Technology for Editing Immersive Content Will Be Integrated in Future Versions of Premiere Pro and After Effects

Adobe said it has acquired Mettle’s SkyBox technology, a suite of 360-degree workflow tools for VR and other immersive video applications. As part of the deal, Mettle developer and co-founder Chris Bobotis has been named director, professional video at Adobe.

“Editing in 360/VR requires specialized technology and, as such, this is a critical area of investment for Adobe, and we’re thrilled Chris Bobotis has joined us to help lead the charge forward,” said Adobe VP of Digital Video and Audio Steven Warner in a prepared statement.

We discussed Mettle’s 360-degree workflow functions in our Q&A with Bobotis earlier this year.

The new functionality will be integrated exclusively with Premiere Pro and After Effects later in 2017, Adobe said. In a blog entry announcing the deal, Premiere Pro Senior Product Marketing Manager Meagan Keane said current paid Creative Cloud subscribers can get access to the plugins within 24 hours by sending an email to dvaplugin@adobe.com with their Adobe ID and first and last name. Existing SkyBox customers can still get access to their Mettle accounts at the Mettle website but the plug-ins are no longer available for purchase by new users.

For now, Adobe is referring customer support questions to support.mettle.com, but it wasn’t immediately clear what happens to Mettle’s FreeForm Pro and ShapeShifter plug-ins for After Effects. We’ll update this story when we hear any specifics.

Mettle’s customer base includes The New York Times, CNN, HBO, Go0gle, YouTube, Discovery VR, Apple and Facebook, Adobe said.

Adobe Blogs: blogs.adobe.com