Sony Announces Upgraded Catalyst Production Suite

Middleton, WIS. — Sony Creative Software, a leading global provider of professional editing and media production applications, announces the new Catalyst Production Suite, consisting of Catalyst Prepare™ 2015.1 and Catalyst Edit™ 2015.1, now available for trial and purchase worldwide.

Since its introduction, the Catalyst Production Suite has readily become an important time-saving link for professional video producers. The suite offers powerful media preparation and fast, focused editing capabilities for 4K, RAW, and XAVC content.

"This new version is based directly on customer input and provides solutions to both common workflow needs and the unique challenges of the latest 4K and RAW video innovations," said John Freeborg, VP Sony Creative Software. "We've simplified the content preparation workflow and added flexibility that customers asked for in Catalyst Prepare. With Catalyst Edit, customers wanted expanded editing functionality and industry standard video FX plug-in support. We've added all of that and more to enable a much wider range of projects to be efficiently created. Together these improvements make the Catalyst Production Suite an even more integral part of the modern post-production workflow."

BT Sport, a group of sports TV channels based in the UK and Ireland, relies on Catalyst Prepare for quick post-production. "We wanted a tool to help our editors speed up post, but was also easy for varied users across the post-production process," said Jamie Hindhaugh, Chief Operation Officer at BT Sport. "Catalyst Prepare has delivered on all fronts. Club shooters can now prepare and package content, making the entire pre-broadcast workflow more efficient for the production team."

New features in the Catalyst Production Suite include:

Catalyst Prepare 2015.1:

Simplified user interface: A streamlined workflow provides direct access to media for efficient clip management.

Easier file management: Readily copy, backup, organize, rename, and transcode clips into NLE-friendly formats.

Transcoding: Supports all the key formats from Sony (AVC, XAVC, XDCAM, SStP, and Sony RAW), Apple (ProRes for Mac), AVID (DNxHD), and more.

Storyboard EDL exporting: Supports formats for Apple Final Cut Pro (*.fcpxml), Adobe Premiere (*.prproj), AVID Media Composer (*.aaf), and Vegas Pro (*.txt).

Offload: Simultaneously back up multiple camera cards with verification.

Efficient importing: Quickly preview clips and metadata before copying to save time and space. Set in/out points for multiple clips and only copy those sections of footage you want.

Cloud collaboration: Upload directly to the Sony Media Cloud Services Ci for fast worldwide collaboration and stakeholder review.

Flash band correction: Repair clips with flash bands from events with flash photography; no need to reshoot.

Catalyst Edit 2015.1

Robust video FX plug-in support: Catalyst Edit now includes over 40 built-in GPU accelerated video FX and supports the OpenFX (OFX) industry plug-in standard. Users can enhance their projects with special effects, filters, media generators, transitions, and more from GenArts, RE:Vision Effects, NewBlueFX, Tiffen, FXhome, Digital Film Tools, and others.

Dependable color: By supporting the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES), Catalyst Edit ensures an industry standard color accurate workflow regardless of source format.

Expanded editing tools and capabilities: Looped playback, partial or full-project rendering, re-link missing media or replace with different files, J and L cut creation, roll editing, clip playback rate control for fast or slow motion and freeze frame looks, picture-in-picture control, crop and zoom control, clip volume envelopes, and audio channel re-routing at render.

Improved performance: Close collaboration with Sony camera scientists provides supercharged 4K RAW processing, GPU optimization and hardware acceleration leveraging Intel^® Quick Sync Video as included in 6th Generation Intel^® Core Processors.

"Our customers have made it clear that the increased demands of emerging video formats and technologies such as 4K and RAW call for more robust production tools," said Freeborg. "The new features in the Catalyst Production Suite respond directly to the unique challenges of modern video production."

About Sony Creative Software

Sony Creative Software is a leading provider of innovative professional solutions that inspire creativity, discovery, and productivity. We encourage artistic expression with our line of video production applications. Our customer base is extensive and includes film, television, and recording professionals as well as students, educators, and independent artists worldwide. For more information about products from Sony Creative Software, please visit www.sonycreativesoftware.com.