Practical writing on VFX shot work and on where AI belongs in post-production.https://nolanlabs.io/enhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/ai-masking-after-effects-resolve-premiere/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/ai-masking-after-effects-resolve-premiere/After Effects Object Matte, Premiere Pro Object Mask and DaVinci Resolve Magic Mask as of September 2026: workflow, refinement, cost and independent tests.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRoto & mattesobject mattemagic maskobject maskafter effectspremiere prodavinci resolveai maskingroto brushThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/alpha-channels-prores-4444-exr/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/alpha-channels-prores-4444-exr/Which formats actually store alpha, straight vs premultiplied, bit depth for soft edges, and how to export mattes from After Effects, Premiere Pro and Resolve.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCompositing & deliveryalpha channelprores 4444openexrpng sequencepremultiplied alphamattesexportThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/background-replacement-without-green-screen/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/background-replacement-without-green-screen/Replacing a background without a green screen: matte-and-comp vs generative tools, what makes the result believable, a step list, and fixes for common problems.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCompositing & deliverybackground replacementcompositingmattesrotolight wraptrackingThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/client-footage-ai-tools-security-checklist/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/client-footage-ai-tools-security-checklist/Where footage goes, who processes it, whether it trains models and how long copies are kept: the questions to ask any AI vendor before uploading client work.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWorkflow & trustsecurityNDAclient footageAI toolsTPNdata retentionThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/generative-video-editing-vs-plate-preserving-vfx/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/generative-video-editing-vs-plate-preserving-vfx/Full-frame generative video editors re-render every pixel, not just your edit. What current tools document, how to test for plate changes, and when to use them.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCompositing & deliverygenerative airunway alephvideo to videoplate preservationdifference mattecompositinginpaintingThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/how-to-make-a-clean-plate/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/how-to-make-a-clean-plate/What a clean plate is, how to shoot one on set, and the ways to build one in post, from frame borrowing and tracked paint to AI inpainting, plus how to QC it.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCleanupclean platecleanuppaintobject removalcontent-aware fillinpaintingregrainThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/is-ai-rotoscoping-good-enough/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/is-ai-rotoscoping-good-enough/What AI roto really is, the criteria that decide if a matte can ship, a test protocol to run on your own shots, and how to fix AI mattes that fall short.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRoto & mattesai rotoscopingai rotomattessegmentationmattingquality controlThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/what-is-rotoscoping/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/what-is-rotoscoping/Rotoscoping explained for editors, motion designers and producers: splines, feathering, motion blur, what a good matte delivers, and why roto is slow.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRoto & mattesrotoscopingrotomattesalpha channelcompositingvfx basicsThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/will-ai-replace-roto-artists/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/will-ai-replace-roto-artists/An honest look at what AI does well and badly in roto and cleanup, what unions and studies say, the entry-level problem, and where we think AI belongs.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTPerspectiveAI and jobsrotoscopingroto artistscleanupVFX careersmanifestoThe nolanlabs teamhttps://nolanlabs.io/blog/wire-rig-and-tracking-marker-removal/https://nolanlabs.io/blog/wire-rig-and-tracking-marker-removal/How to plan for and remove wires, rigs and tracking markers: on-set choices, the right technique for each case, motion blur and grain, and a QC checklist.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCleanupwire removalrig removaltracking markerscleanuppaintplanar trackingThe nolanlabs team