SGO Mistika Leads Innovation With New Performance & Advanced Tools

SGO will present dynamic range of powerful Mistika DI and stereo 3D workflow solutions and systems at NAB 2012.
Mistika provides a complete suite of features including timeline-based editing, conforming, infinite layer compositing, innovative colour grading, advanced graphics, optical flow-based motion estimation and image restoration. Mistika is able to provide its highly evolved creative feature-set across all resolutions, in 2D and stereoscopic 3D at breath-taking speed at the highest quality. It enables extremely efficient collaborative workflows to be formed, owing to its true openness, flexibility and ability to integrate seamlessly with other systems. Mistika continues to play a vital role in many award-winning broadcast, commercial and film projects for top industry professionals around the world.
An impressive selection of new capabilities will be unveiled on SGO's NAB booth, from image capture through to delivery. Headlines include Mistika's High Frame Rate (HFR) support, with real-time high resolution playback, in 2D and Stereo 3D at 48 frames per second (fps), and even 60 fps. Significantly, these extraordinary abilities have already been proven and are currently in use in world-class productions. In addition, an array of enhanced developments have added new and exciting tools to Mistika's already market-leading colour grading and stereo 3D functions, including support of the new Tangent Device Element grading control surfaces.
Mistika continues to accelerate support for the latest high-end digital cameras, enabling users to make the most of advanced camera features. For RED EPIC, both 5K and High Frame Rate data is fully supported, along with functions that allow the merging and re-timing of dual exposure High Dynamic Range images such as HDRx, using unique blend tools to guarantee final image perfection. For ARRI ALEXA, Mistika provides real time playback directly from ARRI RAW data files, including the addition of non-destructive creative grading, as well as the ability to playback multiple streams of Apple's ProRes format. A camera-agnostic debayer facility allows high quality and instant access to many other bayered camera formats such as the PHANTOM. Mistika directly supports a vast array of file formats without the need to transcode, including those created by SONY, PANASONIC and CANON cameras. SI-2K is also fully supported with real time playback from both 2D and 3D Cineform files.
Inevitably, Mistika has become synonymous with stereoscopic 3D, boasting the most advanced toolset available matched with unrivalled speed and quality. Development in this area has continued at a rapid pace, delivering even more functionality under its stunning Equalize suite. Functions to automatically match left and right eyes, in terms of colour and geometry, have been expanded further, allowing auto-correction of key-stoning, pitch errors and shear. Pixel-by-pixel colour matching meticulously corrects even the most complex mismatches, such as those caused by the effects of light polarisation.
As part of SGO's commitment to assist its customers to create efficient workflows across many products, Mistika has added support for bi-directional exchange with AVID's Media Composer. This includes read and write support for DNxHD formats, conforming from AAF and support of AVID's stereoscopic groups. Multiple streams of DNxHD files can be played back in real-time, as can Apple's ProRes files, which also assists workflow with Final Cut Pro.
SGO customers have already found Mistika's ability to create a DCP (Digital Cinema Package) directly from the timeline a real time-saver. The DCP functionality has been further expanded to add encryption to the final package, as well as being able to add subtitles from a pre-defined text file. These subtitle files can be used either to automatically generate subtitles for the DCP, or to create subtitles as text layers in the Mistika timeline.
SGO also launches at NAB 2012 its free educational training programme, Mistika Insight. Designed specifically for students and freelancers, it enables them to learn Mistika by gaining hands-on experience, within the parameters of their own environment and provides an opportunity to join the fast growing community of Mistika users. Based on a Windows operating system for ease of installation, the training programme is complimented by a comprehensive set of online tutorials leading to an SGO certification process.
Informative Mistika product overview presentations will take place every half hour, showcasing work from customers across the globe. These will be complimented by captivating case studies of work by Park Road Post and Identity FX, summarised as follows:
· 10.00 am and 2.00 pm - Identity FX
· 12.00 pm and 4.00 pm - Park Road Post Production
Miguel Angel Doncel, CEO of SGO states: "With Mistika being used by our customers in so many high calibre projects across broadcast, commercial and film, we continue to raise the bar and push boundaries to the extreme, by constantly developing the software to exacting standards. We owe appreciation to our exceptional and valued Mistika customer feedback and relationships, combined with the SGO team's continuous hard work, to drive development forward.”
Geoff Mills, Director of SGO Global Sales & Operations adds: "The fact that Mistika continues to receive world-wide recognition as system of choice, exciting our customers and prospects alike, reinforces its enviable position and significance in the industry. Mistika has proven to be a beneficial and award-winning investment for creative and ambitious companies that seek a true differentiator with innovative technology, which stimulates growth and future-proofs long-term security."
(LB)