Compositing Visual Effects: Essentials for the Aspiring Artist (Paperback)

by Steve Wright (Author)
Key Phrases: compositing visual effects, bluescreen layer, despill operation, Adobe Photoshop, The Art of Compositing, Digital Images (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...leads the reader through the entire process and techniques used to create blockbuster effects, but makes the journey easy for the layperson. This is a MUST-HAVE book for anyone who wants to know the magic that digital compositing is. Jeffrey Jasper, VFX Compositor, New Deal Studio (The Good Shepherd, X-Men 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3)

Steve Wright is the master of clarity. Compositing Digital Effects is easy on the brain and on the eyes... the perfect textbook for students who are just becoming familiar with computer graphics and filmmaking. --Larry Elin, Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

Review
"Steve Wright has hit it out of the ballpark again. After his wildly successful book Digital Compositing For Film and Video he tackles digital compositing anew, but this time from the perspectives of the curious beginner all the way to industry professionals. In easy to follow terms he leads the reader through the entire process and techniques used to create blockbuster effects, but makes the journey easy for the lay-person. This is a MUST HAVE book for anyone who wants to know just what is this digital compositing magic."
-- Jeffrey Jasper, VFX Compositor, New Deal Studio (The Good Shepherd, X-Men 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3)

"Steve Wright is the master of clarity. His new book Compositing Digital Effects is easy on the brain and on the eyes, as he deftly explains fairly complicated computer graphics and digital effects in a way that is so easy to follow, augmented with hundreds of color pictures. It is the perfect textbook for students who are just becoming familiar with computer graphics and filmmaking. I'm excited to begin using it for my animation and special effects courses."
-- Larry Elin, Associate Professor, Television, Radio, Film, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

"Every time I come out of a conversation with Steve I know a lot more about how visual effects are done than I did before and am more confident that I can handle whatever the movie I'm working on is going to throw at me next. Reading Compositing Visual Effects is nearly as much fun as talking to Wright in person because he writes just like he speaks: entertainingly, concisely and accurately. Now when we can't get him on the phone we can pull him off the shelf."
--George Merkert, Visual Effects Producer (As Good As It Gets, Total Recall, In The Line of Fire, Starship Troopers)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (November 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240809637
• ISBN-13: 978-0240809632
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,906 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good primer, May 21, 2008

By	R. Garnica (LA, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had originally wanted to get Steve Wright's other book, Digital Compositing for Film and Video, Second Edition, but read another review of this book make mention that it is geared more towards a beginner. At first, I thought this to be what I needed and when I got the book and scanned through it, it just seemed like an overview of the variety regarding compositing. I was a bit disappointed, until I started to peruse through more thoroughly.

What I liked (and am liking) is that it is geared towards more of a primer in the sense of the fundamental operations involved in digital compositing. And ironically, it was also what I did not like. I expected to have a more thorough or at least a methodical approach (not necessarily step-by-step) towards teaching basic compositing principles. That is what the aforementioned book describes. (And I say this based on the Table of Contents.)

So, I give a 5-star review to let people know that if they want to get a handle on "essential" concepts, that is easy to understand and comprehend, then get this book. Even if you have no interest in making movies or working in a VFX field, this will be a fun read to see the tricks the pros build upon to create some truly imaginative results. However, if you know what bluescreen compositing is, multi-plane compositing, premultiplication, etc., then this book might be redundant for you.

Once I'm done with this book, though, I'll be moving onto his other text and will be better prepared to absorb more detailed techniques.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic introductory book, April 21, 2008

By	Pleisure "Peter" (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

I first bought the other book from Steve Wright and I found it quite difficult. This book, 'Essentials' is just as it says. very clearly written with lot's of pictures. It covers every compositing aspect so it's very valuable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best Intro on compositing for newbies I have read!, January 13, 2008

By	J. Anderson "God Bless" (CA USA) - See all my reviews

So far I have read work through the 6 chapter of this very easy read book.I recommend this book to anyone who want to start in the art of vfx.Mr.Wright has a great teaching style that takes technical jargon and simplifies the visual effects for the total beginner with a lot of examples.Great job on this book looking forward to see other books written by this author