Questions:
- What should and does it consist of?
- Including anything non-obvious e.g. “tucked away”, “additional Downloads”, “obscure” etc.
- ???
Answers (as far as I can tell…):
- _Support & Communities
- Looks at first sight like any application’s Help dialog, but on deeper inspection is also connected web-wise and answers to questions are not restricted to Adobe products.
- After Effects
- In contrast to Premiere, which is for conventional light-touch editing, this is for heavier effects and compositing etc.
- http://shisko.blogspot.com/2007/09/creating-trees-in-after-effects.html
- …AE is a “2.5d” application. The worldspace is 3d, but any imagery you have (discounting 3rd party applications such as Invigorator and such) is “flat”.
- (As opposed to 3D Modelling apps such as 3dsMax, Blender)
- …AE is a “2.5d” application. The worldspace is 3d, but any imagery you have (discounting 3rd party applications such as Invigorator and such) is “flat”.
- After Effects Render Engine
- Render farm: Network rendering with watch folders and render engines.
- Previously, it was possible to install render engines on as many machines as wished, but not so under CS5.5, where a separate serial number must be obtained for each machine. For small guys like me that makes it pretty useless. It seems likely that a more flexible option will exist in future versions.
- Audition
- Audio editor, derived (many years ago) from CoolEdit.
- Bridge
- A combination of media file manager, media manager, metadata editor, also does some kinds of media processing.
- Can be run standalone or from within apps e.g. Premiere: [File > Browse in Bridge…]
- Color Finesse
- A multi-host (including Premiere & AE) plugin that goes above and beyond typical NLE color correction.
- On my system it only appears to be available under AE.
- Device Central
- Simulates media appearance etc. on a range of devices such as cellphones.
- DigiEffects FreeForm
- Manipulate a flat object into almost any shape using displacement maps and meshes in 3D space.
- Examples: flowing cloth, animated loose filmstrips, rippling fluids, terrain flyovers, welded metal, morphs, reveals.
- Encore
- DVD authoring. Menus can be created in Photoshop (using special layering techniques).
- Extension Manager
- Manage extensions (broadly like plugins) associated with various Adobe programs.
- ExtendScript Toolkit:
- Adobe workflow command-script editor
- An IDE (along the lines of Visual Studio) for scripts in Adobe Bridge, itself serving to automate workflows involving multiple Adobe applications.
- Flash Professional
- A multimedia authoring program to create content for Flash-enabled platforms/devices.
- Flash Catalyst
- A designers’ tool for creating the user interface for Rich Internet Applications. Primary function of being a GUI composer for Adobe Flex components.
- Can import Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, or Flash XML Graphics (FXG) files.
- Help
- A help resource not only with local help-documentation but also capable of searching beyond, even beyond Adobe, to find solutions.
- Illustrator
- Vector graphics editor e.g. useful for typesetting and logo graphics design. It is the companion product of Photoshop.
- KeyLight
- An advanced chroma-keyer, tackling reflections, semi-transparent areas and hair.
- Media Encoder
- Encodes audio and video media content.
- Mocha
- <<Stand-alone tracking and roto tool to help solve problematic shots challenging the built in tools of After Effects and Final Cut by bringing advanced planar tracking and matte creation tools>>
- Planar tracking
- Track a plane(-ish) surface in 3D space e.g. as it translates, rotates, perspective changes.
- Typically more robust and capable than points-tracking.
- Great for moving subject or tracking camera.
- Overkill when the only (relative) motion is due to camera pan/tilt.
- http://blog.davidesp.com/archives/230
- Track a plane(-ish) surface in 3D space e.g. as it translates, rotates, perspective changes.
- Planar tracking
- e.g. select an area then it uses any detail there including texture to get a fix, and follows changes in translation, rotation, perspective etc.
- <<Stand-alone tracking and roto tool to help solve problematic shots challenging the built in tools of After Effects and Final Cut by bringing advanced planar tracking and matte creation tools>>
- OnLocation
- Direct to disk recorder / logger also acting as monitor with waveform monitor and vectorscope. And no doubt much else.
- PhotoShop
- Such a big noun that it became a verb…
- Premiere Pro
- Primary editing app, with emphasis on productive cutting and smooth playback etc., minimising the need to render, leaving heavy effects and compositing etc. to AE.
- Story
- A collaborative script development tool/service. There is an application for working alone on an offline version and a web-based service where you can sync up with an online version.
- Ultra
- Vector-keyer (simple-to-use effective chroma-keying) that was once a standalone app by Serious Magic, now available as a plugin within Premiere (but not AE). I get the impression it is regarded (or at least branded) as simple to use but ultimately less sophisticated/capable than KeyLight (???).
- Serious Magic used to highlight its capabilities regarding reflections, semi-transparent areas and hair…
- Utilities
- ExtendScript
- An integrated development environment (IDE) for the creation and debugging of JavaScript code for Adobe Bridge, to facilitate workflow-enhancing automation of tasks between elements of Creative Suite.
- PixelBlender
- A simplifying basis for implementing image processing algorithms (filters or effects) in a hardware-independent manner, taking advantage of parallel processing / GPU etc.
- Downside to commercial developers is that code using it may be more visible / understandable.
- ExtendScript