FORscene
Encyclopedia
FORscene is an integrated internet video platform
, video editing software
, covering non linear editing
and publishing for broadcast, web and mobile.
Designed by Forbidden Technologies plc to allow collaborative editing
of video, its capabilities extend to video logging
, review
ing, publishing and hosting
to HD quality. The system is implemented as a web application
with a Java applet as part of its user interface
. It runs on multiple platforms without application installation
, codec installation, or machine configuration and has many Web 2.0
features.
FORscene has been recognised by the Royal Television Society
, winning their award for Technology in the Post-production
Process in December 2005, and is now used internationally. Both the underlying compression
technology and the user interface are covered by patent
s.
FORscene's functionality makes it suitable for multiple uses in the
video editing
workflow.
For editors and producers wanting to produce broadcast-quality output, FORscene provides an environment for the early stages of post-production to happen remotely and cheaply
(logging
, shot selection, collaborative review
ing, rough cut
ting and offline editing
, for example) and more recently fine cut editing. FORscene then outputs instructions in standard formats which can be applied to the high-quality master-footage for detailed and high-quality editing prior to broadcast.
Other users want to prepare footage for publishing to lower-quality media - the small screens of mobile phone
s and video iPods, and to the web where bandwidth restricts the quality
of video it is currently practical to output. For these users, all editing can be carried out in FORscene, before publishing using FORscene's web, mobile phone, Flash, and/or podcasting services. Video can also be saved in MPEG and Ogg
formats.
for consumers. Both exploit the web for delivery.
Logging, shot selection, assembly editing, offline editing, review, EDL export: the software is provided as a service
which is charged by usage. Typical productions will agree a fixed price in advance which depends on expected usage.
Publishing: there is a charge for each video published for web, mobile or podcasting based on the length of the material in minutes.
Viewing: watching a published video is free for the viewer (with respect to FORscene) but the publisher is charged for bandwidth each time a web video is viewed or a mobile video downloaded (and the event captured so activity against published videos may be monitored).
s for both video and audio. These use a form of adaptive coding
to allow local variations in the type of data to be encoded efficiently.
Internet connections. By varying the frame rate, it can provide consistent picture quality even on slow connections.
Like its predecessor Firebird (used in the FORlive system), the Blackbird codec allows real time compression and playback of video. This is important for handling the quantity of video in modern productions, as well as the reviewing, logging, editing and publishing features of FORscene.
and accepts video, audio, and graphics input in a variety of ways. Forbidden's upload software, running on a suitable computer, compresses and uploads the videos. As Java does not allow access to a computer's hardware, and so cannot control tape machines or video cameras directly, the compress/upload programs run as native applications. Four options are provided for this purpose:
Logging, editing and reviewing of uploaded material can start as soon as the upload process starts.
Files containing video, audio and still may also be uploaded using a web browser from a wired or mobile device. Uploads can run concurrently and many formats are supported (e.g. AVI, MOV, ASF, 3GP).
Video is not stored on the local computer's hard disc, so when the user closes their web browser, their video is not accessible to subsequent users of the same computer.
) dedicated to Forbidden's customers are distributed over numerous locations and handle around 10,000 hours of new video content each week. These act as one system, increasing both effective capacity and redundancy. As the Java front end does most of the work during editing, and the upload software does the compression work, the server is lightly loaded and can support many users at the same time. Sites may also attach a server to their own LAN (FORscene Server) to multiply the numbers of users on their existing internet connections.
The product exploits high speed lan access whilst preserving the principal of access from anywhere.
Forbidden Technologies supplies its Blackbird decoder in the form of a Java player. This can be locked to a particular server, making it hard to pirate videos published in FORscene.
for its Symbian mobile player, FORmobile. Customers can also have their own branding. The publisher chooses whether videos published from FORscene for mobile appear in the standard FORmobile menu or are available to only selected people. FORscene can automatically notify people by text message that a video has just been published.
The mobile player can be sent from handset to handset for free via Bluetooth
, and videos can also be distributed virally
via Bluetooth once the FORscene mobile player has been installed. Forbidden has coined the term Viewtooth to describe this process.
or on a video iPod.
which identifies it. Combining the timecode information of video handled within FORscene at browse quality with the original broadcast quality video allows information in FORscene to be transferred to a broadcast quality version. Videos logged or edited in FORscene can be exported in the form of a simple EDL
or more complex XML
for autoconform
and offline
or online
on an Avid
or Final Cut Pro
system.
, and sent in broadcast quality efficiently to the broadcaster for transmission without using any third party editing systems. However FORscene supports integration with third party systems, both in broadcast and elsewhere.
/XML
export to industry editing systems such as or Avid
/ Final Cut Pro
. For example creation of rough cuts in FORscene can then be reliably conformed on Avid, even when they include clips which the Avid would not normally be able to ingest because of time code breaks and gaps.
improves FORscene’s integration into the high end broadcast environment. SDI support allows FORscene to ingest source material in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) resolutions from any professional video source in real time. The SDI video input meets both Phase Alternating Line (PAL
) and National Television System Committee (NTSC
) standards.
in the 1990s. This history starts from the first public showing of this product, at the International Broadcasting Convention
in Europe in 1990.
sites as well as cloud-based computing has led to wider interest in tools to support working with video online (such as video editing
).
FORscene supports a number of features some of which are necessary for broadcast customers for example; logging, timecode support, multicam editing and review, and frame-accurate editing. As a cloud-based platform FORscene has also addressed non-functional requirements such as; resilience, responsiveness, and scalability.
FORscene was launched in Beta during 2004, the wider broadcast industry now acknowledges the value that cloud-based video tools can deliver to the production work-flow. After a recent acquisition a leading supplier of desktop-based video editors Avid Technology
provided a controlled demonstration of a web-based editor. Unlike suppliers of desktop-based software who have in the past struggled to transition their technology to a cloud-based model, FORscene was designed and built around the internet without the need to maintain support for legacy desktop platforms.
Other online tools (e.g. Jumpcut
) were developed primarily with consumers in mind. These tools do not scale up to meet the demands of professional users. In contrast the technology on which FORscene is built can be scaled down to meet the demands of users outside the broadcast market (such as consumers). FORscene's user-base is diverse and includes professional broadcasters, charities, Universities
, consumers, resellers, other organisations. The technology is marketed to consumers in the form of a tailored service called Clesh
.
Video editing related
Web related
Technical related
Mobile related
Other Online Editing Technologies
Platform (computing)
A computing platform includes some sort of hardware architecture and a software framework , where the combination allows software, particularly application software, to run...
, video editing software
Video editing software
Video editing software, is application software which handles the post-production video editing of digital video sequences on a computer non-linear editing systems...
, covering non linear editing
Non-linear editing system
In video, a non-linear editing system is a video editing or audio editing digital audio workstation system which can perform random access non-destructive editing on the source material...
and publishing for broadcast, web and mobile.
Designed by Forbidden Technologies plc to allow collaborative editing
Collaborative editing
Collaborative editing is the practice of groups producing works together through individual contributions. Effective choices in group awareness, participation, and coordination are critical to successful collaborative writing outcomes. Most usually it is applied to textual documents or...
of video, its capabilities extend to video logging
Video logging
Video logging is a process in which video footage is watched and labeled according to its content.- Logging in post-production :If a video has a high shooting ratio, it can be impractical to remember exactly where each shot is on each source tape or source file...
, review
Review
A review is an evaluation of a publication, a product or a service, such as a movie , video game, musical composition , book ; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theater show or dance show...
ing, publishing and hosting
Web hosting service
A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own or lease for use by their clients as well as providing Internet...
to HD quality. The system is implemented as a web application
Web application
A web application is an application that is accessed over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. The term may also mean a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.Web applications are...
with a Java applet as part of its user interface
User interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
. It runs on multiple platforms without application installation
Installation (computer programs)
Installation of a program is the act of putting the program onto a computer system so that it can be executed....
, codec installation, or machine configuration and has many Web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
features.
FORscene has been recognised by the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
, winning their award for Technology in the Post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
Process in December 2005, and is now used internationally. Both the underlying compression
Data compression
In computer science and information theory, data compression, source coding or bit-rate reduction is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than the original representation would use....
technology and the user interface are covered by patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s.
Usage
FORscene's functionality makes it suitable for multiple uses in the
video editing
Video editing
The term video editing can refer to:* Linear video editing, using video tape* Non-linear editing system , using computers with video editing software* Offline editing* Online editing...
workflow.
For editors and producers wanting to produce broadcast-quality output, FORscene provides an environment for the early stages of post-production to happen remotely and cheaply
(logging
Video logging
Video logging is a process in which video footage is watched and labeled according to its content.- Logging in post-production :If a video has a high shooting ratio, it can be impractical to remember exactly where each shot is on each source tape or source file...
, shot selection, collaborative review
Review
A review is an evaluation of a publication, a product or a service, such as a movie , video game, musical composition , book ; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theater show or dance show...
ing, rough cut
Rough cut
In filmmaking, the rough cut is the second of three stages of offline editing. The rough cut is the first stage in which the film begins to resemble its final product...
ting and offline editing
Offline editing
Offline editing is part of the post-production process of filmmaking and television production in which raw footage is copied and edited, without affecting the camera original film stock or video tape...
, for example) and more recently fine cut editing. FORscene then outputs instructions in standard formats which can be applied to the high-quality master-footage for detailed and high-quality editing prior to broadcast.
Other users want to prepare footage for publishing to lower-quality media - the small screens of mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s and video iPods, and to the web where bandwidth restricts the quality
of video it is currently practical to output. For these users, all editing can be carried out in FORscene, before publishing using FORscene's web, mobile phone, Flash, and/or podcasting services. Video can also be saved in MPEG and Ogg
Ogg
Ogg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The creators of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high quality digital multimedia.The Ogg container format can multiplex...
formats.
Services
The video platform is broadly referred to as FORscene. It is however offered as two distinct web based services, built on a common core of code: FORscene for professional and semi-professional use and CleshClesh
Clesh is a cloud-based video editing platform designed for the consumers, prosumers, and online communities to integrate user generated content...
for consumers. Both exploit the web for delivery.
Pricing
Upload: compression machines can be bought or rented. The charge for upload to the Internet covers the storage cost.Logging, shot selection, assembly editing, offline editing, review, EDL export: the software is provided as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
which is charged by usage. Typical productions will agree a fixed price in advance which depends on expected usage.
Publishing: there is a charge for each video published for web, mobile or podcasting based on the length of the material in minutes.
Viewing: watching a published video is free for the viewer (with respect to FORscene) but the publisher is charged for bandwidth each time a web video is viewed or a mobile video downloaded (and the event captured so activity against published videos may be monitored).
Codecs
FORscene has its own codecCodec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
s for both video and audio. These use a form of adaptive coding
Adaptive coding
Adaptive coding refers to variants of entropy encoding methods of lossless data compression. They are particularly suited to streaming data, as they adapt to localized changes in the characteristics of the data, and don't require a first pass over the data to calculate a probability model...
to allow local variations in the type of data to be encoded efficiently.
Osprey
Osprey supports loss-free video compression. FORscene users can see broadcast quality video during editing (as well as proxy quality as has been the case with FORscene's other codecs) and broadcasters can use the video output from FORscene directly for transmission.Blackbird
The FORscene video codec is called Blackbird. It is designed for both editing and video streaming over variable speed broadbandBroadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
Internet connections. By varying the frame rate, it can provide consistent picture quality even on slow connections.
Like its predecessor Firebird (used in the FORlive system), the Blackbird codec allows real time compression and playback of video. This is important for handling the quantity of video in modern productions, as well as the reviewing, logging, editing and publishing features of FORscene.
Impala
The FORscene audio codec is called Impala. Datarate and quality can be varied depending on the use: 10 kbit/s for modem web video and mobile playback, 30 kbit/s for audio only modem playback or broadband playback with video, and 80 kbit/s per channel for editing.Upload
FORscene videos are served from the Internet backboneInternet backbone
The Internet backbone refers to the principal data routes between large, strategically interconnected networks and core routers in the Internet...
and accepts video, audio, and graphics input in a variety of ways. Forbidden's upload software, running on a suitable computer, compresses and uploads the videos. As Java does not allow access to a computer's hardware, and so cannot control tape machines or video cameras directly, the compress/upload programs run as native applications. Four options are provided for this purpose:
- Windows XPWindows XPWindows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
software - Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
software - LinuxDebianDebian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential...
hardware and software - Symbian mobile phone software (over-the-air)
Logging, editing and reviewing of uploaded material can start as soon as the upload process starts.
Files containing video, audio and still may also be uploaded using a web browser from a wired or mobile device. Uploads can run concurrently and many formats are supported (e.g. AVI, MOV, ASF, 3GP).
Functionality
The Java interface works with the default configuration on most machines, though allocating more memory to the JVM improves performance. It enables the following functionality:- Video loggingVideo loggingVideo logging is a process in which video footage is watched and labeled according to its content.- Logging in post-production :If a video has a high shooting ratio, it can be impractical to remember exactly where each shot is on each source tape or source file...
- Non-linear editing (including MulticamMultiple-camera setupThe multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, or multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneously record or broadcast a scene...
support) - ReviewReviewA review is an evaluation of a publication, a product or a service, such as a movie , video game, musical composition , book ; a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theater show or dance show...
ing - Web publishing
- Mobile publishing
- Video podcastVideo podcastVideo podcast is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures...
ing - StoryboardStoryboardStoryboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
ing
Security
Each standard user account has its own password-protected web page containing the FORscene applet. Once logged on, the users have access to their own videos, library videos, and any functionality their account supports.Video is not stored on the local computer's hard disc, so when the user closes their web browser, their video is not accessible to subsequent users of the same computer.
Internet standards
The FORscene web interface operates through Internet standards such as HTTP and Java, so can be used even in companies with severe firewalls. If web browsing works, then FORscene almost always will too.Account management interface
The account management interface separates accounts and users. Many individuals may use the same FORscene account and each user is assigned a role (manager, commenter, reviewer, logger, editor, storyboard). The interface provides single sign-on authentication of users and central point of access to core admin / operational features on the web:- Upload
- Edit
- Usage Report
- Users
- Account Display
- User Settings
Forscene cloud servers
The server infrastructure on the FORscene backbone network (referred to as the cloudCloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network ....
) dedicated to Forbidden's customers are distributed over numerous locations and handle around 10,000 hours of new video content each week. These act as one system, increasing both effective capacity and redundancy. As the Java front end does most of the work during editing, and the upload software does the compression work, the server is lightly loaded and can support many users at the same time. Sites may also attach a server to their own LAN (FORscene Server) to multiply the numbers of users on their existing internet connections.
FORscene Server
Each client site may elect to install a single physical FORscene server per location to scale up operations and improve overall performance (e.g. the time taken to retrieve video for review). Features include:- Local caching of video downloads
- Immediate access of video over a Local Area Network (LAN) during upload
- Seamless transfer of video as required between a FORScene Server and the Server Infrastructure
The product exploits high speed lan access whilst preserving the principal of access from anywhere.
FORscene HD
Videos which have been edited within FORscene can be conformed automatically at anything up to 1080p - full High Definition (HD). After editing FORscene uploads the full HD quality frames used in the finished programme into the Cloud. The special effects, colour correction and titles are combined at full resolution on a FORscene Cloud Server for download to a broadcaster, ready for transmission. Material can be reviewed and edited from anywhere on the web, not just one local source.Web player
Each web video which is published is packaged with the Java player. The video size can be chosen by the publisher from a range of sizes from 160x120 to 384x288. The frame rate depends on the available bandwidth and speed of the playback machine, with full frame rate available for fast machines and connections.Forbidden Technologies supplies its Blackbird decoder in the form of a Java player. This can be locked to a particular server, making it hard to pirate videos published in FORscene.
Mobile player
FORscene can publish mobile contentMobile content
Mobile content is any type of media which is viewed or used on mobile phones, like ringtones, graphics, discount offers, games, movies, and GPS navigation. As mobile phone use has grown since the mid 1990s, the significance of the devices in everyday life has grown accordingly...
for its Symbian mobile player, FORmobile. Customers can also have their own branding. The publisher chooses whether videos published from FORscene for mobile appear in the standard FORmobile menu or are available to only selected people. FORscene can automatically notify people by text message that a video has just been published.
The mobile player can be sent from handset to handset for free via Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
, and videos can also be distributed virally
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
via Bluetooth once the FORscene mobile player has been installed. Forbidden has coined the term Viewtooth to describe this process.
Video podcast
Videos edited in FORscene can be published directly as video podcasts. These can then be downloaded and viewed in a podcast viewer such as iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
or on a video iPod.
Timecode export
Each frame of professionally shot video is tagged with a timecodeSMPTE time code
SMPTE timecode is a set of cooperating standards to label individual frames of video or film with a time code defined by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in the SMPTE 12M specification...
which identifies it. Combining the timecode information of video handled within FORscene at browse quality with the original broadcast quality video allows information in FORscene to be transferred to a broadcast quality version. Videos logged or edited in FORscene can be exported in the form of a simple EDL
Edit decision list
An edit decision list or EDL used in the post-production process of film editing and video editing. The list contains an ordered list of reel and timecode data representing where each video clip can be obtained in order to conform the final cut....
or more complex XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
for autoconform
Autoconform
Autoconform is the video editing post production process where an online editing system combines a timecode based edit decision list created from an offline editing system with the original video and audio source material to produce a version of the edited video which is a high quality analogue...
and offline
Offline editing
Offline editing is part of the post-production process of filmmaking and television production in which raw footage is copied and edited, without affecting the camera original film stock or video tape...
or online
Online editing
Online editing is an older post-production linear video editing process that is performed in the final stage of a video production. It occurs after offline editing...
on an Avid
AVID
AVID stands for:* Advancement Via Individual Determination, a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges in the U.S....
or Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
system.
Additional exports
A number of export formats are supported in addition to those mentioned above:- MPEG-2MPEG-2MPEG-2 is a standard for "the generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information". It describes a combination of lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression methods which permit storage and transmission of movies using currently available storage media and transmission...
- FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
- OggOggOgg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The creators of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high quality digital multimedia.The Ogg container format can multiplex...
Systems integration
Final programmes can be made, even in High-definitionHigh-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
, and sent in broadcast quality efficiently to the broadcaster for transmission without using any third party editing systems. However FORscene supports integration with third party systems, both in broadcast and elsewhere.
EDL/XML
FORscene supports Edit decision listEdit decision list
An edit decision list or EDL used in the post-production process of film editing and video editing. The list contains an ordered list of reel and timecode data representing where each video clip can be obtained in order to conform the final cut....
/XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
export to industry editing systems such as or Avid
AVID
AVID stands for:* Advancement Via Individual Determination, a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges in the U.S....
/ Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is a non-linear video editing software developed by Macromedia Inc. and then Apple Inc. The most recent version, Final Cut Pro X, runs on Mac personal computers powered by Mac OS X version 10.6.7 or later and using Intel processors...
. For example creation of rough cuts in FORscene can then be reliably conformed on Avid, even when they include clips which the Avid would not normally be able to ingest because of time code breaks and gaps.
SDI
Serial Digital InterfaceSerial Digital Interface
Serial digital interface is a family of video interfaces standardized by SMPTE. For example, ITU-R BT.656 and SMPTE 259M define digital video interfaces used for broadcast-grade video...
improves FORscene’s integration into the high end broadcast environment. SDI support allows FORscene to ingest source material in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) resolutions from any professional video source in real time. The SDI video input meets both Phase Alternating Line (PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
) and National Television System Committee (NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
) standards.
History
FORscene is a development from an editing system made by Eidos plcEidos Interactive
Eidos Interactive Ltd. is a British video game publisher and is a label of Square Enix Europe. As an independent company Eidos plc was headquartered in the Wimbledon Bridge House in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton....
in the 1990s. This history starts from the first public showing of this product, at the International Broadcasting Convention
International Broadcasting Convention
The International Broadcasting Convention, more commonly known by its acronym IBC, is an annual trade show for broadcasters, content creators/providers, equipment manufacturers, professional and technical associations, and other participants in the Broadcasting industry...
in Europe in 1990.
| Date | Version | Platform | Significant features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-1999 | Edit 1, Edit 2, Optima |
|
|
| Feb 2000 |
|
||
| Feb 2001 | Java video streaming on website | Java Java applet A Java applet is an applet delivered to users in the form of Java bytecode. Java applets can run in a Web browser using a Java Virtual Machine , or in Sun's AppletViewer, a stand-alone tool for testing applets... |
|
| May 2002 | Live video streaming to mobile phone Mobile phone A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator... |
Java / GPRS | Picture quality poor e.g. monochrome |
| Dec 2002 | Broadband web streaming | Java | 384x288 pixels, 25 frame/s |
| Sep 2003 | FORlive http://www.forbidden.co.uk/demos/live/ launched | Linux Linux Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds... compression / Java player |
|
| Nov 2003 | FORmobile launched | Symbian Series 60 |
|
| Sep 2004 | FORscene launched | Java |
|
| Sep 2004 | IBC TV news use FORscene/FORmobile | Symbian | Brand Brand The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."... ed player |
| Feb 2005 | GMTV GMTV GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end... first broadcaster to sign up |
Java | International access to GMTV |
| May 2005 | Logging added to FORscene | Java | Java logging, editing and publishing tool |
| Sep 2005 | Upload over-the-air from mobile phones | Symbian |
|
| Sep 2005 | IBC TV news use FORscene/FORmobile | Symbian | Branded player |
| Sep 2005 | First broadcast TV series uses FORscene | Channel 5 (UK) | Trust me, I'm a holiday Rep |
| Jan 2006 | New video codec Video codec A video codec is a device or software that enables video compression and/or decompression for digital video. The compression usually employs lossy data compression. Historically, video was stored as an analog signal on magnetic tape... designed for editing |
Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal... /Mac Mac OS X Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems... /Linux Debian Debian is a computer operating system composed of software packages released as free and open source software primarily under the GNU General Public License along with other free software licenses. Debian GNU/Linux, which includes the GNU OS tools and Linux kernel, is a popular and influential... compression |
Blackbird 1 codec |
| Jan/Feb 2006 | First prime time Prime time Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast... TV series uses FORscene |
BBC1 (UK) | Super Vets |
| Apr 2006 | Podcast Podcast A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication... ing released |
Video iPod, iTunes ITunes iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.... |
|
| Apr/May 2006 | British Army British Army The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England... uses FORscene mobile player |
Symbian mobile phones | Ascent of Everest published on mobiles |
| June 2006 | FORscene review | BBC Breakfast BBC Breakfast BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items... , This Morning This Morning (TV series) This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The... , Sky News Sky News Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New... Channel 4 News Channel 4 News Channel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:... , Channel 5 News |
Broadcasters select Save the Children Save the Children Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries... footage |
| August 2006 | FORscene Ogg support added | Java | Ogg format is supported by Wikipedia Wikipedia Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,... for upload of suitable video content |
| September 2006 | FORscene online chat feature added | Java |
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| November 2006 | Citizen Journalism | Java / Symbian mobile phones | Third project completed at the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (WCSFP). Citizen journalism began at the IBC International Broadcasting Convention The International Broadcasting Convention, more commonly known by its acronym IBC, is an annual trade show for broadcasters, content creators/providers, equipment manufacturers, professional and technical associations, and other participants in the Broadcasting industry... in 2006. |
| January 2007 | Account Management | Web | Interface provides for management of accounts by customers. |
| February 2007 | FORscene Flash Adobe Flash Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast... support added |
Java | Export of video to the Flash format for use with the Adobe Flash Player Adobe Flash Player The Adobe Flash Player is software for viewing multimedia, Rich Internet Applications and streaming video and audio, on a computer web browser or on supported mobile devices. Flash Player runs SWF files that can be created by the Adobe Flash authoring tool, by Adobe Flex or by a number of other... . |
| March 2007 | FORScene Speed Control | Java | Video and/or audio clips can be edited for slow motion/fast motion style effects. |
| April 2007 | FORscene Fades | Java | Fade up and fade to black with a single drag on the video track. |
| May 2007 | File names / playback | Java | Multi-line file names and three-speed playback control. |
| June 2007 | Security | Java | Log on now supports the secure HTTPS protocol. |
| August 2007 | Images / playback | Java | Images can be integrated directly into the video track and playback can now be viewed at 150% (as well as 100% and 200%). |
| September 2007 | DV | Java | Broadcast quality DV can be output directly from the web interface and effective transfer of DV from the field over standard internet links. |
| October 2007 | Webstart / codec | Java | Webstart can be used to run FORscene, providing access to more memory available, and better performance. The Blackbird codecs deliver better picture quality and lower memory requirements. |
| December 2007 | Audio / graphics / codec / account management | Java | Simpler stereo audio editing by linking the two audio tracks. Add anti-aliased graphic overlays with transparency levels and fades. Accounts distinguish between departmental and inter-departmental (programme-wide) levels of access. |
| January 2008 | Codec | Java | Blackbird codec upgraded to version 5. |
| February 2008 | Saturation / recompress / 1GB / audio | Java | Right dragging in the video window adjust saturation levels. Recompress videos to benefit from the latest codec. Modern machines may set a new memory limit to 1GB (reducing network traffic). Improved audio quality. |
| March 2008 | Proxy box / AAF | Java | Boost internet performance for videos captured locally or viewed recently. Support for Avid's AAF files is available, complementing existing support for EDL and FCP (XML). |
| June 2008 | Thumbnails / storyboard | Java | Web published videos have click-through thumbnails. Storyboard offers a simpler editing process with fewer clicks required to use it. |
| July 2008 | AAF / white balance / JPEG export | Java | Additional data added to AAF output to carry more information through to Avid from FORscene. Adjust for colour differences between artificial / daylight conditions. Export a video frame to a JPEG image. |
| August 2008 | Colourful fades | Java | Colour wheel controls fades to/from colours other than the default (black) can pick from colours on the video window. |
| October 2008 | Titles | Java | In addition to imported graphics FORscene's subtitle functions are enhanced with background and font colour, transparency, and size controls. |
| September 2009 | FORscene Server | Server | Sites can multiply the number of users on their existing internet connections - whilst preserving all the advantages of internet access from anywhere. |
| September 2009 | FORscene HD | HD | FORscene can now output HD directly providing remote access to video for editing from anywhere in the world, only uploading the fraction of HD that is actually used in the final programme, and ability to use existing computers and internet links. |
| September 2009 | Osprey | Codec | With Osprey codec FORscene enables video editing at broadcast quality locally through a web browser interface and wide-area over the public Internet. |
| April 2010 | Multicam | Java | Multicam can support up to eight concurrent synchronised video streams for logging and editing. |
Competition and marketing
FORscene pioneered an internet platform for video. It was the first post-production system to offer access entirely within a browser for the broadcast industry / professional use. The popularity of online video clips and video sharingVideo sharing
Video hosting services refers to websites or software where users can distribute their video clips. Other sites such as file hosting services image hosting services and social network services might support video sharing as an enhancement to their primary mission, but in general, they are not...
sites as well as cloud-based computing has led to wider interest in tools to support working with video online (such as video editing
Video editing
The term video editing can refer to:* Linear video editing, using video tape* Non-linear editing system , using computers with video editing software* Offline editing* Online editing...
).
FORscene supports a number of features some of which are necessary for broadcast customers for example; logging, timecode support, multicam editing and review, and frame-accurate editing. As a cloud-based platform FORscene has also addressed non-functional requirements such as; resilience, responsiveness, and scalability.
FORscene was launched in Beta during 2004, the wider broadcast industry now acknowledges the value that cloud-based video tools can deliver to the production work-flow. After a recent acquisition a leading supplier of desktop-based video editors Avid Technology
Avid Technology
Avid Technology, Inc. is an American company specializing in video and audio production technology; specifically, digital non-linear editing systems, management and distribution services. It was created in 1987 and became a publicly traded company in 1993...
provided a controlled demonstration of a web-based editor. Unlike suppliers of desktop-based software who have in the past struggled to transition their technology to a cloud-based model, FORscene was designed and built around the internet without the need to maintain support for legacy desktop platforms.
Other online tools (e.g. Jumpcut
Jumpcut.com
Jumpcut.com was a website that provided free video editing and hosting services. The website was launched as a private alpha in January 2006 and as a public beta on 4 April 2006. In October 2006 Jumpcut was purchased by Yahoo...
) were developed primarily with consumers in mind. These tools do not scale up to meet the demands of professional users. In contrast the technology on which FORscene is built can be scaled down to meet the demands of users outside the broadcast market (such as consumers). FORscene's user-base is diverse and includes professional broadcasters, charities, Universities
, consumers, resellers, other organisations. The technology is marketed to consumers in the form of a tailored service called Clesh
Clesh
Clesh is a cloud-based video editing platform designed for the consumers, prosumers, and online communities to integrate user generated content...
.
See also
- Stephen B. StreaterStephen B. StreaterDr. Stephen Bernard Streater is a British technology entrepreneur.Stephen Streater was born in Boston Lying-In Hospital, Massachusetts, United States...
Video editing related
- Video editing softwareVideo editing softwareVideo editing software, is application software which handles the post-production video editing of digital video sequences on a computer non-linear editing systems...
- Comparison of video editing softwareComparison of video editing softwareThis is a comparison of non-linear video editing software applications. See also a more complete list of video editing software.-General information:This table gives basic general information about the different editors:- System requirements :...
Web related
- Rich Internet applicationRich Internet applicationA Rich Internet Application is a Web application that has many of the characteristics of desktop application software, typically delivered either by way of a site-specific browser, via a browser plug-in, independent sandboxes, extensive use of JavaScript, or virtual machines...
- List of Rich Internet applications
- Collaborative editorCollaborative editorA collaborative editor is a form of collaborative software application that allows several people to edit a computer file using different computers. There are two types of collaborative editing: real-time and non-real-time...
- Streaming mediaStreaming mediaStreaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
Technical related
- Java (Sun)Java (Sun)Java refers to several computer software products and specifications from Sun Microsystems, a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation, that together provide a system for developing application software and deploying it in a cross-platform environment...
- Comparison of video codecsComparison of video codecsA video codec is software or a device that provides encoding and decoding which may or may not include the use of video compression and/or decompression for digital video....
- Comparison of audio codecsComparison of audio codecsThe following tables compare general and technical information for a variety of audio formats and audio compression formats. For listening tests comparing the perceived audio quality of audio formats and codecs, see the article Codec listening test....
Mobile related
- Mobile phone featuresMobile phone featuresThere are many mobile phone features found in today's mobile phones that offer users many more capabilities than only voice calls or text messaging.- General features :...
- Nokia N93Nokia N93The Nokia N93 is a smartphone by Nokia especially designed for multimedia use. It was introduced in April 2006 and released in July 2006.The N93 has improved camera capabilities compared with the earlier N90. The phone has a 3.2 megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics and 3x optical zoom as well as a...
- Nokia N95Nokia N95The Nokia N95 is a smartphone produced by Nokia as part of their Nseries line of portable devices. It was released in 2007. The N95 runs Symbian OS v9.2, with a S60 3rd Edition user interface. The phone has a two-way sliding mechanism, which can be used to access either media playback buttons or...
- Nokia N900Nokia N900The Nokia N900 is a smartphone made by Nokia. It supersedes the Nokia N810. Its default operating system, Maemo 5, is a Linux-based OS originally developed for the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet. It is the first Nokia device based upon the Texas Instruments OMAP3 microprocessor with the ARM Cortex-A8...
Other Online Editing Technologies
- JaycutJaycutJayCut is an internet based video editing software tool that along with competitors Jumpcut.com, Motionbox and Eyespot were the first to offer this Web 2.0 feature pioneered by FORscene, later also added by YouTube through Adobe...
- JumpcutJumpcut.comJumpcut.com was a website that provided free video editing and hosting services. The website was launched as a private alpha in January 2006 and as a public beta on 4 April 2006. In October 2006 Jumpcut was purchased by Yahoo...
- photobucket
External links
- Forbidden Technologies plc
- Digital Television.com IBC 2004 round up
- Regional Film and Video news story
- Netimperative article
- Radio & televisione Monitor Mediaconcept Italian partnership
- Demonstration of FORscene to Canadian students
- Adoption of FORscene platform by BrightcoveBrightcoveBrightcove is a Cambridge, MA based company that produces an Online Video Platform .- History :Brightcove was founded in 2004 by Jeremy Allaire, who now serves as CEO. In March 2006, Brightcove acquired Seattle-based Metastories, makers of StoryMaker, a publishing tool for video, audio, images, and...