3ds Max® 2009 Bible

Chapter 48. Compositing with Render Elements and the Video Post Interface

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Learning about post-processing

• Compositing with Photoshop, Premiere, and After Effects

• Introducing Combustion

• Using render elements

• Using the Video Post interface

• Working with sequences

• Understanding the various filter types

• Adding and editing events

• Specifying event ranges

• Using the Lens Effects filters

After you've completed your scene and rendered it, you're finished, right? Well, not exactly. You still have post-production to complete—that's where you work with the final rendered images to add some additional effects. This phase of production typically takes place in another package, such as Photoshop, Autodesk's Combustion, or Adobe's After Effects, and understanding how to interact with these packages can be a lifesaver when your client wants some last-minute changes (and they always do).

You can set Max to render any part in the rendering pipeline individually. These settings are called render elements. By rendering out just the Specular layer or just the shadow, you have more control over these elements in your compositor.

If you don't have access to a compositing package or even if you do, Max includes a simple interface that can be used to add some post-production effects. This interface is the Video Post interface.

You can use the Video Post window to composite the final rendered image with several other images and filters. These filters let you add lens effects like glows and flares, and other ...