Advanced CGI / VFX Compositing

Shot Mapping is an essential process prior to compositing. In order for you to properly create a CGI shot, you must be aware of the various bits and pieces that make up the final shot. Watch the lesson to learn more.

High quality texture maps are of prime importance in CGI compositing. In this lesson you will learn where to find excellent royalty free Earth texture maps.

Despite the high quality of the texture maps, the colors are too generic. Making a few adjustments to the colors and contrast in Adobe Photoshop can go a long way in adding photo realism.

Creating a photo realistic Earth in Adobe After Effects is now a lot easier thanks to a fabulous free plugin from Video Copilot. In this lesson you will learn how to use it!

Now that you have created the Earth it is time to create a star field to simulate outer space. Watch this lesson to learn how to do this natively in After Effects without any plugins.

3D modeling is an essential skill to possess if you want to become a successful VFX artist. Learn how to model using Blender, the award winning open source 3D application.

Regardless of how well a 3D model has been created, it has little value without proper textures. However, you cannot simply apply texture maps to the model and expect them to work. The model has to first go through a process of UV unwrapping. Watch the lesson to learn how and why this must be done!

The next step after the 3D model has been UV unwrapped is to create the appropriate textures for it. During this lesson you will learn how to create textures from scratch using Photoshop and some custom brushes.

During this lesson you will learn how to create additional details using Illustrator. We also show you how to generate Normal maps in Photoshop.

After Effects does not support 3D models natively. The Element 3D plugin is much more than just a 3D importer, it is a complete 3D workshop. Element 3D offers amazing features such as real 3D shadows, Image Based Lighting, Ray Tracing, Ambient Occlusion, 3D Glow with Chromatic Diffraction and much more. During this lesson you will learn how to import and texture 3D models with Element 3D.

3D Compositing is a vital requirement for today's high-end visual effects. Using a virtual camera we can frame the shot according to the requirements of the Director and DP.

Lighting has a significant impact on how a shot will look. In this lesson you will learn about 3-Point Lighting and how to light a shot in After Effects using virtual lights.

One of the most powerful features of Element 3D is that objects can be animated individually. This lesson covers not only how to animate the space capsule and its safety door, but also how to animate the virtual camera using an orbit null. Watch the lesson to learn how this is done!

Because there is very less actual movement in the shot, an illusion of fast motion must be created. An essential part of this is simulating a speed streak effect. In this lesson you will learn how you can do this natively in After Effects.

It is all about the details when creating a photo realistic scene. One of those details is the fact that as a space capsule is re-entering the atmosphere there is an immense amount of friction which causes especially the front portion of the capsule to heat up tremendously. For this reason a heat glow is a vital detail to add into the mix.

As with any good CGI shot there must be something real to sell the shot to the audience. This is where stock footage comes into the picture. During this lesson you will learn how to composite and mask fire and explosion stock footage with CGI elements.

Although the speed streaks are good for creating the illusion of fast motion they are not enough. Adding some smoke stock footage creates a more realistic feel to the shot. Watch the lesson to learn how this is done in After Effects.

An intense shot will never look like one without camera shake. Simulating a realistic shake is not easy without the right tools. In this lesson you will learn what is needed for doing this in a natural and realistic way.

After all of the individual elements have been put together, each element needs to be color corrected to ensure that the shot is a cohesive whole.

Adding the final touches to the shot is one of the most important phases in the process. Color Grading is all about creating the right mood for the shot. Degradive Enhancements are an essential requirement for selling a shot to the audience. Effects such as Chromatic Aberration, Light Leaks and Film Grain add an organic feel to the final shot.

Bonus Lesson