VFX Shot Library

Start with Into the World. Then pick a shot. Each tutorial uses a professional practice plate and ends with a director’s change you solve on your own.

Core · 10 lessons

Into the World

Design a world, track a camera, key a green screen, and put a filmed person, then yourself, into it.

2 lessons · After Effects · start here

Dinosaur Chase

Composite a CG creature into live footage in After Effects: grade, shadow, holdout mattes and roto.

5 lessons

Pilot in an X-wing

Track a real camera, key a pilot, and seat her in a 3D fighter with a driver-controlled footage card, golden light and glowing thrusters.

1 lesson

Through the Window

Set extension: put your own world outside a real window and make it follow the camera.

3 lessons

Laser Sword

Object tracking: follow a real prop in 3D and replace it with a glowing blade.

3 lessons

Blaster

Object tracking with a moving camera: mount a textured 3D model and inpaint the markers.

2 lessons

Helmet

Head (geometry) tracking: a helmet that follows every turn of an actor’s head.

3 lessons

Hall Monitor

Camera tracking by hand: a scanner droid patrols a real school hallway, with its light and shadow on the floor.

3 lessons

Lake Skim

A fighter skims a real lake: reflections, spray and a camera move that sells the speed.

3 lessons

Moonwalk

Key an astronaut off green screen and stand them in a lunar landscape seen through the shot’s own camera move.