Noise Industries FxFactory Review
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Publisher: FxFactory |
In 2005 Apple introduced a new plug-in architecture called FxPlug and invited all established plug-in providers to build plug-ins for this modern architecture. One of these companies was Noise Industries, a veteran plug-in developer for Avid systems, known for their package Factory Tools.
Noise Industries came out with FxFactory, a large collection of GPU accelerated filters, generators and transitions for Final Cut Pro and Motion. Beating most of the other companies to the game, Noise was one of the first companies to offer FxPlug-ins for Final Cut Studio applications.
What got me excited about FxFactory?
- It's based on FxPlug architecture
- It's easy to use
- It's full-featured set of preset plug-ins
- Speed, speed and speed!
- The option to customize, manage and create your own plug-ins without being a code junkie
- FxFactory is free to download and use
FxFactory Free Version
There are 2 versions of FxFactory: the free version and FxFactory Pro. The free version allows you to:
- run the freebies (which are really completely free)
- run the commercial FxPacks (which have to be purchased separately) Commercial FxPacks are developed by Noise Industries, and a growing number of 3rd party developers, more about that later.
FxFactroy Pro
The Pro version bundles the Editing FxPack, the Motion FxPack, the Pro Pack, as well as a library of free FxPacks on the site.
The Effects
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When you install FxFactory, you will have all of the options of filters, transitions and generators in the accustomed places both in FCP and Motion.
Applying the plug-ins are as easy as going to your Video Filters menu and choosing your desired effect. Once you have applied the plug-in you can use the effect parameters in either FCP or Motion to get your desired look.
You can create some amazing effects for every type of project. I have found I use the stylize effects the most within FxFactory.
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Third parties have already used FxFactory Pro to build some cool FxPacks. Prices range from $49 to $99 depending on the package. Some examples FxPacks are from Idustrial Revolution (by my buddy, Peter Wiggins), great light spill effects; Futurismo, the king of quartz composer; SUGARfx; and CoreMelt.
Noise Industries continually adds to their library of plug-ins and their partners continue to create amazing FxPacks.
Speed, Speed, Speed!
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FxFactory 1.0.6 is the current version which is a Universal Binary for both Power PC and Intel machines running Final Cut Studio 1 (FCP 5.1.2, Motion 2.1) and the new Final Cut Studio 2. With the move to Intel-based Macs and Final Cut Studio 2 things are faster then ever. I am running the current build on a 17" Mac Book Pro with FxFactory Pro 1.0.6. With the improvements in FCP 6 and Motion 3, FxFactory was running faster than a greased pig.
Whether you are running the Pro version or the free version you can experiment to your heart's content with the endless configurations and because of FxFactory uses FxPlug architecture your render times are more then cut in half because your graphics card is taking most of the work and leaving your CPU to handle other tasks.
Support
If you are new to using FxFactory with Final Cut Studio applications there are online tutorials available that I highly recommend watching.
The support for FxFactory is easy to access and getting a hold of tech support is not a long waiting game either. Noise Industries was very quick to get back to me about any issues. There is also support on the Toolfarm.com forums.
Quartz Composer and Core Image
Fx Factory Pro allows you to customize and create your own plug-ins based on Apple's Quartz Composer and Core Image.
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Quartz Composer Resources
- Quartz Compositions - The central source for quartz compositions.
- Quartz Compositions Media Wiki
Most of the editors and motion graphics designers I know, myself included, do not always have the time to learn some of the extensive scripting language that comes with tweaking a lot of the applications we use day in and day out. This is what makes FxFactory an indispensable set of tools. If you want to dive into the side of customizing or have even been thinking about learning some of what Quartz Composer has to offer, with its node-based compositing features, there are more then enough resources out there for you.
The Final Verdict?
FxFactory is an indispensable set of tools on any edit or motion graphics system. Whether you are new to editing and motion graphic effects or a seasoned pro, FxFactory gives you total control over the look of your project. The options in the package, for the very reasonable price of $399 for the Pro version, are worth every penny. The third party FxPacks are add-ons that I wouldn't think twice about purchasing either.
FxFactory is so fast and easy to get up and running, you could wind up creating some cool plug-ins of your own and have them up on the Noise Industries site.