Lightworks Editor Finally On The Edge Of Launching

Lightworks will finally be ready at the end of this monthAfter a successful 18-month beta program, EditShare has announced the official release of Lightworks, their free non-linear editor, on the 28th of May 2012.

The release of Lightworks includes a host of new features for editors. Completely re-architected and optimized for multi-platform deployment, this will be the first time a professional NLE has been available for free, with a low-cost upgrade for the pro version.

With a brand new Multicore Media Engine, Lightworks now includes support for advanced Long-GOP editing, offering real-time performance for all the main Long-GOP camera formats (H.264 and MPEG-2) and also XDCAM EX, XDCAM HD, AVCHD and HDV.

EditShare EMEA Managing Director James Richings said: “We’re really excited about the developments over the past few months. Although we are a little behind our original release schedule, we think the wait has been worth it. We are now able to release Lightworks with more features that will appeal to every type of editor.”

Richings went on to say: “We didn’t know quite what to expect when we first released the beta version of Lightworks. But 16 months on we have over a quarter of a million registered users and 30,000 new downloads every month - and that’s before we release the Linux and OS X versions!”

“We’re taking Lightworks right to the top. We’re speeding up our recruitment of developers, and we’re making it easier for broadcasters, filmmakers and educational establishments to get started with Lightworks. With our built-in Project Sharing, Lightworks is incredibly scalable, integrating perfectly with our world-class shared storage and workflow solutions.”

New Features

• Wide format support including AVCHD, H.264, AVC-Intra, DNxHD, ProRes, Red R3D, DPX, XDCAM HD 50, XDCAM EX, DVD, BluRay, 4K support (DNxHD available for a single additional payment).

• Support for all popular camcorder and DSLR video.

• Native real-time title generator.

• Improved interoperability – including AAF with Avid and Editshare Flow.

• Major improvements to Drag-and-Drop in the timeline.

• Trimming enhancements.

• Automatic Edit backups.

• Better Import and Export windows: more options, easier to use.

• Shared Projects.

• Stereoscopic workflow.

Pricing and Availability

Lightworks: Free – Available 28th May 2012

Lightworks Pro: $60 per year – Available 28th May 2012

Lightworks community membership is free to anyone who upgrades to Lightworks Pro.

Lightworks Pro is available to educational users for $30 per year.

All available from the Lightworks online store at www.lwks.com after the 28th of May.