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eLin Used in Making Hellboy and The Day After Tomorrow

San Francisco, CA, May 17, 2004 – Red Giant Software today announced that the innovative San Francisco-based post-production house, The Orphanage, used eLin on a number of recent blockbuster films, including Hellboy and The Day After Tomorrow. The visual effects work on the films ran the gamut from concept art and 3D pre-visualization of key sequences, to creating fully 3D digital environments and characters. In total, The Orphanage used eLin on more than 200 visual effects shots. Hellboy was released to popular acclaim earlier this year; The Day After Tomorrow is scheduled for worldwide release on May 28, 2004.

eLin is a revolutionary new software product for High Dynamic Range (HDR) compositing in Adobe After Effects. The system allows After Effects users to composite film, video, and 3D elements together in a unified HDR color space that mimics the physical properties of light. As a result, even simple compositing operations look better and more photographic. The software includes support for industry-standard Cineon film scans as well as Industrial Light + Magic’s open source EXR file format.

“In the Hellboy opening sequence, the moving machinery and the lighting around it are all computer generated, as is the rain in many shots. eLin was used to achieve the nice blown-out blue lighting that would look great on film, and survive the Digital Intermediate process at Efilm, regardless of the amount of color correction. For example, if the director had wanted a shot much darker, the darkening process would reveal more detail in the highlights.”

“The Day After Tomorrow had numerous scenes where motion-blurred helicopter blades appeared against a bright sky. In reality, the blades behave like sunglasses — darkening the sky to reveal detail and saturation. eLin faithfully simulates this with a simple A-over-B composite. The Day After Tomorrow also went through a digital color-correction, and in some cases our shots were corrected quite aggressively. It’s good to know that your work will behave just like a photographed negative in these cases, continuing to provide the director with options.”

Pricing and Availability

eLin supports Adobe After Effects, version 6.5, and is available for commercial use for $499 (USD) through Red Giant Software, www.redgiantsoftware.com. Multiple and site license discounts can be requested.

The software can also be obtained free of charge for non-commercial use. Fully functional downloads, with no watermarking or restrictions, are available at www.redgiantsoftware.com/elin.html.

About Red Giant Software

Red Giant Software LLC (www.redgiantsoftware.com) is a San Francisco-based company that develops professional tools for digital video production. Products are available as plug-ins for popular video editing and effects applications including After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Premiere Pro, and Avid. All tools are based on production-proven technology developed by visual effects veterans.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.