With the Cavalry release, it is important to recall the relevance of the article by Lev Manovich “Import/Export: Design Workflow and Contemporary Aesthetics." In the article, we are led to reflect on two functions found in most media creation software: Import and Export, whereas that:
“Typically, a designer may create elements in one program, import them into another program, add elements created in yet another program, and so on. [...] The essential condition that enables this new design logic and the resulting aesthetics is compatibility between files generated by different programs.” (MANOVICH, Lev. Import/Export: Design Workflow and Contemporary Aesthetics. 2006 [www.manovich.net])
Following the movements on social media, it is possible to notice signs that we are worrying a lot about the tools of this new software, its pricing, the future of After Effects, the differences between sequential and procedural software; however we are forgetting something much more important: the insertion of Cavalry in our production processes.
It is common to use softwares such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Premiere, Toon Boon, Nuke, Animate and After Effects in a single project, and even so we get a good workflow. We can exemplify this with 3D softwares; for certain functions it is better to use Maya, for others 3DS Max, Cinema 4D, and so on.
So why are we rivaling After Effects and Cavalry? Remembering that After Effects and Nuke coexist and are alternated depending on demand, they even end up being used together, and it is possible that the same happens between After and Cavalry.
What we should do is try this new software to understand when to use it and how it can interact with After Effects; because what we have today, according to Manovich, is not just about multimedia production, but about Metamedia, that is:
“The remixing of working methods and techniques of different media within a single project." (MANOVICH, Lev. Import/Export: Design Workflow and Contemporary Aesthetics. 2006 [www.manovich.net])
Therefore, we are talking about freer workflows, the result of using several softwares that can be alternated or used together. After Effects will continue to be strong in the market and Cavalry has come to add and enrich our production processes.
Long live the Cavalry!