When compositing a static image over footage, the lack of moving noise can be a subtle giveaway that it’s fake.
Matching grain/noise is an important part of VFX compositing, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with how to work with it!
Noise is present is most digital footage and is especially apparent in the darker parts of an image. Grain often refers to the grain of a film negative or print, but you can both refer to changing specks in your footage so for compositing purposes they are the same thing.
When adding CG or a still image to a live action background, you’re going to get a mismatch in the noise.
That mismatch is a clue to the viewer that the VFX element was not shot in camera, so to give the illusion that it’s all real, you’ll want to make sure the noise levels match everywhere in your shot.
In this video from Casey Faris, you’ll learn about:
- Analyzing grain in a shot
- Noise reduction
- Neat Video
- Adding noise with FilmGrain node
- Compositing noise footage over the plate
- Removing and adding grain over the whole image
- Using a Luma Key to apply grain selectively
Gedaly is the Founder and Lead Educator of DVResolve.com and is Blackmagic Design Certified Master Trainer. He’s edited commercials for major brands and has done color & VFX for independent films. He consults on post-production workflow and creating online education. Gedaly is the co-founder of Working.Actor, a former marketing manager for large brands, and creates original film projects with his production company Razee.