Locarno Pro

Locarno Pro
Name	Locarno Pro
Developer	Locarno Systems AG
Released	2012
Latest release	2024
Programming language	C++
Operating system	Windows, macOS, Linux
License	Proprietary

Locarno Pro Locarno Pro is a professional software suite for color grading, digital intermediate processing, and motion picture finishing used in post-production pipelines for film and television. It integrates nonlinear color grading, high-dynamic-range (HDR) workflows, and image restoration tools aimed at feature films, episodic television, and advertising. The application interfaces with industry systems such as ARRI Alexa, RED Digital Cinema, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, and Adobe Premiere Pro while supporting standards like SMPTE 2084, Rec. 2020, and DCP.

Overview

Locarno Pro provides a node-based color grading environment combining real-time playback, high-precision color transforms, and LUT management. It targets colorists working alongside cinematographers from productions that use cameras such as Panavision Millennium DXL, Sony Venice, and Canon EOS C70. The suite emphasizes interoperability with digital intermediates generated via FilmLight Baselight, Autodesk Lustre, and Mistika Boutique, and supports exchange formats like OpenEXR, ACES, and DPX. Integration with asset management platforms such as Avid Interplay and Dalet Galaxy enables collaborative finishing across post facilities.

History

Development of Locarno Pro began in the wake of the digital cinematography transition in the early 2010s when companies including Panavision, ARRI, and RED Digital Cinema popularized raw workflows. The initial 2012 release coincided with widespread adoption of raw capture formats endorsed by organizations like SMPTE and ISO standards committees. Subsequent milestones tracked the rise of HDR mastering with firmware and codec updates paralleling releases from Netflix Post Technology Alliance partners and HDR guidelines from Dolby Laboratories. Major updates in 2016 and 2020 introduced node-based compositing influenced by tools from Nuke developer The Foundry and GPU acceleration techniques comparable to work by NVIDIA and AMD for real-time playback. The 2022–2024 releases added cloud collaboration features aligning with practices endorsed by Netflix, Amazon Studios, and broadcasters such as BBC.

Design and Features

Locarno Pro is designed around a timeline and node graph where users apply color transforms, spatial filters, and temporal stabilization. Core features include ACES-compliant color management, advanced color wheels, secondary keying, and spatial masking with planar tracking similar to tools found in Mocha Pro. Support for the ACEScg color space and high-precision float buffers enables interchange with visual effects packages like Foundry Nuke and compositors such as Adobe After Effects. Noise reduction leverages algorithms comparable to research from MIT and ETH Zurich publications, while optical stabilization and image restoration borrow techniques from work at NASA imaging labs. Hardware control is provided through panels from Blackmagic Design and Tangential, and realtime performance is enhanced by CUDA and Metal acceleration used in systems produced by NVIDIA and Apple.

Reception and Impact

Within finishing houses and post-production facilities, Locarno Pro has been reviewed alongside products like DaVinci Resolve and FilmLight Baselight for its tailored HDR tools, cross-format interoperability, and enterprise workflow features. Trade publications and festival post teams for events such as Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival noted its stability in delivering digital cinema packages compliant with DCP mastering. Film colorists credited its integration with camera manufacturers including ARRI and RED Digital Cinema for reducing turnaround time on independent features and episodic series delivered to platforms like Netflix and HBO. Academic labs at institutions such as University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and Royal College of Art referenced Locarno Pro in coursework comparing color pipelines.

Versions and Compatibility

Locarno Pro is released in tiered editions: a Studio edition for finishing facilities, a Broadcast edition for television post, and an Enterprise edition with multi-seat licensing and asset management hooks. Supported input formats include RAW from ARRI Alexa, RED R3D, Canon Cinema RAW, and compressed formats like ProRes and DNxHR. Output workflows cover DCP mastering, HDR delivery in Dolby Vision profiles, and mezzanine files for platforms including Netflix Delivery Specifications and Apple TV. The application runs on workstations certified by vendors such as HP Z Workstations, Dell Precision, and Apple Mac Pro, and interoperates with SAN solutions from Quantum Corporation and Avid NEXIS.

Usage and Workflow

Typical workflows begin with color management using camera ID metadata from ARRI Metadata or RED Metadata, followed by base grade in ACES or camera space, secondary corrections, beauty work, and final output LUT creation. Collaborative projects use asset tracking with integrations for ShotGrid and Perforce Helix to synchronize versions between colorists, editors, and VFX supervisors who may use Autodesk Maya or Houdini. Locarno Pro supports remote grading through secure protocols endorsed by broadcasters like Sky UK and streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, enabling color approval sessions involving cinematographers credited on productions for studios including Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures.

Licensing and Availability

Locarno Pro is distributed under commercial licenses with options for perpetual licenses, annual subscriptions, and site licenses for post facilities. Enterprise packages include support contracts and integration services for studios and vendors such as Deluxe Entertainment and Technicolor. Training and certification programs are offered through partner academies and workshops at industry events run by IBC and NAB Show. Trial licenses and cloud-based evaluation instances are periodically provided for certified partners and accredited institutions in collaboration with manufacturer partners including Blackmagic Design and NVIDIA.

Category:Color grading software