02 Professional compositing techniques (EN)

We’ll composite fully CG shots from the ground up, step by step, so you can apply the same process yourself on any shot.

Watch every step of the process as I develop the shot from scratch, solving problems on the fly and explaining the decisions behind each move. You’ll finish with a clear, adaptable workflow you can apply to any production.

Get ready to embark on a complete, hands-on learning experience — designed for Nuke artists who are ready to step up to the professional level of the film industry.

Throughout the course, you’ll develop a fully CGI sequence from the very first render to the final delivery, applying advanced techniques in compositing, look development, and technical workflow control.
You’ll learn to think like a professional compositor — to analyse, diagnose, and solve each shot with both artistic intent and technical precision.

What can you expect from this journey?

Building a complete cinematic sequence

You’ll work on five shots that form part of the same sequence, following a workflow identical to that of a real studio — from asset preparation and colour management to final client delivery.

Creating and developing complex environments

You’ll learn how to build jungles and terrains from raw renders, applying lighting corrections, atmospheric depth, fog, and 3D projections to achieve realistic integration.

Advanced look development directly in Nuke

Discover how to perform look development entirely inside Nuke — adjusting shading, relighting, and micro details without relying on re-renders. You’ll master the use of AOVs, normals, and position passes to refine the final look of each shot.

Simulating and integrating physical effects

You’ll create and integrate rain, particles, water, fog, and blood — using both practical elements and Nuke’s native particle systems — to reach a cinematic level of realism in your compositions.

Technical workflow and sequence management

You’ll design a professional folder structure, learn how to work in ACEScg, and maintain visual consistency across shots. You’ll also use tools like Stamps, Merge All, and custom scripts to streamline your production pipeline.

Quality control and final delivery (QC)

Learn the professional standards for reviewing and delivering a shot — from verifying luminance and saturation ranges to creating D-Mats for colour grading — ensuring your work is fully ready for post-production and final grading.

Course modules

01 Quick Overview – Learn to set up Nuke for professional production: installing essential toolsets (Creative Lions, NSTK, Stamps, Aitor’s custom tools), configuring init.py and menu.py, and structuring your directories for consistent, studio-ready workflows.

02 Intro Nuke Tools and Resources – Understand how the full CG dinosaur sequence was made using Unreal Engine, Nuke, and ActionVFX. Explore the hero shot, asset organisation, and real-world compositing strategies for independent productions.

03 Shot Preparation – Build a clean, ACES-compliant Nuke template with correct project setup, render management, and folder structure. Learn to organise assets, handle overscan and handles, and match the standards of a professional pipeline.

04 First Steps – Begin compositing your first shot. Analyse Unreal renders, project HDR skies, manage AOVs, and build a structured pre-comp setup ready for look-development and iteration.

05 Jungle – Develop the environment entirely in Nuke. Add realism through depth, fog, and atmospheric grading, using position and depth passes to simulate natural falloff, lighting, and cinematic mood.

06 Dinos – Separate, refine, and enhance CG creatures. Apply advanced look-dev, simulate wet surfaces and flowing water using procedural UV projections, and ensure lighting and motion blur stay physically consistent.

07 Ground – Integrate terrain, water, and contact shadows. Learn techniques for projection, surface variation, and edge refinement to achieve cohesive, photoreal ground interaction with the dinosaurs.

08 Particles – Create and integrate procedural rain, splashes, and debris directly in Nuke. Combine particle simulations with ActionVFX elements to add motion, energy, and environmental depth.

09 Rain – Composite complex rain and mist layers. Blend Houdini drips, 2D rain plates, and deep-composited effects for realistic interaction between characters, ground, and camera lens.

10 Details – Add final cinematic polish through lighting flashes, lens mist, fog, glow, chromatic aberration, and film-grain effects — turning a technically solid shot into a visually powerful, film-ready result.

11 Output – Prepare the final shot for delivery and QC. Generate D-Mats for grading, verify exposure and saturation levels, perform technical checks, and follow industry delivery standards for film and stereo workflows.

12 Extras – Extend your workflow to additional shots in the sequence. Reuse setups, introduce secondary effects like mist and debris, and refine realism with procedural water and projection techniques.

13 Blood – Create the final dramatic moment: a complex blood composite mixing FX renders with practical ActionVFX layers. Master timing, directionality, and realism in high-intensity shots.

You will have access to all the necessary materials such as plates, renders, assets, and scripts, ready to use in your own projects and improve your reel.

Jurassic Clash

- VFX course sequence

Don't just dream of big productions; equip yourself to be an essential part of them.