Compositing

Compositing is the process of combining visual elements from multiple sources into a single unified image or video, creating scenes that would be impossible, impractical, or too expensive to capture in a single shot. This includes layering green screen footage over backgrounds, adding CGI elements to live action, combining multiple camera passes, creating digital environments, and integrating visual effects like explosions, weather, or supernatural elements. Professional compositing involves precise color matching, edge refinement, lighting integration, and camera tracking.

Creating a shot of an actor in a fantasy forest involves multiple compositing layers in Nuke or After Effects. The background plate contains the forest environment, either filmed or digitally created. The actor filmed on green screen is keyed and placed on top, with edge refinement to handle hair detail. CG magical particles are rendered separately and composited with additive blending. Interactive light on the actor matching the particle glow is added. Color grading unifies all elements. Finally, film grain and subtle lens effects make everything feel captured by the same camera.