Nuke Compositing Course for Beginners, Taught by Film Industry Experts

Overview

Nuke compositing for beginners

Take your first step towards a career as a film compositor

Whether you’re just starting out as a digital artist or making the switch from Adobe After Effects, our Nuke course has you covered. Learn the art of integrating green screen footage with digital assets and kickstart your career in this exciting industry.

Why learn Nuke compositing at CG Spectrum:

Get the latest skills studios are hiring for
Learn from artists with real-world experience
Private 1-on-1 or small group classes (max 4 students)

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The VFX industry is rapidly growing and the need for highly-skilled, talented compositors is too. There’s never been a better time to learn Nuke, the most popular visual effects digital compositing package.

Get a more personalized experience via live weekly calls with your mentor each week, and study from the comfort of your own home.

On completion of this course, you may choose to continue your studies with the more advanced Nuke Compositing Course, which will prepare you for a career as a professional digital compositor.

nuke-compositing-diploma-overview-02

Qualification

Certificate

Study duration

3 months

Commitment

20 hrs weekly

Skill level

Beginner

Prerequisites

Basic computer skills & min. computer specs

Delivery

Weekly online classes, feedback and support

Software

Nuke

Start date

Oct 3, 2022

Why study with us

Learn Nuke from industry pros who have worked on blockbuster films at top studios

Whether you’re straight out of high school, changing careers, or upgrading skills, our expert-led programs help you build practical job skills that will serve throughout your career.

how-it-works

Flexible Scheduling

Plan your studies around your work and family commitments

Industry Mentors

Learn from experts who have worked on blockbuster films

Job-Ready Skills

Build practical and relevant job skills studios are looking for

Payment Plans

Pursue your passion and start working sooner with flexible payments

Curriculum

Industry-approved curriculum to help you get started as a Nuke VFX Compositor

Term 1: 12 weeks

Introduction to Nuke Compositing

Learn Nuke compositing essentials and get the hang of using professional workflows and tools. Master Nuke’s user interface and start experimenting with complex rotoscoping techniques (a fundamental aspect of VFX compositing). Next, you’ll jump into green screen keying and find out how to integrate different elements into live-action footage. Put your new knowledge into practice by building several VFX shot's from scratch for your portfolio.

*This short course is a prerequisite to the more advanced Nuke Compositing Course. It will give you the foundational skills you need to continue on your educational pathway.

Compositing basics
How to use the Nuke interface
Rotoscoping and color keying
Adding VFX elements to a live-action shot
Seamlessly integrating digital backgrounds

Introduction to VFX Compositing and Breaking Down a Shot
Common Nuke Tools
Introduction to Rotoscoping & Tracking
Intro to Live Action & CG Compositing
Rotoscoping Explained
Squib Hits & Muzzle Flashes
Color Keying 101
Color & Light: Otherworld Planet Project 01
Color & Light: Otherworld Planet Project 02
Greenscreen Driving Comp
Alien Invasion 01
Alien Invasion 02

FAQs

Got questions? We've got answers.

Learn more about the prerequisites for this course and the visual effects careers you could explore after graduation. For general questions about studying at CG Spectrum, visit the main FAQ page or contact us.

VFX Compositing FAQs

To be successful in this program you will need basic computer skills and a computer that meets the minimum specifications (see next question).

Software:

A student license of Nuke will be provided for free. You will also get access to a library of free VFX assets from ProductionCrate to use in your shots throughout the course.

Hardware:

You will need a dedicated graphics card, and a computer that meets the minimum requirements for Nuke .

Studying VFX compositing can open up a variety of career paths in the entertainment industry.

This short compositing course will get started on your journey, but in a competitive industry, continuing your studies with the more advanced Nuke Compositing Course will better prepare you for a job in the industry and help increase your employment opportunities.

The course covers more complex techniques and includes an entire term dedicated to career development and portfolio preparation to get you industry-ready. Some of the junior VFX compositing jobs you could pursue after completing the full study pathway include:

Discover more VFX jobs, tips, and salary expectations on our careers page:

Explore visual effects jobs

Mentors

Be mentored by professional Nuke compositing artists

All Nuke compositing classes are taught by industry mentors with years of experience working on films and video games.

Sean Amlaner's Work

Sean Amlaner

Sean's worked at Walt Disney Animation, Technicolor VFX, and Sony on 100+ films and TV projects. Credits: Star Trek: Picard, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Avengers: Infinity War.

Read full bio

Dept. Head of Nuke Compositing

Known for Thor: Ragnarok

Genevieve Camilleri's Work

Genevieve Camilleri

Gen is an Oscar-nominated VFX Supervisor & Compositor who has worked at ILM, Mill Film, and Animal Logic. Credits: Love and Monsters, Doctor Strange, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Love and Monsters

Brittany Piacente's Work

Brittany Piacente

Brittany has 50+ film & TV credits to her name including three Star Wars films, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Black Panther, Mad Max: Fury Road, Blade Runner 2049.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Loki

Kasy Stein's Work

Kasy Stein

From Blue Sky to ILM, Method and MPC, Kasy's earned credits on dozens of projects including Kong: Skull Island, Ice Age, The Martian, X-Men: Days of Future Past and RoboCop and 47 Ronin.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Kong: Skull Island

Jai Kenway's Work

Jai Kenway

With a background in compositing, design, motion graphics, animation and 3D, Jai's work can be seen in Ant-Man and Wasp, Thor: Ragnarok, and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Josh Parks's Work

Josh Parks

Based in London, Josh has worked at MPC, ILM, and Double Negative on films like Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Ready Player One, The Jungle Book, The Martian, and Spectre.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Jason Gottlieb's Work

Jason Gottlieb

Jason is a Compositing Supervisor and Senior Compositor for TV. Credits: The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Bones, Criminal Minds, Empire, Ozark, Prison Break, and The Tick.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for The Tick

Greg Ng's Work

Greg Ng

Gregory Ng is a Lighting and Compositing Artist at Luma Pictures in Melbourne. His long list of credits includes: Captain America: Civil War, Deadpool, Ant-Man and Doctor Strange.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Spider Man: Far From Home

Joel Delle-Vergin's Work

Joel Delle-Vergin

Since scoring his first compositing role on Iron Man 2 for Double Negative, Joel's been nominated for two VES awards and worked as an Additional VFX Supervisor for The Mandalorian.

Read full bio

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for The Mandalorian

Azra Alkan's Work

Azra Alkan

Azra is an award-winning Compositing Supervisor and Realtime Artist who works across film and games. She is currently working at Zoic Studios in Los Angeles.

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for The Flash

Dominic Hellier's Work

Dominic Hellier

Dom is an experienced Compositor and Head of 2D at Framestore in Melbourne. He’s worked on blockbusters such as Terminator: Dark Fate, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Game of Thrones.

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Shang-Chi

E Lee's Work

E Lee

E Lee is a Senior Compositor with a solid fine art background. She’s worked at studios such as Weta Digital, DNeg, and MPC on projects including Venom 2, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Vikings.

Mentor of Nuke Compositing

Known for Carnival Row

Study Options

Small Class

The most affordable way to learn from top industry mentors in a fun, collaborative environment, while still getting plenty of personalized feedback.

Max. 4 students per course
Affordable high-quality education
Network while you learn

Study Options

1-on-1 Private

Progress faster and enjoy more flexiblity with private mentorship. Ideal for busy schedules, career-changers, or artists upgrading skills or changing specialties.

Maximum level of mentor interaction
Greater flexibility to schedule classes
Customized learning experience

Monthly

$1,185 USD

(3 x payments)

Most Popular

Save 10%

Upfront

$3,199 USD

(1 x payment)

Monthly

$1,485 USD

(3 x payments)

Most Popular

Save 10%

Upfront

$3,999 USD

(1 x payment)

Student Showcase

High quality student work that speaks for itself

With a focus on portfolio preparation, we help students build their competitive edge with high quality work that gets noticed. See what they are creating.

Studios that hire our students

With a focus on portfolio preparation, we help students build their competitive edge with high quality work that gets noticed. See what they are creating.

Industrial Light. & Magic

Picking CG Spectrum has been the best decision I have ever made.

My 1-on-1 compositing mentor was fantastic and I could not have asked for anything more so in tune with the VFX Industry. I have learned so much.

Nathan S
Nuke Compositing

I hadn't even finished the course and I was offered a job.

My understanding of Nuke compositing was minimal when I started with CG Spectrum. With the help of the mentors, I managed to build my skills and get my foot in the door at a major VFX studio.

Anne P
Nuke Compositing

Along with learning Nuke, I learnt a lot about the industry.

I studied VFX Nuke Compositing in CG Spectrum. I really enjoyed it and got very good experience in Nuke. The syllabus and materials are excellent and give a strong foundation in Nuke. They have very professional instructors whose work is prominent in big blockbuster movies.

Hamzeh A
Nuke Compositing

CG Spectrum for me had all the elements university didn’t.

I already feel like I've acquired more from the past six months than I did out of my four years at uni! In this industry, it pays to have contacts, and there are so many people at CGS who can offer real-world experience and guide me. My mentors want me to deliver my best, and if I'm stuck on anything they’re there at the click of a button.

Laura W
Compositing

The flexibility and online approach really worked for me.

Having a mentor that works in the industry facilitated both guidance and support in the weekly submissions. Their critiques guided my skill set and put me in front of the competition by helping me learn to troubleshoot from my mistakes.

Vince B
Nuke Compositing