Autodesk introduces new visual effects software

Autodesk has announced that its new Flare visual effects software launched just one month ago has been licensed by five post-production companies across three continents.

Flare is a creative companion to Autodesk Flame and Autodesk Inferno visual effects and compositing software. Autodesk's visual effects systems have been used to create groundbreaking entertainment, including Emmy-award-winning television programmes and mini-series such as John Adams, Mad Men, Dexter and Entourage.

Autodesk solutions were also used to create Academy award winner for best visual effects The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; animated movies such as Monsters vs Aliens, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Waltz With Bashir and many of the most popular 2009 Super Bowl commercials such as Budweiser ''Fetch,'' Pedigree ''Crazy Pets'' and General Electric ''Scarecrow.''

''Autodesk Flare is designed to help our Flame and Inferno customers expand their businesses and handle more projects,'' said Autodesk Media & Entertainment digital entertainment vice president, Stig Gruman. ''As a software-only offering, Flare provides a cost-effective avenue to develop the next generation of creative talent and is a key building block for more productive post-production pipelines.''

Award-winning visual effects studio Smoke & Mirrors UK became the inaugural Autodesk Flare customer, purchasing two licenses. Smoke & Mirrors UK CEO Penny Verbe remarked, ''We are very excited to be the first company to adopt Flare and embrace Autodesk's new technologies and workflows, as we did in 1995 when we set up Smoke & Mirrors as the first Flame-based post-production house in London.''

Flare software is a fully compatible creative companion to Flame and Inferno visual effects software, offering a cost-effective solution to help boost productivity, expand capacity and develop talent. Helping to bridge the gap between 2D and 3D, Flare features the creative visual effects toolset of Flame and Inferno, and is intended for advanced creative tasks, such as compositing, sophisticated graphics and interactive design, as well as support tasks such as rotoscoping, retouching and dust removal, project setup and keying.