After Effects Compositing: 3 Advanced Matching and Looks

Learn how to composite 3D and 2D elements, color correct footage, match an original shot's light and motion, and use HDR and filmic looks to create realistic, cinematic sequences.

Introduction

• Welcome

1. Basic Color Correction Tools

• Understand what Curves can do like no other color corrector
• Advanced adjustment with multiple objects and Curves
• Set guide layers to solve workflow problems
• Set guide layers to freely add a nonrendering reference
• Create a color look with Curves

2. Working with Light

• Add a light-wrap effect to composite into a backlit scene
• Study a reference; then bend the rules of lighting
• Automate the light-wrap process with rd_LightWrap

3. Understanding Artifacts of the Camera

• Understand lens distortion
• Composite into lens distortion
• Recognize and fix rolling shutter distortion
• Match the softness of natural edges

4. Motion Through the Camera Lens

• Shutter speed vs. frame rate
• Match motion blur: Animated keyframes
• Set up the retime shot
• Match motion blur: No keyframes
• Use Time Remap
• Fix sloppy precomps with the Preserve frame rate when nested option

5. Taking Advantage of High Dynamic Range

• Understand why After Effects has three bit depths
• Know the fundamental differences between HDR and LDR
• Work in HDR, even when beginning in LDR
• Be deliberate when establishing and breaking the 32-bit-per-channel pipeline
• Freely work in HDR and render in LDR
• Avoid the 32-bit-per-channel slowdown
• A brief word on color spaces and linear light

6. Introducing Color Grading

• Determine a starting point: Make it flat
• Know your color-grading options and approach
• Create cinematic color contrasts with Mojo
• Customize a film look with Looks
• Create a film look with common lens "flaws"