Mistika Post

 

Mistika Post has been designed from the ground-up as a flexible high-end post production system capable of SD to 5K and beyond 2D and stereoscopic 3D post-production, with real-time RAW image and other native data workflows. It seamlessly integrates time-line-based editing, conforming, infinite-layer compositing, colour grading and image restoration all in one complete solution, with multiple tool sets working together in the same time-line.

 

• Multi-layer SD to 5K and beyond editing, effects & grading in real-time
• Direct conform from tape and tapeless cameras, data files, r3d, RAW and more
• Bi-directional Avid integration, including Stereo 3D workflows
• Intuitive multi-layer editing for image and audio
• Advanced image restoration grain & noise management, including Motion Estimation techniques
• Interactive Paint tools
• Advanced colour correction up to 5K in real-time
• Real-time compositing in true stereo 3D space, with stereo 3D camera views
• Advanced effects, including multi-layer keying, filters, key-framing, warp, text, lights, tree display, etc
• Optical Flow processing
• Multi-mastering to all formats & deliverables
• Advanced Stereoscopic tools

Significantly, Mistika Post performs all of these functions without the use of any proprietary hardware, file formats, storage systems, or processes, resulting in a truly open, versatile and flexible system. Mistika Post is based on off the shelf hardware, utilising standard HP PCs, with Nvidia graphics cards, and open SAN storage. This means Mistika Post has the all the power for the real-time performance needed when in client attended sessions. With multiple levels of colour correction, power windows & keys, effects, multi-point tracking, blurs, and more, Mistika Post plays real-time, on demand, enabling creative decisions to be made without compromise.

 

 

Unlike many of its competitors, all Mistika systems use open SAN storage, providing direct access for any third party system that allows connection to generic file systems. This allows Mistika Post to be easily integrated into an existing facility, because files of many different formats can be easily exchanged. With Mistika Post, it is also possible to develop custom scripts to aid integration and automate common functions, further enhancing the truly open nature of Mistika’s storage.

 

• 16 bit per channel floating point processes
• Linux based OS
• Native support for most image file formats
• 3D LUT support
• HDR image support
• Motion Estimation based processing
• Real-time non-destructive processes for effects, colour grading, and more
• Background processing for any effect that can’t be performed real-time

The resultant speed and power that this standard hardware provides is outstanding, with capabilities that include real-time, non-destructive operations without need for rendering, at all resolutions up to 5K and beyond, with multiple layers and multiple creative effects. Mistika Post can do this because it has been programmed to maximise multiple CPU and multiple thread processing, combined with maximum GPU acceleration. No other post-production system comes close.

 

• Full multi-layer colour grading without rendering
• Real-time motion estimated slow motion
• Real-time, full resolution Stereo 3D colour grading, convergence, and effects
• Many additional real-time functions, including advanced RAW camera workflows – 2D and 3D

As Mistika Post is based in a single PC it avoids the unnecessary complexity required when distributing workloads across multiple processing nodes, as it use by many alternative systems. Multi-node architecture acceleration is only required for ultra-high resolutions, and is handles by Mistika’s unique Mistika Totem and Mistika Farm configurations.

 

All Mistika systems are based on an open PC architecture, taking advantage of industry standard technology, file systems, storage, and processing. With Mistika’s dedicated software running on high-bandwidth, high-performance Linux based HP PCs workstations real-time operation is available at 5K resolutions and beyond, with no associated bottle-necks, latency or technical limitations.

 

Being based on industry standard PC hardware and open storage the Mistika range of systems are highly scalable, and able to benefit from any and all advances in disk storage, graphics GPU and processor CPU technology.

 

Internally, Mistika uses open file formats at the highest bit-depth quality, with true 16 bit floating point per channel processes, HDR support, 5K and beyond real-time operation, with optical quality processing based on Fourier mathematics. Native file format support includes many industry standards, from DPX to DNxHD, from TIFF and TGA, to EXR and HDR, from RED r3d to Weinberger, and many, many more.

 

Mistika Post can decompress and grade images from RAW camera files, such as RED, ARRI, Phantom, CineForm, amongst many others, in real-time without any importing or cross conversion processes. By working directly from the RAW files, Mistika retains access to RAW meta-data, such as exposure, white balance and gamma curve settings, whilst also benefiting from more efficient usage of image storage space. Many other products that claim to support RAW files, do so by first converting the files to their own convenient format, which takes up time for cross conversion, uses more disk space to hold larger files and loses access to the underlying meta-data. One of the strongest features of Mistika is its colour correction functions which can compete with any stand-alone grading system. Combining this grading power with direct and real-time access to RAW files creates an extremely capable and efficient RAW file-based workflow.

 

Mistika has arguably the most advanced and developed Stereo 3D post production tools in the market, which has lead to BSkyB placing it at the core of their workflow for example. Post Facilities companies such as The Framestore, On Sight, BTV Post, Park Road Post, amongst many others, base their stereo 3D strategy upon it. Mistika’s advanced features include optical recognition between left and right cameras to aid the rapid correction of inherent stereo problems, such as camera pairs that are not exactly aligned.

 

Mistika also allows its very strong colour grading functions to be applied to both image streams at the same time, or to just the left or right as need be. Compositing can also be carried out in 3D. Mistika’s real-time stereo tools including colour grading, convergence adjustments and camera error correction, as well as some very advanced features such as retrospective adjustment of the camera’s interocular distance have left the market stunned by its remarkable ability.