Autodesk and Fairlight Collaborate on Audio Suite Integration

Autodesk, Inc. has announced that Fairlight has joined the Autodesk Infrastructure Sparks program. Fairlight will develop audio media and metadata integration between Autodesk's editing and visual effects systems and Fairlight's non-linear audio recording, editing and mixing systems.

"In today's data-centric production environments, our goal is to provide as much flexibility as possible to our clients. Autodesk is committed to developing more open and connected frameworks for richer exchanges of data between multi-vendor post-production workflows," said Bill Roberts, director of Product Management at Autodesk's Media and Entertainment Division. "We are delighted that Fairlight's renowned audio systems will connect with our products, extending the number of solutions that can work together to create a unified post environment. This will build on our recent implementation of XML data exchange with Apple's Final Cut Pro editing software."

Fairlight will support Autodesk's open serial peripheral interfaces (SPIs) to deliver a connected workflow between:

• Fairlight's DREAM and Pyxis audio products and Autodesk's Discreet Fire and Smoke editing/finishing systems
• Fairlight's DREAM and Pyxis audio products and Autodesk's Discreet Inferno, Flame and Flint visual effects systems

Fairlight plans to support the Autodesk Wiretap application-programming interface (API), enabling file transfers of media and metadata between products from both companies. A typical workflow may involve a Fairlight system accessing multi-track editorial audio content over a local area network (LAN) or secure wide area network (WAN) to permit mixing of audio to picture in the Fairlight systems. The completed mix would be returned to an Autodesk system for a seamless file-based "digital data" workflow.