Just like they did last year, the Rampant Design Team has something special planned for NAB, and we wanted to talk with them about how last year’s announcement was received as well as get a few details about what we can expect from them for NAB 2015. In this exclusive interview, we discuss those topics and also get into some high level take-aways from NAB, how they’ve seen their effects utilized and plenty more.
ProVideo Coalition: NAB 2015 is almost upon us, but I thought this might be a good opportunity to revisit your news from last year which was around the partnership between Rampant Design and That Studio. What sort of response have you seen to it now that people have had a chance to check out both Studio Essentials and Indie Essentials?
Rampant Design Team: Last year’s NAB was a watershed moment for us; it enabled Rampant Design to shift gears, and laser focus on an opportunity to take our company to some new places. We invested a lot of time and energy since then to develop a whole new class of solutions for editors, VFX artists and motion graphics artists working on some of our industry’s highest profile work – from major motion pictures, to television productions and commercials.
To that end, we’ve developed a whole new category of solutions we call Style Effects, and we’re debuting them here at NAB 2015. And for those select customers who’ve had the chance to work with them, they tell us our Style Effects are game changers. Now, Style Effects are somewhat of a new concept. Rampant Style Effects are high resolution visual effects and designs that significantly enhance any video content for editors, VFX and motion graphic artists.
What sort of projects have you seen these effects utilized on?
You can see Rampant Style Effects all over broadcast television, reality shows, promos, commercials, music videos and feature films. There’s also a ton of independent filmmakers and content creators using our effects and showcasing their work on the web.
How have you seen them open up new opportunities for creators?
We receive dozens of phone calls and emails every week about how people love to use Rampant Style Effects. We’re often told that our effects help people save time and money while adding style without much effort.
The majority of our customers buy specific volumes that are tailored to their needs, that being said we sell quite a lot of Rampant Essentials bundles, which is our entire library delivered on a USB 3.0 drive or Thunderbolt RAID.
Getting back to last year’s NAB, was there any tool or technology that really stood out to you? Any indication around what might have a similar impact this year?
We’re fans of technology that allow us to break free from the norm. High res, high speed cameras like the Phantom Flex 4K, which gets us 4K at 1000FPS is certainly something that stood out to us.The F65 going up to 8K is also an exciting option for us to explore in the Rampant Studio.It’s also exciting to see all kinds of new lenses on the market. Being able to experiment with new glass allows for more creative freedom in our studio.
In talking with some other professionals about the ways in which NAB has changed, it seems a bigger focus is around the person-to-person element of the event. Is that something you’ve seen as well?
Absolutely. The majority of the information displayed at NAB can be obtained online. It’s fun to get your hands on the gear, but the real value is being able to communicate one on one and really get a feel for what people need and want. This is also a great way for professionals to meet the people behind the products and get a feel for who is creating the content they are using.
Personally and professionally, what do you look to get out of and experience at NAB?
Professionally we love meeting with Production and Post leaders and talking to them about the present state of our industry. It’s always fun to speculate about what’s to come. It is an invaluable experience to have so much talent and industry knowledge all under one giant roof. Personally, it is always great to meet up with old friends or people you typically talk to online. It’s nice to get out of the studio, away from the edit bay and relate on a human level.
What sort of conversations do you typically find yourself having with attendees at your booth?
This is our favorite aspect of the show. Getting the opportunity to talk with working Editors and Artists about their projects and various needs is priceless. We really enjoy meeting people from all over the world and discussing how they create their content.
What else can you tell us about what you’re set to reveal this year?
We mentioned the entire new set of Style Effects that we’re excited to show off, plus we’ll be showing off some of our newest Style Effects that are still in production.
With so much change and disruption throughout the industry seen from NAB to NAB, how can professionals ensure they’re staying up-to-date without losing sight of their craft?
We think it’s important to get involved and stay involved with your local user groups or online groups and talk to your peers about their workflows and what tools they use. Rampant has some great community groups on Facebook and Linkedin. A place where questions are always welcome and where editors and artists can showcase their latest works.
For anyone who’s going to be in Las Vegas for the event, what’s the best way to connect with you and the Rampant Design team?
They can always connect with us via Twitter (@RampantDesign) or on Instagram (@RampantDesign).
Of course, we’d love for everyone to stop by our booth in the South Lower Hall at the Plugin Pavilion Booth #SL5706, adjacent to the Adobe booth. We’re giving away huge prizes, tons of free 4K Style Effects and have some amazing presentations from some truly fantastic Editors and Artists.