motionvfx mCallouts

Is anybody using motionvfx mCallouts?
I was wondering will they be updating there sets and is it possible to edit the projects for a custom look in Motion? How does MotionVFX usually care about there products updates to do they just pop and new product or bundle after another?

There is this feeling I should have been looking at xDrive form CoreMelt.

To bad there is no Mocha Plug from Imagineer Systems.

I do not have mCallOuts, because it came out after mInfographics. However, there are some items that overlap, I was able to use mInfographics as callOuts. That is what I purchase from MotionVFX over FXFactory. So far the plug-ins I have gotten from FXFactory can not be opened and adjusted in Motion. I find that most plugins are not exactly what I want but with MotionVFX all the plugins are editable in Motion, so the low price of the plug-in gives me a quick start on creating a custom look that works for my project.

SliceX, TrackX, and DriveX are Mocha tracking engine.

Yeah, MotionVFX are starting to rip-off other developers. Callouts from Ripple, tracking from Coremelt, I guess they're running out of original ideas now.

Personally, I like the originals better. Ripple and Coremelt put a lot into those, are original, and have better, faster, less mechanical tech support.

Ben has a point of view but not everybody wants the FXfactory variable on their system , then these Mcallout can be very interesting. I have had SliceX and TrackX from the beginning and I could not go without them: they are GREAT. I beleive however that Motion VFX did licence the same mocha engine as coremelt but the integration of the technology can be different, I did not test it.

I purchased mCallouts and I like it and think it is well-designed and easy to use. I also own SliceX/TrackX/DriveX and I use those frequently as well. Both CoreMelt's and motionVFX's plugins are based on the licensed Imagineer Systems' Mocha Technology - as is a plugin from HitFilm and Mocha Pro from Boris FX. There may be others, I don;t know. Also, Boris FX acquired Imagineer Systems last year I believe.

Anyway, I don't think any of these companies is ripping-off another developer. They all are paying for the licensing the same underlying planar tracking technology.

FWIW, in my personal experience CoreMelt's SliceX/TrackX are terrific plugins that are widely used and praised. They can tackle many jobs from tracking windows for image replacement, titles, color correction (particularly with Color Finale and others) and other corrective or special effects. I would like to see their on-screen controls cleaned up and refined a bit because often the interface seems a little cluttered. motionVFX's mCallouts on-screen controls are better implemented in this regard - inheriting the excellent design that motionVFX offers in all their products - though this plugin only has specific functionality compared to what SliceX/TrackX offers. Still, I'd recommend them both.

I have not used HitFilm or Mocha Pro from Boris.

Compare mCallOuts to CallOuts from Ripple Training. How do those stack up?

And yes, MotionVFX is in fact duplicating the efforts of Coremelt and Ripple Training. I call that being lazy and not coming up with original functionality.

I don't have RT's CallOuts so I can't compare directly with mCallouts - but Ripple's version looks very nice and they certainly make great stuff. I like mCallouts designs too and the built-in mocha tracking is a plus.

Still, if your point is that there are few things under the sun that are truly original you are correct. There are lots of different developer variations on almost every type of effect plugin that's out there - e.g. ColorFinale, Colorista III, FCPX Colorist, Hawaiki Color, Nattress Levels and Curves - they all do about the same thing. And Looks and LUTs, gee, there are hundreds. People like to invent.

However, to me they all seems like a lot of work to make so maybe our definition of "lazy" is different Lazy in my book would be not making some of those Callout effects in Motion myself. BenB, I've learned a lot from you and Karsten and many others on this forum. Thanks for that.

I guess it's a personal taste thing. I don't consider anything motionvfx has done to be ripping off anything. I know from their Twitter feed that they considered naming mCallouts something different, and was surprised when they stuck with that name. I don't have either "callouts" product, but find mCallouts to be much more polished looking than the Ripple version.

And, motionvfx *does* update the products from time to time. Just recently they did free upgrades adding 4K compatibility for several of their products I already own.

Everyone updates...

I don't agree Ben.

I have Ripple Callouts since the first version. I love it, it's a well made product, but the mCallouts feature the Mocha Tracking *and* the callouts look very different (I could say a bit more stylish, but that's preference).

I think both products have their own look and can complement each other instead of replacing each other. I think the version from MotionVFX seems more for promos while the Ripple Callouts seems a bit more geared towards the educational market.
I have had good service from both companies. And MotionVFX's implementation is often very good, as is Ripple Trainings.
And to be honest: I gave a shout out to Steve Martin from Ripple Training to change the out-animation of their circle-callout in their product. It animates on by a kind of write-on behaviour, but the out-animation is just a fade. It would be nice if it did the opposite movement of disappearing. He said it was a good idea and they would look into it, but that was a couple of years ago and no change as of yet
But I used Ripple Callouts a lot, and it served and serves me well.
I bought mCallouts for a movie I'm gonna edit later this month, so I can't compare directly yet, but I expect it to be a good product as well.

BenB wrote: Compare mCallOuts to CallOuts from Ripple Training. How do those stack up?

And yes, MotionVFX is in fact duplicating the efforts of Coremelt and Ripple Training. I call that being lazy and not coming up with original functionality.

Maybe the term "Callouts" could and would help you out to understand why they both have the similar name??

By the way SliceX is not the only and first application that uses the Mocha Tracker. Your comment is a bit biased.

I know full well why they both have similar names.
SliceX/TrackX/MotionX were the first FCPX plugins to license Mocha, and until MotionVFX, the only.

Thank you for all your positive comments about mCallouts, it definitively inspired me to go and check this wonderful original products. It is an absolute delight, gorgeous typography and impeccable indispensable integration of MOCHA for callouts: I just had to buy this plugin.

What i like mostly about this plugin is that it is autonomous (no FxFactory obligation), when i need more graphic callouts, I can manage with Motion or trackX. This product is a time saver when working on technical corporate production or scientific docs just to name a few.

Thanks for the discussion

Francois

I had the chance to try the product today as I used it for a movie. I have had Ripple Callouts since years, so I can compare.

It's a great product, mCallouts. Everything you expect to be able to customize, is customizable. The product works very fast, and tracking is very reliable. Styling is great.

It can happy live next to Ripple Callouts, and which one you choose will just depend on the style you want for your product. Both have their own style going on, although I think the mCallouts is the better product of the 2.
It has more presets, it's a bit more stylish (although it depends on what your project needs), it has the Mocha tracking built in, and I think the outro animations are nicer and more well thought out then some of the Ripple Callouts.

Happy customer of both.