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Elsevier

The Art and Science of Digital Compositing

Techniques for Visual Effects, Animation and Motion Graphics

  • 2nd Edition - May 21, 2008
  • Latest edition
  • Author: Ron Brinkmann
  • Language: English

The classic reference, with over 25,000 copies in print, has been massively expanded and thoroughly updated to include state-of-the-art methods and 400+ all-new full color im… Read more

Description

The classic reference, with over 25,000 copies in print, has been massively expanded and thoroughly updated to include state-of-the-art methods and 400+ all-new full color images!

"At ILM, compositing is one of the most important tools we use. If you want to learn more, this excellent 2nd-edition is detailed with hundreds of secrets that will help make your comps seamless. For beginners or experts, Ron walks you through the processes of analysis and workflows - linear thinking which will help you become deft and successfully tackle any shot." --Dennis Muren ASC, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic

"Ron Brinkman's book is the definitive work on digital compositing and we have depended on this book as a critical part of our in-house training program at Imageworks since the 1999 Edition. We use this book as a daily textbook and reference for our lighters, compositors and anyone working with digital imagery. It is wonderful to see a new edition being released and it will certainly be required reading for all our digital artists here at Imageworks." --Sande Scoredos, Executive Director of Training & Artist Development, Sony Pictures Imageworks

The Art and Science of Digital Compositing is the only complete overview of the technical and artistic nature of digital compositing. It covers a wide range of topics from basic image creation, representation and manipulation, to a look at the visual cues that are necessary to create a believable composite. Designed as an introduction to the field, as well as an authoritative technical reference, this book provides essential information for novices and professionals alike.

  • 17 new case-studies provide in-depth looks at the compositing work done on films such as Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Golden Compass, The Incredibles, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Sin City, Spider-Man 2, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith.
  • Includes new sections on 3D compositing, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, Rotoscoping, and much more!
  • All disc-based content for this title is now available on the Web.

Key features

  • 17 new case-studies provide in-depth looks at the compositing work done on films such as Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Golden Compass, The Incredibles, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Sin City, Spider-Man 2, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith.
  • Includes new sections on 3D compositing, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, Rotoscoping, and much more!

Readership

Developers, artists, and creative directors in film and computer graphics special effect, and students in these disciplines.

Table of contents

Chapter 1 Introduction to Digital CompositingDefinitionHistorical PerspectiveTerminologyOrganization of the BookChapter 2 Learning to SeeJudging Color, Brightness, and ContrastLight and ShadowThe CameraDepth, Distance, and PerspectiveVisual ‘Correctness’Chapter 3 The Digital Representation of Visual InformationImage GenerationPixels, Components, and ChannelsSpatial ResolutionBit DepthNormalized ValuesBeyond Black and WhiteFloating-Point and High Dynamic Range ImageryThe HSV Color RepresentationThe YUV Color RepresentationImage Input DevicesDigital Image File FormatsFile Format FeaturesVendor-Specific File Format ImplementationsCompressionChoosing a File FormatNonlinear Color EncodingChapter 4 Basic Image ManipulationTerminologyColor ManipulationsSpatial FiltersGeometric TransformationsMotion BlurChapter 5 Basic Image CompositingMultisource OperatorsThe Matte ImageThe Integrated Matte ChannelAdditional OperatorsMasksCompositing With Premultiplied ImagesMorphingChapter 6 Matte Creation and ManipulationRotoscopingProcedural Matte ExtractionMatte ManipulationChapter 7 Time and Temporal ManipulationsApparent MotionTemporal ResolutionTemporal ArtifactsChanging the Length or Timing of a SequenceKeyframingChapter 8 Image tracking and StabilizationTracking an Element Into a PlateHuman InterventionTracking Multiple PointsStabilizing a PlateCamera TrackingChapter 9 Interface InteractionsWorkflowThe Evolution of InteractivityMethods of Representing the Compositing ProcessTimelinesCurve EditorsWorking With Proxy ImagesImage Viewing and Analysis ToolsChapter 10 Formats: Media, Resolution, and Aspect RatiosAspect RatioFormat Conversion PipelineFilm FormatsVideo FormatsOther FormatsWorking With Nonsquare PixelsConverting and Combining FormatsChapter 11 Quality and EfficiencyQualityEfficiencyProduction MethodologiesMinimizing Data LossInternal Software AccuracyConsolidating OperationsRegion of InterestWorking in a Networked EnvironmentDisk UsagePrecompositingChapter 12 Creating ElementsLightingInteractive LightingMatched CamerasThe Reference Stand-InClean PlatesFilm StockFiltersChoosing a FormatLighting and Shooting With BluescreensBluescreen vs. GreenscreenShooting OrderChapter 13 Additional Integration TechniquesScene ContinuityColor and LightingCamera CharacteristicsChapter 14 Advanced and Related TopicsThe Digital Representation of Images, Revisited3D CompositingWorking With CG ElementsRelated 2D DisciplinesChapter 15 Case StudiesJames and the Giant PeachSpeedIndependence DayThe Prince of EgyptBudweiser Lizards CommercialTitanicA Gentlemen’s DuelBattlestar GalacticaCarlton Draught ‘Big Ad’Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeGolden CompassIncredibles Case StudyI, RobotKing KongLostThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingThe Orion Nebula from The Hubble Space Telescope: One Image from A Billion PixelsSin CitySky Captain and the World of TomorrowSpider-Man 2Underworld: EvolutionWallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-RabbitStar Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the SithAppendix A Digital Compositing Software: Tools and FeaturesColor CorrectionsFiltersGeometric Transformations and WarpsImage CombinationField ControlsMatte GenerationTiming and AnimationImage GenerationTrackingControlOtherAppendix B Digital Image File FormatsCommon Image File FormatsThe Cineon File FormatThe OpenEXR File FormatAppendix C Common Film and Video FormatsFilmDigital Cinema ProjectionVideoBibliographyGlossaryIndex

Review quotes

"At ILM, compositing is one of the most important tools we use. If you want to learn more, this excellent 2nd-edition is detailed with hundreds of secrets that will help make your comps seamless. For beginners or experts, Ron walks you through the processes of analysis and workflows - linear thinking which will help you become deft and successfully tackle any shot."—Dennis Muren ASC, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic

"Ron Brinkman's book is the definitive work on digital compositing and we have depended on this book as a critical part of our in-house training program at Imageworks since the 1999 Edition. We use this book as a daily textbook and reference for our lighters, compositors and anyone working with digital imagery. It is wonderful to see a new edition being released and it will certainly be required reading for all our digital artists here at Imageworks."—Sande Scoredos, Executive Director of Training & Artist Development, Sony Pictures Imageworks

Product details

  • Edition: 2
  • Latest edition
  • Published: May 21, 2008
  • Language: English

About the author

RB

Ron Brinkmann

Ron M. Brinkmann has been working in the field of Computer Graphics for over a decade, involved with both hardware and software design, development and use. His primary field of expertise is in visual effects for feature films, and his personal feature-film credits include: Contact, The Ghost and the Darkness, James and the Giant Peach, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Speed, Hideaway, Tall Tale, Last Action Hero, and In the Line of Fire. He has had articles published in a number of magazines, and has lectured on the topics of digital compositing and visual effects in the U.S., Europe, Australia and China.
Affiliations and expertise
Hermosa Beach, CA, USA

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