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Reader SurveyNEWS ANALYSIS: Is Nothing Real Anymore? A Look at Apple's Latest Acquisition
Feb 13, 2002 12:00 PM, By Bob Turner
On February 6th Apple confirmed that it was acquiring Nothing Real, the manufacturer of Shake and Tremor compositing software. These two software products were making significant inroads into professional film and video post production. In fact, Shake was used in the making of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter as well as 80 other films. Nothing Real’s products were also making significant inroads in video postproduction. There have been predictions that Shake on Linux, together with Maya, would be the pillars that would bring the Linux operating system to prominence in our industry.
Apple says it plans to use the technology gained by this acquisition in future versions of its products, but so far has given no further information beyond that. Nevertheless, based upon past acquisitions, conjectures can be made on possible impacts.
When Apple acquired Spruce Technologies, the company disappeared and Apple announced no new DVD products that were derived from the acquisition. Before that, Apple’s acquisition of Astarte’s DVD authoring technology became DVD Studio Pro. The other well-known video industry acquisition is that of the Final Cut Pro technology from Macromedia. In this case, it became a successful Mac-based product, but the cross-platform solution and several promised features were eliminated. We also know that Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs has great interest in providing tools for the film and video industries.
Although neither Apple nor Nothing Real will comment upon the acquisition, a memo from Nothing Real management to the Shake User Group indicates Shake will be around for the foreseeable future.
The memo states, "We will continue to sell, support, maintain and develop Shake. We are not closing shop and abandoning you. Instead, we will now have more resources to improve the software and give you new tools to do your work. As you might expect, our OS X port will be coming soon."
The memo also reveals that, "everyone at Nothing Real has joined Apple. No one is going away, we are not moving to Cupertino, we are all staying right here in Venice." This memo also reveals plans to contact each customer and explain the actual impact.
There is lively speculation on various newsgroups concerning whether Shake will be incorporated into Final Cut Pro, or if it will evolve into a new Mac-based product, or if the technology will be absorbed in such a way that the products themselves disappear.
Nothing Real has evolved into a potential powerhouse in the composting/finishing marketplace. It holds a significant position in what looks to be the hottest product arena at NAB this year. It would be a blow to the Linux community if the product disappears or is limited to the Mac interface.
If Shake evolves into a Mac-only product, it will be another blow to Adobe Systems. Final Cut Pro has taken a significant number of sales away from Adobe Premiere, and Apple’s iPhoto is beginning to impact sales of Adobe’s photo imaging products. Now Apple could use its marketing muscle to offer a product--perhaps for significantly less than the original suggested retail price of Shake--to cut into the sales of Adobe After Effects.
This also may have ramifications for Discreet with its combustion, flint, flame and smoke products, and for Media 100 with its new entry, code-named Pegasus. Products from other manufacturers from 5D Cyborg and eyeon Final Effects to Leitch dpsVelocityQ and Accom Affinity could also be impacted. Stay tuned.
