Compositing
Master the industry-standard power of Nuke to turn raw shots into cinematic masterpieces. Learn high-end techniques to rotoscope, key, track, and color grade your way to Hollywood-level visuals using node-based workflows.
Composite your first VFX shot in our intensive 4-week course
Designed for aspiring compositing artists, this comprehensive four-week course on Seed LMS guides you step-by-step through Foundry Nuke, linear colour workflows, and modern AI workflows. You will develop the essential skills of node-based compositing, precise rotoscoping, chroma keying, 2D tracking, and multi-pass rebuilding while establishing a professional VFX post-production pipeline. Beyond the core four weeks, you’ll receive a full month of free, one-on-one mentorship to polish your final composites, troubleshoot your node graph in real-time, and confidently build your VFX portfolio. Choose from our curated pool of 10 exciting project briefs, refine your skills, and graduate with a photorealistic, portfolio-ready video sequence.
Course Outline
Week 1: The Node Graph & Linear Workflow
Topic A: Interface & The B-Pipe Logic
- Node Graph vs. Timeline: Navigating the DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph).
- The Viewer: Connecting inputs (1, 2, 3…) and checking channels (RGBA).
- Merge Math: Understanding “Over,” “Plus,” and “Screen.” Why the B-input is the background (Stream).
Topic B: Colour & Channels
- Linear Workflow: Why Nuke operates in Linear space while monitors are sRGB. LUT management.
- Alpha Channels: Premultiplied vs. Unpremultiplied. The “Unpremult -> Grade -> Premult” workflow.
- The Grade Node: Gain, Gamma, Lift, and Offset basics.
Topic C: Basic Transform & Formatting
- Reformat & Crop: Managing resolutions (HD, 2K, UHD).
- Transform & Tracker: Basic 2D transformations.
Week 2: Roto, Keying & Integration
Topic A: Rotoscoping
- Roto Node: Drawing B-Splines and Bezier shapes.
- Keyframe Strategy: Breaking the subject into parts (Torso, Arm, Hand) to avoid “boiling” edges.
- Blur & Feather: Creating realistic motion blur in roto.
Topic B: Chroma Keying
- Keylight: The industry-standard keyer. Picking the screen colour.
- Screen Matte: Viewing the Alpha channel to check for holes.
- Despill: Removing green bounce from the subject’s edges.
Topic C: Tracking & Paint
- Tracker Node: 1-Point vs 2-Point tracking for stabilisation and match-moving.
- RotoPaint: Cloning out wires or tracking markers.
Week 3: CG Compositing (Multi-Pass)
Topic A: The Shuffle Node
- EXR Architecture: Understanding Multi-channel files (Beauty, Diffuse, Specular, Z-Depth).
- Shuffling: Extracting specific passes to grade them individually.
Topic B: Beauty Rebuild
- The Math: Diffuse + Specular + Emission + Reflection = Beauty.
- Colour Grading CG: Changing the colour of a car paint after it has been rendered using the CryptoMatte or ID pass.
Topic C: 2.5D compositing
- Camera & Cards: Importing a Maya camera into Nuke and projecting textures onto 3D cards.
- ZDefocus: Using the Z-Depth pass to create realistic Depth of Field.
Week 4: AI Workflow, Polish & Final Sprint
Topic A: Innovative AI Workflow (Using Gemini)
- The Python Scripter: Nuke is built on Python. Use Gemini to write simple scripts to automate tasks.
- Prompt Example: “Write a Python script for Nuke to automatically create a Read node for every .exr file in a specific folder.”
- Math Assistant: Asking Gemini to explain Merge operations.
- Prompt Example: “Explain the mathematical difference between the ‘Overlay’ and ‘Screen’ merge operation in Nuke compositing.”
- Expression Debugging: Pasting broken TCL expressions into Gemini for fixes.
Topic B: Finishing Touches
- Grain Management: The #1 rule of comp—never leave a CG object “clean.” Matching plate grain.
- Lens Distortion: Distorting CG to match the imperfections of the real camera lens.
- Light Wrap: Blending background light over foreground edges.
Project, Mentorship & Assessment
- Instructors will review and grade the finished piece for their portfolio
- Final viewing party: Kick back, relax, and watch student reel
