NewTek Announces Sixth Update to VT[2]

New Features Include Enhanced Integration
with LightWave 3D® and Adobe After Effects®

San Antonio, Texas -- December 5, 2002 -- NewTek, Inc., manufacturer of industry-leading 3D animation and video products, today announced that a free update to VT[2] is available to registered owners on NewTek's website, www.newtek.com. This marks the sixth free update that NewTek has provided to the VT community since VT[2] was released last December. This update to NewTek’s comprehensive NLE/Live Video Switching system adds new support for Adobe After Effects®, among other features. In addition to After Effects compatibility, support has been added recently to VT[2] for Commotion™, Combustion®, 3ds max™, Power CG™ and Digital Fusion®, with more to follow.

“This past year we've devoted a lot of energy toward enhancing the way our products interface with other popular content creation tools." said Jim Plant, President and CEO of NewTek. "Combining the real-time, uncompressed capabilities of the VT® and its extensive suite of video and graphic production tools, with other industry standard tools, gives our customers the maximum power and flexibility in their production environment."

This update also features the release of Aura Video Paint™ 2.5b, with several new features, including LightWave® filters that allow Aura users to paint on the surface of any object currently loaded in NewTek's LightWave 3D®.

"The VT[2] latest software release is absolutely fantastic with the addition of After Effects support,” said Rob Berry, of Vintage Video Productions. “It's made for some really tough times...I can't get my clients to go home after an edit. They want to stay and play with all the new creative possibilities."

Highlights of the new VT[2] update:

• Hardware frame buffer support has been added for Adobe After Effects®
• After Effects® read/write support for VT® uncompressed RTV files
• Support for NewTek's RS-8 Switcher™ control module
• Improved efficiency in use of graphics card memory
• Improvements in both precision and efficiency of many controls
• Improved MP3 playback
• Aura VT 2.5B™:
  • Deformation grid
  • Chroma Blur, for better DV chromakeys
  • LightWave® Filters, to paint on any currently loaded LW surface
  • Plasma generator for cool textures and effects
  • Noise generator for clouds & fog-like effects

Pricing and Availability
The upgrade is available as a free download to registered VT[2] owners at http://www.newtek.com. To receive the update on CD, registered owners of VT[2] can visit http://www.newtek.com/dealers/index.html for a listing of resellers and distributors worldwide; or purchase the update CD for $29.95US plus shipping/handling from NewTek Sales, 1-800-TOASTER (+1-210-370-8000).

About NewTek
With headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, NewTek is a leading provider of full-featured video editing, animation and special effects tools including VT®, LightWave 3D® and Aura Video Paint™. NewTek launched the desktop video revolution in 1990 with the release of the legendary VT®. The company’s products are used worldwide on projects ranging from home video to feature film. Recent television and film projects using NewTek software include Firefly, Taken, Smallville, Birds of Prey, Star Trek: Enterprise, We Were Soldiers, Panic Room, Hart’s War, Driven, A.I., Oscar®-nominated Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Final Fantasy, Blackhawk Down, The Time Machine, Behind Enemy Lines and Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Director’s Edition DVD. Recent game titles include Doom III, Unreal Tournament, Serious Sam for XBox, Age of Mythology, Civilization III, Dead to Rights, Baldur’s Gate II, EverQuest and Escape From Monkey Island. Website: http://www.newtek.com

-- End --

•VT®, LightWave® and LightWave 3D® are registered trademarks of NewTek.
•VT-Edit, Aura Video Paint, LightWave® Express, VT-CG, VT-Vision VT-Scope, VT-DRR, SX-8 and RS-8 are trademarks of NewTek, Inc.
•All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.