Compositor Artist
What does a compositor do?
Compositor makes the final image of a frame, shot or VFX sequence. They take all the
varieties of digital materials used such as Computer-Generated Images (CGM), live action
footage and matte drawings and combine them to visually as one cohesive picture and shot.
Compositor consider visual characteristic of a scene. Original lighting is a key one of these.
Anything caused by light hitting a lens is a compositor’s management. They relight in order
to improve the appearance of the image.
Compositor do ‘chroma keying’ which is also known as keying. This is where they choose a
specific part of a picture that has a clear colour or lighting and extract it to be used other
places. This way is commonly implemented with green/blue screen footage, where a subject
has been shot in front of a single green/ blue background in order to be able to place the
subject in a non-identical setting or environment later in post-production.
What’s a compositor good at?
A good eye: to realize what makes a picture an image appear practical in terms of light,
colour, composition and perspective.
Knowledge of Photography: acknowledging cameras, cinematography and how films are
created.
Knowledge of compositing programs: be able to use relevant program such as After Effects,
Blackmagic Fusion, Houdini, Maya, Nuke and Photoshop.
Collaboration: be able to work with other VFX Artist with the use of each other’s resources
effectively and efficiently.
Work to deadlines: to work within given time frames and be able to complete work under
pressure.
Tools of the Trade
These are some of the tools used by professionals.
Image editing software
Adobe Photoshop
Compositing and digital painting software
3Ds Max
After Effect
Arnold
V-Ray
Blackmagic Fusion
Houdini
Maya
Mental Ray
RenderMan
Who does a compositor work with?
Lighting Technical Director (TD)
Roto Artist
Prep Artist
Role and responsibilities
Compositors play a significant role within the final output of the finished film, television
series or video game. They assemble all the layers of live-action footage, animation, and
computer graphics into one at the tip of the post-production process.
Solid knowledge of CGI elements and the way to integrate them is important to the role of
the Compositor. Their work is vital to the visual success of the film, television episode or
game.
Responsibilities of the Compositor may include:
Liaising with the director, producer and post-production head to determine the formats and
delivery items of all the weather that compose the assembly
Collating all the materials from the camera, animation and lighting tricks teams, and ensuring
they're all compatible
Advising filmmakers on the simplest lighting, colour levels and blacks to keep up a
consistency of fashion and appearance throughout the shoot
Working closely with lighting technical directors, roto artists and render wranglers to confirm
the graceful running of the assembly pipeline
Taking responsibility for continuity of shots and effects of the whole work
Enhancing lighting effects
Creating convincing shadows within an effort
Adding motion blur to scenes
Integrating rear projection into background images
Working with blue/green screen effects
Ability to try and do some keying, rotoscoping and creating mattes as needed
Conducting quality assurance of visuals and correcting errors before the ultimate composition
Ensuring the director’s vision of the general style is delivered
Software and other tools used
Nuke
Adobe Photoshop
After Effects
Shake
Maya
Combustion
Inferno
Flame
Amino
Opus
RenderMan
Blackmagic Fusion
Skills required
Compositors require an equal amount of artistic and technical skills. Their role is that the
crucial final step of the output of the film or game when all the weather are composed to its
final render. As this is often the ultimate stage of a production Compositors may work long
hours to satisfy tight deadlines if the schedule is behind, this could be a challenging role and a
spread of technical and time management skills are required.
Sometimes Compositors can work on up to 120 versions of one scene to integrate all the
weather required of an effect, the flexibility to multi-task and a high level of attention to
detail is required.
Employers may search for the subsequent skills in an exceedingly Compositor:
Solid knowledge of a broad range of software
Strong artistic skills
Career training in VFX compositing and a robust demo reel
Good communication skills, ability to figure with all heads of departments
Problem-solving skills, especially technical issues
Attention to detail
Ability to investigate visual elements and make them consistent throughout
Knowledge of the visual effects pipeline
Proficiency in cinematic lighting, how shadows add the 000 world
Great working knowledge of the post-production process, especially the FX
department
Understanding of visual storytelling and editing
Ability to figure in a very team similarly as individually with minimal supervision
Ability to figure stressed
Ability to stay resources and teams on schedule and within budget
