New features of KeenTools 2.0.0.

KeenTools started as set of Nuke plugins (GeoTracker, FaceTracker, FaceBuilder, PinTool and ReadRiggedGeo) and now it’s extended to leading open source 3D Animation and Visual Effects software Blender. Check out detailed interview of KeenTools with Roman Belov, KeenTools team lead and founder.

Check out more about new features of KeenTools 2.0.0.

What is KeenTools?

KeenTools started in 2017 with GeoTracker plugin for Foundry Nuke, providing simple and effective object tracking. We focused on one specific task and made it as good as we could at that time, and the community loved it. The same ideas evolved into the following KeenTools products for Nuke, such as FaceBuilder and FaceTracker plugins, which allow you to create a face model based on a few photos and then track it without specialised tracking software and tracking skills.

Today, after a couple of months of open beta that brought us overwhelming amounts of useful feedback from the lovely Blender community we release our FaceBuilder for Blender. Meaning that it’s not just getting rid of the beta badge but also brings a few useful features, one of which is also available for the Nuke version — the support of facial expressions.

Features of FaceBuilder:

Before, FaceBuilder required photographs with a neutral face, which obviously limited its applicability. With this release we remove this limitation, so you can for example use the same footage for creating a model and tracking this model even if there’s no frame with a neutral expression. Of course it’s important to know that it’s not perfect (yet? ;)) and the results are not as precise as with the neutral expression photos, but it’s certainly much better than adapting a neutral model to a smiling face.

What of our first stable release for Blender, we just can’t find words to describe how delighted and grateful we are for the reception the Blender community gave us. The feedback, all the reports and questions were just invaluable, please keep it up! In this new version you’ll find the support of facial expressions, photography rotation, and many more improvements. Also worth mentioning that the model created in Blender is fully compatible with FaceTracker in Nuke if you keep the topology intact. 

Price of KeenTools:

Here’s a couple of words about licensing, we’ve made it simple — if you have a license for FaceBuilder, you have it for Blender and Nuke and you only need to install it once. Prices? The same:

• • $149 for a personal one (yes, you can use it for commercial work)
  • $299 for commercial license
  • $399 for a floating one

KeenTools download links:

We’re extended our trials for all KeenTools plugins. So everyone can download our new 2.0.1 package for Nuke and the add-on for Blender to get 30 more days of trial even if they have spent all your trial days before. Our trials are fully-functional, so they can continue working on projects at home while their studios are building the required remote infrastructure.

Check out graphical representation about new features of Keentools 2.0.0 of Nuke and Blender.