Reel Nuke Compositing Animum

Hello everyone, I would like to present to you the outcome of the last six months in the Master's program in Composition at Animum.

Now, I would like to present to you one of my favorite projects and one of the most challenging ones I have undertaken in terms of color correction.

This particular project required meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of color grading techniques. The goal was to enhance the visual aesthetics and overall mood of the footage, ensuring that every frame conveyed the intended emotions and narrative elements.

I especially enjoyed this project for its implementation of 3D projection to achieve that desired finish, as well as the creation of volumetric lights and smoke in Nuke. Additionally, the use of IDistort to generate the effect of the heat from the ship's engines added an extra layer of realism.

To add more depth, I utilized the 3D environment to create projections. This technique allowed me to simulate the illusion of objects or elements extending into space, enhancing the overall sense of depth in the composition.

This project was divided into five shots, each of which had a more advertising-like aesthetic. I believe that the final result of these shots, when viewed together, is quite impressive.

I find the astronaut project particularly interesting due to the method we were taught to simulate the glass of the helmet and manually create its reflections within Nuke. Additionally, it also involves keying techniques for the actor.

To conclude the first module of the master's program, I have chosen the XWING shot, although there are still more shots to be completed. However, to avoid making this presentation endless, I have decided to focus on this particular shot.

In the selected shot, the color correction for the glass reflections and the seamless integration of the 3D spaceship with the environment and matte painting are crucial.

Now we move on to the second module. Here, things started to get more challenging, and we began to employ advanced techniques, such as introducing Nuke particles. However, the results of the shots were significantly improved.

This project may not be overly complex, but it is quite comprehensive as it involves a costly planar tracker for the suitcase, which undergoes significant movement. Additionally, it includes clean plate techniques to cover holes in walls, and the integration of elements such as blood and symbols, which were created using Photoshop.

This project is one of my favorites aesthetically. The most crucial aspect of this project is the color correction for seamlessly integrating the 3D elements with the matte painting. Additionally, we worked with volumetric lights created in Nuke and began to create particles within Nuke itself. In this case, the rain effect was generated using Nuke's particle system.

It was the first time that I implemented particles created in nuke in a composition. And it improves the scene a lot.

The vampire project is one of the most complex ones in the entire course. It involves techniques such as morphing and integrating elements that I created in Photoshop, such as eyes, veins, and more. To ensure the seamless integration of these elements, I utilized smart vectors. This project demanded a high level of precision and attention to detail to achieve a realistic and cohesive final result.

For the beginning of a scene, I created a strobe effect by modifying the timings of the footage. In the first part of the video, I increased the frame rate and intercut the frames rapidly. However, when the woman lifts her head, the scene returns to normal speed. This technique adds a dynamic and attention-grabbing element to the opening of the scene, enhancing the overall impact and visual interest for the viewers.

The airplane scene features an effect that I particularly enjoy, which involves generating snow through color corrections. In the original footage, the shots depict a snowless village, but by applying color adjustments using keyers, we were able to achieve the effect of snow in the scene. This technique allowed us to transform the visuals and create a wintry atmosphere, adding a touch of magic to the overall composition.

To create a sense of depth as the camera approached, I placed the clouds in the 3D environment and projected them onto the scene. This technique added a realistic and immersive element, making the clouds appear to recede into the distance. Additionally, for the smoke coming from the houses, I used the point cloud generator to position the smoke on the chimneys. This helped to enhance the atmospheric and environmental effects, further enriching the overall visual composition of the scene.

This is the final project we worked on in the course, and I particularly enjoyed creating the floating snow globes in 3D directly within Nuke. The goal was to simulate the typical snow globe effect, where shaking it causes the snow to move inside. To achieve this effect, I created the 3D snow globes and added particles that would bounce according to the shape of the globes. Additionally, inside the globes, I incorporated the Animum school logo, making it appear three-dimensional. To achieve this illusion, I duplicated the 2D image several times and separated it as necessary to conceal the trickery and give the impression of depth. This project allowed for the integration of various techniques, resulting in a visually captivating and immersive final composition.

Removing the keyer from the image can be a labor-intensive process, particularly in the area of the feet. It would require rotoscoping for the entire footage, specifically for each foot. Failing to do so would result in a messy and inaccurate shadow, which was extracted earlier in the process. Therefore, to ensure a seamless and clean result, meticulous rotoscoping would be necessary for each foot throughout the entire duration of the footage.

This shot is visually striking, but integrating the 3D elements with the live-action footage posed a challenge due to the changing lighting conditions as the camera approached the actors. Achieving seamless integration required meticulous attention to detail and careful adjustment of the 3D elements' lighting to match the lighting variations in the shot. The effort put into ensuring cohesive lighting resulted in a visually captivating final composition that effectively blended the live-action and 3D elements.

Integrating the characters was a challenging task because they were filmed on a sand surface that simulated the terrain of the 3D environment. However, due to the camera's extensive movement, adjustments had to be made to ensure the edges were seamlessly blended to minimize the visible separation between the live-action footage and the digital background. This process required careful attention to detail and meticulous tweaking to achieve a cohesive and realistic integration between the actors and the digital environment. The effort invested in refining the edges ultimately resulted in a visually convincing final composition.

To conclude, I have the most comprehensive shot we have worked on throughout the course, as it incorporates a bit of everything: color correction, object integration, tracking, CGI, particles, and more. For the integration of graffiti and debris, I utilized a camera tracker to accurately place the images as if they were part of the scene. Additionally, I employed the PointCloud Generator to recreate the buildings' geometry, allowing for a sense of depth in the snow. By generating the snow in Nuke, I was able to make it appear as if it interacted with the buildings, enhancing the overall realism of the shot. This project encompassed a wide range of techniques and showcased the culmination of our skills in creating a visually captivating and cohesive composition.

In this composition, the use of the 3D environment is essential for the integration of all the objects, as well as for the creation of snow and the desired depth effect. It plays a crucial role in separating the foreground snow from the background snow falling in the area of the buildings. By utilizing the 3D environment, I can precisely position and animate the objects, ensuring they interact realistically with the scene.

Throughout the course, I have also worked on some beauty shots or facial retouching, as well as simpler shots. Here, I will showcase a few of them.

I also worked on chroma keying with background integration.

Here is the full breakdown of the composition master's program. I hope you have enjoyed my work as much as I have enjoyed completing all the projects and learning so much during the master's program at Animum School. It has been a rewarding experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase my progress and skills in this field. Thank you for your support and for appreciating my work. I am excited for what the future holds as a composition professional!