The Art and Science of Digital Compositing

by Brinkmann

• ISBN13: 9780121339609
• ISBN10: 0121339602
• Edition: CD
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-06-02
• Publisher: Elsevier Science

Summary

Computer-generated visual effects are now used extensively in feature films, commercials, music videos, and multimedia. The backbone of this process, the final and most important step, is known as digital compositing. The Art and Science of Digital Compositing is a comprehensive reference that provides a complete overview of the technical and the artistic nature of this process. This book 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 both an introduction to the field as well as a valuable technical reference, this book should be of interest to both novices and professionals alike. Written by a working professional in the visual effects industry, the book provides over 250 different images and illustrations (including a 40-page color insert) as well as a complete glossary of compositing and visual-effects terminology. Also included are in-depth case studies from well-known films such as Speed, Independence Day, and Titanic. Balances fundamental "hard science" topics with the more qualitative/artistic challenges which face anyone involved in a digital composition project Provides examples and illustrations from motion picture work CD-ROM contains additional composition examples, illustrations, and development software Includes 32 pages of colour

Author Biography

Ron Brinkmann's 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 United States, Europe, Australia, and China.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xv
Preface	xvii
Introduction to Digital Compositing	1	(12)
Definition	2	(2)
Historical Perspective	4	(3)
Terminology	7	(1)
Organization of the Book	8	(5)
The Digital Representation of Visual Information	13	(20)
Image Generation	13	(9)
Pixels, Components, and Channels	15	(2)
Spatial Resolution	17	(1)
Bit Depth	18	(2)
Normalized Values	20	(1)
Additional Channels	20	(1)
The HSV Color Repreentation	21	(1)
Image Input Devices	22	(1)
Digital Image File Formats	23	(10)
File Format Features	23	(1)
Vendor Implementations of File Formats	24	(1)
Compression	24	(7)
Choosing a File Format	31	(1)
Nonlinear Color Spaces	32	(1)
Basic Image Manipulation	33	(32)
Terminology	34	(2)
Color Manipulations	36	(10)
RGB Multiply	36	(1)
Add	36	(2)
Gamma Correction	38	(1)
Invert	39	(1)
Contrast	40	(1)
Channel Swapping	41	(1)
HSV Manipulations	42	(1)
Look-up Table Manipulations	43	(1)
Expression Language	44	(2)
Spatial Filters	46	(6)
Convolves	46	(1)
Blurring	47	(3)
Sharpen	50	(1)
Median Filter	51	(1)
Geometric Transformations	52	(13)
Panning	53	(2)
Rotation	55	(1)
Scale	56	(1)
3D Transforms	56	(2)
Warping	58	(1)
Expression Language	58	(2)
Filtering Algorithms	60	(5)
Basic Image Compositing	65	(14)
The Matte Image	66	(1)
The Integrated Matte Channel	67	(1)
Multisource Operators	68	(6)
Over	69	(2)
Mix	71	(1)
Subtract	71	(1)
In	72	(1)
Out	72	(1)
Atop	73	(1)
Masks	74	(1)
Compositing With Premultiplied Images	74	(5)
Color-Correcting and Combining Premultiplied Images	75	(2)
Luminosity	77	(2)
Matte Creation and Manipulation	79	(14)
Procedural Matte Extraction	80	(6)
Keying Based on Luminance	81	(1)
Keying Based on Chrominance	81	(1)
Difference Matting	82	(2)
The Color Difference Method	84	(1)
Specialized Keying Software	85	(1)
Matting Techniques	86	(7)
Garbage Mattes	86	(2)
Edge Mattes	88	(1)
Combining Mattes	89	(1)
Manipulating Mattes	89	(4)
Time and Temporal Manipulations	93	(10)
Apparent Motion	93	(1)
Temporal Resolution	94	(1)
Temporal Artifacts	95	(1)
Changing the Length or Timing of a Sequence	96	(3)
Keyframing	99	(4)
Image Tracking and Stabilization	103	(12)
Tracking an Element Into a Plate	104	(5)
Choosing the Feature to Track	107	(2)
Limiting the Search Area	109	(1)
Human Intervention	109	(2)
Using Tracking Curves Manually	110	(1)
Stabilizing a Plate	111	(2)
Tracking Multiple Points	113	(2)
Interface Interactions	115	(18)
Workflow	116	(2)
Online Versus Batch	118	(3)
Methods of Representing the Compositing Process	121	(5)
Compressed Trees	123	(1)
Timelines	124	(2)
Curve Editors	126	(4)
Working With Proxy Images	130	(3)
Image Viewing and Analysis Tools	133	(8)
Image Viewers	134	(1)
Flipbooks	134	(1)
Image Statistics	135	(6)
Pixel or Regional Information Tools	135	(1)
Histograms	136	(5)
Formats: Media, Resolution, and Aspect Ratios	141	(32)
Aspect Ratio	143	(3)
Nonsquare Pixels	144	(2)
Deciding on a Resolution When You Have an Aspect Ratio	146	(1)
Format Conversion Pipeline	147	(5)
A Format Conversion Example	149	(3)
Film Formats	152	(6)
35mm Formats	153	(2)
16mm Formats	155	(1)
Specialized Film Formats	156	(2)
Video Formats	158	(6)
Lines of Resolution	158	(1)
Fields	159	(2)
Color Resolution	161	(1)
Gamma	162	(1)
NTSC	162	(1)
PAL	163	(1)
SECAM	163	(1)
HDTV	163	(1)
Other Formats	164	(1)
Working With Nonsquare Pixels	165	(5)
Combining Formats	170	(1)
Converting Between Film and Video	170	(3)
Quality and Efficiency	173	(16)
Quality	173	(1)
Efficiency	174	(1)
Methodology	174	(1)
Minimizing Data Loss	175	(5)
Internal Software Accuracy	178	(2)
Consolidating Operations	180	(4)
Region of Interest	184	(1)
Working in a Networked Environment	185	(1)
Disk Usage	185	(1)
Precompositing	186	(3)
Learning to See	189	(14)
Judging Color, Brightness, and Contrast	190	(2)
The Camera	192	(1)
Distance and Perspective	193	(7)
Perspective and the Camera	193	(2)
Depth Cues	195	(4)
Combining Depth Cues	199	(1)
Lens Flares	200	(1)
Focus	201	(1)
Motion Blur	201	(2)
Creating Elements	203	(20)
Lighting	204	(3)
Interactive Lighting	205	(2)
Matched Cameras	207	(2)
The Reference Stand-in	209	(2)
Clean Plates	211	(1)
Film Stock	211	(2)
Filters	213	(1)
Choosing a Format	214	(2)
Lighting and Shooting with Bluescreens	216	(5)
Bluescreen versus Greenscreen	219	(2)
Shooting Order	221	(2)
Integration Techniques	223	(18)
Scene Continuity	224	(1)
Lighting	225	(1)
Shadows	226	(2)
Lens Flares	228	(1)
Atmosphere	229	(1)
Camera Mismatches	230	(2)
Camera Movements	232	(1)
Focus	233	(1)
Motion Blur	233	(1)
Film Grain	234	(2)
Bluescreen Integration	236	(2)
Digital Integration	238	(3)
Advanced Topics	241	(28)
Beyond Black and White	241	(4)
White Point and Black Point	243	(2)
Nonlinear Color Spaces	245	(8)
Working with Nonlinear Color Spaces	250	(3)
Working with 3D Elements	253	(8)
Z-Depth Compositing	255	(6)
Related 2D Disciplines	261	(8)
Morphing	261	(3)
Digital Painting	264	(2)
Editing	266	(3)
Case Studies	269	(22)
James and the Giant Peach	269	(2)
Speed	271	(2)
Star Trek: Insurrection	273	(1)
Con Air	274	(2)
Budweiser Lizards Commercial	276	(2)
Independence Day	278	(2)
X-Files: Fight the Future	280	(1)
T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous	281	(4)
The Prince of Egypt	285	(3)
Titanic	288	(3)
Appendix A Digital Compositing Software: Tools and Features	291	(10)
Color Correction	292	(1)
Spatial Filtering	293	(1)
Geometric Transformation	294	(1)
Miscellaneous	295	(1)
Image Combination	295	(1)
Control	296	(1)
Field Controls	297	(1)
Matte Generation	297	(1)
Timing/Duration	297	(1)
Image Generation	298	(1)
Tracking	298	(1)
Other	299	(2)
Appendix B Digital Compositing Software: Manufacturers	301	(2)
Appendix C Digital Image File Formats	303	(10)
Common File Formats	303	(3)
The Cineon File Format	306	(7)
Appendix D Common Film and Video Formats	313	(8)
Film	313	(1)
Scanning Resolutions and File Sizes	314	(3)
Video	317	(2)
HDTV	319	(2)
Bibliography	321	(4)
Glossary	325	(30)
Index	355