NewTek Reveals LightWave™ 10.1 Stereoscopic Camera and Interactive Production Workflow Enhancements at NAB 2011

Software enhancements deliver greater stereoscopic camera rig and VPR functionality, better import and export capabilities, a new Skin material node, and more

LAS VEGAS – NAB Show – April 11, 2011 – NewTek, a worldwide leader of 3D animation and video products, will showcase NewTek LightWave™ 10.1, the latest version of its Emmy® Award-winning 3D software, at NAB 2011 in Las Vegas. With advanced modeling and animation tools built to integrate into any production pipeline, LightWave 10.1 delivers new capabilities for 3D artists, such as a new off-axis stereoscopic camera rig option, an improved Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR), more powerful import and export capabilities with FBX, MDD, and integrated Autodesk Geometry Cache support, a new Skin material node, and more. Visit NewTek (booth SL4514) during NAB, April 11-14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, to see the latest advancements in LightWave software.

With the continued growth of the stereoscopic 3D film, television and gaming markets, artists need powerful tools to help streamline stereoscopic content creation. LightWave 10.1 delivers, with access to all major stereo camera rigs-parallel, toe-in, and off-axis, allowing artists to correct for toe-in distortion in the animation pipeline, dynamically. Other enhancements include interactive OpenGL off-axis adjustment of the right and left camera planes, user-friendly click-and-drag convergence point adjustment in the viewport, and the ability to disable the anaglyph representation of the stereo camera in OpenGL. Also in LightWave 10.1, interocular and convergence point can both be animated dynamically over time to track stereo changes within a shot.

"Our long-standing relationships with leading studios and our user community inspire the innovation for our LightWave application-and this certainly rings true with LightWave 10.1," said NewTek VP of 3D Development, Rob Powers. "As a 3D artist, I'm excited about the changes to our stereoscopic camera rig and interchange tools, which makes LightWave deliver even greater value to any production pipeline."

Using the LightWave VPR, artists can directly interact and easily adjust lights, textures, volumetrics and more, within the viewport. Artists can also use the VPR to view updates to deliver realistic environmental walkthroughs quickly, and perform virtual location scouts. LightWave 10.1 extends the functionality of VPR with the support of clip maps in the VPR render, the addition of object and distance dissolve, and improved nodal shaders like the new Skin material node that works with the VPR. The Skin material node uses a proprietary subsurface shading model for a simple "connect-and-go" way to create realistic looking skin.

LightWave 10.1 with integrated Autodesk Geometry Cache Support gives artists the ability to include or exclude models, morphs, animations, cameras and lights upon export. Other workflow features in LightWave 10.1 offer the ability to import joints as LightWave bones for greater compatibility with other programs; multi-threaded mesh evaluation optimization and sub-d mesh freezing acceleration; linear colour space workflow improvements, including new support for .ICC / .ICM monitor profiles, and more. Additional LightWave 10.1 features include:

• Virtual Studio Tools-supports InterSense Virtual Camera Tracking System (VCAM) and 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator 3D mouse, allowing interaction with models and scenes in real time
• FiberFX-hair and fur shader now supports VPR and includes improved speed, stability and displacement handling
• Linear Colour Space Workflow-supports custom Look Up Tables (LUTs) for more realistic lighting and compositing flexibility, colour space correction for HyperVoxels™, XYZ, Lab, RGB and CMYK data, and more
• Updated User Interface (UI)-interactive channel sliders, added control for custom colours, and numerous workflow enhancements deliver a more dynamic user experience

Try LightWave free for 30 days at: http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/lwtrial.php

Pricing and Availability
LightWave 10.1 is expected to be available to registered users of LightWave 10 in Q2 2011.

• For a limited time the upgrade price from LightWave v9 to LightWave 10.1 is $629 (inc GST); a full license for LightWave 10.1 is $995 (Inc GST). Educational pricing is also available.

About LightWave
NewTek LightWave 3D® combines a state-of-the-art renderer with powerful, intuitive modeling, and animation tools. LightWave 10 is designed to support the creative process, providing the artist with the ability to interact in real time with 3D content, to work seamlessly with the full range of software applications in production pipelines and to render on unlimited render nodes. LightWave is enjoyed worldwide, as a complete 3D production solution for visual effects in film, television, broadcast graphics, print, games, visualization, and the Web, and is responsible for more artists winning Emmy® Awards than any other 3D application.

About NewTek at National Association of Broadcasters Show 2011
NewTek will demonstrate its latest products, including TriCaster 850 EXTREME with IsoCorder technology, TriCaster 850 CS, TriCaster Virtual Set Editor, 3Play 820 and LightWave 10.1 at booth #SL4514. In addition, NewTek will give away over $100,000 in prizes during the TriCaster-A-Day Giveaway. NewTek will present the second annual "Broadcast Minds" free event on Tuesday, April 12 at the Renaissance Hotel beginning at 6 p.m. PT. Panelists include Adam Carolla, Leo Laporte, Steve Hellmuth, and Mark Fratto. The event will be moderated by Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen, editor, Streaming Media Magazine. Space is limited and guests are encouraged to sign up at www.newtek.com/nab.

About NewTek
Benefiting producers and artists with cost-effective and groundbreaking technologies, NewTek is a worldwide leader in 3D animation and special effects tools, portable live production and video editing including LightWave 3D®, the TriCaster™ product line and 3Play™. NewTek has won numerous industry accolades, including two Emmy® Awards. NewTek products have been used in feature films and television shows, including "Avatar," "TinTin," "Repo Men," "V," "Fringe," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "The Fairly OddParents" and more.
NewTek is privately owned and based in San Antonio. For more information, please visit: www.newtek.com.

About New Magic Australia Pty Ltd (Australian and New Zealand NewTek LightWave master distributor)
New Magic Australia Pty Ltd is a recognised leader in the distribution and marketing of multimedia hardware and software, representing a carefully selected range of innovative, leading manufacturers and catering for both the professional and consumer markets. New Magic Australia established in 1993 is the Australian distributor of Blackmagic Design, Convergent Design, NewTek LightWave 3D, Hauppauge Computer Works Inc, Matrox Video Products and Sony Creative Software products. www.newmagic.com.au