VFX Vlog #5 - After Effects Rotobrush Tutorial, Fix It In Post & Workflow

Learn why ‘Fix It In Post’ is your worst enemy when filming, how to adopt a good clean workflow for organising your files and how to use the Rotobrush tool in Adobe After Effects!

1. ‘Fix It In Post’
This term refers to ignoring a problem you have on set with the attitude that it can just be fixed in post production. However, it will usually take you a lot (a lot!) longer to fix something in post production than it might take you to set up a few more lights, use a green screen or reshoot a scene.
So before you brush over the details and ignore a potential problem, think through how much time this might cost you if you try to ‘fix it in post’.

2. VFX file workflow
Keeping your files organised when working on any film or VFX project is essential. Keep things in proper folders for your raw footage, VFX edits, audio files or scripts. This is very dependent on what you usually work on, but try to adopt a process that works for you and stay organised – it will save you lots of time and headaches in the long run!

You can find a written version for the ‘fix it in post’ attitude and file organisation on my website:

http://www.surfacedstudio.com/blog/vfx-vlog-5-fix-it-in-post

3. The Rotobrush Tool
The rotobrush tool is available since After Effects CS5 and can greatly reduce the time it takes to rotoscope out moving elements in your scene. It lets you paint over your layer to mark the elements you want to cut out and automatically tries to follow the shapes through consecutive frames. While it still needs a fair bit of manual guidance at times, the rotobrush tool can be a real life saver when working on effects that require extensive rotoscoping.

I have a written tutorial for the rotobrush tool in Adobe After Effects on my website if you prefer to follow along step by step:

http://www.surfacedstudio.com/blog/adobe-after-effects-rotobrush-tutorial

Ask me any VFX or film making related questions and I will try to get around to answering them in the next VFX Vlog!

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VFX Vlog #5 - After Effects Rotobrush Tutorial, Fix It In Post & Workflow