Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/942009
56 CINEMONTAGE / Q1 2018 56 CINEMONTAGE / Q1 2018 TECH TIPS by Joseph Herman C ompositing is a critical part of the filmmaking process, the step where, after months of production, all the elements of a scene are assembled. It's where visual effects-heavy shots come into their own, and filmmakers finally see their visions come to life. A compositor is like a master chef who combines various ingredients together: a pinch of fog, a dash of lens flare, then key that, add a little camera mapping, track in some bushes... Before long, the final dish — I mean shot — is realized. When it comes to compositing software that is up to the challenges of creating intricate images for high-end, Hollywood-style productions, there are a few to choose from. Let's consider three of the most well known. There's Adobe After Effects, which comes with the Creative Cloud. Next is Nuke from UK-based The Foundry. The third is Fusion, originally developed by eyeon Software, now owned by Blackmagic Design. Blackmagic Design's Fusion, recently updated to version 9, introduces important new features. Having been used in many movies and TV shows including the Harry Potter series, Hugo, Thor, Prometheus and many others, it's safe to say that Fusion has an impressive pedigree and deserves its place as one of the world's elite compositing systems (see Figure 1). NODES OR LAYERS A main thing that sets compositing programs apart is whether they're node-based or layer-based. In the case The Compositor's Apprentice Blackmagic's Fusion 9 Figure 1: Fusion 9's node-based workflow is ideal for compositing complex visual effects shots, like this one from Jeepers Creepers III (2017). Courtesy of Trick Digital.