RotoKey is our simplified way of saying Rotoscoping and Keying, the process of cutting an image out from it's background, so that it can be put on a different background. Terminologies and workflows such as Chroma Keying, Luminance Keying, Green Screen, Blue Screen, Matting, and Rotoscoping that all fall under RotoKey.
In out pipeline we separate RotoKey it into three stages, Ingest RotoKey, Main RotoKey, and Utility Rotokey.
There may be some terminologies that you are not familiar with. A list of common terms is available in the Common Terminologies page.
The Compositing Supervisor oversees the team.
The Technical Director oversees documentation and assists the team.
https://github.com/jedypod/debayer/blob/master/docs/RawTherapee.md
Add ACGEcg.icc (inset download link)
NOTE: SOME SOFTWARES HAVE RESOLUTION CAPS - Check the Software Recommendations Page to learn more.
If you are using a software that can not reach the native image resolutions, notify a Director / Supervisor to be re-tasked, Request to Rent a Remote Desktop to access software with uncapped resolutions, or ask the Technical Director for training on other uncapped software.
The first stage of the Rotoscope and Keying Pipeline is Ingest RotoKey. This is a quick and temporary rotoscope or key that is published as an initial pass. Ingest RotoKey also does Quality Control, will correct then re-write file formats into the pipeline standard. The Ingest key is later refined at a secondary stage called Main RotoKey, by either and same or a different artist. Ingest Keying should take an artist less then 30 min per shot.
Ingest Keying has multiple benefits to the pipeline.
Reviews Stop Motion Animation for any problems that need to be addressed
Provides Video Editing, CG, and Comp teams with faster access to footage
Creates initial footage formatting control
Import Stop Motion Animation TIFF sequence into your chosen Software
Set the timeline / composition to 24fps (not the footage itself) and set the resolution to match the imported footage's native resolution
Set the Image Sequence to 24fps
Set the start frame timecode to 00:00:00:01
CONFIRM
No Frames are cut off
Video is at it's full native resolution
Key and Roto the footage just enough to understand what is happening in the scene if it were composited.
(Process is Documented in further detail in your Software Specific Workflows pages)
Spill Suppress
Render out the TIF / TIFF sequence with the following settings
Native resolution
LZW Compression
RGB + Alpha
Premultiplied (Matted)
Native Bit Depth (After Effects) / Codes (Davinci Resolve)
Starting Frame Number at 1
Follow the Naming Conventions for shot work, it should look like the following, with task code rotoKey and the same layerName, and varient as the original image sequence.
MNR00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient_v001.0001.tif
Save the Rendered Image Sequence in a v001 folder (inside the publish folder for the rotoKey task of the same scene-shot)
layerName01-varient_v001 (folder name)
BFP\03_prod\BFP00\sequenceName\000-000\rotoKey\publish\layerName01-varient_v001\BFP00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient_v001.0001.tif
Render!
Save your working file to a folder with your name (inside the working folder for the rotoKey)
yourName (folder name)
BFP\03_prodBFP00\sequenceName\000-000\rotoKey\working\yourName\BFP00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient_v001.0001.aep
The second stage of the Rotoscope and Keying Pipeline is Main RotoKey. This is where most of the time for the task is spent. A final publish should include the following.
All shadows removed (unless floor is part of the set )
All animation rigs removed
Set pieces preserved
Color Spill corrected
Alpha Edges Refined with minimal to no background haloing
*MAKE DENOISING A PART OF THIS PROCCESS
Import the latest published version of the Stop Motion Animation TIFF sequence layer into your chosen Software
Set the timeline / composition to 24fps and set the resolution to match the imported footage's native resolution
Set the Image Sequence to 24fps
Set the start frame timecode to 00:00:00:01
CONFIRM
No Frames are cut off
Video is at it's full native resolution
Denoising and Fix Compression Artifacts in the footage
Reimport denoise variant, for faster program processing
Key and Rotoscope the footage as needed
(Process is Documented in further detail in your Software Specific Workflows pages)
Spill Suppress
Render out the TIF / TIFF sequence with the following settings
Native resolution
LZW Compression
RGB + Alpha
Premultiplied (Matted)
Native Bit Depth (After Effects) / Codes (Davinci Resolve)
Starting Frame Number at 1
Follow the Naming Conventions for shot work, it should look like the following, with task code rotoKey and the same layerName, and varient as the original image sequence.
MNR00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient_v002.0001.tif
Save the Rendered Image Sequence as an updated version folder (inside the publish folder for the rotoKey task of the sane scene-shot)
layerName01-varient_v001 (folder name)
BFP\03_prod\MNR00\sequenceName\000-000\rotoKey\publish\layerName01-varient_v002\BFP00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient_v002.0001.tif
Render!
Save your working file to a folder with your name (inside the working folder for the rotoKey task)
yourName (folder name)
BFP\03_prod\MNR00\sequenceName\000-000\rotoKey\working\yourName\BFP00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient_v002.0001.aep
If the native resolution of the rotoKey file you wrote out was larger then 1920x1080, you will need to create an additional lowRes variant.
In your same Step 1 - Main RotoKey file, create a new export.
Render out a TIF / TIFF sequence with the following settings
1920x1080
LZW Compression
RGB + Alpha
Premultiplied (Matted)
Native Bit Depth (After Effects) / Codes (Davinci Resolve)
Starting Frame Number at 1
Follow the Naming Conventions as the previous Step - 1, but append the additional variant lowRes.
MNR00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient-lowRes_v002.0001.tif
Save the Rendered Image Sequence as an updated version folder (inside the publish folder for the rotoKey task of the sane scene-shot)
layerName01-varient-lowRes_v001 (folder name)
BFP\03_prod\BFP00\sequenceName\000-000\rotoKey\publish\layerName01-varient-lowRes_v002\BFP00_sequence_scene-shot_rotoKey_layer01-varient-lowRes_v002.0001.tif
Render!
Version up ( save under a higher vertion number ) you working file as in Step - 1