How To Change The Resolution Of The Camera In Fusion Vfx

As a Resolve colorist and Flame/Fusion VFX artist, I've done my fair share of VFX compositing, rotoscoping, keying, object removal, tracking, and basically any other VFX procedure y'all can recollect of. I've likewise managed shots that had to be sent out to vendors all over the world, and wrangled pipelines of major commercials and features.

In all that fourth dimension, I've learned firsthand the ins and outs of different types of VFX workflows, and truly appreciate how hard it is to build ane from the basis upward.

But I've also come to realize that VFX pipelines aren't something to be scared of. Once we understand the central components and how they fit together, it's fairly like shooting fish in a barrel to build new workflows that fit our particular creative needs and technical resources.

In today's article, I'll lay out several best practices for VFX workflows. We'll comprehend the basics of building your own VFX workflow from top to bottom, and help reply questions on everything from hardware and software choices, to setting up proper color management, folder structures, and file naming conventions for your project.

Many of these recommendations are tailored to smaller teams handling second compositing-type furnishings, just about of the principles will apply to large 3D/CG as well. So there's something here for everyone interested in VFX workflows.

Permit's swoop in.

A piffling background

In the old days (pre-digital acquisition), picture negatives had to exist scanned earlier any sort of VFX could exist added to a scene.

This conversion process from an analog, concrete, chemically-processed medium to a digital video/prototype file requires complex processes to ensure all the captured dynamic range, colour, and detail of a shot remains intact for VFX teams.

The scanning process was (and nonetheless is for picture show-based workflows) a key gene in preserving the highest visual quality from the photographic camera negative.

Lots of actually smart people poured buckets of money and fourth dimension into developing and optimizing the best methods for scanning film. The better the scan, the better the canvas for VFX teams to piece of work their magic.

Thankfully, we now relish the benefit of inexpensive, ultra-high-quality digital cameras. The files that come up off digital cameras ordinarily have everything we need to piece of work on proper VFX.

That said, even though nosotros don't "take" to scan film anymore (although many high-end productions still elect to shoot on motion-picture show), the analog to digital process is withal a major consideration for VFX workflows. Except now instead of it happening in a lab somewhere, it happens right behind the lens.

Analog scenes, digital files

Like film scanners, digital photographic camera sensors capture analog information (the low-cal information inbound the lens) and convert and encode it into digital files. Though, sometimes the camera only stores the raw light information (that's what a raw file is).

Let'southward imagine you're planning a shoot for a VFX-heavy scene. What is the optimal capture format? Well, information technology depends, just let's outset with the basic question—should you capture raw or RGB?

While it'southward truthful that raw formats preserve unrivaled levels of prototype detail, they can exist problematic for VFX. That's considering many raw formats capture videos into multiple files (one file per frame for some formats), rather than a single convenient file that wraps all the frames together.

Obviously, this can crusade problems for VFX teams who accept to pass files between multiple users/machines/departments/facilities. Adding hundreds or thousands of individual files per shot to the procedure tin can exist confusing, not to mention fourth dimension consuming, since raw files are quite big.

On top of that, the nature of raw footage would require every user to re-encode and debayer the raw files in gild to work with them. That just slows downwards the process further and increases the chance for errors.

So, while capturing in a raw format is more often than not a good idea and will evangelize the highest-quality paradigm for your projection, you'll probably desire to catechumen the footage to another working format before it reaches your VFX workflow.

But let's say you lot desire to keep things simple, and y'all don't want to carp with re-encoding the raw files. To relieve time, you choose to shoot your scene in a log format. They're pretty good at capturing dynamic range, and with a 10-bit encode they leave lots of room for image manipulation during mail service-production.

Log files are a lot easier to work with in your mail service pipeline because you won't have to exercise whatever of the crazy raw workflow gymnastics just to pass the files around. But they can make some VFX processes more hard, like certain types of keying or compositing.

If raw and log are both problematic, what capture formats and types of files brand the most sense for VFX piece of work? How exercise you effectively preserve the highest-quality image from a photographic camera sensor all the mode through postal service, while likewise choosing a format that won't slow you downwards or make your work difficult?

There are many potential answers to these questions. Ultimately, the correct answer for you depends on the project and the type of VFX you demand and the resources bachelor.

And since about of the time your resources will be tied to the sort of piece of work you're doing, let'south take a look at the most common types of VFX.

Types of VFX piece of work

When nigh people remember of VFX compositing, they recall of explosive superheroes, fantastical CGI worlds, or epic action sequences. Work like that is usually only possible with huge teams responsible for private sequences.

The workflows for these shots are planned far in accelerate by VFX supervisors and team leads. They make up one's mind the file types, working color spaces, binder structures, and naming conventions during pre-product.

While this blazon of VFX work for major blockbusters is what virtually people think of when they hear VFX, information technology's only one facet of the larger world of VFX work.

In commercial piece of work, for example, VFX can be much more subtle, like removing a reflection from a motorcar, painting out a blemish on skin, or shrinking someone'south waistline. Here, the idea is to keep the effects generally invisible.

Small teams are quite capable of this blazon of VFX, only their workflow volition look much different than that of a larger project. For commercial work, a squad might be working on four entirely dissimilar jobs that use completely different cameras, all at the aforementioned time.

That ways the VFX workflow will take to be flexible plenty to handle many different capture formats, and may not benefit from the same degree of pre-planning that the large workflows have.

Needless to say, this necessary flexibility can make project organization and shot management less predictable than on feature work. And many small teams won't accept a dedicated post supervisor or engineer backside them to keep the project rolling when technical issues pop upwardly. In some cases, individual artists might be in charge of building and maintaining their own workflow.

Without that kind of support, VFX work tin get actually complicated really quickly. Balancing the technical demands of the workflow with the creative tasks of the project tin can become challenging.

It tin be difficult to make these types of workflow decisions if you're building a new VFX pipeline, since there are so many factors to consider. Then allow's have a pace back and demystify the overarching process and considerations. That way we'll get the most out of our tools and have a better understanding of their capabilities.

Considerations for VFX Workflows

At that place are a few major things to consider when deciding on an advisable workflow for a project. And these considerations are all interdependent on each other. That means that if you lot accept to change one, you'll probable take to suit the rest of the process.

For instance, your color pipeline could be dependent on which piece of software you use. And the piece of software y'all need volition influence the hardware you choose. That hardware might bear upon which file types/formats y'all tin can use efficiently. And then on.

Information technology's important to look at each of these workflow categories with the big picture in mind.

Here are the major considerations you need to consider when building a VFX workflow:

• Color management
• File format
• Resolution and bit-depth
• Software
• Hardware
• Naming conventions and folder structure
• Upkeep and time

While non required in every instance, I find it helpful to remember about these decisions in this order. Information technology makes it easy to see what choices are dependent upon the other.

Colour Management

Before deciding on whatsoever workflow, color management of the project is probably the most important factor. Why? Because making certain the image data is displayed, transformed, and stored correctly will make or break the VFX.

There are ii major approaches to color management for VFX: scene-referred and brandish-referred. There's a lot to unpack with these workflows, but I'll speedily review the basics here.

Scene-referred data reflects the light values of the real-world scene every bit it was captured, instead of a conforming that data to detail color space.

Display-referred data, on the other hand, encodes the sensor data to a target color space, and applies a gamma bend to the image file.

Scene-referred

If you've ever shot raw footage, y'all've dabbled in a scene-referred format. With this blazon of workflow, yous have to convert the linear lite values into a displayable format every fourth dimension y'all want to work with them.

A lot of major characteristic films or high-end projects utilise linear light workflows, then every bit y'all tin can imagine there are a lot of moving pieces.

For instance, if you were compositing a shot in a linear light workflow, y'all'd have to convert the shot for viewing with a display lut or output transform to exercise whatever work. Then, once you finished compositing the VFX, you'd have to render the files dorsum into linear light (remove the display transform) in society to preserve the linear light values.

This arroyo makes many aspects of compositing better, similar blending, considering the math running behind the scenes is much more precise.

Linear workflows as well make delivering to multiple formats easier. Since no gamma bend or color space is automatically assigned to the prototype data, yous can render to any commitment colour space you lot want (or just keep them in a linear light format for archival purposes).

Every bit newer, better display formats are developed, y'all could take these same renders and convert them into those newer display formats to take advantage of wider colour spaces and increased dynamic range for HDR standards.

Merely these benefits come at a cost. Transforming betwixt color spaces, keeping files organized, and making sure all the metadata survives as files are passed down the pipeline tin can feel similar a full-fourth dimension job (and in many workflows, it literally is). That's why with a smaller team or project, a scene-referred workflow might be overkill.

Display-referred

For less complicated workflows, like commercial, corporate, and even television set workflows, display-referred workflows are oftentimes the common pick.

If a show or commercial is only going to be broadcast, or be streamed online, then you just demand to cater to one commitment format. That means you can save a lot of time by working in that delivery colour space.

With display-referred workflows, files aren't converted when they're imported. The projection'south colour space will probably merely be the color infinite the camera encoded the files to, and VFX are made to match this display output. You only need to return scenes to this associated color space.

But of form this simplicity sacrifices flexibility. Once you decide on a mastering format, that'south it. All your files will exist bound to that colour infinite. This may not be an event if you lot don't need to deliver multiple color spaces or delivery destinations, so the weight of this decision will depend on the demands and expectations of the project.

File Formats

In one case you have your color management figured out, choosing a file format is a relatively like shooting fish in a barrel determination, only information technology's all the same important.

It's critical to understand the limitations and strengths for any potential file formats before you start using them in your workflow. One of the most important factors when choosing a file format is how the information is stored within that item format.

There are two principal methods for storing digital information: integer and floating point. These may sound complicated, but stick with me.

Integer data means that information like RGB values won't contain decimals. They are represented by whole values (no decimal places) within a predetermined range.

Floating bespeak information, in contrast, stores decimal places and can encode values across the set range.

What are the benefits of each approach?

In general, floating point values yield better results for VFX. Since at that place are more numbers available to summate, the conversion betwixt various color spaces and compositing operations is more than authentic. This makes floating point files more desirable in a scene-referred type workflow.

Integer files, by contrast, aren't as authentic when going back and along to linear from log or other transforms, because rounding errors stack up. Since numbers tin only be integers, estimations are made in each conversion, which leads to inconsistency and artefacts. That said, single conversions to a display color space are mutual with integer formats, and so they work fine within a display-referred workflow.

To compare the 2 more than directly, floating betoken type files are cracking for compositing work. But for color grading, integer files tend to work better, since most grading applications still run best with log encoded integer information.

That'south why if your project has a lot of CG integration work, OpenEXR files may exist the best file format to use. Since OpenEXRs can shop scene linear data, you'll maintain all the benefits of that workflow, every bit we discussed earlier.

But if the VFX needs for a project are more invisible, like scene cleanup and objects removal for broadcast piece of work, an integer-based format like log DPX or ProRes444 volition work just fine. Log-based or display-referred workflows simplify the process considerably, since those color transforms are well defined and less complicated than scene-linear transforms.

Resolution, Flake-Depth, and Compression

The next important consideration for your workflow is the resolution and chip-depth of your shots.

In nearly workflows, at that place is a compromise betwixt source resolution and deliverable resolution. Some mod movie house cameras can shoot up to 8K resolution, so your plates can theoretically exist that large, but 8K VFX plates would wearisome downward VFX work to a crawl.

However, if editorial is going to use a lot of push-ins, or your deliverable format is 4K, and then 1080P volition be manner too minor.

Bit-depth is also an of import consideration. If you're heavily manipulating color, you'll need access to a large range of digital values. For integer piece of work, 10-bit is the standard, but for floating point, xvi-flake float is usually the all-time choice.

Finally, compression as well plays a major part for VFX pipelines.

When making VFX plates and renders, for example, the pinch method used will dictate what blends together or stands in the scene. If the compression used on the plate doesn't match what was used on the composited elements, the visual continuity of the shot will likely be broken.

For my recommendations above, OpenEXR files offer flexible compression options to friction match between elements, and tin exist optimized to save drive space and hardware load. But ProRes444 is much more compressed than DPX files, which will speed things upwards at the cost of lossless quality. QuickTimes are not normally used in higher stop VFX workflows for several reasons, merely if bulldoze space and hardware are a business, they tin work.

For projects with quicker turnarounds or lower budgets, keeping file sizes smaller and flake-depths low (x-$.25 minimum) volition speed up workflow. The most suitable choices will depend on your project.

Of grade, you'll need to know how your files volition be used upstream to decide on resolution, bit-depth, and compression. Picking a happy medium between the lossless quality and usability/speed is generally the best selection, but finding that sweetness spot will be dependent on your hardware and software capabilities.

Software

At that place are more than options than ever for VFX piece of work these days, but I'thou going to focus on the 3 near common applications for compositing work:

• Nuke
• Flame
• Subsequently Effects

Nuke works in scene-referred space by default. If Nuke is the software of choice for your teams, and then OpenEXR files will be the all-time choice. In fact, we can all thank Nuke for scene linear workflows, OpenEXR files, and floating indicate formats. These technologies were less popular prior to the advent of Nuke.

If Flame is your preferred workbench, note that information technology too tin utilize scene-referred data. That said, Flame is traditionally more commonly used in circulate situations, which are obviously display-referred. Using a scene-referred workflow with Flame is a bit more complicated than with Nuke, equally DPX files are the common choice in Flame workflows.

When it comes to After Furnishings, things can go tricky. Colour management in After Effects is more hard to line up, especially since After Effects is layered-based (rather than node-based). Piping input transforms and output transforms for scene-referred workflows is hard.

That'south why, typically, Subsequently Effects piece of work isn't scene linear, and the most common file formats are QuickTimes and epitome sequences like .tiff, targas, or .pngs (usually in integer flavors, though floating point is an selection).

Because larger budget projects commonly telephone call for the highest quality (i.e. scene-referred) workflow, Nuke is the first pick for most large productions. Merely medium and small projects tin leverage the power and speed of Flame and Afterwards Effects for incredible VFX, particularly if all they need is display-referred outputs.

Hardware

Hardware is the side by side consideration when building a VFX workflow.

Loftier quality files by and large take up more space, and require more processing ability. Many of y'all volition be intimately familiar with hardware bottlenecks, and sadly there actually isn't a fashion to get effectually them other than upgrading to a more powerful system.

In particular for VFX pipelines, the image files we use most often, like OpenEXR sequences, are taxing and take upwards tons of storage.

That said, if your work doesn't require the highest terminate workstations, then you tin can build a very efficient pipeline without breaking the bank. In fact, spending actress coin for hardware (similar more storage than you lot demand or processing power that goes unutilized) will do you more than harm than adept.

Thankfully, systems keep getting faster and cheaper, and it's easier than ever to scale your compute and storage resource as your concern grows.

Naming Conventions and Folder Construction

Naming conventions and binder structure are an integral part of whatsoever VFX workflow. Every unmarried asset in your pipeline will need a carefully thought out name and place to live, from plates to renders and everything in between. If you skip this pace, you're setting yourself upwardly for a earth of pain and suffering.

File Names

It tin exist difficult to decide what information to include in a file proper noun, what type of metadata to embed, and where to put the files. In my experience, the most of import information to include in a VFX shot is the shot number, unique shot name, version number, and embedded timecode.

I too call back shot numbers are a must for VFX shots, as they tin exist tracked in a workflow tracker or database. This makes it easy to check their status, and go on upwardly with vendors.

Whatsoever you choose, organization and consistency are cardinal, especially with larger teams. If even just a few assets are mislabeled or put out of identify, your workflow can come to a screeching halt.

Folder Structure

VFX work involves a lot of moving files around. Plates are rendered out from OCNs, they're imported into a scene, and and so composited scenes are rendered out. It's important to determine upfront where source plates and rendered composites (and the many other types of assets VFX generates) will alive.

Again, shot numbers are a necessity. Shot numbers proceed plates, graphics, and all associated elements of a VFX shot together and organized.

In my experience, dated folders (like y'all might have for OCNs) are disruptive for VFX shots, particularly with complicated projects. Shot numbered folders, on the other hand, brand a lot more sense, especially if version numbers are added to further eliminate the demand for dates.

Project Needs

You'll need to assess the needs for your item project when deciding on binder structure and naming convention. It's important to remainder how much information should be included in the file name with how easy these file names are to read/utilise.

If y'all're using shared storage/servers, shared media, and multiple artists, information technology's absolutely critical that everyone has buy-in on the naming convention, and maintains consistency for the duration of the project (and every projection). This tin be a challenge during the rush to finish, but it'due south the only way to go along your workflow from falling apart.

In some cases, different departments might have their own servers and file naming conventions, and they may laissez passer off finished composites/elements to the next team section who might also accept their own storage and file naming practices. Only for environments with whatever sort of centralized nugget management, establishing protocols that stretch across your entire organization (and that are followed by vendors) is paramount.

Budget and Fourth dimension

The single biggest consideration you need to make when building your VFX workflow is the available budget and time.

As a VFX artist, one of the most of import skills yous can learn is predicting how much time something will accept. Each of the considerations we've already discussed will make up one's mind how much time it will take to finish a VFX shot, and you lot need to make sure that the procedure y'all build aligns with the allotted resources.

A skilful way to brand sure you'll cease on time and on budget is by testing your workflow before beginning a project. Equally y'all examination, and gain experience with your pipeline, yous'll get a much better thought of how long certain processes have, which makes calculating fourth dimension savings or increased burden from pipeline changes easier.

If more complicated projects crave scene-linear work, your tests will requite y'all a baseline to summate the extra work from and figure out how many extra artists and time are required to get it done. Or if a production only needs display-referred renders, and you're used to scene-referred work, you'll have an idea of how much faster you can finish the projection.

It'due south also important to appraise the skills of your team. If a chore will stretch existing skill sets, you should add more time into the schedule. But if a project has an amazing team lead, it might take that person half the time to practice something it would take a junior artist to do.

Speed vs. Quality

Another thing to consider is speed vs. quality. If speed is more than important than quality, lower resolutions and compression will save time and no one will notice. Some client budgets don't always allow for the highest quality workflows, and that'due south ok.

Merely if quality is the near of import factor, and customer budgets are high (non a common scenario, but we can dream), and then it's time to invest in the personnel and machines to get in happen.

In the existent globe, compromise between quality and speed is necessary, even at the upper-end of the marketplace. More than and more, bacteria VFX teams have made inroads to top tier clients, especially as off the shelf software and hardware have become more accessible.

Perhaps counterintuitively, surviving in the market place is hard for larger, more capable teams, considering client demands are e'er evolving, while the prices yous can charge clients go along falling. Large workflows require large investments in pipeline, software, and hardware, along with the engineers and personnel to back up that investment, just that investment apace becomes obsolete whether or not it has paid for itself.

Ultimately the about of import consideration is whether or not your workflow will help you lot accomplish the goals of a specific project. The more y'all plan ahead, the more successful and productive your VFX workflow will be.

Boundaries and flexibility

With that in mind, there'southward a specter that will probable hover over your VFX pipeline which y'all'll have to face somewhen: customer boundaries.

As Hollywood has shown us time and once again, major VFX projects tin can produce incredible creative achievements, but lead to the ruin of the team who created it all.

It is admittedly crucial to set expectations and boundaries with clients early, based on the allotted budget and time frame. If changes are requested during the project, the actress costs incurred must exist communicated to the projection. Of grade, artists and producers should be flexible to make sure the client's needs are met, just not at the expense of the team'south mental, physical, or financial prosperity.

Too much flexibility and capitulation to customer demands tin lead to artist burnout and the demise of your business. If it can happen to Oscar-winning teams, information technology can happen to you.

If client requests outset to pile up, it's crucial to gear up amend boundaries based on the budget. This is why it'south important to take time at the beginning to accurately assess and factor in time for changes or unforeseen hurdles.

Producers and Client Relationships

Client relationships are a huge part of the planning process, as well.

If your client expects you to give them a flat bid, and there isn't a clear understanding about revisions or additions, you're setting yourself upwardly for disaster. Establishing common respect between the client and your squad is essential, and building boundaries volition assistance ensure that respect is maintained.

This is why talented post-production producers or supervisors are and then valuable. They tin manage clients, track costs, communicate changes to artists or hurdles to clients, and generally keep the projects on job and on budget. Having one of the artists act as a producer can make things difficult, so, if possible, budget money for a producer/project manager into your workflow.

Afterward many years in this concern, I know how hard information technology is to ready these boundaries. Getting a shot or a scene just right may take actress hours or days or weeks. But with the right support, salubrious lines of communication, and a precipitous producer watching your back, VFX work doesn't demand to be painful. It is possible to deliver high quality work in a reasonable fourth dimension frame within upkeep. But information technology takes practise and experience.

Determination

VFX workflows are complicated. At that place are so many factors to consider, and it takes years of experience to accurately estimate time and to work with clients effectively. On top of that, the technical skills of this industry keep evolving at a breakneck stride. But if you remember about the steps we just covered, yous'll be well on your mode to building a successful VFX team and pipeline.

As y'all continue to test your workflow and to learn by completing projects, you'll better understand how to program and upkeep, and larn the complex dance of client interaction.

Successful VFX teams demand to communicate, encourage i some other, and all push in the same direction to motion a projection over the line. I promise you found this overview useful and wish you the very all-time of luck on your journey into the world of VFX!

Source: https://blog.frame.io/2020/02/17/vfx-workflow-best-practices/

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