SIL201 SilhouetteFX tutorial by FXPHD [by posU]

Like it or not, root and rig removal are the foundation of any compositor's skillset. SIL201 is designed to help take some of the pain out of these tasks. It explores a number of different workflows to approaching mask and matte creation in SilhouetteFX. An emphasis is placed on shot analysis prior to picking up the pen, and deciding which tools are most appropriate for a particular task.

We will use a wide range of the toolset to tackle common yet challenging tasks, such as character roto, hair and motion blur. The creative decisions and possibilities for tackling such shots are also discussed, so you get a better understanding of why a particular approach was taken.
Ben Brownlee is a VFX artist, digital media specialist and instructor with 11 years of industry experience across a number of disciplines. He works extensively with leading Scandinavian fashion brands as co-owner of Husk Os (www.huskos.com) and has worked on various broadcast, TVC and feature projects across the globe.
course syllabus
Class 1: Motion tracking. Tracking is key to fast and accurate rotoscoping work. In this first project we explore different techniques to get the most useful track we can. This is not necessarily as straightforward as object tracking.
Class 2: Approaching a shot. In this project we analyze a shot to see how we can tackle it in the shortest time possible without compromising the result. We focus on the main roto toolset, tackling camera motion and motion blur.
Class 3: Wire Removal - This week we look at wire removal and the Paint node. When prepping this shot for fast and consistent results, we will build on our motion tracking skills.
Class 4: Anamorphic and cropped footage. Tweaking SilhouetteFX's inner preferences make working with anamorphic and scanned footage a whole lot easier. Hair is the focus of this class, how do we blend mattes and masks to create the best result.
Class 5: Hands. Breaking down extremities is never easy. We will build up a hierarchy to keep this complex shot manageable and understandable for another artist to complete.
Class 6: Power matte. This week we look at how to create a detailed matte using the Power Matte node. We look at maintaining motion blur and fine edge detail. Use quick shapes rather than keyers or accurate rotosplines to speed through the shot. Finally, what to do when we need to clean up the results manually.
Class 7: Human roto part 1. Predictably irrational movement is the focus this week. How do we start to tackle large movements, rotation, spinning and obscuration.
Class 8: Human roto part 2. Carrying on the project from last week. More focus placed on limbs and joints.
Class 9: Stereoscopic workflow. As stereoscopic 3D becomes increasingly part of the everyday workflow, how do our techniques have to change? We explore a typical SilhouetteFX workflow to get the pixel accurate results we need.
Class 10: Interoperability. The data we have been creating in SilhouetteFX cannot exist in a vacuum. We can export to a number of different formats, with their own advantages and disadvantages. As importantly, we will also import tracking and shape data from other applications to SilhouetteFX to speed our work up.