Step 8)

Matching grain and comping - It's a good idea to add grain after all of the fg manipulations are done. Now the fg is ready to be plugged into an Over node so it can be comped with the removed head bg. Various Rotoshapes were done earlier in this composite to remove unwanted garbage and allow Ling's head to go in front of Steve's as they embrace.

Step 9)

Final steps before render - If the shot is being recorded to film, a LogLin color node set to 'lin to log' needs to be applied so the comp is converted back to Cineon log color space. If it is for video preview as my demo is, the present linear color space is fine and no conversion in necessary.

It is a pet peeve that I have, but I like to strip the alpha off and only render the RGB image. I achieve this by using a Reorder node and setting it to RGBN. A FileOut node is attached lastly and the shot can be rendered. The comp is finished.

John Lafauce�s bio

John has been a �go-to� guy for tackling difficult effects shots and producing quality results for many years. His first exposure to compositing was while he was earning his BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in the late 80�s, where he also took a class in optical printing. He reflects, �I guess I was compositing before I knew what compositing even was�.

After graduation, he relocated to Los Angeles and began his professional career moonlighting as a Page for ABC Television by day, and digitally colorizing cartoon shows like �Ren and Stimpy� at an ink and paint company at night. His first break on a feature film came in 1994 when Dreamquest Images hired him to rotoscope nature effects for �The Mask�, which he accomplished by painting cels traditionally and also digitally. He had since gone on to composite at such respected facilities as: Sony Pictures Imageworks, Rhythm and Hues, Pacific Title Digital and Cinesite. Projects include compositing on over thirty feature films, including: �Stuart Little 2�, �Godzilla�, �Dr. Dolittle�, �Executive Decision�, �Turbulence�, �Heat� and �Waterworld�.

Currently, John is freelancing as a compositor and visual effects supervisor in Massachusetts. Also, he continues to write about digital effects techniques and is an active member of the Visual Effects Society.