If you are a VFX artist, a supervisor or post production guy you certainly experienced how difficoult can be to deal with elements. Das element fits in the middle, it's the bridge between you and your vast elements library. Showmug is really happy to share all its features, goals and perks!

Das Element is an innovative asset library software, specifically designed for the VFX community. With its cross-platform capabilities, it efficiently handles image sequences, EXR files, movie files, and many more. One of its standout features is the advanced tagging system , enabling artists to swiftly navigate using tags , categories , or even synonyms , ensuring efficient workflows tailored to any company's specifications.

A common challenge in VFX is integrating generic tools into specialized workflows. This often results in suboptimal solutions. Large studios may develop their proprietary tools, consuming significant time for Technical Directors and developers. Being on a tighter budget, some studios often have to fall back on tools and options that only partially fit the requirements. Das Element positions itself as an answer to this issue. It has been developed with a deep understanding of the VFX workflow and the challenges it presents. Freelance VFX artists, who frequently shift between studios, can attest to the complexity of adapting to each studio's unique system. Libraries in studios are often "historically grown" and spread across numerous servers and network shares. While experienced artists might navigate this maze, newcomers or freelancers might struggle.

Imagine the efficiency of having a standardized asset library tool across studios. This is where Das Element steps in. It simplifies the process of locating and accessing the asset library, ensuring productivity even during crunch times. On surveying the VFX industry for asset library software, you'll find that many fall short of addressing the nuanced needs, especially in handling image sequences or OpenEXR files. A highlight of Das Element is its full offline operation, making it ideal for projects under strict NDAs. This ensures all data remains in-house since no internet connection is required. One of the standout features of the software is its seamless element ingestion method. Through the ingest view, users can effortlessly add new elements into a structured file system. Das Element presents a sophisticated yet intuitive interface, giving users optimal control over the arrangement of their library.

Imagine the efficiency of having a standardized asset library tool across studios. This is where Das Element steps in. It simplifies the process of locating and accessing the asset library, ensuring productivity even during crunch times. On surveying the VFX industry for asset library software, you'll find that many fall short of addressing the nuanced needs, especially in handling image sequences or OpenEXR files. A highlight of Das Element is its full offline operation, making it ideal for projects under strict NDAs. This ensures all data remains in-house since no internet connection is required.

One of the standout features of the software is its seamless element ingestion method. Through the ingest view, users can effortlessly add new elements into a structured file system. Das Element presents a sophisticated yet intuitive interface, giving users optimal control over the arrangement of their library.

When introducing a new element, it undergoes several proxy generation phases to produce previews. Users have full control in this generation process, but the software also offers handy default settings for thumbnail and proxy movie files. Upon completing the ingest phase, elements find their place in a neatly organized directory on your server. Furthermore, the ' Path Builder ' feature brings simplicity to the naming convention process, contrasting sharply with other tools that turn this into a more complex task.

Library configuration presets enable users to kickstart their asset library in no time. If customization is needed, the software allows alterations in naming conventions and directory structures. Tailoring everything to your organizational requirements is a breeze. Additionally, if you have pre-existing in-house scripts for element additions, they can be integrated via a custom command job for transcoding tasks. An asset library's true prowess is revealed in its tagging and search functionalities. Das Element offers intuitive tagging features. It also provides features that allow supervisors and lead artists to curate and share collections with their teams. Not only can artists or the production team share suitable VFX elements for a shot or sequence, but also any media type like reference images from the film shoot on location.

At the heart of the VFX industry lies our global connection. Building upon this union, Das Element emphasizes crafting a universal lexicon that bridges all our languages and preferences. To achieve this, the software taps into public domain resources for descriptions and synonyms for each category. Central to this unifying task are Wikidata identifiers. Behind every Wikipedia article lies a unique Wikidata item. Using the information of this public domain knowledge base yields rich description texts, synonyms, and translations across multiple languages. By linking each category to a specific Wikidata page, Das Element pioneers a unified understanding and terminology for each category. This ensures that regardless of one's geographical location or linguistic proficiency, discovering the ideal element is hassle-free. Unlike other platforms that demand specialized hardware, Das Element is accessible and IT-friendly. Its licensing system is straightforward, with floating licenses eliminating the hassles of node-locked licenses.

Its open, pipeline-friendly design is complemented by a Python API (supporting Python 2 & 3), ensuring complete adaptability. The absence of proprietary formats guarantees constant asset availability. Even if the software license expires, the data remains accessible. Additionally, its configuration files, stored in universal formats, allow easy integration with version control systems like Git or Perforce.

In summary, Das Element embodies simplicity and intuitiveness, prioritizing the artist’s experience and efficiency in the world of VFX.

About Das Element:

This amazing tool was first released in August 2021 by a company based in Munich, Germany. Rather than using one of the existing pieces of software that are roughly set to match as many needs and industries as possible, Das Element is molded to the requirements of studios. Years of experience building and maintaining asset libraries went into developing this software. Built with high industry standards, the software works completely offline which makes it great for air-gapped environments with tight security measures for feature films and TV series. Due to its flexibility and configurability it can be used in a variety of user cases. From high end visual effects work, to fast paced commercial productions and even non VFX related projects like games or architecture visualization. If you want to get a head start on managing your asset library you can find out more by visiting: www.das-element.com