The Academy Software Foundation’s OpenFX project is excited to announce the release of OpenFX version 1.5, a significant upgrade to the widely-used visual effects software framework. First developed in 2004 and adopted into the Foundation in 2022, OpenFX is a popular open source plugin standard that allows interoperability between image processing tools in the VFX industry. This makes it easier for artists to access a wider set of tools as plugins which can run on multiple editing, video processing, and VFX applications with little or no modification.
The OpenFX v1.5 release introduces a suite of new features to streamline workflows and boost creativity for visual effects artists and developers. Key features include:
- Color Management: Enhanced color management APIs to ensure accurate and consistent color rendering across different source media, devices and platforms.
- DrawSuite: On-screen drawing capabilities to allow hosts and plugins to work together without requiring OpenGL.
- GPU Support: Comprehensive GPU support between hosts and plugins, including OpenCL, CUDA, and Metal, for accelerated performance and smoother rendering.
- Choice Params: Improved parameter handling with the addition of choice parameters, allowing for more intuitive and organized user interfaces.
- Binary Data: Support for binary data to facilitate the handling of plugin-specific data types and improve processing efficiency.
- Windows ARM64: Version 1.5 enables future compatibility with Windows ARM64, expanding the range of supported devices and platforms.
- Houdini Support: SideFX has announced support for OpenFX in their upcoming
- version 20.5 of Houdini, in the new Copernicus image-processing node.
The OpenFX v1.5 pre-release is currently available in the OpenFX GitHub Repository, with the full release available later this summer.
“We are thrilled to bring these advancements to the OpenFX community with the version 1.5 release,” said Gary Oberbrunner, CEO of Dark Star Systems and TSC Chair of the OpenFX project. “This significant update shows our continuing commitment to providing VFX software developers with the creative tools they need to push the boundaries of visual effects.”
Dennis Adams of Sony Creative Software added, “I am happy to see the de facto OpenCL extensions unified and becoming standard, as well as CUDA and Metal. Since most hosts do image processing on the GPU, official support for the GPU APIs is a great addition.”
To learn more about the project and OpenFX v1.5, join the OpenFX Virtual Town Hall on July 25, 2024 at 9:00 am PT. A recording of the Virtual Town Hall will be made available in the following weeks on the Academy Software Foundation YouTube channel.
