What is new in Livegrade Studio – Archive
Legacy version
Remains available for compatibility with specific workflows or integrations that are not yet carried over to the new Livegrade 7. Will no longer receive new features.
Livegrade 7 is the latest generation, featuring a modernized foundation, significant enhancements for every user, and new extension modules. Learn more
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.5.2?
Virtual production
- NovaStar MX series processors: Adjust the color of LED volumes by controlling the 3D LUT in connected processors
Exposure assist
- EL Zone system: Additional camera log formats available to work with Ed Lachman’s EL Zone system for exposure evaluation
AJA ColorBox integration
- Framegrab: Optimized framegrab compression for broadcast and live event productions with multiple cameras
- OG-ColorBox: Support for new OG-ColorBox
NovaStar integration
Adjust and balance the color of the LED wall’s content interactively.
Livegrade Studio expands its virtual production capabilities with another integration for NovaStar's MX series processors. By controlling the 3D LUT in the connected processor with Livegrade Studio's grading controls, you can interactively modify the color of the LED walls. Use basic CDL or curve adjustments to perfectly match the foreground on stage with the content displayed on the LED walls.
EL Zone system
Set exposure using Ed Lachman’s stop-based exposure tool.
The EL Zone system offers an alternative to camera manufacturers' standard false color LUTs. It displays false colors for full-stop increments above and below 18% grey. Therefore, it ensures consistency and precision across different camera sensors and aligns with the language of a DP's spot meter. Thinking in stops often feels more intuitive, reflecting how DPs and gaffers set light and balance sources on set. EL Zone system is now available to apply on the following log formats: ARRI LogC3 EI800, ARRI LogC4, BMD Film Gen5, Panasonic V-log, Red Log3G10, Sony S-Log3.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.5?
In-camera grading
- Advanced look control for ARRI ALEXA 35: New color pipeline options for ALEXA 35 to facilitate custom color management workflows (e.g., ACES)
ACES
- Support of CLF as IDT: Use a CLF as a custom IDT in ACES workflows
- AMF 2.0: Export ACES looks in the updated AMF 2.0 format
- Additional IDTs: New IDTs for Apple Log and Blackmagic Film Wide Gamut available
Device integrations
- AJA ColorBox: Save LUTs permanently on AJA ColorBox devices
Controller integrations
- Stream Deck actions: New predefined controller actions to search and apply node presets via one of the LCD keys for camera, lens, or filter offsets and library browsing via a Stream Deck + dial
- Stream Deck +: The touch strip on a Stream Deck + now reflects changes made in Livegrade, e.g., printer lights
More features
- New smart group “Media Type”: Use “Media Type” to sort your shot entries in clips and stills
- List view in the look library: Each preset is now assigned with a continuous number shown in the “Index” column, simplifying retrievability, e.g., for mapping controller actions
ARRI ALEXA35 grading
Custom color managed workflows.
Custom Color Management, introduced with ALEXA 35 SUP 1.2.1, lets you use your own Display Render Transforms (DRT) in-camera instead of the built-in DRTs. With Livegrade's new DRT-only mode, custom and ACES looks can now be sent directly via ethernet to the camera, seamlessly integrating in-camera grading into customized color pipelines.
In DRT-only mode, your entire grade is sent to the camera. You can use individual input and output transforms within your color pipeline while still benefiting from most in-camera grading advantages: All camera outputs (including the viewfinder) reflect your livegrading, and the look is stored as metadata with the OCF, ensuring your DP's creative intent is passed onto the next production steps.
CLF as IDT and updated AMF
First steps towards introducing ACES 2.0 in Livegrade.
Earlier this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences began rolling out ACES 2.0, a new version of its open-source industry standard for color management. Step by step, both hardware and software developers throughout the industry will continue to adopt the new version. This Livegrade release marks the start of Pomfort's efforts to ensure Livegrade is compatible with ACES 2.0 from the outset.
Transform any camera log format into ACES colorspace using the Common LUT Format (CLF) as an input transform (IDT). This new option allows the seamless integration of various cameras into productions using an ACES workflow. An exported ACES Metadata File (AMF) from Livegrade in the new 2.0 format will include these transformations, ensuring an exact rebuild of your look on other systems.
A detailed list of all changes can be found in the Livegrade Pro 6 changelog.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.4.4?
Virtual production:
- HELIOS® integration: Interactive adjustments of the LED wall’s image when connected with Megapixel's HELIOS® LED processing platform
HELIOS® integration
Real-time CDL adjustments for LED walls
Livegrade Studio integrates with Megapixel's HELIOS® - a state-of-the-art LED processing platform that easily facilitates large-format LED displays in virtual production. Through network connectivity, Livegrade Studio empowers HELIOS® users to adjust the content displayed on the LED walls in real time via CDL values. CDL is a common metadata file standard developed by the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) to exchange standard color correction information between production tools. This new integration ensures that camera departments can rely on their established grading workflows to control images and foster efficient collaboration between departments.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.4?
Color grading
- Custom False Color mode: 1D-LUT-based mechanism allows checking exposure for most common log-encoded formats or using self-defined ranges
Device integrations
- Stream Deck +: Gain speed and precision when adjusting printer lights and basic grading parameters by extending your DIT cart setup with the latest Elgato device
Daily license activation mode
- Optional daily activation mode: Convenient option for using the same license on multiple devices on different days
More features
- Node presets including metadata: Save camera, lens, and filter offsets as Node Presets and access them via a new list-view
- Stream Deck migration from Livegrade Pro to Studio: Bring along your valued and internalized Stream Deck configurations when upgrading from Pro to Livegrade Studio
- Apply node presets to library: Employ node presets as a single component of your grade to existing shots in the library
- Linked look improvements: New possibilities to edit a linked look in the library slot and subsequently create individual shots of linked slots
- Custom slate values for reset: Introduction of custom reset values for scene, shot, and take
- Show/hide shot library outline: Create more space on your screen when working with smart groups only
Custom False Color mode
Check exposure visually with higher precision and flexibility.
Livegrade introduces a customizable mode that relies on 1D-LUTs to expand its existing false color options for visual exposure assessment. Precisely check exposure levels for the most common log-encoded formats, such as LogC4 or Slog3. Livegrade also allows you to import self-created false color LUTs to cover your specific needs. In order to generate your own LUT, head to the Pomfort False Color LUT Creator on our website and define your own IRE ranges.
Stream Deck + integration
Extend your toolset with customizable dials.
Livegrade includes support for the newest Elgato Stream Deck device. Simply connect the Stream Deck + via USB-C, and effortlessly set it up to suit your specific requirements for controlling actions in Livegrade. Its dials offer a more intuitive, rapid, and precise way to adjust printer lights and simple grading parameters. Additionally, enhanced options in Livegrade’s grading settings allow you to fine-tune the sensitivity of the controls to match your preferences.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.3.3?
Virtual production:
- Disguise integration: Interactive grading of the LED wall’s image when connected with disguise Designer
Reports:
- Report without thumbnails: Activate/deactivate thumbnail preview when saving reports
- Open after creation: Activate/deactivate the automatic opening of a report (PDF) or shot metadata (CSV) after creation
More features:
- Create shot with still: Dedicated menu items and controller actions for creating a shot with a still taken at the playhead’s position from movie recordings loaded in the library slot
- IS-mini framegrab: Preference option for disabling the automatic framegrab creation of IS-mini devices
- RED camera: Receive the Clip Name ANC metadata from SDI-connected RED camera
Disguise integration
Real-time control of CDL grades.
Livegrade Studio integrates with the disguise Production Workflow, often used in cutting-edge virtual production environments. Via network connection, Livegrade Studio users can conveniently control any number of CDLs in a disguise Designer project to adjust the content on the LED walls in real time. Therefore camera departments benefit from using Livegrade Studio's proven feature set for look creation and efficient collaboration within their familiar tools and processes.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.3?
AJA ColorBox integration:
- Interactive grading: Real-time grading of camera signals (HD-SDI/3G /6G /12G) on Ethernet-connected AJA ColorBox
- 4K framegrab: Continuously refresh framegrab option for high-quality uncompressed reference stills at up to 4K resolution
- ANC metadata: Receive horizontal and vertical ancillary metadata from a wide range of cameras
ARRI ALEXA 35
- In-camera grading: Interactive grading via CAP (Camera Access Protocol) in the “ARRI CAP Compatible” grading mode
- Framegrab via CAP: Receive high-resolution framegrabs from ethernet-connected cameras via CAP
- ANC metadata: Receive ANC metadata from SDI-wired cameras
- LUT presets: Preinstalled LUTs for ARRI LogC4 signals to most common output colorspaces
AJA ColorBox integration
Interactively grade 6G/12G signals and benefit from 4K framegrabs.
Livegrade integrates with AJA’s brand-new ColorBox LUT box unlocking real-time grading of 6G /12G SDI signals on set. The device integration enables seamless receiving of uncompressed 4K framegrabs, including full ANC metadata - even at high refresh intervals. In addition, the AJA ColorBox is connected via Ethernet, blending in effortlessly at any given position of your setup.
Livegrade’s AMF round-trip capabilities enable parametrized and precise look transfer for productions using an ACES pipeline from set to post.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.2?
ACES look exchange
- AMF import: ACES Metadata Files (.amf) including CLFs used in LMT nodes and exchange with third-party applications such as Colorfront’s Express Dailies
- AMF export: Improved compatibility for advanced ACES pipelines with multiple LMT nodes (e.g., IDT > LMT1 > CDL > LMT2 > ODT)
Productivity
- Load at thumbnail frame: Toggle between loading movies at the first frame or at the thumbnail frame’s position via the menu item “Load at Thumbnail Frame Position”
Localization
- Chinese localization: The UI is now available in Chinese for improved usability
System requirements
- macOS compatibility: Reintroduced support for macOS 10.15
AMF round-trip
Exchange your ACES looks with third-party applications.
Livegrade Studio supports importing and exporting the ACES Metadata File (.amf) format within ACES pipelines for workflows involving third-party applications such as Colorfront’s Express Dailies. AMFs include the complete parametrized ACES look, with ACES input/output transforms and CDL adjustments allowing a versatile look exchange. Livegrade’s non-CDL compliant grading nodes are passed on as an LMT in the Common LUT Format (.clf). Similarly, you are able to import AMFs with LMTs created by other applications - even for advanced node structures with multiple LMTs.
Livegrade’s AMF round-trip capabilities unlock parametrized and precise look transfer for productions using an ACES pipeline from set to post.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.1?
Multi-camera and multi-monitoring setups:
- Show slot label only: Hide the slot character from the UI and indicate slots consistently using your custom slot label text (e.g., “A-HDR”, “A-SDR” for dual monitoring setups)
- Up to 26 slots: Control up to 26 slots (A-Z) with dedicated menu items and controller actions
Metadata exchange:
- CSV export: Export shot metadata from your shot library’s column layout as CSV for passing on metadata in a tabular form
Frame callback on BoxIO:
- Grade still on BoxIO: Enable an advanced option that lets you grade and update a shot when displaying its still via frame callback on FSI BoxIO devices
Device integration:
- IS-mini: Dedicated XPC service for IS-mini device integration improves overall stability and allows using IS-mini devices when running the application on M1 machines natively
Improvements:
- Smart group sorting: “Scene“ smart group sorting ignores letter characters in prefixes (e.g., “X “or “VFX “)
- PFLA import: Automatic linking to media folders found under the last known path and displaying of the last know path when connecting media manually
- Linked slots: Improved behavior when applying a look to a slot that is linked to other slots with un-synced nodes
New menu items and controller actions:
- SPL grading: Menu items and controller actions to reset “Warmer”, “Greener”, “Contrast”, and “Stretch” parameters individually
- Saturation: Menu items and controller actions for “Increase”, “Decrease”, and “Reset” saturation
CSV export from shot library
Share your shot metadata as CSV table.
Livegrade makes it easy to pass on relevant parts of your shot metadata in a tabular form. You can select your shot library's folders, bins, or smart groups and export all your current table layout columns to a CSV file.
This way, you create meaningful metadata sheets with just the columns you want to share with other departments. Furthermore, the CSV format simplifies transferring metadata into third-party applications, e.g., for VFX or post facilities.
Customize your slot names
Show slot label only for using custom multi-digit slot names.
In addition to indicating slots by the one-digit slot character (A-Z), you can choose to use your customized multi-digit “Slot Label” text. The “Show Slot Label Only” option allows more flexible and longer naming for multi-camera and multi-monitoring use cases, e.g., “A-HDR”, “A-SDR” for HDR/SDR dual monitoring setups.
In this mode, the slot UI, slot-based menu items, and the value for your “Camera” metadata field display your custom slot label text. Furthermore, a slot index number in the device manager and menu items helps to reference associated controller actions quickly.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 6.0?
Optimized for HDR:
- Output colorspaces: For streamlined handling of looks with different output colorspaces, e.g., with HDR-SDR dual monitoring setups:
- Set your look’s output colorspace manually or automatically for pre-installed LUT presets and ODTs
- Read and export the output colorspace of custom LUTs in the comment of the LUT file
- Output colorspace attribute: Inspect the output colorspace attribute of looks in the shots table and the info tab, and include the output colorspace token in wildcards
- Output colorspace smart group: Filter your shot library using the output colorspace smart group
- HDR/SDR video scopes: Set the appropriate color primaries (Rec.709/Rec.2020) for your video scopes manually or automatically based on your look’s output colorspace
- False Color preferences: Choose to force the false color filter to be applied on your “Graded”, “Bypass”ed or “Original” video signal for appropriate quality control of HDR video signals
- YCbCr color conversion: Set the YCbCr Color Conversion Matrix (Rec.709/Rec.2020) for LUT boxes and video I/O devices and pass on the appropriate attribute in recorded QuickTime movies
- Color profile tagging: Enable/disable color profile tagging for still images and apply the appropriate color profile for most common colorspaces (Rec.709/Rec.2020/Rec.2100 PQ/Rec.2100 HLG/sRGB)
ACES:
- ACES v.1.3: Support for ACES version 1.3.0 including Reference Gamut Compress parameter for improved accuracy with extreme color ranges
- Load CLF in LMT: Load Common LUT Format (CLF) files in LMT node for convenient round-tripping in ACES workflows
- ACES look metadata: The metadata fields “ACES Input Transform”, “ACES Input TransformID”, “ACES Output Transform”, “ACES Output TransformID and “Reference Gamut Compress” allow inspecting ACES look metadata in the shot library and communicating relevant info via reports
Color grading:
- Knee curve node: Create simple “knee” and “toe” curve adjustments to quickly modify contrast range and limits of highlights and shadows
Virtual production:
- Brompton processors: Fine-tune the color balance of LED systems by controlling the 3D LUT in connected Brompton Tessera processors
- Unreal Engine integration: Connect to Unreal Engine systems via the Pomfort Virtual LUT Box plugin (in beta) and color grade the content on LED video walls
Playback controls:
- Jump to thumbnail frame: Jump to the Thumbnail Frame of your recorded movie
- Loop playback: Loop playback of your loaded movie in the viewer window
- New player HUD: Buttons for “Set Thumbnail Frame” and “Jump to Thumbnail Frame” and enable/disable “Loop” playback directly in the player HUD of the image viewer
Media management:
- Add media folder and import media: Add a directory with media as a media folder and import its containing reference media directly (without copy process)
- Duplicate as shot with still image: Duplicate your shots with movie recordings as a shot with still image at the thumbnail frame’s position
- Delete shots and media independently: Delete shots and their associated media files independently to avoid conflicts with shared media folders or for transforming shots with hi-res media into “look only” shots
- Reveal media in Finder: Reveal media files in their associated media folder directly from a contextual menu item in the shot library
Share still images:
- Airdrop stills: Instantly share graded still images via Airdrop to other Apple devices directly from your shot library
Sony VENICE 2 integration:
- Interactive grading: Color grade on connected VENICE 2 cameras in real-time via ASC-CDL compliant nodes in the grading mode “CDL + LUT”
- Look upload from shot library: Upload looks from Livegrade’s shot library onto connected VENICE 2 cameras as User 3D LUT
- Manual look upload: Upload the look from your current slot to connected VENICE 2 cameras as “User 3D LUT”
- Look exchange: Benefit from auto-generated look metadata in recorded camera files
Capture devices:
- Use all connectors as inputs: Use all SDI-connectors of half-duplex capture devices as inputs (e.g., AJA Io4K Plus)
Tetrahedral interpolation:
- LUT interpolation: Choose between different interpolation methods and benefit from tetrahedral interpolation for improved color accuracy on video output and still image export
Project preferences:
- Project settings: Labels and custom fields are now project-dependent
- Custom fields: Assign titles for Custom fields for using individual names for your custom metadata fields
Look library:
- PFLA export / import: Exchange your look library or a section of look presets with other users or Livegrade systems
Fully native:
- Apple silicon M1 support: Application runs natively on Apple Silicon M1 machines*
More features:
- Camera metadata: ARRI and RED cameras connected via network can be added as a metadata-only source in all grading modes (with grading disabled)
- H.264 record format: Record movies in the space-saving H.264 video codec
- HEIC still images: Create still images in the highly-efficient HEIC format (8-Bit only)
* IS-mini device support only using Rosetta
Output colorspaces
Easily manage color pipelines with multiple outputs.
Livegrade’s Output colorspaces let you inspect and manage looks depending on their output colorspaces for streamlined processes in color pipelines with multiple outputs (such as HDR/SDR dual monitoring).
Output colorspaces are detected automatically for all built-in LUT presets and output transforms, allowing clear overviews for multi-monitoring pipelines and automated colorspace-dependent configuration of the video scopes.
Choose the appropriate output colorspace value for custom LUTs on import and benefit from automatic colorspace-tagging on LUT export for round-tripping with other Livegrade systems.
Sony VENICE 2 remote grading
Interactively grade via ASC-CDL and upload looks as in-camera LUT.
Livegrade integrates with the remote grading features of Sony VENICE 2 cameras.
You can configure the camera as interactive grading device to grade via ASC-CDL compliant grading nodes in real-time, or as non-interactive grading device to upload looks as User 3D LUT onto the camera. Furthermore, you can benefit from a streamlined color workflow using automatic look metadata in recorded camera files.
Virtual production integrations
Interactively grade content on LED walls and fine-tune image processing.
Livegrade Studio has built-in integration for Unreal Engine and Brompton Tessera processors, extending your established Digital imaging workflow to virtual production environments.
By connecting to an Unreal Engine system via the Pomfort Virtual LUT Box plugin, you can support the image composition of virtual production shoots with high-quality real-time looks. Additionally, you can modify the color balance of your LED systems by controlling the 3D LUT in connected Brompton Tessera processors. Finally, a Knee Curve grading node lets you equalize the appearance of foreground scene and video wall in no time with simple contrast curve adjustments.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 5.5?
All New Features
Explained in Under 3 Minutes.
Let’s recap version 5.5 and all updates to the Livegrade product family - including new features in Livegrade Studio!
FilmLight Integration:
- FilmLight BLG Grading Mode: A dedicated grading mode lets you create looks within the FilmLight color pipeline for perfect compatibility with the FilmLight ecosystem:
- Set FilmLight’s input transform parameters “Input Colorspace” and “Working Colorspace”
- Set FilmLight’s output transform parameters “DRT” and “Viewing Colorspace”
- Preserves the imported grade stack, including all parameters for BLG round-trip
- Add CDL-based nodes before and/or after the grade stack and grade natively in FilmLight’s E-Gamut/T-Log working color space (and others)
- BLG Import: Import FilmLight BLG looks as shots, apply and edit looks in the FilmLight BLG grading mode
- BLG Export: Save shots created in the FilmLight BLG grading mode as BLG (.blg.exr) file including CDL layers added in Livegrade and all layers of the original grade stack
- BLG Metadata: Shot metadata is transferred into exported BLG files allowing convenient “multi-paste” import in FilmLight applications
Frame Callback on FSI BoxIO:
- Viewing: Display a shot’s framegrab or thumbnail frame (of recording) on a BoxIO device
- Comparing: Enable/disable frame callback to compare look from shot library with the current live signal back and forth
Metadata:
- Auto-complete Metadata: When filling in metadata fields “Location”, “Int/Ext”, “Day/Night” and “Caption” previously used values are suggested for auto-completion
- Recreate Clip Identifier: Update the clip identifier of selected shots based on the current shot metadata and naming scheme
- New Smart Groups: Metadata fields “Int/Ext”, “Day/Night”, and “Custom 1” - “Custom 6” can be used in smart groups
Stages:
- Configure Stages: Group shots into stages to control two or more units independently at the same time and within the same project
- Stage Metadata: With configured stages, your “Global” metadata panel transforms into a “stage” metadata panel so that you can easily edit metadata of two different scenes within the same project
- Menu Items and Actions for Current Stage: With configured stages control shot creation, still image creation, and recording actions independently for each stage
- Stage Attribute: The stage attribute is included in the shot’s metadata so that you can use it in the shots table, info tab, and the smart groups
Controller Actions:
- Routing Configurations: Up to 64 actions for selecting video routing configurations via Stream Deck controllers and Tangent panels
- Inputs and Outputs: Up to 64 actions for selecting video inputs and outputs via Stream Deck controllers and Tangent panels
Recording Preferences:
- Disk Space Info: “Disk Free” column in media folders table shows remaining disk space of media folder
- Disk Space Warning: Adjust the limit for warning before running out of disk space
More Features:
- MIDI Controllers: Option to reverse direction of encoders
- Commenting: Use comment field in slot metadata
FilmLight Integration
Benefit From a Consistent Color Pipeline From Set to Post.
Livegrade Studio comes with a dedicated grading mode supporting FilmLight’s color pipeline and allows you to round-trip with other departments via FilmLight’s proprietary look exchange format BLG.
Import show looks shared by your colorist as BLG files and apply them as a starting point for your on-set look adjustments. To match your on-set setup, you can modify the initial look’s color management settings with FilmLight’s specific parameters “Input Colorspace” and “Viewing Colorspace”.
The look’s original grade stack is reflected within the “Grade” node and preserves all layers for BLG export, ensuring full editability in subsequent FilmLight applications. In addition, you can adjust your on-set look via ASC-CDL in FilmLight’s E-Gamut/T-Log native working colorspace (and others). Finally, you can pass on your DP’s creative decisions made on set as an individual CDL layer into exported BLG files for further processing.
Group Slots Into Stages
Control Scenes of Multiple Units Within One Project.
Livegrade Studio lets you group slots into stages to simplify handling metadata and actions for multiple units within the same project.
You can assign slots into stages (e.g., “Main Unit” > Slot A, B, and “Splinter Unit” > Slots C, D), allowing you to control independent scenes of different units easily. You can separately enter metadata such as slate info for the stage’s current scene and independently trigger shot creation, still image creation, and recording actions for each stage. When switching back and forth between units, the metadata status of stages is preserved, letting you pick up your work where you left at all times.
Frame Callback on BoxIO
Display Saved Still Images on FSI BoxIO Devices.
Livegrade Studio supports Flanders Scientific’s “Frame Callback” functionality, built into FSI BoxIO LUT boxes.
You can display a shot’s graded still image (or thumbnail frame from a recorded movie) on any connected BoxIO device. By toggling the frame callback on/off, you can conveniently compare a look from your shot library with the current live signal. This way, you transform your FSI BoxIO LUT box into an SDI output device for still frames with just a few clicks.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 5.4.2?
Colourlab Ai Integration:
- Interaction with Colourlab Ai (v.1.4): Provide a framegrab for analysis to Colourlab Ai and receive back auto-generated look metadata as ASC-CDL and 3D LUT
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 5.4?
New Media Storage System:
- Multiple Media Folders: Flexibly expand and manage your disk space for project media by adding multiple “Media Folders” (e.g., on different hard drives) within the same project and inspect info of your project’s media in the recording preferences
- Choose a Record Folder: Set one media folder for capturing and ingesting new media into by making it the “Record Folder”
- New Project Window: Set a project’s record folder directly on project creation in the “New Project” window
- Project-Based Media Management: Record folders and media folders are now configured per project (so that changing the record folder when switching projects is no longer needed)
- Project Setting: Exchange “Record Folder and Media Folders” project settings between machines or users with settings export/import
- Unique Folder ID: Each media folder contains a JSON file with a UUID that allows unambiguous media folder identification (so that copied, renamed, or moved directories can be added to the project again and offline media files reconnect immediately)
Sharing Look Archives:
- PFLA (Pomfort Look Archive) from Smart Groups: Export and import look archives from smart groups allow to exchange only relevant shots
- PFLA with Media: Share your project (or folders/bins/smart groups), including hi-res media, with other units or transfer your work to another machine or project
- PFLA Export Options: Export a look archive with references to the current media folder or with copies to a new media folder
- PFLA Import Options: Import a look archive with media by copying the media into your project’s record folder, by adding the referenced media folder to your project’s recording preferences, or by importing looks only (without media)
Media Status:
- Online/Offline Media Status: Improved UI indicates the media status of shots (online/offline) in the shot library and the media folders table
- Reconnect Media: Add a matching record folder to reconnect offline media instantly (even if the folder was renamed or moved in Finder)
- Progress Bar: Monitor the status of running media import/export tasks in a progress bar with estimated time indication
Improved Slating:
- Slating System: Choose a “Slating System” (Standard/American/All) to show only relevant menu items for editing the slate info
- Scene Letter: Enable the “Scene Letter” option to append a letter on “Increase Scene” actions automatically (e.g., increment “5” to “5A”)
- Skipped Characters: Choose characters to be skipped when incrementing the scene, shot, and take fields
- Overflow Incrementing: Incrementing fields with letter-postfix now use the overflow system (e.g., “Z” to “AA”, etc.)
- Additional Menu Items and Actions: More options to edit the slate info of global metadata fields from the menu or via a Stream Deck Controller (“Increase”, “Decrease”, and “Reset” entries for all slate info fields and more)
Multi-Camera Setups:
- Additional Menu Items and Actions: Fully control up to 20 slots from the menu or by using a Stream Deck Controller
- Automation Manager: Create efficient automatic actions for up to 20 slots
More Features:
- LUT Presets: Updated presets with the latest official LUTs from camera manufacturers
- Reports: “Label” column can now be included in PDF reports
Multiple Media Folders
Unlimited Disk Space for Your Project Media.
Livegrade Studio lets you add multiple directories for project media. One directory is set to be the current “Record Folder”, where new recordings, frame grabs, and imported reference media are stored. So in case, your currently used hard drive is full, you can quickly add a new storage location and continue to ingest media without interruption.
As Livegrade Studio supports multiple media folders within the same project, all media files can stay “online”. Thus, you can access all of your production’s reference media at all times, even in extensive projects with hundreds of hours of recorded clips.
Look Archives with Media
Share Your Work Across Multiple Units.
Livegrade Studio allows you to share look archives, including hi-res reference media. This way, you can conveniently exchange your work with other units or transfer your project to another machine so that you always have the entire production’s reference media available.
You can export a look archive from your whole project or include only relevant parts of it. Flexible export options let you choose to consolidate the associated media files to a new location or to use references to current media folders. Correspondingly, the import options allow copying the media files from the look archive to your current project’s drive or adding the new storage locations to your project’s preferences.
American Slating Made Easy
Customize Your Slate Info Editing.
Livegrade Studio comes with dedicated “Slating” preferences for more efficient editing of slate info metadata fields.
You can choose a “Slating System” to show only relevant menu items for your preferred system and increment the scene field by appending a “Scene Letter” instead of incrementing the number. Additionally, you can define certain characters as to be skipped to edit the slate info fields according to your production’s guidelines.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 5.3.3?
Colorfront Integration:
All controls and options of the Colorfront Film pipeline are now available in Livegrade Studio when working with the AJA FS-HDR device:
- Scene-referred settings for exposure and color temperature
- Select from a range of grading color spaces
- HDR output transforms, including SDR preview on HDR displays
- Combine the power of look and reference management of Livegrade products with Colorfront's color science capabilities
- Export of look metadata from Livegrade to Colorfront products and plugins (based on CFE files) for seamless dailies workflows
QTAKE Integration:
QTAKE grading module now included in Livegrade Studio:
- Look metadata (CDL and LUT) is automatically available in QTAKE
- Looks are updated in real-time in QTAKE
- DIT (DP, camera department) and VA operator (script, director, customer) can work together interactively
- Multiple, independent slots are supported (depending on available channels in QTAKE)
Colorfront Integration
Full Control Over Your Colorfront Film Pipeline.
Livegrade Studio comes with a built-in Colorfront Film grading mode for the AJA FS-HDR device, which includes all controls and colorspaces from the Colorfront Film Pipeline. This way, you can grade within the Colorfront Film pipeline while still having all advanced Livegrade controls for full flexibility. Final looks can be communicated to other departments as CFE files.
QTAKE Integration
Seamless Collaboration With Video Assists.
Livegrade Studio comes with a built-in integration for QTAKE enabling DITs to sync their look info (CDL + LUT) to QTAKE as “Look” effect. This way video assists using QTAKE can receive the DP’s intended look in real-time, apply additional effects on top and instantly distribute the graded video signal to all monitors on set.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 5.3?
Dynamic Metadata:
- Dynamic Metadata Recording: Record per-frame, dynamic slot metadata fields transmitted via HD-SDI ancillary metadata from ARRI, Panasonic, and Sony cameras together with movie recordings
- Dynamic Metadata Export: Export dynamic metadata of recordings to a separate CSV for each shot
Color Grading:
- Curves Color Picker: Auto-create curve points by picking a specific color in the viewer window for applying precise and quick color curve corrections
- Custom Color Curve: Color picker for choosing the target hue of the custom color curve allows to create scene-accurate looks in seconds
- HSL Curves: New “Grading” preference to set curve points for six primary colors by default
- Curves Control: Select and adjust curve points using a keyboard or grading panel
Exchange Settings:
- Global Settings: Import and export global setup settings (video router configurations, keyboard shortcuts, column layouts, smart groups layouts, record folder, custom clip identifier, slot/device configuration, label preferences) allows to share or transfer settings between workstations conveniently
- Project Settings: Import and export project folder structure allows to re-use an existing project structure as a template for new projects
Productivity:
- Color Labels: Tag shots with color labels and a customizable label text for flexible categorizing of shots
- Label On Shot Creation: Apply a default label or secondary label on shot creation automatically
- Second Create Button: Enable a second “Create” button in the “Shot Creation” preferences to create shots with default label or secondary label more conveniently
- Info Tab: Better organized metadata overview in “Info” tab with collapsable sections and search feature
- Multi-Edit Metadata: Editing metadata fields in the “Info” tab allows to quickly and conveniently clean up metadata of multiple selected shots at once
- Slot Metadata: Re-ordering slot metadata fields allows to create a custom slot metadata layout
- Jump To Timecode: Go to a specific timecode or time of a recording by pasting a timecode reference or typing the desired position
Device Integration:
- SmallHD Monitors: Use SmallHD 4K Production Monitors as real-time grading devices (with SmallHD firmware version 4.4.0 or higher)
Shot Labels
Tag Shots With Color Labels and Custom Label Text.
Livegrade Studio comes with color labels that enable users to tag shots with a color and a customizable label text. Labels provide flexible and powerful ways to categorize shots depending on their intended function, e.g., “Look & Frame Grab” or “Reference Image”. Shots can also be auto-tagged with a default label or secondary label directly on shot-creation.
Curves Color Picker
Create Precise Secondaries With the Color Picker Tool.
Livegrade Studio comes with a new color picker tool for RGB and HSL curve nodes that lets users auto-create curve points depending on a value picked from the live image. This way, precise secondary curve corrections, e.g., to change the appearance of a single object, can be done fast and efficiently.
What’s new in Livegrade Studio 5.2?
Color Grading:
- Color Curve Modes: “RGB-Based” and “Luma-Based” allow precise color curve adjustments with or without influencing luma and saturation of colors for creating appealing looks like bleach bypass with ease
- RGB Curves: Apply curves to individual color channels red, green, and blue
- Custom Color Curve: Apply curve adjustment to any custom color and create appealing looks like orange & teal in seconds
- Hue-Sat-Lum Curves: Apply secondary color corrections with curves for hue vs. hue, hue vs. saturation, hue vs. luma, luma vs. saturation, and saturation vs. saturation
- Amount Sliders: Fine-tune color grades quickly by adjusting the intensity of grading nodes
- Printer Lights: RGB master can now be precisely adjusted using color panels
- User LUT Folder: Watch folder to add custom user LUTs for selecting them as LUT presets
Improved ACES Workflow:
- ACES Metadata File Export: Exchange grade settings and metadata in ACES workflows (works with ACES ver. 1.2 or higher)
- AMF + CLF: AMF Export for looks created in the ACES CDL Advanced mode merges non-CDL nodes into a CLF (Common LUT format) file.
Look Exchange:
- CDL + LUT Combo Export: Exporting looks split into CDL and non-CDL components (ASC-CDL and 3D LUT ) allows complete look exchange with dailies and color grading software while maintaining the exchange of CDL and saturation values
Device Integration:
- Stream Deck Plugin: Map and trigger Livegrade actions from your Stream Deck devices
- Video Routing from Stream Deck: Apply up to 20 video routing configurations and select up to 20 video inputs and outputs from Stream Deck devices
Pomfort ShotHub:
- Project Upload: Upload entire project with shot information to ShotHub, including thumbnails (optional)
- Collaboration: Parallel upload from several Livegrade clients
Productivity:
- Smart Groups: Organize shots using an automatic outline assembled from metadata (e.g., Scene, Shot, and Flagged) for comprehensive media management and improved handling of large libraries
- Library Folder: Search entire shot library with home folder “Library”
- Smart Group Layouts: Use predefined hierarchy layouts and create user-defined layouts with custom hierarchies for full flexibility and improved productivity
- Shot Library: Library path displays current library folder and smart groups level for a better overview
- Set Thumbnail Frame: Set custom thumbnail frame of recorded video clips
- Device Manager: Use a custom letter (A-Z) as slot character
- Slot Metadata: Efficient keyboard navigation between slot metadata fields
- Video Routing: Display index counter and change order of video routing configurations
- Multi-Edit Rating and Flagging: Rate and flag multiple shots with designated menu items and actions for Stream Deck
- New Functions and Shortcuts: Copy look to all slots, create shot from library slot, Increase take number after shot creation
Metadata:
- New metadata field: “Shooting Day” metadata field to quickly organize files using shooting day metadata
- New metadata field: “Location” metadata field to quickly organize shots using location metadata
- New metadata field: “Day/Night” metadata field to quickly organize shots using time of day metadata
- New metadata field: “Int/Ext” metadata field to quickly organize shots using interior/exterior metadata
- New custom metadata fields: Three additional custom metadata fields for more flexible metadata workflows
- Wildcards: Use TC Start and TC End in wildcards
Orange & Teal in Seconds
Build Creative Looks Using the New Rgb Curves.
Livegrade Studio comes with a brand new RGB Curve Editor that enables users to apply precise, channel-based curve adjustments. Two different modes allow either adjusting colors together with luma and saturation or preserving the initial luma and saturation values. Besides creating curves for master, luma, red, green, and blue, you can also pick a specific target hue and create a custom color curve to apply a creative look like orange & teal.
Better Organized
Manage Your Shot Library Using Smart Groups.
Livegrade comes with a new automatic Smart Groups outline that lets users organize their shots in a hierarchical structure using shot metadata. Users can define the applicable hierarchy levels depending on their needs to get a useful overview to manage their shots more efficiently, even in large libraries with extensive metadata.
What’s new in version 5.1?
Playback Controls:
- JKL Navigation: Playback, jog, and shuttle using J, K, L keyboard shortcuts
Import:
- Shot Library: Import movie files (mov, m4v, mp4)
Productivity:
- Working with Looks: Copy & paste looks between slots
- Library Slot: Adding a reference from another slot to the library slot
Metadata:
- Global Metadata: New metadata field for “season”
Auto-Record:
- AJA Capture Devices: Trigger auto-record via HANC rec-flag for ARRI, RED, and Sony cameras (works with Kona 4 or newer, and IO 4K series by AJA)
Panel Support:
- Tangent Wave and Wave2: Customize the user interaction with the Tangent Mapper
ARRI Alexa Mini LF:
- CAP Support: In-camera grading and camera metadata support
What’s new in version 5?
Video Router Control:
- Routing Visualization: Horizontal and vertical layouts of input and output ports with connections
- Interactive Router Control: Direct routing changes via drag and drop and port selection
- Auto-Detection: Directly connect video routers in the local network
Automation:
- Script Automation: Run and automate scripts from within the application
Recording:
- Arming of Slots: Disable or enable slots for recording
- Direct Recording: Record a slot's live image directly from the slot UI
- Auto Record: New auto-record behavior triggers record in multiple slots
- Naming: Better naming for recordings
Grading Controls:
- Contrast Slider: ASC-CDL-compatible "simple grading" (SPL) interface type with four new controls
- Lift, Gamma, Gain: ASC-CDL-compatible "lift gamma gain" (LGG) interface type with three color wheels
- Printer Lights: ASC-CDL-compatible "printer lights" (PRT) interface type with increase/decrease buttons for colors
- Color Wheels: New luma-neutral behavior of color wheels
- Master Control: New indicator for "master" level of color wheels
MIDI Controller Support:
- Buttons: Trigger any action in the main menu
- Encoders: Adjust grade controls
ACES:
- LMT Node: Added new node with standard LMTs for ACES mode
More Features:
- Column Selector: New UI for selecting columns for the shot table
- Non-SI Units: Imperial units for focus distance
Optional Modules:
- Colorfront Film Module: Support for AJA FS-HDR in "Colorfront Film" pipeline
- QTAKE Module: Support for interactive LUT and CDL integration with QTAKE system
- Cobalt Module: Support for Cobalt Digital 9904-UDX-4K systems
Interactive Router Control
Video Router Control Within the Application.
Livegrade Studio comes with a new interface for interactive video router control. For situations with multiple cameras and complex routing setups, the application now displays all connections between the input and output ports of the video router in one overview. Any changes – also changes made externally, e.g., with a hardware control panel – are instantly visible in Livegrade Studio's user interface. Users can change single routings directly by either dragging lines between ports, selecting ports in the menu, or using keyboard shortcuts or mapped physical MIDI controllers.
Selective Recording
Flexible Configuration for Multi-Camera Capturing.
In multi-camera productions, not all cameras are used all the time. For these changing setups, Livegrade Studio now comes with options for selective reference capturing. Users can now easily "arm" and "un-arm" slots for recording in the slot UI. The arming setting not only applies to global recording but also works with rec-flag triggered auto-record.
Advanced Grading Controls
Comprehensive, ASC-CDL Compatible Grading Interaction.
Livegrade Studio comes with new and additional color grading interaction types. Users can now use LGG (lift-gamma-gain)-style grade controls for grading interaction known from video-based grading systems. The printer-lights controls can be used for film-based, Telecine-style color correction. Also a set of simplified controls (e.g. "Contrast", "Stretch", "Warmer", and "Greener" controls) are added for "one-knob" grade interaction. The new interaction types are fully compatible with the ASC-CDL exchange format for maximum compliance with existing workflows.
Optional Modules
Workflow-Specific Extensions.
Livegrade can be extended with optional modules with functionality required in specific productions using QTAKE, Colorfront, or Cobalt for their workflow.
The Colorfront Film Module enables support for the proprietary Colorfront Film color pipeline. Productions choose Colorfront Film for its out-of-the-box great image rendering, as well as the powerful HDR features. Users can use an AJA FS-HDR device for color grading live signals the same way as Colorfront's software products render recorded clips.
QTAKE is the most comprehensive video assist system in the market, and with the QTAKE Module, users can now provide interactive look metadata to QTAKE. This enables improved integration between video assist and DIT stations – and enables new workflows for stereo3D, 4K, and high frame rate monitoring.
Cobalt Digital 9904-UDX-4K systems are powerful signal processing units. The OpenGear form factor allows dense installations for processing lots of simultaneous streams. With the Cobalt Module, Livegrade can utilize the signal processing power of the units and use them as a color grading device for camera live signals.
