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What's new in Descript: October 2024

Education

Introduction

Hello everyone, I'm Andrew, the CEO of Descript. In this article, I’ll provide a roundup of everything we launched over the last month. While this information is available in our change log, I want to offer some context around our developments for those who are passionate about Descript.

September Highlights

To begin with, we just rolled out version 100 of our app, which includes exciting new features:

Translation Capabilities

  • We’ve introduced translation functionality within the app. Users can select any composition and find translation options in the Underlord sidebar. This feature allows for translating burnt-in captions into multiple languages and audio translations using either a user’s voice clone or stock voices.
  • Currently, we support five languages, with plans to add an additional twenty in the coming weeks.
  • We offer three pricing plans: Hobbyist, Creator, and Business. Caption translation is included in the Creator plan, while businesses needing transcription corrections will benefit from the Business plan. The intent behind this pricing structure is to cater to content producers who require scalability.

Advanced Auto-Script Editing Features

  • Underlord now includes several auto-script editing capabilities. Users can remove filler words and retake recordings with a single click or utilize the "Edit for Clarity" feature, which edits out rambling diversions.
  • We have added the ability to regenerate parts of recordings using AI speech. This updates our editing process, making it more succinct and user-friendly.

Remote Recording with Descript Rooms

  • Building on our August release of Descript Rooms, our integrated remote recording tool is now being rolled out. We’re focusing on stability and performance based on rigorous customer feedback.

Automatic Multi-Cam Functionality

  • We introduced an automatic multi-camera feature that intelligently switches between different camera angles during recordings.
  • Users can now apply templates for custom layouts, enhancing the professional quality of their podcast presentations.

Enhanced Text-to-Speech Engine

  • We've updated our text-to-speech system, which now utilizes high-quality, open AI voices. This improvement significantly boosts the realism of generated speech and speeds up the synthesis process.

Visual Editing Enhancements

With the launch of "Rooms," our focus is gradually shifting towards the visual aspects of video editing. We’ve listened to customer feedback regarding the need for intuitive visuals management, and we’re addressing this with new features:

  1. Ken Burns Effect: Users can now easily apply a zoom and pan effect to images that offers a dynamic viewing experience.
  2. Shadow and Border Effects: Apply shadows and borders not just to shapes but also to images and media layers, enhancing the visual aesthetic of projects.
  3. Text Animation Features: We now support text animations that can be customized for both words and characters.
  4. Canvas Toolbar: A new canvas toolbar allows for quick layout switches, which streamlines the video creation process.
  5. Updated Desktop App: We’ve launched a new version of the desktop app that is faster and more efficient, although a few features like the quick recorder are still in the works.

Conclusion

We’re excited about the updates and improvements we've made this month. Please let us know in the comments what you'd like to see in future videos or articles!

Keywords

  • Descript
  • October 2024
  • Translation
  • Auto-script editing
  • Remote recording
  • Multi-cam functionality
  • Text-to-speech
  • Visual editing
  • Ken Burns effect
  • Desktop app

FAQ

1. What are the new features introduced in Descript in October 2024?
We have launched several new features, including enhanced translation capabilities, advanced auto-script editing options, a remote recording tool, automatic multi-cam functionality, and an updated text-to-speech engine.

2. What's new in visual editing with the recent updates?
We’ve added the Ken Burns effect, shadow and border applications, and improved text animation options. We also launched a new canvas toolbar for easier layout changes.

3. Is the new desktop app available for everyone?
Yes, we launched a new version of the desktop app that is faster and more efficient. It is currently available for users who don't require the quick recorder feature.

4. How are the new translation features organized in terms of pricing?
There are three pricing plans: Hobbyist, Creator, and Business. The Creator plan includes caption translation, while businesses needing transcription corrections will need the Business plan.