Reflection on the Past Year: Rewind 2020's Major Events
Boris FX Unveils Major Product Updates and Releases in 2020-2021
In a significant move, Boris FX, a leading provider of visual effects (VFX) solutions, has rolled out a series of major updates and new product releases between 2020 and 2021. These developments have focused on enhancing compatibility, improving transition effects, and refining user interfaces across their flagship plugins such as Mocha Pro, Sapphire, Continuum, and Silhouette.
Mocha Pro 2020.5: A Powerful Planar Tracking Tool
One of the key highlights was the release of Mocha Pro 2020.5 (version 7.5.1), a powerful planar tracking and visual effects tool, available as a plugin for Adobe and other hosts. This update provided numerous enhancements to post-production workflows.
Boris FX Continuum and Sapphire Updates
December 2020 saw the official support of Boris FX Continuum and Sapphire v3 transitions in third-party tools like Excalibur, indicating significant updates and compatibility improvements in their major plugin bundles. Early 2021 updates further expanded support for these plugins in various transition and effects workflows, along with UI and performance fixes.
Sapphire's Advanced Features
By comparison, the latest Sapphire updates as of 2025 include enhanced tools like revamped LensFlare, new PixelSort glitch effects, WhipLash transitions, and updated Mocha Essentials workspace. These updates highlight that the foundation for these advanced features was being laid during the 2020-2021 period.
New Products and Subscription Model
The development team released a total of 10 new products during this period, while working remotely. Among these were three completely new products: the Particle Illusion standalone application, Optics (Photoshop plugin), and Silhouette Paint. The Boris FX Suite, which includes Sapphire, Continuum, Mocha Pro, Silhouette, and Optics, was introduced as an annual or monthly subscription.
Optics and Silhouette Paint: Innovative Solutions
Optics, the first-ever Photoshop plugin released by the company, supports high-end VFX in digital photography. On the other hand, Silhouette Paint, a new product launched by the company, brings digital paint and tracking tools from Silhouette to Adobe and OFX timelines. It is fast, non-destructive, and offers integrated Mocha tracking.
Particle Illusion: A Fun and Powerful Tool
The free Particle Illusion standalone application, designed for lightning-fast particle and animation creation, features over 2500 presets. John Dickinson and Ben Brownlee teamed up to deliver a comprehensive 19-part training series for the Particle Illusion application.
Boris FX Live: A Valuable Resource
Boris FX Live, a live stream series that replaced the cancelled NAB event, covers product questions, topics not typically covered in tutorials, and features guest artists. The Ask the Artist series, part of Boris FX Live, features post-production professionals sharing their experiences and insights.
Silhouette Paint: Ideal for Neon Hand-Drawn Roto Animations
Silhouette Paint is particularly useful for neon hand-drawn roto animations on Instagram. With the Optics plugin for Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom, high-end VFX can now be applied directly within these popular photo editing platforms.
Accessing Boris FX's Best Offerings
For those seeking the best of Boris FX products at an affordable price, the Boris FX Suite offers a comprehensive solution. With its latest updates and new product releases, Boris FX continues to push the boundaries of visual effects, providing filmmakers, artists, and photographers with powerful tools to bring their creative visions to life.
Finance plays a significant role in the development of Boris FX's lifestyle-enhancing technology, as the company invested resources to roll out major updates and releases for their products, such as the innovative Particle Illusion, during the 2020-2021 period. The resulting improvements in compatibility and user interfaces, like those seen in Sapphire and Mocha Pro, have contributed to refining post-production workflows in the technology sector.
