The Collaborative VFX Workflow Software Lets NUKE Compositors Conform EDLs and Distribute Work

The Foundry has just unveiled HIERO, a new workflow manager that essentially gives NUKE its own timeline and lets users conform EDLS and distribute effects jobs to NUKE artists without having to write custom scripts or input clips manually. It is aimed at VFX facilities with multiple NUKE seats that want to minimize costly infrastructure updates to manage shot distribution and free up workstations for critical effects work.

Before the launch, The Foundry CEO BIll Collis referred to HIERO as “a secret project based on STORM,” the company’s RED-optimized conform, editing and shot management software introduced last year and released in February for $375.

Hailed as a sophisticated and flexible extension of NUKE by early beta testers who gave it a go in their VFX pipelines, HIERO will be available in full release this November for OSX and Linux (Windows will come later). Attendees of IBC can catch demos of the next-gen tool beginning on Friday, September 9 at 12:45 pm at The Foundry’s booth in Amsterdam’s RAI convention center, Hall 7 B21.

After the STORM

With HIERO’s birth, however, comes the end of STORM. Though The Foundry had already been developing HIERO, RED’s own introduction last week of REDCINE-X PRO, an upgrade to it home-grown, robust and, most important, free conform and grading tool, evidently hastened The Foundry’s decision to discontinue STORM and shift gears.

In a prepared statement released on Wednesday, Collis expressed admiration for RED’s new tool but also RED’s commitment to its pro users. But, he added, “STORM is a professional tool for RED users and now that REDCINE-X PRO has emerged, justifying investment in developing STORM becomes harder and harder against free software of this breadth. We say this with a heavy heart, because we’re fond of what we’ve done. The current release ‘ STORM 1.0v4 ‘ is the end of the STORM roadmap for us.”

STORM will only be available until the end of this month. Existing users can take heart, however, that Foundry engineers will maintain it for another full year, though October 2012.

For more information: www.thefoundry.co.uk