticated visual effects on Avid Media Composer and Symphony made the AVX2 plug-in interface popular among offline editors, it also created frustration for online editors using Avid DS systems, which only supported AVX1. Now, with Avid’s recent release of DS v10.2.1 supporting AVX2 effects, GenArts Sapphire v3.02 for Avid makes it possible for the Sapphire effects used in any Avid project to work on any Avid system. Visit http://community.avid.com/forums/p/76089/425464.aspx for more details on the Avid DS v10.2.1 update.

With GenArts Sapphire v3.02, Avid DS users can:

• Conform from Avid offline projects using AVX2. Online editors are now able to finish Avid projects without worrying which AVX version offline editors are working from; conversely, offline editors can now always use AVX2 (and the temporal Sapphire effects that go with it) to do their initial edits, since it is also available to online editors.

• Take full advantage of effects that leverage alternate frame access. An additional 15 Sapphire plug-ins that are only supported on AVX2 are now available to DS users. These effects include the popular Feedback/Trails, TimeWarpRGB and TimeDisplace effects.

• Open Avid project files that contain any version of Sapphire effects back to version 1, and automatically promote them to the latest version.

“Full AVX2 support makes it easier than ever to conform projects using the latest GenArts Sapphire plug-ins with Avid DS,” said Derek Herr, Lead Compositing Editor at The Post Group. “We’re thrilled that we no longer have to worry about AVX version issues between our offline and online editors. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Bravo!”

GenArts Sapphire v3.02 for Avid also supports floating licensing (via RLM servers) and license rentals for all Avid systems. For floating license users, this means maximum flexibility to support the dynamic requirements of temporary and freelance editors; lower support costs and less system downtime by seamlessly moving licenses from one machine to another; and visibility into license and upgrade budgets. License renters can take advantage of lower cost of entry for Avid users and maximum flexibility to assign the cost of using Sapphire licenses directly to a given project. Please visit www.genarts.com/product/sapphire/rent for more information on the Sapphire Rental Program and visit www.genarts.com/product/sapphire/float for more information on the advantages of a Sapphire floating license.

“GenArts Sapphire has become the specialized VFX software of choice for offline Avid editors around the world,” said Steve Bannerman, CMO of GenArts. “Version 3 has enjoyed a tremendous adoption rate driven by the measurable productivity enhancements it delivers. Full support for AVX2 and the new licensing options available in v3.02 will raise the productivity bar even higher, offering the seamless support for DS systems that online artists have been hungry for.”

Pricing and Availability
GenArts Sapphire v3.02 for Avid systems is available immediately and is a free upgrade to existing version 3 users. Please visit www.genarts.com/purchase/sapphire/avid for floating and rental license pricing. AVX2 support on DS requires Avid DS version 10.2.1 or later.

Since the company’s founding in 1996, GenArts software has been utilized in hundreds of films, television broadcasts and commercials, including more than 20 Oscar-nominated pieces such as Titanic; I, Robot; Armageddon; Star Wars Episode I, II and III; The Matrix trilogy; The Lord of the Rings trilogy; Pearl Harbor; Spider Man; Pirates of the Caribbean; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; Transformers; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and many more.

About GenArts
GenArts, Inc. is the premier provider of specialized digital visual effects for the film, broadcast and video industries. The GenArts Sapphire, Monsters and Raptors portfolio equips digital artists with a collection of state-of-the-art image processing and synthesis effects such as glows, light rays, lens flares, lightning, film damage, fire and fluid effects. The effects seamlessly integrate as software plug-ins into leading editing and compositing systems from Adobe, Apple, Avid, Autodesk, Assimilate, Eyeon, FilmLight, The Foundry, Quantel and SGO. The company was founded in 1996 in Cambridge, Mass. www.genarts.com