With the release of DVShade 2.5, author Trevor Anderson brings his formerly Apple FCP/Motion/Shake only plug-in to Mac users of After Effects (unfortunately, PC users still aren’t getting any lovin’ from DVShade). Managed on your system through the FX Factory/Noise Industries plug-in scheme, DVShade (DVS) Easylooks combines multiple color input controls to rapidly alter your imagery. To be clear, this color management plug-in is not about “fixing” color but instead, about creating altered color universes and impressions.
This newest release is not about adding new features as much as granting access to users of After Effects who were formerly excluded by virtue of program architecture. (For those familiar with Easylooks 2, the 2.5 version hasn’t changed from its most recent incarnation, it’s simply available to a wider audience now.) Love it or hate it, the Noise Industry management system does offer some efficiencies, saving time in managing and updating the plug-ins you may use. DVShade capitalizes on this and now is super easy to install and keep up-to-date.
*Disclaimer: I reviewed DVShade Easylooks last year for MFM and this review reflects using the previous and current plug-in for over a year. Consequently, my rating also reflects this history.
“Hey, come on. I can do whatever I want with my current color tools. Do I really need another one?” We’d be foolish not to ask that question. All software purveyors are after our wallets.
I’m a hater. It’s kind of a hobby I suppose - finding reasons to talk smack against marketing-speak. Easy-to-use? Improve my workflow? These are phrases that jump start my hater hobby. However, in the DVS case, it’s true. If you are a pro or experienced user with your editing package, you can accomplish any and everything DVS does using various combinations of tools. It’s the last three words of the preceding sentence that are worth looking at.
