San Francisco, CA, June 23, 2009 – Red Giant Software, publisher of the popular Magic Bullet and Trapcode plug-ins, today announced that it has shipped Trapcode Particular 2. Trapcode Particular - award-winning software commonly used by visual effects and motion graphics artists on feature films and TV commercials - generates quick-rendering 3D particles with full camera integration and natural behavior. Many editing programs offer basic particle-generation features. Trapcode Particular, a patent-pending After Effects plug-in, goes way, way beyond the basics of particle generation.
In Angels & Demons, one of the highest-grossing movies of 2009 with more than $470 million in worldwide box office to date, CIS Vancouver used Trapcode Particular to create natural media effects such as sparks and burning embers.
"We used Trapcode Particular on Angels & Demons to help create realistic 3D embers and falling ash. We were amazed at how quickly Particular could set up and render a shot, and then allow us to make changes almost in real time. The embers have to have a specific look, and also animate as they fall. The combination of custom sprites and 3D turbulence fields allowed us to create realistic acting particles that cut seamlessly with practically shot elements. Particular was able to handle the large number of embers easily and quickly, even showing live depth of field as we worked," said Mark Breakspear, Visual Effects Supervisor at CIS Vancouver.
About Angels & Demons
The team behind the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code returned for the making of Angels & Demons, based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.
About Trapcode Particular
Users looking for fast renders, bouncing particles, 3D camera integration, particles that emit particles, custom shapes, air resistance, gravity and turbulence controls, and depth of field need to look no further! Trapcode Particular can also produce star fields, asteroid belts, or meteor showers. With Particular 2, users no longer need their favorite 3D modeling/animation program to create virtual 3D textures or adjust lighting as text or objects tumble in 3D space. Particular 2 lets you do it all right inside After Effects.
For more information, visit http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/categories/motion-graphics/trapcode-particular/
New Features
Shaded Particles, Beautifully Lit
All particle types can be shaded from multiple lights in After Effects. Spot, Point and Ambient lights are all supported with natural light falloff available for spot and point lights. This feature is exclusive to Particular and found in no other After Effects particle plug-in.
Shadowlets, Enhanced Depth
Along with shaded particles, you also get particle volume self-shadowing. This feature creates a shadow from light sources to create a much greater sense of depth in a scene. This exclusive feature is found in no other After Effects particle plug-in.
New Particle: Streaklet
This new particle type is perfect for long exposure-style light effects as seen in the Apple iPod and Sprint commercials. This a Particular-exclusive feature found in no other After Effects particle plug-in.
Highest Quality 32-bpc Rendering
Floating point rendering (32 bits per channel) allows super-bright (luminant) particles. When motion blur is enabled, it will render with optically correct, extra bright results.
Backward Compatibility
Particular 2 can load projects made with Particular version 1.5.
Reasons to Buy
- Depth of Field controls mimic the focus of a real camera. Useful for matching shots where DOF is applied, or for increased realism
- Motion Path support lets you control the path that a particle will follow after it appears, and Particle Count displays help you optimize your scenes for quicker rendering
- Works in After Effects 7 and CS4.
Pricing and Availability
- Trapcode Particular supports After Effects 7.0-CS4 on Mac OS X including Intel Mac and Windows (XP and Vista).
- Trapcode Particular is available for $399 (new) at http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/.
- If you purchased Trapcode Particular 1.5 AFTER April 7, 2009, you qualify for a free upgrade.
- If you purchased Trapcode Particular BEFORE April 7, 2009, you will need to purchase an upgrade to version 2. The upgrade from Particular 1.0 or 1.5 costs $99.
For all upgrade information, visit http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/particularupgrade
About Red Giant Software
Red Giant Software offers a vast range of visual effects plug-ins, with over 30 packages designed for Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Avid. The product line features industry-leading effects for designing realistic fire, rain, and water; adding popular looks; and creating perfect keys. Red Giant effects have enhanced feature films such as Angels & Demons, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Mummy 3, and Grindhouse, and added sparkle to cable and broadcast content from NBC Universal, Food Network, ESPN, Disney, CNN, Comedy Central, MTV, and TNT.
Magic Bullet is a trademark of Red Giant Software. All products and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
