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Pixelan Software's new NLE plug-in, SpiceMaster, is a stunning program that allows you to create beautiful and unique 2D transitions and flowing dynamic mattes. In addition to its incredible creative potential, the program is also exceptionally easy to use, bug-free, and inexpensive.

SpiceMaster works hand-in-hand with Pixelan's critically acclaimed Video SpiceRack PRO and OrganicFX visual effects add-ons. In the past, these 'spices' could only be applied through BorisFX or an NLE's built-in gradient/alpha wipe, masking feature or other similar effect. SpiceMaster changes this, as it provides an interface for working directly with spices.

FEATURES

You have to understand Pixelan's spices to fully appreciate SpiceMaster. Simply put, spices are gradient images in TIFF, Targa and bitmap formats. They're made for creating directional dissolve and wipe transitions. They can also be used to flow effects across an image, such as "washing" a color change for example.

There are spices that imitate the movement of fluids, vapor emissions, textures, and erosion, to name just a few of the themes in OrganicFX spice pack, some 250 gradients in all. SpiceRack PRO's 500 gradients are less naturalistic, but they're equally unique and impressive. You'll find various edge effects, quadrant separations, and an assortment of geometrical patterns, among other themes.

SpiceMaster was designed to make working with spices easy. With it you can instantly re-position or re-orient a spice; move the effect with your subject or action; apply dynamic borders, glows and realistic shadows; apply organic edge textures to the effect; apply different types of softness; alter the effect's speed, including holds; and make custom picture-in-picture effects & splits-screens, among other possibilities. And, you can do all of this with flexible keyframe control while instantly previewing changes as settings are adjusted.

IN USE

SpiceMaster was loaded onto an Intergraph TDZ 2000 GL2 NT workstation running duel Pentium II 400s, 384 MB RAM. The editing platform was a Matrox DigiSuite LE card running Speed Razor RT 4.5.

As previously stated, spices are typically employed through an NLE's gradient wipe, alpha wipe or mask effect engine. This works well for most spice-based transitions and effects. The process is very simple, and in many NLE platforms the transition/effect can be done in real-time. For more complicated work, Pixelan developed spice presets for BorisFX. Partnering the two together was a great idea as it added significantly to the power of both pieces of software. While using spices inside of BorisFX isn't difficult, it takes a little time to master, especially if you're trying to modify a spice or move it around the screen. Pixelan realized this, and as a result SpiceMaster was born.

At press time, SpiceMaster was available as a download program for $199 for those who already have their own spices. (A 32-page manual is available in PDF format at www.pixelan.com). The CD package sells for $249 and includes 100 spices in a Video SpiceRack PRO starter set. SpiceMaster Deluxe on CD sells for $399 and includes 500 "best of" spices from SpiceRack PRO and OrganicFX.

SpiceMaster was available for the following Windows editing software at press time: Adobe Premiere (4.2 or later, all versions including LE and RT), FAST 601, in-sync Speed Razor (3.5x or later, all versions including RT), DPS Video Action/dpsVelocity, Sony EditStation ES-3, Canopus Rex Edit/Raptor Edit, and Ulead MediaStudio Pro (5.x or later, VE or Full).

Installation of the software was a snap. SpiceMaster had no trouble meshing with Razor, or with integrating the folders containing the spices I had already been using as add-ons with Razor and BorisFX.

The process of making a spice transition is a simple one with Razor. You simply drag the SpiceMaster effect between the two tracks on the timeline. This, in turn, opens the SpiceMaster dialog window. Here you choose which gradient you want by clicking on the Choose Spice File button. This opens the Spice Library Window and displays the spices available.

The library displays the flavor of each spice in a variety of ways too. You can have a static image of the grayscale map, or view a dynamic transition of the gradient as it moves from a light colored test image to a dark test image. You can also tile the library so you can see how the spice looks with your content. No real-time preview here, but you can drag a slider button across the screen in close to real time to get a feel for the effect. You can also use the preview button to play the transition/effect at about five frames a second. (This speed will no doubt vary depending upon your own computer system.)

SpiceMaster also helps you choose the effect you want by providing dynamic side-by-side comparisons of spices. The way this works also makes it easy to manage a spice library and custom effect settings. Gradients from other programs can be used with SpiceMaster too, and you can still customize or create spices and other gradients or solid matte images for use with the program.

You can arrange the spices in your library in a number of ways. The library defaults to showing the spices as they're organized in folders on your hard drive. They're typically installed by category when you install spices to your system. You can also create 'virtual folders' (ones that exist only within SpiceMaster) to hold your favorite spices or ones specific to the project you're working on at the time.

Once you've chosen a spice, you have the option of modifying it. There are slider bars for softness, border/glow, shadow, and whether or not you want the spice to have an additional texture effect. There are numerous options which can be applied to each of the above. Clicking and dragging the grayscale map of the spice to where you want it in a small window allows you to adjust the spice's position.

All of these settings are keyframeable too. SpiceMaster's "Speed Change" feature allows you to control the rate of the transition, including holds, and vary virtually all of the settings over time.

At this point, you can save your settings for future use, or apply them by exiting to the editing program and rendering the transition. SpiceMaster comes with a number of presets to help you get started and achieve specific results quickly. The presets can also be modified and saved for your own preset library.

I was stunned the first time I launched the program. It is the first NLE program I've ever used that I would call intuitive. The interface is simple, yet it provides immediate access to the full power of Pixelan's spices. No need to work through layers of menus. No need to spend hours reading a manual (although the one that comes with the program is superbly done and worth reading). You don't even have to know anything about gradient wipes, masking or using alpha channels to get things done with SpiceMaster. You can be productive with it the very first time out.

Pixelan's use of slider bars in the interface makes it especially easy to quickly customize transitions and effects --- and keyframing with the program couldn't be easier. Additionally, the library aspect of the program makes choosing and sorting through spices a joy.

And the good news doesn't stop after you're done setting up a spice. The program renders very quickly.

Of course, all of this would be moot if SpiceMaster couldn't produce broadcast quality images, or prove useful for day-to-day editing. No problem here. SpiceMaster transitions and dynamic mattes are impressive without being tacky. They range from subtle to extreme, allowing you to choose the perfect seasoning for a video.

SUMMARY

There was nothing about the program I didn't like, but I would like to see one minor modification in SpiceMaster 2.0. While the keyframing capabilities of the program are adequate, there's no way to automatically accelerate, decelerate or ease-in/ease-out from one keyframe to the next. There's a workaround for this, but it requires you to set a string of keyframes.

In conclusion, if you never thought you'd find an NLE plug-in that was powerful, eminently useable, dependable and bargain priced, think again. SpiceMaster is all of this and more. I can't imagine being without it, and I believe you'll find the program to be just as tasty as I do.

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Dr. Mark Timney lives in Keene, NH. He's a veteran broadcast journalist, public relations professional and educator. His company caters to the communication needs of manufacturers and service providers in the archery industry.