Alpha Channel Manipulations 101 – DaVinci Resolve Fusion Fundamentals

Compositing Basics – Manipulate Masks in Fusion with Blur, Tonal Adjustments, and Basic Math

In this compositing fundamentals Insight, you will learn the foundational techniques for manipulating an alpha channel: blur, tonal adjustments, and combining masks with basic math like subtract, multiply, minimum, and maximum. After understanding these foundational concepts, you have a better understanding of the parameters inside more complex keying plugins. You’ll be ready to start building more complex custom masks and have a deeper understanding of the buttons and sliders you’re manipulating.

Alpha channels/masks can come from:

• Procedural extractions like keying tools or the magic mask plugin
• Rotoscoping
• Or delivered to you externally, such as from a VFX artist

Knowing how to manipulate your masks (soften, grow, clean black, etc.) using a few simple Fusion nodes gives you additional options in compositing and relighting operations – even if the plugins you’re using don’t provide those parameters.

While more advanced plugins are convenient, it is helpful to lay out how individual sliders are processed. It helps make the individual steps clearer, which helps your understanding and opens up additional possibilities to manually adjust the process. That’s why we start this Insight with the most basic principles first and then see how those are reflected inside the combined tools.