Invisible VFX Pipeline

Most invisible VFX work fails in review, not in execution. The compositor delivers a clean wire removal. The editor cuts away before the reviewer registers it. Three rounds later, the same shot comes back with a note that was already addressed. The problem is not the work — it is the review process.

The Core Issue

Standard review tools are designed for visible effects. They assume the reviewer can see what changed. For invisible work — wire removes, sky replacements, rig removals, beauty work — there is nothing to see when the shot is working. The reviewer needs a way to compare the composite against the clean plate, not just watch the finished frame.

We built a lightweight review protocol on top of existing tools. Each shot in review is accompanied by a side-by-side export: the composite on the left, the original plate on the right, with a synchronized playhead. The compositor generates this automatically as part of the delivery package. Review notes attach to the specific version, not the shot in general.

What Changed

The main change was in how the supervisor communicates status to the editor. Previously, status lived in a spreadsheet. Now each shot has a status tag that appears directly in the edit timeline via a custom Resolve plugin. The editor can see at a glance which shots are approved, which are in revision, and which are waiting for a clean plate from production.

The result was a 40% reduction in revision rounds on the first three productions that used the protocol. More importantly, it reduced the number of shots that reached color with unresolved notes — a problem that had previously caused delays at the last stage of post. The protocol is documented here as a reference for future productions and for any team that wants to adapt it.