Nuke compositor reel software#

With compositing, you already have all of the visual elements you need - you just have to combine them all together.With CGI, you have to create everything from scratch in a VFX software.

It’s important to notice how the process of creating CGI and other VFX is different from creating a composite image, and there are a couple reasons for that: In the video above, you can see how video editors manipulate shot footage in post-production by adding CGI and VFX layers. CGIĬomputer-generated imagery (CGI) is commonly used in the compositing process, particularly in filmmaking. This technique can also be used for aesthetic purposes to create a visually intriguing image that 1) shows off your editing skills and 2) transforms the footage in a unique way. Double exposure - another common method - achieves the same effect but is limited to two exposures or images.įrom a compositing perspective, combining multiple exposures into one shot can serve a thematic purpose - making an eerie scene even more unsettling by giving the image a ghost-like quality (like the image above). Multiple exposure is the technique of layering multiple exposures or images on top of one another.

By projecting the pre-recorded footage onto the subject and the screen, the image quality was sharper and more realistic. Most car scenes that were filmed prior to the 1970s use this type of compositing technique, but a technique called front projection became much more popular in the years after. This still from To Catch a Thief (1955) is a prime example of how filmmakers used a technique called rear projection to project pre-recorded footage onto a screen - making it appear like the actors were actually on the road, not parked in a studio.

Nuke compositor reel software#

These days, it’s become more common to create and composite matte paintings like the one above from Mary Poppins (1964) by using visual effects software instead of glass panes. By painting trees, hills, and foliage onto a pane of glass - and then placing the glass in front of the camera - the bare landscape would immediately be transformed in the shot captured on-camera. The glass is then positioned between the camera and the setting so that the painted details are visually layered on top of the background.įor example, let’s say you’re filming a field that is pretty bare and flat. Like the name suggests, a glass painting is created when artists physically paint onto a pane of glass to add details that aren’t present in an original setting. This allows you to capture the shot you need and then seamlessly combine that shot with footage of your actors in post-production. With strategic placement in front of the camera, you can create the illusion that the model is much bigger than it really is. It’s especially useful in scenarios where a stunt - like an intense chase scene through mine tunnels - isn’t logistically possible.Ī partial model is a highly detailed and realistic miniature of a location, object, etc. Partial models like the one above from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) have been used by filmmakers as a compositing tool for years. To give you more context about physical and digital compositing, here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular techniques for both: Physical compositing techniques 1. Not only does this make it easier to streamline the entire process, but it also allows you to integrate computer generated imagery (CGI) and visual effects into your compositing workflow. Nowadays, you have the option to digitally add or remove image layers. They also relied on things like partial models and glass paintings to layer images on top of one another and capture the desired look on-camera. The simple and straightforward answer is that compositing is the process of physically or digitally combining two or more images into one.īefore the process went digital, photographers and videographers would physically cut film to create a composite image. (Why fix what isn’t broken, right?) This is just another resource that can point you in the direction of even more options.īut before exploring each of those compositing tools, let’s cover some basics. If you already work with compositing and VFX every day, the intention of this guide isn’t to dissuade you from using your favorite software. Whether you’re building new cinematic worlds or using compositing on a much smaller scale, some of the best tools for today’s creators are: