REFERENCE GUIDE

VERSION 13.0v1
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Thank you to Diogo Girondi for providing icons for the Nuke user interface and Tim Baier for proofreading.

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Rev: Monday, March 15, 2021

Contents
Reference Guide 22

Image Nodes 26

CheckerBoard 26

ColorBars 27

ColorWheel 28

Constant 29

CurveTool 30

Profile 34

Read 35

UDIM Import 57

Viewer 58

Write 68

Draw Nodes 102

Dither 102

DustBust 104

Flare 106

Glint 112

Grain 115
Grid 117

LightWrap 121

MarkerRemoval 124

Noise 126

Radial 130

Ramp 134

Rectangle 137

Roto 140

RotoPaint 161

ScannedGrain 184

Sparkles 188

Text 192

Time Nodes 201

Add 3:2 pulldown 201

AppendClip 202

FrameBlend 204

FrameHold 206

FrameRange 207

Kronos 208
NoTimeBlur 217

OFlow 218

Remove 3:2 pulldown 225

Retime 226

SmartVector 230

TemporalMedian 234

TimeBlur 236

TimeClip 238

TimeEcho 241

TimeOffset 242

TimeWarp 244

VectorGenerator 245

VectorToMotion 250

Channel Nodes 251

AddChannels 251

ChannelMerge 252

Copy 255

Remove 259

Shuffle 261
ShuffleCopy 263

Color Nodes 265

Add 265

Clamp 267

ClipTest 270

CMSTestPattern 272

ColorCorrect 274

ColorLookup 278

ColorMatrix 281

Colorspace 283

ColorTransfer 287

Crosstalk 288

Exposure 290

Expression 294

Gamma 304

GenerateLUT 307

Grade 310

HistEQ 315

Histogram 316
HSVTool 318

HueCorrect 321

HueShift 324

Invert 326

Log2Lin 328

MatchGrade 331

MinColor 343

Multiply 345

OCIOCDLTransform 347

OCIOColorSpace 350

OCIODisplay 352

OCIOFileTransform 354

OCIOLogConvert 357

PLogLin 359

Posterize 362

RolloffContrast 364

Sampler 367

Saturation 368

SoftClip 370

Toe 372
 Truelight 374

Vectorfield 374

Filter Nodes 379

Blur 379

Bilateral 381

BumpBoss 384

Convolve 387

Defocus 390

DegrainBlue 392

DegrainSimple 393

Denoise 394

DirBlur 404

DropShadow 408

EdgeBlur 409

EdgeDetect 412

EdgeExtend 413

Emboss 416

Erode (blur) 419

Erode (fast) 420

Erode (filter) 422

Glow 423

GodRays 426

Inpaint 428

Laplacian 432

LevelSet 434

Matrix 435

Median 437

MotionBlur 439

MotionBlur2D 443

MotionBlur3D 444

Sharpen 446

Soften 449

VectorBlur 451

VolumeRays 457

ZDefocus 461

ZSlice 472

475

Keyer Nodes 476

ChromaKeyer 476
Cryptomatte 480

Difference 484

HueKeyer 485

IBKColor 486

IBKGizmo 488

Keyer 493

Keylight 496

Primatte 504

Ultimatte 516

Merge Nodes 527

Absminus 527

AddMix 527

Blend 529

ContactSheet 530

CopyBBox 532

CopyRectangle 532

Dissolve 533

In 535

Keymix 535
LayerContactSheet 537

Matte 538

Max 538

Merge 538

MergeExpression 544

Min 550

Multiply 550

Out 550

Plus 551

Premult 551

Screen 552

Switch 552

TimeDissolve 553

Unpremult 554

ZMerge 555

Transform Nodes 557

AdjustBBox 557

BlackOutside 558

CameraShake 558
Card3D 562

CornerPin2D 568

Crop 574

GridWarp 576

GridWarpTracker 584

IDistort 591

LensDistortion 594

Mirror 613

PointsTo3D 614

Position 617

Reconcile3D 617

Reformat 623

SphericalTransform 627

SplineWarp 637

Stablilize 645

STMap 645

Tile 648

Tracker 650

Transform 664

TransformMasked 668
TVIScale 672

VectorCornerPin 674

VectorDistort 680

3D Nodes 684

AmbientOcclusion 684

ApplyMaterial 685

Axis 687

BasicMaterial 693

BlendMat 696

Camera 698

CameraTracker 705

Card 728

CrosstalkGeo 736

Cube 738

Cylinder 742

DepthGenerator 745

DepthToPoints 751

DepthToPosition 753

Diffuse 754
Direct 755

DisplaceGeo 761

Displacement 765

EditGeo 770

Emission 773

Environment 774

FillMat 779

GeoSelect 779

Light 781

LogGeo 790

LookupGeo 792

MergeGeo 794

MergeMat 796

ModelBuilder 797

ModifyRIB 804

Normals 807

Phong 809

Point 812

PointCloudGenerator 819

PoissonMesh 826
PositionToPoints 828

PrmanRender 830

ProceduralNoise 837

Project3D 839

RadialDistort 840

RayRender 842

ReadGeo 850

Reflection 860

Refraction 861

Relight 862

ScanlineRender 864

Scene 872

Specular 873

Sphere 875

Spot 879

TransformGeo 886

Transmission 890

Trilinear 892

UVProject 895

UVTile 897
 Wireframe 898

WriteGeo 900

Particles Nodes 904

ParticleBlinkScript 904

ParticleBounce 910

ParticleCache 918

ParticleCurve 920

ParticleDirectionalForce 924

ParticleDrag 928

ParticleEmitter 933

ParticleExpression 944

ParticleGravity 951

ParticleLookAt 955

ParticleMerge 959

ParticleMotionAlign 960

ParticlePointForce 964

ParticleSettings 968

ParticleSpawn 969

ParticleSpeedLimit 977
ParticleToGeo 981

ParticleTurbulence 983

ParticleVortex 987

ParticleWind 992

Deep Nodes 998

DeepColorCorrect 998

DeepCrop 1001

DeepExpression 1003

DeepFromFrames 1005

DeepFromImage 1007

DeepMerge 1008

DeepRead 1010

DeepRecolor 1016

DeepReformat 1017

DeepSample 1021

DeepToImage 1022

DeepToPoints 1023

DeepTransform 1024

DeepWrite 1025
Views Nodes 1030

Anaglyph 1030

JoinViews 1031

MixViews 1032

OneView 1033

ReConverge 1034

ShuffleViews 1035

SideBySide 1036

Split and Join 1037

Metadata Nodes 1039

AddTimeCode 1039

CompareMetaData 1040

CopyMetaData 1041

ModifyMetaData 1043

ViewMetaData 1044

ToolSets Nodes 1046

Create 1051

Delete 1051

Other Nodes 1052

Assert 1052

AudioRead 1052

Backdrop 1053

BlinkScript 1054

BurnIn 1057

DiskCache 1059

Dot 1061

Group 1062

Input 1063

LiveGroup 1063

LiveInput 1065

NoOp 1066

Output 1067

PostageStamp 1067

Precomp 1068

Root 1070

StickyNote 1078

All plugins 1078

FurnaceCore Nodes 1079

 F_Align 1079

F_DeFlicker2 1082

F_ReGrain 1083

F_RigRemoval 1087

F_Steadiness 1091

F_WireRemoval 1095

AIR Machine Learning Nodes 1101

CopyCat 1101

Deblur 1107

Inference 1111

Upscale 1113
Reference Guide

A reference guide for all the parameters within each node in Nuke. It does not give you any instructions on
using Nuke. For details on installing and using Nuke, refer to Nuke's online help.

Note: For the most up-to-date information, please see the Nuke product page and the latest
Nuke Online Help on our website at www.foundry.com.

Getting Help
Nuke features several forms of help, in a variety of locations.

Viewing Tooltips
Most controls offer concise instructions in the form of tooltips. To display the tooltips, move your mouse
pointer over an interface control or a node parameter.

To view a tooltip for a node, move your mouse pointer over the ? icon in the node's Properties panel.

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 Reference Guide |

Viewing the Context-Sensitive Online Help

The context-sensitive online help includes a comprehensive description of each node and its parameters.
To display these descriptions in your default web browser, click the ? icon in the node's properties panel.

Selecting the Help Source

In Nuke, the context-sensitive help content may differ depending on what you've selected as the help
source in the Preferences.

To select the help source:

1. Press Shift+S on the Node Graph to open the Preferences dialog.

2. Go to the Behaviors > Documentation tab.
3. Set documentation source to:
• local - Use Nuke's built-in help system. This is included in the Nuke installation and does not require
an Internet connection.

Note: When you click ? in a node's Properties panel, Nuke searches the following locations for
HTML files with the same name as the requested node (for example, blur.html):

1. Directories contained in the NUKE_PATH environment variable.

2. The /$HOME/.nuke and /$HOME/.nuke/Documentation directories.
3. Your local plugins directory.
• On Windows, this is either C:\Program Files\Common Files\Nuke\13.0\plugins\ or C:\Program
Files (x86)\Common Files\Nuke\13.0\plugins\
• On Mac, this is /Library/Application Support/Nuke/13.0/plugins/
• On Linux, this is /usr/local/Nuke/13.0/plugins/
4. The Nuke installation directory.

• foundry - Use the help system available on our website. This contains the most up-to-date
information, but requires an Internet connection.

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 Reference Guide |

Note: On Windows, you may have to add a firewall program or port exception to view the most
up-to-date help from our website. If the connection is blocked, Nuke falls back to the local copy.

• custom - Use your own custom help system.

4. If you set documentation source to local, you can either:
• enable auto port to automatically assign a free documentation server port, or
• use local port to specify a local documentation server port manually and port range to define a
range of ports to attempt. Typically, the local port value should be 1024 or higher. Setting the value
to 0 causes a port to be automatically assigned.

Note: To be able to use the online help from multiple sessions of Nuke running at the same
time, you must enable auto port.

5. If you set documentation source to foundry:

• the foundry host field displays the documentation server host address.
• use foundry port to specify the documentation server port.
6. If you set documentation source to custom:
• set custom host to your documentation server host address. This must be an Internet Protocol
version 4 (IPv4) address.
• use local port to specify a local documentation server port. Typically, the local port value should be
1024 or higher. Setting the value to 0 causes a port to be automatically assigned.
• use custom port to specify a custom documentation server port.

Using the Help Menu

You can click the main Help menu to access the following:
• Key Assignments - a list of hot keys.
• Documentation - the Nuke Online Help, the Nuke Developer Kit (NDK), and documentation for using
Python, TCL, and expressions in Nuke.
• Release Notes - important updates to features and bug fixes.
• Training and Tutorials - Nuke tutorial videos, and a list of other training resources.
• Nukepedia - an online resource containing useful information about all things Nuke.
• Mailing Lists - information on Nuke-related e-mail lists.
• Plug-in Installer - open the Nuke plug-ins page on our website, which gives you easy access to a large
selection of plug-ins for Nuke.

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 Reference Guide |

Contacting Customer Support

Should questions arise that the documentation fails to address, you can visit the Support Portal at
support.foundry.com.

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25
Image Nodes
Image nodes deal with loading, viewing, and rendering image sequences as well as creating built-in Nuke
elements, such as checkerboards and color wheels.

CheckerBoard
Generates a checkerboard image that you can use as a placeholder for a texture or background.

Note: If you enable proxy mode the board may not match the full resolution version, because
the boxes are rounded to the nearest pixel.

Inputs and Controls

Control Knob Default Value Function
(UI) (Scripting)

CheckerBoard Tab

format format Dependent on Sets the checkerboard’s format. You can select a preset
Project format or create a custom size using the new or edit
Settings options.

size boxsize 64 Sets the size of the checkerboard boxes in pixels.

color 0 color0 N/A Sets the color of the boxes within the checkerboard
rgba starting from the bottom left-hand corner:
• color 0 - the box at 0,0 and then every alternate box
and row.
• color 1 - the box at 1,0 and then every alternate box
and row.

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 Image Nodes | ColorBars

Control Knob Default Value Function

(UI) (Scripting)

• color 2 - the box at 1,1 and then every alternate box

color 1 color1 N/A and row.
rgba
• color 3 - the box at 0,1 and then every alternate box
color 2 color2 N/A and row.
rgba

color 3 color3 N/A

rgba

line color linecolor 1 Sets the color of the delineating line between boxes on
the checkerboard.

line width linewidth 0 Sets the width, in pixels, of the delineating line between
boxes on the checkerboard.

centerline centerlinecolor N/A Sets the color of the center lines on the checkerboard.
color rgba

centerline centerlinewidth 3 Sets the width, in pixels, of the center lines on the
width checkerboard.

ColorBars
Generates a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) color bars test pattern, useful for
color management.

Inputs and Controls

Control (UI) Knob Default Function
(Scripting) Value

ColorBars Tab

format format Dependent Sets the colorbar’s format. You can select a preset
on Project format or create a custom size using the new or edit

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 Image Nodes | ColorWheel

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Settings options.

bar intensity barintensity 0.5 Sets the color intensity of the bars.

PAL PAL disabled When enabled, NTSC specific colors are removed and
only PAL colors are displayed.

ColorWheel
Generates a color wheel image.

Inputs and Controls

Control Knob Default Value Function
(UI) (Scripting)

ColorWheel Tab

format format Dependent on Sets the color wheel’s format. You can select a preset
Project format or create a custom size using the new or edit
Settings options.

channels channels rgba The color wheel only contains these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

Center centerSaturation 0 Sets the HSV saturation level in the center of the color
Saturation wheel.

Edge edgeSaturation 1 Sets the HSV saturation level at the edges of the color
Saturation wheel.

Center centerValue 1 Sets the HSV value level in the center of the color wheel.
Value

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 Image Nodes | Constant

Control Knob Default Value Function

(UI) (Scripting)

Edge edgeValue 1 Sets the HSV value level at the edges of the color wheel.
Value

gamma gamma 0.45 Sets the overall gamma level of the color wheel.

rotate rotate 0 Sets the amount of rotation to apply to color position in

the color wheel. Negative values produce clockwise
rotation and vice-versa.

fill format fillFormat enabled When enabled, the color wheel fills the selected format
up to either the x or y axes, depending which is smaller -
the color wheel always retains a 1:1 aspect ratio.

When disabled, use the area controls to specify the color

wheel’s area.

area xyrt area N/A Sets the area of the color wheel when fill format is
(xywh) disabled.

Note: Click wh to toggle between xyrt and

xywh area controls.

Constant
Generates an image where every pixel is the same color. This includes pixels outside the image area as
well as inside it.

Inputs and Controls

Control (UI) Knob Default Function
(Scripting) Value

Constant Tab

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 Image Nodes | CurveTool

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

channels channels rgba The constant only contains these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

color color 0 Sets the color of the constant.

format format Dependent Sets the constant’s format. You can select a preset
on Project format or create a custom size using the new or edit
Settings options.

frame range first 1 If you intend to animate the constant, sets the frame
range within which the animation is contained.
last 1

CurveTool
You can use this node to analyze and track the following aspects of the input sequence:
• the size and position of black areas in the sequence
• average pixel values in the sequence
• exposure changes in the sequence, and
• brightest and dimmest pixels in the sequence.

Based on the analysis, the node creates an animation curve. You can then use this curve data to drive
effects elsewhere. For instance, you can add matching flicker to a CG render.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to analyze.

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 Image Nodes | CurveTool

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

CurveTool Tab

Curve Type operation Avg Sets the curve type to pass down the node tree:
Intensities • Auto Crop - locates black regions (or any color
you pick) around the edges of the frame sequence
and tracks their size and position over time. This is
useful for running a Crop node to remove
unnecessary outer pixels and speed up the
calculation.
• Avg Intensities - obtains the average pixel values
in a frame sequence and then matches that
intensity elsewhere. It takes the first value in the
frame range and the next value selected, adds
them together and divides by two, returning the
average between the two. You might want to use it
to match the background plate’s fire flicker in the
smoke in the foreground plate, for example.
• Exposure Difference - analyzes the exposure
changes in the frame sequence. It takes the first
value in the frame range and the next value
selected, and returns the difference between the
two. You can use the results to match the same
exposure elsewhere.
• Max Luma Pixel - tracks the brightest and
dimmest pixels in the frame sequence. This can be
useful in the following case, for example. Let’s say
you have a night-time sequence depicting a
person moving inside a dark house holding a
flashlight, and want to add lens flare on the
moving flashlight. Knowing where the brightest
pixel is located over time allows you to match-
move the lens flare and position it correctly
without having to manually animate it.

Go! go N/A Click to begin analysis of the selected Curve Type.

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 Image Nodes | CurveTool

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

AutoCrop

color color 0 Sets the color detected during analysis.

Intensity ccrange 0 Sets how far the color can deviate from the selected
Range color and still be cropped.

Intensity

# frames for avgframes 2 Sets the range of frames that each frame analyzed is
base average compared against. For example, a value of 1 would
compare each frame to the frame following it,
whereas a value of 5 would compare each frame to
the following 5 frames.

Note: The higher frame range you use, the

more accurate and time-consuming the
calculation becomes.

All

channels channels rgba The selected analysis is only applied to these

channels.

If you set this to something other than none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

ROI xyrt ROI Dependent Defines the area to analyze. By default, the ROI is set
(xywh) on input to the entire input image, but you can drag the ROI
format indicator in the Viewer or adjust the xyrt values
manually.

AutoCropData Tab

autocropdata autocropdata Dependent Displays the analysis results when Curve Type is set
xyrt (xywh) on input to AutoCrop. To see the animation curve, right-click
format on a parameter field and select Curve editor.

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 Image Nodes | CurveTool

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

IntensityData Tab

intensitydata intensitydata 0 Displays the analysis results when Curve Type is set
to Avg Intensities, or Exposure Difference. To see
the animation curve, right-click on a parameter field
and select Curve editor.

MaxLumaData Tab

Maximum maxlumapixdata 0, 0 Displays the coordinates of the pixel with the

Luminence highest luminance value on the current frame.
Pixel xy

Maximum maxlumapixvalue 0 Displays the highest luminance value on the current

Luminence frame.
Pixel Value

Minimum minlumapixdata 0, 0 Displays the coordinates of the pixel with the lowest
Luminence luminance value on the current frame.
Pixel xy

Minimum minlumapixvalue 0 Displays the lowest luminance value on the current

Luminence frame.
Pixel Value

Python Tab (These controls are for Python callbacks and can be used to have Python functions
automatically called when various events happen in Nuke.)

before beforeRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering in

render execute(). If they throw an exception, the render
aborts.

before each beforeFrameRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering of
frame each individual frame. If they throw an exception,
the render aborts.

after each afterFrameRender none These functions run after each frame is finished
frame rendering. They are not called if the render aborts. If
they throw an exception, the render aborts.

after render afterRender none These functions run after rendering of all frames is

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 Image Nodes | Profile

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

finished. If they throw an error, the render aborts.

render renderProgress none These functions run during rendering to determine

progress progress or failure.

Profile
The Profile node allows you to measure the performance of a script by inserting the node at any point in
the node tree and then using the Profile pane to determine the output. If you have more than one Profile
node in a script, use the profile node dropdown in the Profile pane to choose which point in the script to
calculate.

See Nuke's online help for more information.

Inputs and Controls

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function
Value

Profile Tab

channels channels rgba The profiling data is only calculated for these
channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

frame range frame_range Dependent Sets the frame range for which the profiling data is
on Project calculated.
Settings

open profile open_profile_panel N/A Click to open the Profile pane, which determines
panel what profiling data is collected.

Python Tab (These controls are for Python callbacks and can be used to have Python functions

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 Image Nodes | Read

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

automatically called when various events happen in Nuke.)

before beforeRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering in

render execute(). If they throw an exception, the render
aborts.

before each beforeFrameRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering of
frame each individual frame. If they throw an exception,
the render aborts.

after each afterFrameRender none These functions run after each frame is finished
frame rendering. They are not called if the render aborts. If
they throw an exception, the render aborts.

after render afterRender none These functions run after rendering of all frames is
finished. If they throw an error, the render aborts.

render renderProgress none These functions run during rendering to determine

progress progress or failure.

Read
This node loads images from disk, using the native resolution and the frame range for the sequence. It
converts all imported sequences to Nuke’s native 32-bit linear RGB colorspace.

The Read node supports multiple file formats, such as Cineon, TIFF, Alembic, PSD, OpenEXR, HDRI, DPX,
R3D, ARRIRAW, DNG, and RAW camera data. It uses the file name extension to determine the format.

You can also create a Read node by pressing R on the Node Graph.

See also DeepRead, ReadGeo, AudioRead, and UDIM Import.

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 Image Nodes | Read

Inputs and Controls

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function
Value

Read Tab

File file dependent Sets the file path and name of the file to read. For
on file frame numbers, you can use #### for each digit or
the printf-style formatting %04d.

Localization localizationPolicy from auto- Sets the local file caching behavior. Copies of the files
Policy localize are stored in a specified local folder for faster access
path times:
• on - the files are cached, regardless of location, as
long as the limit to (GB) limit is not breached.
• from auto-localize path - the files are cached if
they reside in the auto-localize from directory, as
long as the limit to (GB) limit is not breached.
• on demand - only localize these source clips when
you manually update them. See Nuke's Online Help
for more information.
• off - the files are never cached, regardless of
location.

Update updateLocalization N/A When this Read node is set to Localization Policy >
on demand, click Update to manually localize the
files from the source files.

Format format dependent Sets the size of the file. Typically it is guessed
on file correctly from the file header, but you can change it
to set a different pixel aspect ratio if required.

Proxy proxy none Sets the file path and name of a relevant proxy image.
This proxy image is used if proxy mode is on and the
required resolution is less than or equal to the proxy
format.

Proxy Format proxy_format 1024x778 The file specified in proxy is read if the down-rez of
the format is smaller or equal to this value. Typically it

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 Image Nodes | Read

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

is guessed correctly from the file header, but you can

change it to set a different pixel aspect ratio if
required.

Frame Range first dependent The first frame number of a sequence to display.
on file

before hold Sets the behavior of frames before the first frame
specified:
• hold - select to show a still picture of the first frame
of the frame range.
• loop - select to start over and keep looping the
span of the frame range outside the first frame of
the frame range.
• bounce - select to play the span of the frame range
backwards and forwards between the frame range
limits.
• black - select to display a black frame outside of the
first frame.

last dependent The last frame number of a sequence to display.

on file

after hold Sets the behavior of frames after the last frame
specified:
• hold - select to show a still picture of the last frame
of the frame range.
• loop - select to start over and keep looping the
span of the frame range outside the last frame of
the frame range.
• bounce - select to play the span of the frame range
backwards and forwards between the frame range
limits.
• black - select to display a black frame outside of the
last frame.

Frame frame_mode expression Sets the frame mode:

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• expression - Lets you enter an expression in the

field on the right. The expression changes the
relation between the current frame and the frame
read in. For example, if your clip begins from
image.0500.rgb and you want to place this first
frame at frame 1 rather than frame 500, you can use
the expression frame+499. This way, 499 frames are
added to the current frame to get the number of the
frame that’s read in. At frame 1, image.0500.rgb is
read in; at frame 2, image.0501.rgb is read in; and so
on. Another example of an expression is frame*2.
This expression multiplies the current frame by two
to get the number of the frame that’s read in. This
way, only every other frame in the clip is used. At
frame 1, image.0002.rgb is read in; at frame 2,
image.0004.rgb is read in; at frame 3,
image.0006.rgb is read in; and so on.
• startat - Lets you enter a start frame number in the
field on the right. This specifies the frame where the
first frame in the sequence is read in. In other words,
all frames are offset so that the clip starts at the
specified frame. For example, if your sequence
begins from image.0500.rgb and you enter 1 in the
field, image0500.rgb is read in at frame 1. Similarly,
if you enter 100 in the field, image0500.rgb is read
in at frame 100.
• offset - Lets you enter a constant offset in the field
on the right. This constant value is added to the
current frame to get the number of the frame that’s
read in. For example, if your clip begins from
image.0500.rgb and you want to place this first
frame at frame 1 rather than frame 500, you can use
499 as the constant offset. This way, 499 is added to
the current frame to get the frame that’s read in. At
frame 1, image.0500.rgb is read in; at frame 2,

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

image.0501 is read in, and so on. You can also use

negative values as the constant offset. For example,
if you use the value -10, Nuke will subtract ten from
the current frame to get the frame that’s read in. At
frame 20, image.0010.rgb is read in; at frame 21,
image.0011.rgb is read in; and so on.

frame none Depending on the frame mode, you can enter a start
frame, an offset, or an expression here.

Original origfirst dependent Displays the original first frame.

Range on file

origlast dependent Displays the original last frame.

on file

Missing on_error error Sets Nuke’s behavior when there is a problem with
Frames frames in the file:
• error - display an error in the Viewer.
• black - replace suspect frames with a black frame.
• checkerboard - replace suspect frames with a
checkerboard.
• nearestframe - replace suspect frames with the
nearest good frame.

reload reload N/A Click to re-read the image from disk.

Colorspace colorspace dependent Sets the lookup table (LUT) used to convert from this
on file file to the internal values used by Nuke.

default determines the LUT from the size and type of

data in the file, and other information from the file
header.

Premultiplied premultiplied disabled When enabled, Nuke corrects the color of the partially
transparent pixels produced by most renderers by
dividing color data by the alpha channel before
converting from the colorspace, and then multiplying
by the alpha channel afterwards.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Raw Data raw disabled When enabled, Nuke does not convert the data.

For most file formats this is the same as linear

colorspace but, for some, it may disable other
processing such as conversion from YUV.

Auto Alpha auto_alpha disabled When enabled, if the Read produces RGB but no
alpha channel, then assume the alpha should be 1 if
it's requested later on.

OCIO Tab

Context

key1 key1 none OCIO Contexts allow you to apply specific LUTs to
individual shots.
value1 value1 none
See Nuke's online help for more information.
key2 key2 none

value2 value2 none

key3 key3 none

value3 value3 none

key4 key4 none

value4 value4 none

Sequence Tab

import import sequence N/A Click to display a browser to locate an import

sequence sequence script which builds a frame sequence list
from the contents of an EDL file.

These are not standard EDL files, such as CMX. Each

line in the file simply defines a separate image
sequence to import in the form:
imagesequence.%04d.ext in out head tail

Where in and out are the start/end frame numbers of

the clip and head/tail are the number of frames to

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

trim from the start and end.

Each sequence in the list is expanded into the

sequence control so that each line contains the name
of the file to read for that frame:
line 1 = frame 1, line 10 = frame 10.

Finally, the script replaces the Read > file text with:
[lindex [knob sequence] [frame]]

This looks up the file name from the sequence

control and sets the first frame to 1 through to the
last frame in the expanded list.

frame sequence none Most easily used in conjunction with the import
sequence sequence button. Each line contains the name of the
file to read for that frame:

line 1 = frame 1, line 10 = frame 10.

Set the Read > file control to [lindex [knob

sequence] [frame]] to look up the file name from this
control. This allows you to use a single Read to access
multiple sequences of files where the naming does
not follow any set numeric sequence, rather than
using multiple Read nodes with a single file sequence
per Read.

Metadata Tab

metadata shownmetadata N/A Displays the metadata of any file read in using a Read
viewer node. Once you know which keys exist in the file, you
can reference them in expressions.

The metadata displayed depends on the file type. For

example, a .jpg might only contain input/ keys,
whereas QuickTimes contain input/ and quicktime/
keys.

search metadatafilter N/A Filter the metadata by entering text in this field. By

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

metadata for default, only metadata containing the keys and values
entered are displayed. You can change this behavior
using the within control.

File Type Specific Controls

These controls are context sensitive depending on which format you intend to render out.

ARI

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ARI Options (ARI and MXF)

Load arriReset N/A Click to reset the ARI Options to those from
settings the file metadata.
from
metadata

Local GPU arriLocalGPUName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use
GPU if available is enabled. Local GPU
displays Not available when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink
device in the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for
processing on the selected GPU, such as
when there is not enough free memory
available on the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an
alternative from the default blink device

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU

requires you to restart Nuke before
the change takes effect.

Use GPU if arriUseCuda disabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local
available GPU specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

Note: Enabling this option with no

local GPU allows the script to run on
the GPU whenever the script is
opened on a machine that does have
a GPU available.
You should also select this if you
wish to render from the command
line with the --gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for

more information on the GPUs supported by
your operating system.

Clip Settings

Colorspace arriColorspace dependent Sets the colorspace used to convert from raw
on clip data into the Viewer colorspace.

Exposure arriExposureIndex Sets the overall sensitivity of pixels from the

Index (ISO) raw image.

White arriWhiteBalance Controls the relative RGB coolness and

Balance (K) warmth. Higher values increase the warmth.

Tint arriTint Adjusts the level of tints to compliment the

White Balance control.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Lens arriLensSqueeze Sets the amount of anamorphic lens squeeze

Squeeze applied to the image.

Unsqueeze arriUnsqueezeAnamorphic disabled When enabled, unsqueezes the raw file while
Anamorphic converting it to the Viewer colorspace.

Note: This control is generally not

required because the file metadata
sets the pixel aspect ratio
automatically.

Processing

Debayer arriDebayerMode dependent Sets the debayering mode applied to reads. If

Mode on clip Proxy Playback is enabled, the debayer is
ignored.

ADA 5 Fine- arriAda5FinetuningRed Fine-tunes the ADA 5 debayering in the red,

tuning green, and blue channels.
arriAda5FinetuningGreen

arriAda5FinetuningBlue

Aspect Ratio arriAspectRatio Sets the output aspect ratio independent of

the pixel aspect ratio.

Resolution arriResolution Set the resolution and aspect ratio that the clip
is scaled to, cropping the image if required.

Sharpness arriSharpness Adjusts the sharpness of the image by

introducing contrast at edges.

Detail arriDetail Adjusts the amount of detail by affecting fine

structures.

Note: The Detail control can

introduce aliasing at higher values.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Look Editor

Use Look arriUseLookEditor enabled When enabled, the Look Editor settings can
Editor be used to modify the image.

Note: The Look Editor settings

cannot be enabled when the
Colorspace control is set to LogC or
Scene Linear. Only Video color
spaces use Look Editor settings.

Saturation arriSaturation 1 Increases or decreases the overall saturation of

the image.

Slope/Offset/Power

Slope arriSlope 1,1,1 Adjusts overall the Slope, Offset, and Power.

Offset arriOffset 0,0,0

Power arriPower 1,1,1

Proxy arriProxyPlayback Off Setting proxy to anything other than Off

Playback speeds up read times, but the Debayer Mode
is ignored.

DNG

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

DNG Options

color space dng_colorspace sRGB Sets the colorspace used during debayering. The
standard Read node colorspace control is changed to
match this setting automatically.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: To view the data before debayering,

enable the raw data control.

force linear dng_force_linear disabled When enabled, overrides the specified color space
transfer transfer function to force it to use linear.
function
For some cases, such as sRGB, this results in slightly
faster read times and sets the colorspace on the Read
to linear as well.

As a result of forcing linear, all render settings are

applied in linear space, rather than the native space,
so there may be differences in how the controls
respond.

white dng_white_ As Shot Applies preset values to the temperature and tint
balance balance controls, depending on the setting chosen:
• As Shot - attempts to read the temperature and
tint values from the source file's metadata.
• Daylight to Flash - standard presets in common
usage.
• Custom - adjusting the temperature and tint
controls manually sets white balance to this value.

temperature dng_temperature dependent Defines the temperature, in Kelvin, and tint of the
on file image white point:
• temperature - in general, runs from blues at low
tint dng_tint values to yellows at high values.
• tint - in general, runs from greens at low values to
purples at high values.

exposure dng_exposure 0 Controls the amount of exposure data available on

top of the baseline exposure.

shadows dng_shadows 0 Controls the amount of low-level image data

available at render time.

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EXR

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

EXR Options

offset offset_negative_ enabled The .exr format allows the image’s lower left corner
negative display_window to start at any position, including negative x axis
display values. Nuke does not support this type of format, but
window compensates by offsetting the image or reducing the
format size on both sides:
• enabled - the image is offset so that the .exr
image’s left side start at x=0.
• disabled - the format is reduced on both sides by
the negative x amount, as if that area was overscan.

do not attach noprefix disabled When enabled, metadata keys are read as they are,
prefix without attaching a prefix to them.

When disabled, the prefix exr is attached to metadata

keys to make them distinct from other metadata in
the tree.

edge pixels edge_pixels plate detect Sets how to treat pixels at the edges of the data
window, or bounding box in Nuke terms, when
reading .exr files:
• plate detect - if the bounding box and format
match exactly, then repeat all edges. Otherwise, add
black at the edges.
• edge detect - for each matching edge, repeat the
edge pixels. Add black at mismatched edges.
• repeat - always repeat the edge pixels outside the
bounding box.
• black - always add black pixels outside the
bounding box.

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MOV

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

MOV Options

Note: The mov32Reader and Writer has been removed for macOS Catalina (10.15) and
deprecated under Windows, Linux, and macOS Mojave (10.14). The mov32: prefix is still
currently available on deprecated OS, but unsupported. We recommend using the standard
Nuke Read/Write controls, as mov32 is scheduled for removal in a future release.

YCbCr matrix mov64_ycbcr_ dependent Sets the way Y’CbCr is converted to RGB. Rec 601 and
matrix on the file Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Data Range mov64_decode_ default Sets the minimum and maximum color range values
video_levels for decoded DNxHD files. If your source file was
encoded with a reduced range (0-240 for 8-bit or 0-
960 for 10-bit), set source range to Video Range to
decode the full range (0-255 for 8-bit or 0-1023 for
10-bit).

first track mov64_first_track_ enabled When enabled, only the first view present in the file is
only only displayed, regardless of how many views the file
contains.

When disabled, and there is more than one view set

up in the project settings, you can switch between
views using the buttons above the Viewer.

[Metadata] mov64_no_prefix disabled When enabled, the metadata accompanying the file is
Do not saved without the quicktime prefix.
attach prefix

Note: QuickTime container-specific

metadata always carries the prefix.

When disabled, all metadata is prefixed with

quicktime for easy identification.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

[Metadata] mov64_match_ enabled When enabled, Nuke attempts to clean up meta keys
Match key meta_format into the standard Nuke metadata format.
format
When disabled, the metadata is passed down the
Node Graph unchanged.

Video Codec mov64_codec_ N/A Displays the codec used to encode the clip.
name

PSD

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

PSD Options

Breakout breakout N/A Breaks out the .psd file into separate layers and
Layers recombines them with a number of PSDmerge nodes.
The blend modes/operations in the merge nodes are
approximated and do not match Photoshop® exactly.

It’s recommended that all masks and adjustment

layers are rasterized in Photoshop® before they’re
imported into Nuke.

R3D

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

R3D Options

Image r3dImagePipeline dependent on file Sets the image pipeline to use in the Read
Pipeline node, IPP2, IPP2 Custom, or legacy. The
selected Image Pipeline defines which
controls are available in the Properties

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

panel and is initially set by the file's

metadata.

See IPP2 Controls and Legacy Controls.

Load r3dLoadRMD N/A Click to reload control values from the

Settings .rmd file metadata.
from RMD

Local GPU r3dLocalGPUName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when
Use GPU if available is enabled. Local GPU
displays Not available when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink
device in the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your
system.
• it was not possible to create a context for
processing on the selected GPU, such as
when there is not enough free memory
available on the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available,

by navigating to the Preferences and
selecting an alternative from the default
blink device dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU

requires you to restart Nuke
before the change takes effect.

Use GPU if r3dUseCUDA disabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the

available Local GPU specified, if available, rather
than the CPU.

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 Image Nodes | Read

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: Enabling this option with

no local GPU allows the script to
run on the GPU whenever the
script is opened on a machine
that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you
wish to render from the
command line with the --gpu
option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages

for more information on the GPUs
supported by your operating system.

Decoding

Decode r3dDecodeResolution full high Sets the output resolution decoded from
Resolution the source file. High quality takes longer to
decode.

Rocket r3dRocketResolution dependent on When Decode Resolution is set to rocket

Resolution format custom, sets the resolution values if you're
using a Red Rocket card for decoding. The
default values are equal to the source
image.

Use ROCKET r3dUseROCKET disabled When enabled, an installed Red Rocket

card is used for decoding if available.

HDRx

HDR Mode r3dHDRMode A frame Sets how the high and low exposure tracks
are blended for HDR clips:
• A frame - only displays the normally
exposed track with standard motion blur.
• X frame - only displays the under
exposed, sharper reference track.
• simple blend - enables the Blend Bias

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

control allowing you to blend of high and

low exposure according to the bias.
• magic motion - a more sophisticated
automatic blend mode with a sharper
image and more natural motion blur.

Blend Bias r3dBlendBias 0 When HDR Mode is set to simple blend,

controls the bias between low and standard
exposure values, where -1 is fully the X
frame and +1 is fully the A frame.

IPP2 Controls

Demosaic

Denoise r3dIPP2Denoise 0 Controls the amount of noise reduction

applied to the image if Chroma Noise
Reduction is disabled.

Chroma r3dIPP2Cnr enabled When enabled, applies chroma noise

Noise reduction instead of the standard .r3d
Reduction Denoise.

Note: Chroma Noise Reduction

is only available with Decode
Resolution set to full high or
half high.

Primary

Color Space r3dIPP2Colorspace REDWideGamutRGB This control is display only for the IPP2
Image Pipeline.

Gamma r3dIPP2GammaCurve Log3G10 This control is display only for the IPP2
Curve Image Pipeline.

ISO r3dIPP2ISO 800 Sets the overall sensitivity of pixels from

the raw image.

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 Image Nodes | Read

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Exposure r3dExposureAdjust 0 Increases or decreases the overall exposure.

Adjust This control is identical to FLUT Control in
the legacy Image Pipeline.

Kelvin r3dIPP2Kelvin 5600 Controls the relative RGB coolness and

warmth. Higher values increase the warmth.

Tint r3dIPP2Tint 0 Adjusts the level of yellow and green tints.

This control can help in environments
where the ambient light source contains
high levels of yellow and green, such as
fluorescent lights.

Grading

3D LUT r3d3DLUT N/A Specifies the path to a LUT file.

Enable 3D r3dEnable3DLUT disabled When enabled, the LUT file specified in the
LUT 3D LUT field is applied to the image.

CDL r3dCDL N/A Specifies the path to an ASC CDL file.

CC ID r3dCCID N/A Specifies which color correction should be

applied from CDL files containing more
than one correction.

Enable CDL r3dEnableCdl N/A When enabled, the CDL file specified in the
CDL field is applied to the image.

Slope r3dSlope 1,1,1,0 Adjusts the Slope, Offset, Power, and

Saturation manually.
Offset r3dOffset 0,0,0,0
If you have applied a CDL to the image,
Power r3dPower 1,1,1,0 these values are set from the selected CC
ID.
Saturation r3dCDLSaturation 1

Contrast r3dIPP2Contrast 0 Increases or decreases the overall contrast.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: Contrast is disabled when

Gamma Curve is set to Half Float
Linear.

Export r3dExportPipeline full graded IPP2 Controls whether or not creative color
Pipeline mode decisions are applied on export:
• primary raw development - all Grading
settings are ignored on export.
• full graded IPP2 mode - all Grading
settings are applied on export.

Legacy Controls

Look

Color r3dColorVersion v2 Sets the color version used by the decoder.

Version

Color Space r3dColorSpace dependent on clip Sets the colorspace used to convert from
raw data into the Viewer colorspace.

Note: Colorspaces listed in

brackets are deprecated in the
current R3D SDK and may be
removed in subsequent releases.

Gamma r3dGammaCurve dependent on clip Sets the gamma curve applied to the raw
Curve image data from the .r3d file.

Note: Gamma Curves listed in

brackets are deprecated in the
current R3D SDK and may be
removed in subsequent releases.

D.E.B. r3dDEB enabled When enabled, reduces the red grain that
can affect midtones, darks, and shadows

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 Image Nodes | Read

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

using DRAGON Enhanced Blacks.

Note: D.E.B. is only available for

clips shot with a DRAGON sensor,
or later, with Decode Resolution
set to full high or half high.

Kelvin r3dKelvin 5600 Controls the relative RGB coolness and

warmth. Higher values increase the warmth.

Tint r3dTint 0 Adjusts the level of yellow and green tints.

This control can help in environments
where the ambient light source contains
high levels of yellow and green, such as
fluorescent lights.

ISO r3dISO 800 Sets the overall sensitivity of pixels from

the raw image.

FLUT r3dFLUTControl 0 Allows you to adjust the ISO value without

Control clipping highlights or crushing shadows.

Note: FLUT Control is only

available with Color Version v2 or
higher.

Shadow r3dShadow 0 Sets the image black point.

Note: Shadow is only available

with Color Version v2 or higher.
Setting Gamma Curve to Half
Float Linear disables Shadow.

DRX r3dDRX 0 Dynamic Range Extension (DRX) can be

adjusted to recover clipped highlights.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: DRX is disabled for clips

shot with a DRAGON sensor.

Saturation r3dSaturation 1 Increases or decreases the overall

saturation, contrast, and brightness of the
image.

Contrast r3dContrast 0 Contrast

Brightness r3dBrightness 0 Brightness

Note: Saturation, Contrast, and Brightness are disabled when Gamma Curve is set to Half
Float Linear.

Exposure r3dExposure 0 Increases or decreases the overall exposure.

RGB r3dRGBGain 1,1,1 Increases or decreases the gain for the red,
green, and blue channels.

Note: RGB gain is disabled when

Gamma Curve is set to Half Float
Linear.

Sharpness r3dSharpness 0 Sharpens the image to compensate for the

OLPF low pass filter.

Note: Sharpness is only

applicable when Decode
Resolution is set to full high or
half high.

Denoise r3dDenoise 0 Controls the amount of noise reduction

applied to the image.

Detail r3dDetail 2 Sets the amount of detail extracted from

the image, separate from the Sharpness

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

control.

Note: Denoise and Detail are only applicable when Decode Resolution is set to full high.

Lift/Gamma/Gain

Lift r3dLift 0,0,0,0 Adjusts the overall black level (dark tones
and shadows).

Gamma r3dGamma 1,1,1,0 Adjusts the overall mid tones.

Gain r3dGain 1,1,1,0 Adjusts the overall highlights.

Note: Lift, Gamma, and Gain are only available with Color Version v2 or higher. Setting
Gamma Curve to Half Float Linear disables Lift, Gamma, and Gain.

UDIM Import
UDIM Import lets you import a set of texture patches that follow the UDIM numbering scheme and quickly
apply them to the surface of a 3D object. Clicking on UDIM Import opens the standard Read File(s) file
browser. Browsing to, and selecting, a sequence containing valid UDIM patches opens the UDIM Import
dialog. The UDIM Import dialog lists all the UDIM patches in a sequence and provides some options for
managing them. If you select a file that doesn’t contain a valid UDIM number, a dialog displays explaining
the problem.

UDIM Import creates a Read node for every patch in the sequence and appends a UVTile node (which
allows you to modify a patch’s coordinates in UV space) to each one. For more information on the UVTile
node see Nuke's online help.

The UDIM Import dialog lets you disable individual patches in a sequence, add additional files and set
how the Read nodes (for each individual patch) are displayed in the Node Graph. Enabling postage stamp
displays a thumbnail view of the patch in the Read node. Checking group nodes adds the nodes to a
single group node for clarity.

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Viewer
The Viewer node displays the render output of any connected process nodes in the Viewer panel. It
doesn’t alter data in any way, but simply allows you to view the effect of any changes you make upstream.

You can place as many Viewer nodes in a script as you wish, which allows you to simultaneously view
multiple outputs. You can also connect the output from up to ten process nodes into single Viewer node,
and then cycle through the various displays. This allows you to easily compare an image before and after
processing by a given effect.

You can also create this node by:

• selecting Image > Viewer from the Nuke Toolbar, or
• pressing Ctrl/Cmd+I.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The process node upstream to output to the Viewer. You can
connect up to ten (0-9) nodes at once.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Viewer Tab

frame_range frame_range none Sets the first and last frame in the playback
range. You can enter frame numbers here or
Cmd+drag the red triangles in the timeline.

frame_range_lock enabled Click to unlock or lock playback to the frame

numbers specified in frame_range.

<< frame_increment 10 Sets the number of frames to step through

>>increment using the Viewer << and >> buttons.

channels channels rgba Sets the channels to display in the viewer.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

You can also select a channel from a different

layer to display in the alpha channel.

clip_warning clip_warning no warnings When set to exposure, any pixels that are
outside the 0-1 range are Zebra-striped in the
Viewer.

gain gain 1 Sets the amount of gain to multiply the

image by before display.

gamma gamma 1 Sets the amount of gamma correction to

apply to the image.

Gamma correction is applied after the gain,

viewerprocess, and any custom
inputprocess.

apply LUT to rgb_only disabled When enabled, the LUT is applied to color
color channels only.
channels
only

downrez downrez 1 Sets the amount of down scaling applied

before display. factor to speed up rendering.

You can use downrez to speed up rendering,

but bear in mind that it is multiplied into any
global proxy scale that may also be in effect.

ignore pixel ignore_pixel_aspect disabled When enabled, output to the Viewer ignores
aspect the file’s pixel aspect ratio and always draws
using square pixels.

prevent auto zoom_lock disabled When enabled, the Viewer is prevented from
zoom automatically adjusting the zoom level to fit
new images into the Viewer when swapping
between different sized images.

show show_overscan disabled When enabled, any overscan present is

overscan displayed in the Viewer.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

enable full full_frame_processing disabled When enabled, force Nuke to render every
frame scanline in the image. Compared to the
processing default mode, this may take slightly longer
initially and requires more space in the
Viewer cache, but once Nuke has cached the
frames you require, you can pan around and
change the zoom level without breaking the
cache or affecting playback.

overscan overscan 100 Sets the amount of overscan to show in the

Viewer when show overscan ins enabled.

safe zone safe_zone no guides Sets the safe zone overlay to apply to the
image:
• no guides
• title safe
• action safe
• format center

format format_center disabled When enabled, the center of the format is

center marked with a cross in the Viewer.

mask region masking_ratio square Sets the aspect ratio of the mask specified in
outside ratio the mask mode dropdown.

mask mode masking_mode no mask Sets the mask overlay to apply to the image:
• no mask
• lines
• half
• full

center f-stop center_fstop 8 Sets the f-stop to display when gain is set to
1. You can use zero to show stops as +/-n.

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 Image Nodes | Viewer

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: If you want a non-integer

value, enter a formula to get an
accurate value, otherwise the
display does not round to normal f-
stop names. For instance, instead of
5.6 you would use pow(2,2.5) to get
5.65685

shutter angle shutter_angle 180 Sets the camera shutter angle from 0-360
degrees.

This is used in combination with the Viewer's

playback fps setting to compute exposure
values.

gl buffer gl_buffer_depth float Sets the OpenGL buffer depth and enables
depth the use of the GPU for the Viewer process
and input process:
• byte - converts to 8-bit with error diffusion.
• half-float - converts to 16-bit (half) float.
• float - uses a full 32-bit floating point
texture (may be very slow on some cards).

In half and full float modes, the GPU can be

used to apply Viewer effects like gamma and
the LUT in a Viewer process.

Note: You can choose a default

value for this setting in the
Preferences or by using
knobDefault() in a startup script.

use GPU for useGPUForViewer enabled When enabled, Viewer effects (like gain,
viewer when gamma, and viewer process node) are
possible applied using the GPU when possible.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

The ’when possible’ clause is due to the fact

that in some cases, like when broadcast
monitor output is enabled or the GL buffer
depth is 8-bit, effects must be computed in
the CPU.

use GPU for useGPUForInputs enabled When enabled, compute nodes connected to
input when the Viewer input on the GPU when possible,
possible though not all nodes have a GPU
implementation.

Normally, the Viewer only attempts to run its

own effects (like gain, gamma, and viewer
process node) on the GPU.

Note: If nodes are computed on

the GPU, the color values displayed
in the Viewer are inaccurate since
they show the color from the last
node computed in the CPU, prior to
transferring the image into the
graphics card.

disabled disableGPUDitherForViewer disabled When enabled, GPU dithering is allowed in

GPU the Viewer (which affects half-float and float
dithering modes).

dithering GPUDitherAlgoithmFor high Sets the frequency of dithering applied to

algorithm Viewer frequency GPU enabled compositing Viewers, so that
you can be sure you're working in a
consistent environment:
• high frequency - the default setting,
applies a high frequency dithering
algorithm in screen space, after any viewer
rescaling is applied. As you pan and zoom
the Viewer, dithered pixels remain the same

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

scale.
• low frequency - applies a low frequency
dithering algorithm in image space, before
any viewer rescaling is applied. As you
zoom in the Viewer, dithered pixels get
bigger.
• no dithering - disables GPU dithering.

Note: When the Viewer AB mode is changed to wipe or stack, the state of the GPU
acceleration controls is stored, GPU acceleration is turned off, and GPU acceleration is disabled.

When the Viewer AB mode is changed back to default, GPU acceleration is re-enabled and the
state of the GPU acceleration controls is restored.

viewer viewerProcess sRGB Sets the Viewer Process operation applied to

process the viewed image before it is displayed on
the screen. It is typically used to convert from
linear to your monitor's colorspace.

You can add your own processes to the

dropdown using the Python
nuke.ViewerProcess.register() function.

input input_process_node VIEWER_ Sets the name of a node to process through

process INPUT for viewing when the IP button is activated. If
the node does not exist, the IP button has no
effect.

input_process disabled Applies the input process node before

displaying the image.

To define the node to use, enter its name in

the input process field or, from the Node
Graph right-click menu, select Edit > Node >
Use as Input Process.

input viewerInputOrder before Sets when the input process node specified
process viewer is applied:

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

order process • before viewer process.

• after viewer process.

enable MonitorOutEnable disabled When enabled, the Viewer is output to the

monitor connected monitor device.
output

Note: You cannot enable this

control if no monitor output
device is specified.

use video MonitorOutLegalRange disabled When enabled, transform the monitor output
legal range to the legal video range.

monitor MonitorOutDevice None Sets the monitor output device to receive the
output Viewer output:
device • None
• Digital Cinema Desktop
• Firewire

monitor MonitorOutMode - Sets the display mode for the specified

output mode monitor output device:
• none - no selections are available.
• D - select a Digital output device from the
dropdown.
• A - select a Firewire output device from the
dropdown.

monitor MinorOutPixelFormat - Set the pixel format output for the specified
output pixel monitor output device, dependent on the
format card's manufacturer.

viewer viewerSelectorMode rectangle Sets the selection mode for the current
selector selection Viewer:
mode • rectangle selection
• ellipse selection
• lasso selection

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

3D Tab

renderer renderer Hydra Sets which 3D Viewer type to use:

(Storm) • Hydra (Storm) - a 3D Viewer consistent
with other applications in your pipeline,
such as Katana, Solaris, or USDView, as well
as providing output that much more closely
represents the output from ScanlineRender
nodes.
• Nuke - the legacy 3D Viewer from Nuke
12.2 and earlier. This option doesn't render
lights, materials, and shadows as
consistently as the Hydra (Storm) Viewer.

Note: The Hydra (Storm) Viewer is

currently only available on Windows
and Linux OS.

Lighting enableLighting enabled When renderer is set to Hydra (Storm),

enable or disable lights, materials, and
Materials enableSceneMaterials enabled
shadows in the 3D Viewer.
Shadows shadowsEnabled disabled

OIT Number rd_oitNumSamples 32 Controls the render quality when you have
of Samples multiple overlapping semi-transparent
objects in the 3D Viewer. Increasing the
number of samples improves the rendered
output, but uses more OS resources and can
affect performance.

grid position grid_origin 0, 0, 0 Sets the position of the grid in the 3D Viewer
xyz on the x, y, and z axes.

display display unchanged Adjust the display characteristics of 3D

objects. These settings don’t affect the render
output of the scene; these are for display
purposes only in the 3D Viewer.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• off - hides all 3D objects.

• wireframe - displays only the outlines of
object geometry.
• solid - displays all object geometry with a
solid color.
• solid+lines - displays the geometry as solid
color with individual object’s geometry
outlines.
• textured - displays only the surface texture
of objects.
• textured+lines - displays the wireframe
plus the surface texture.
• unchanged - doesn't change object display
modes.

Note: This setting can override

individual object settings.

transparency use_alpha enabled When enabled, objects appear transparent

where their alpha is < 1.

headlamp gl_lighting disabled When enabled, objects are shaded with a

spotlight attached to the viewpoint to make
their shape visible.

alpha gl_alpha_clip 1 Sets the alpha value used by the

clipping transparency control which determines if an
object is opaque or not.

polygon gl_poly_offset 1 Sets the visibility of lines in hidden-line

offset mode.

show show_points disabled When enabled, all points are displayed in the
3D Viewer.

show_point_num disabled When enabled, all points are numbered in the

3D Viewer.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

show_point_info disabled When enabled, all points are labeled with xyz
coordinates in the 3D Viewer.

show_point_normals disabled When enabled, all available point normals are

displayed in the 3D Viewer.

show_point_uvs disabled When enabled, all available point uvs are

displayed in the 3D Viewer.

show_vertex_num disabled When enabled, all vertices are labeled in the

3D Viewer.

show_vertex_normals disabled When enabled, all available vertex normals

are displayed in the 3D Viewer.

show_vertex_uvs disabled When enabled, all available vertex uvs are

displayed in the 3D Viewer.

show_prim_num disabled When enabled, all primitives are labeled in

the 3D Viewer.

show_prim_normals disabled When enabled, all primitive normals are

labeled in the 3D Viewer.

show_prim_bbox disabled When enabled, all primitive bounding boxes

are labeled in the 3D Viewer.

grid_display enabled When enabled, a grid displays in the 3D

Viewer.

default lens default_lens 1 Sets the default lens (focal length divided by
film width) to use in 3D mode when no
camera is selected.

near near 0.1 Sets the limit of the OpenGL near clipping
plane. Objects closer to the camera that this
value are not rendered the 3D Viewer.

far far 1000 Sets the limit of the OpenGL far clipping
plane. Objects farther away from the camera
that this value are not rendered the 3D
Viewer.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

The far clipping plane can be moved farther

away if objects in the scene are farther away.
In this case, the near plane is also moved so
that the ratio between near and far planes is
preserved.

skew order skew_order XY Sets the order in which skew operations are
applied.
• XY - Skew on the X axis is applied before
skew on the Y axis.
• YX - Skew on the Y axis is applied before
skew on the X axis.

Soft Selection

Soft Select softSelect disabled When enabled, soft selection is applied to

any selection made in the Viewer.

When disabled, selections are made in the

same way as legacy versions of Nuke.

Falloff softSelectRadius 1 Controls the radius of the selection falloff

Radius added to the initial selection. Increasing the
value includes selections from farther away
from the initial points or faces.

Falloff Curve softSelectActiveCurve S-shaped Sets the curve used to describe falloff farther
away from the initial points or faces.

curves softSelectCurves none Adjusts the preset curve selected in the left-
hand panel. You can also add your own curve
to control falloff using the + button.

Adding a custom curve adds it to the Falloff

Curve dropdown.

Write

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 Image Nodes | Write

This node renders the result of all upstream nodes and saves the result to disk. You would usually place
one Write node at the bottom of the compositing tree to render the final output. However, Write nodes
have both input and output connectors, so you can embed them anywhere in the compositing tree.

The Write node supports multiple file formats, such as Cineon, TIFF, QuickTime, Alembic, OpenEXR, HDRI,
and DPX.

Note that this node executes all renders at the currently active scale: either full- or proxy-resolution. To
toggle between these, press Ctrl/Cmd+P.

You can also create this node by pressing W on the Node Graph.

See also WriteGeo.

Inputs and Controls

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function
Value

Write Tab

channels channels rgb Sets the channels to render.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the controls on the right to select
individual channels.

file file none Sets the file path and name of the file to render. For
frame numbers, you can use #### for each digit or
the printf-style formatting %04d.

proxy proxy none Sets the file path and name of a relevant proxy
image. This proxy image is used if proxy mode is
on and the required resolution is less than or equal
to the proxy format.

frame frame_mode expression Sets the frame mode:

• expression - Lets you enter an expression in the
field on the right. The expression changes the
relation between the currently processed frame
and the numbering of the frame written out. The
resulting file name for the current frame is

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 Image Nodes | Write

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

displayed on the Write node in the Node Graph.

For example, if your clip begins from frame 500
and you want to name that frame image.0001.exr
rather than image.0500.exr, you can use the
expression frame-499. This way, 499 frames are
subtracted from the current frame to get the
number for the frame written out. Frame 500 is
written out as image.0001.exr, frame 501 is written
out as image.0002.exr, and so on. Another
example of an expression is frame*2. This
expression multiplies the current frame by two to
get the number of the frame that’s written out. At
frame 1, image.0002.exr is written out; at frame 2,
image.0004.exr is written out; at frame 3,
image.0006.exr is written out; and so on.
• startat - Lets you enter a start frame number in
the field on the right. This specifies the frame
number given to the first frame in the sequence.
The numbering of the rest of the frames is offset
accordingly. For example, if your sequence begins
from frame 500 and you enter 1 in the field, frame
500 is written out as image.0001.exr, frame 501 as
image.0002.exr, and so on. Similarly, if you enter
100 in the field, frame 500 is written out as
image.0100.exr.
• offset - Lets you enter a constant offset in the
field on the right. This constant value is added to
the current frame to get the number for the frame
that’s written out. For example, if your clip begins
from frame 500 and you want to render this first
frame as image.0001.exr rather than
image.0500.exr, you can use -499 as the constant
offset. This way, 499 is subtracted from the current
frame to get the number for the frame that’s
written out. At frame 500, image.0001.exr is
written out; at frame 501, image.0002.exr is written

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 Image Nodes | Write

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

out, and so on.

frame none Depending on the frame mode, you can enter a

start frame, an offset, or an expression here.

colorspace colorspace dependent Sets the lookup table (LUT) used to convert from
on file type the internal values used by Nuke to the values
written to the file.

The default value is determined from the type of

file and the size and type of data written to it.

premultiplied premultiplied disabled When enabled, Nuke corrects the color to

reproduce the partially transparent pixels created by
some renders by dividing color data by the alpha
channel before converting to the colorspace, and
then multiplying by the alpha channel afterwards.

raw data raw disabled When enabled, Nuke does not convert the data.

For most file formats this is the same as linear

colorspace but, for some, it may disable other
processing such as conversion from YUV.

views views dependent When you’re working with stereo footage, select
on the required view to render.
Compositing
environment
Project
Settings

file type file_type none Sets the rendered file format manually, enabling
type specific controls. See Nuke's online help for
more information.

Note: If file type is left blank, Nuke

attempts to guess the format and disables
any file type specific controls.

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 Image Nodes | Write

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

create create_directories disabled When enabled, the render operation creates the
directories directory structure specified in the file control
automatically, if it doesn't already exist.

When disabled, attempting to write to non-existent

directories displays an error.

render order render_order 1 When multiple nodes are rendered at once, they are
sorted into increasing order by this number.

Render Render N/A Click to display the pre-Render setup window.

frame range first 1 Sets the first frame of a sequence to render.

last 1 Sets the last frame of a sequence to render.

limit to range use_limit disabled When enabled, only frames within the frame range
are rendered.

Note: If the specified frames are outside

the sequence range, the Write node
behaves as if it is disabled.

read file reading disabled When enabled, the newly written file is passed
down the node tree instead of the input.

missing on_error error Sets Nuke’s behavior when there is a problem with
frames frames in the file:
• error - display an error in the Viewer.
• black - render suspect frames with a black frame.
• checkerboard - render suspect frames with a
checkerboard.
• nearestframe - render suspect frames with the
nearest good frame.

Reload reload N/A Click to re-read the image from disk.

read all lines read_all_lines disabled When enabled, upstream Read nodes read whole
frames, rather than line by line. This is currently

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

limited to .dpx files, but can speed up scripts

containing I/O-heavy Reads.

OCIO Tab

Context

key1 key1 none OCIO Contexts allow you to apply specific LUTs to
individual shots.
value1 value1 none
See Nuke's online help for more information.
key2 key2 none

value2 value2 none

key3 key3 none

value3 value3 none

key4 key4 none

value4 value4 none

Python Tab (These controls are for Python callbacks and can be used to have Python functions
automatically called when various events happen in Nuke.)

before beforeRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering in

render execute(). If they throw an exception, the render
aborts.

before each beforeFrameRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering of
frame each individual frame. If they throw an exception,
the render aborts.

after each afterFrameRender none These functions run after each frame is finished
frame rendering. They are not called if the render aborts. If
they throw an exception, the render aborts.

after render afterRender none These functions run after rendering of all frames is
finished. If they throw an error, the render aborts.

render renderProgress none These functions run during rendering to determine

progress progress or failure.

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 Image Nodes | Write

File Type Specific Controls

These controls are context sensitive depending on which format you intend to render.

CIN

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

edge code edge_code none Sets the sequence’s edge code, carried in the metadata,
in the following format: 00 00 00 0000 0000 00.

DPX

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

data type datatype 10 bit Sets the bit depth of the rendered .dpx files:
• 8-bit
• 10-bit
• 12-bit
• 16-bit

fill fill disabled When enabled, 10- and 12-bit data is compressed by
removing unused parts of the image.

big endian bigEndian enabled When enabled, the rendered file is big-endian, rather
than native-endian. Big-endian files take longer to
render, but some applications only accept big-endian
files.

transfer transfer (auto detect) Set the Transfer header in the rendered .dpx files.

By default, Nuke attempts to set the header according to

the LUT used, but the transfer control allows you to
override this.

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EXR

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

write ACES write_ACES_compliant_ disabled When enabled, the rendered .exr files are ACES
compliant EXR compliant.
EXR • The datatype and compression controls are
disabled. ACES compliant .exr files written from
Nuke are always 16-bit half float with no
compression.
• An extra metadata field, chromaticities is
written into the file.

autocrop autocrop disabled When enabled, the bounding box is reduced to

the none zero area of the image.

Note: Autocrop is slow to process and

generally not required, though some
applications are able to read
autocropped images more quickly.

datatype datatype 16 bit half Sets the bit depth of the rendered .exr files:
• 16-bit half
• 32-bit float

compression compression Zip (1 Sets the compression type to apply to the

scanline) rendered file.

Note: Selecting DWAA or DWAB as

the compression setting allows you to
specify the compression level using a
slider.

heroview heroview dependent Sets the view labeled as the main view in multi-
on view projects.
Compositing

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

environment
Project
Settings

metadata metadata default Determines what metadata is included with the

metadata rendered file:
• no metadata
• default metadata
• default metadata and exr/*
• all metadata except input/*
• all metadata

do not attach noprefix disabled When enabled, unknown metadata keys are
prefix written into the file as they are.

When disabled, unknown metadata keys have the

prefix nuke attached to them when they are
written into the file.

interleave interleave channels, Sets the interleave strategy for channels, layers,
layers and and views with a rendered .exr file. A single- or
views multi-part .exr file is created as described by the
following options, with layers and parts sorted
alphabetically:
• channels, layers and views - creates a single-
part .exr file ensuring backward compatibility
with applications that use OpenEXR 1.x.
• channels and layers - creates a multi-part .exr
file with one part per view. This can improve
Read performance as Nuke only reads the part
associated with the specified view.
• channels - creates a multi-part .exr with one
part per layer.

first part first_part none When the channels control is set to all and
interleave is set to channels, this dropdown
specifies which channel is written first in multi-

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 Image Nodes | Write

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

channel .exr files. All subsequent channels are

written in alphanumeric order.

standard standard layer name disabled When enabled, the rendered EXRs follow the
layer name format standard .exr format layer.view.channel
format

Note: Older versions of Nuke use

view.layer.channel for .exr files.

write full write_full_layer_names disabled When enabled, always write the layer name in the
layer names channel names, folling the EXR standard.

When disabled, follow the legacy Nuke method

of storing the layer name in the part name of
multi-part files.

truncate truncateChannelNames disabled When enabled, channel names are truncated to a

channel maximum of 31 characters for legacy Nuke
names compatiblity.

When disabled, channel names are not truncated.

JPEG

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

quality _jpeg_quality 0.75 Sets the quality of the rendered JPGs.

sub-sampling _jpeg_sub_ 4:1:1 Sets the chroma sub-sampling to use, from lowest to
sampling highest quality:
• 4:1:1
• 4:2:2
• 4:4:4

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MOV

Note: The mov32Reader and Writer has been removed for macOS Catalina (10.15) and
deprecated under Windows, Linux, and macOS Mojave (10.14). The mov32: prefix is still currently
available on deprecated OS, but unsupported. We recommend using the standard Nuke
Read/Write controls, as mov32 is scheduled for removal in a future release.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Codec mov64_codec Apple ProRes Sets the codec to use during rendering. See the codec
subsections for specific controls.

FPS mov64_fps dependent on Sets the playback frames per second for the output file.
Compositing
environment
Project
Settings

Animation Codec

Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ RGB 8-bit Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format • Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:

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Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

GOP Size mov64_gop_ 12 Sets how many frames can be placed together to form a
size compression GOP (group of pictures).

Note: Use caution with this control as large

alterations can stop other applications reading
the rendered file.

Apple ProRes Codec

Codec Profile mov_prores_ ProRes 4:2:2 Sets the codec profile to use when a ProRes codec is
codec_profile HQ 10-bit selected in the Codec control:

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 Image Nodes | Write

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

• Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines

how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840
pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:

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 Image Nodes | Write

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255

for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

Avid DNxHD Codec

Codec Profile mov64_ DNxHD 444 Sets the codec profile to use when a DNxHD codec is
dnxhd_codec_ 10-bit 440 selected in the Codec control:
profile Mbit • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

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Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

Avid DNxHR Codec

Codec Profile mov64_ 4:4:4 12-bit Sets the codec profile to use when a DNxHR codec is
dnxhr_codec_ selected in the Codec control:

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profile • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the

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Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

H.264 Codec

Codec Profile mov64_h264_ High 4:2:0 8- Sets the codec profile to use when a DNxHR codec is
codec_profile bit selected in the Codec control:
• Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Quality mov64_ High Selects a preset level that automatically adjusts the
quality Advanced controls. Higher values produce larger files
with better quality.

Select Custom to adjust the Advanced controls

manually.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840

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pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

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Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

GOP Size mov64_gop_ 12 Sets how many frames can be placed together to form a
size compression GOP (group of pictures).

Note: Use caution with this control as large

alterations can stop other applications reading
the rendered file.

B Frames mov64_b_ 0 Sets the maximum number of B frames that can be

frames consecutive in the rendered file.

The default, 0, does not impose any maximum number

of B frames in the output.

Bitrate mov64_ 28000 Sets the target bitrate that the codec attempts to reach,
bitrate within the limits set by the Bitrate Tolerance and
Quantizer Min/Max controls.

Bitrate mov64_ 0 Sets the amount that the bitrate can vary from the
Tolerance bitrate_ Bitrate setting. Setting this tolerance too low can result
tolerance in renders failing.

Quantizer Min mov64_ 1 Sets the quality range within which the codec can vary
quailty_min the image to achieve the specified bitrate. Higher ranges
can introduce image degradation.
Quantizer mov64_ 3
Max quailty_max

Motion JPEG A Codec

Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ YCbCr 4:4:4 8- Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format bit • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.

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• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the

encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Quality mov64_ High Selects a preset level that automatically adjusts the
quality Advanced controls. Higher values produce larger files
with better quality.

Select Custom to adjust the Advanced controls

manually.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840
pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

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Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

Bitrate mov64_ 200000 Sets the target bitrate that the codec attempts to reach,
bitrate within the limits set by the Bitrate Tolerance and
Quantizer Min/Max controls.

Bitrate mov64_ 4000000 Sets the amount that the bitrate can vary from the
Tolerance bitrate_ Bitrate setting. Setting this tolerance too low can result
tolerance in renders failing.

Quantizer Min mov64_ 1 Sets the quality range within which the codec can vary
quailty_min the image to achieve the specified bitrate. Higher ranges
can introduce image degradation.
Quantizer mov64_ 3
Max quailty_max

Motion JPEG B Codec

Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ YCbCr 4:4:4 8- Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format bit

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• Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines

how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Quality mov64_ High Selects a preset level that automatically adjusts the
quality Advanced controls. Higher values produce larger files
with better quality.

Select Custom to adjust the Advanced controls

manually.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840
pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:

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• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

Bitrate mov64_ 200000 Sets the target bitrate that the codec attempts to reach,
bitrate within the limits set by the Bitrate Tolerance and
Quantizer Min/Max controls.

Bitrate mov64_ 4000000 Sets the amount that the bitrate can vary from the
Tolerance bitrate_ Bitrate setting. Setting this tolerance too low can result
tolerance in renders failing.

Quantizer Min mov64_ 1 Sets the quality range within which the codec can vary
quailty_min the image to achieve the specified bitrate. Higher ranges
can introduce image degradation.
Quantizer mov64_ 3

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Max quailty_max

MPEG-4 Codec

Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ YCbCr 4:2:0 8- Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format bit • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Quality mov64_ High Selects a preset level that automatically adjusts the
quality Advanced controls. Higher values produce larger files
with better quality.

Select Custom to adjust the Advanced controls

manually.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840
pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

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Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

GOP Size mov64_gop_ 12 Sets how many frames can be placed together to form a
size compression GOP (group of pictures).

Note: Use caution with this control as large

alterations can stop other applications reading
the rendered file.

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B Frames mov64_b_ 0 Sets the maximum number of B frames that can be

frames consecutive in the rendered file.

The default, 0, does not impose any maximum number

of B frames in the output.

Limit Bitrate mov64_limit_ disabled When enabled, the maximum Bitrate is capped and the
bitrate Bitrate Tolerance is set to 0.

This control is designed to reduce output file size, but

the render quality is generally lower.

Bitrate mov64_ 200000 Sets the target bitrate that the codec attempts to reach,
bitrate within the limits set by the Bitrate Tolerance and
Quantizer Min/Max controls.

Bitrate mov64_ 4000000 Sets the amount that the bitrate can vary from the
Tolerance bitrate_ Bitrate setting. Setting this tolerance too low can result
tolerance in renders failing.

Quantizer Min mov64_ 1 Sets the quality range within which the codec can vary
quailty_min the image to achieve the specified bitrate. Higher ranges
can introduce image degradation.
Quantizer mov64_ 3
Max quailty_max

PHOTO JPEG Codec

Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ YCbCr 4:4:4 8- Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format bit • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Quality mov64_ High Selects a preset level that automatically adjusts the
quality Advanced controls. Higher values produce larger files

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with better quality.

Select Custom to adjust the Advanced controls

manually.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840
pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

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Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

Bitrate mov64_ 200000 Sets the target bitrate that the codec attempts to reach,
bitrate within the limits set by the Bitrate Tolerance and
Quantizer Min/Max controls.

Bitrate mov64_ 4000000 Sets the amount that the bitrate can vary from the
Tolerance bitrate_ Bitrate setting. Setting this tolerance too low can result
tolerance in renders failing.

Quantizer Min mov64_ 1 Sets the quality range within which the codec can vary
quailty_min the image to achieve the specified bitrate. Higher ranges
can introduce image degradation.

Quantizer mov64_ 3 Quantizer Max

Max quailty_max

PNG Codec

Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ RGB 16-bit Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format • Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

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Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

Uncompressed Codec

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Pixel Format mov64_pixel_ YCbCr 4:2:2 Lists pixel formats supported by the current codec:
format 10-bit • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

YCbCr Matrix mov64_ycbcr_ Auto Sets the way RGB is converted to Y’CbCr. Rec 601 and
matrix_type Rec 709 follow the ITU.BC specifications.

Auto uses a set a heuristics to determine the best color

matrix to use, including Format-based, which sets the
color matrix to Rec 601 for formats with a width below
840 pixels and Rec 709 for formats with a width of 840
pixels or above.

Audio File mov64_ N/A Allows you to specify a separate audio file to include in
audiofile the output.

Either enter the file path manually or click the browse

button to locate the audio file.

Audio Offset mov64_ 0 Sets the start time of any audio file specified in the
audio_offset Audio File control. The unit of measure is specified
using the Units control.

Negative values cause the audio to start before the

video and vice versa.

Units mov64_units Seconds Sets the unit of measure for the audio offset control:
• Seconds
• Frames

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Video Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for

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encoding DNx files:

• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

Fast Start mov64_fast_ enabled When enabled, MOVs are playable while still down
start loading during streaming.

Write mov64_write_ enabled When enabled, a time code track is added to the
Timecode timecode rendered .mov file.

You can also use the quicktime/reel metadata, if present,

to give the track its reel name. You can add this key
using the ModifyMetaData node if it doesn’t exist.

Note: The input/timecode key must be

present in the sequence metadata in order to
write a time code.

MXF

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Codec mxf_video_ Avid DNxHR Sets the codec to use during rendering.
codec_knob

Pattern mxf_op_ OP-1a Sets the operational pattern of the rendered file:
pattern_knob • OP-1a - combines audio and video into a single file,
similar to Final Cut Pro X.
• OP-Atom - creates separate audio and video files,
similar to Avid Media Composer.

FPS mxf_edit_ dependent on Sets the playback frames per second for the output file.
rate_knob

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Compositing
environment
Project
Settings

Codec Profile mxf_codec_ 4:4:4 12-bit Lists codec profiles supported by the current codec:
profile_knob • Pixel layout - 420, 422, 444, and so on. This defines
how the chroma channels in the buffer are arranged.
444 buffers have lower spatial chroma sampling than
422, so they are generally preferred when available.
• Pixel bit-depth - 8-bit, 16-bit, and so on. This sets the
encoding depth used when decompressing the frames.
A large bit depth gives higher accuracy at the cost of
speed and memory usage.

Tape ID mxf_tape_id_ N/A When Pattern is set to OP-Atom, specifies a tape name
knob that can be read by Avid Media Composer.

Advanced

Data Range dataRange Full Range Sets the minimum and maximum color range values for
encoding DNx files:
• Full Range - encodes with the full data range (0-255
for 8-bit or 0-1023 for 10-bit).
• Video Range - encodes with a reduced, or video/legal,
data range (16-240 for 8-bit or 64-960 for 10-bit).

PNG

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

data type datatype 8 bit Sets the bit depth of the rendered .png files:
• 8-bit
• 16-bit

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SGI

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

data type datatype 8 bit Sets the bit depth of the rendered .sgi files:
• 8-bit
• 16-bit

big endian bigEndian enabled When enabled, the rendered file is big-endian, rather
than native-endian. Big-endian files take longer to
render, but some applications only accept big-endian
files.

compression compression RLE Sets the compression type to apply to the rendered file.

TARGA

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

compression compression RLE Sets the compression type to apply to the rendered file.

TIFF

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

data type datatype 8 bit Sets the bit depth of the rendered .tiff files:
• 8-bit
• 16-bit
• 32-bit float

compression compression Deflate Sets the compression type to apply to the rendered file.

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 Image Nodes | Write

YUV

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

interlaced interlaced disabled When enabled, the file is rendered as interlaced rather
than progressive.

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Draw Nodes
Draw nodes contain roto shapes, paint tools, film grain, fills, lens flares, sparkles, and other vector-based
image tools.

Dither
Dither adds random noise to an image to hide color quantization effects. Color quantization is a reduction
in the number of colors used in the image, and can occur, for example, if the image has been stored into
an 8-bit file without error diffusion. In a dithered image, colors that are not available are approximated by
a diffusion of colored pixels from within the available palette. The human eye perceives the diffusion as a
mixture of the colors within it. This produces an impression of a larger number of colors and eliminates
banding artifacts.

See also Noise, Grain, ScannedGrain, and F_ReGrain.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence with unwanted color quantization effects.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the dither effect is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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 Draw Nodes |

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Dither Tab

channels channels all The effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

amount amount 0.1 Up to 0.5 of this amount is added or subtracted from

each pixel to create the effect. Higher values produce
more dither and vice versa.

monodither monodither disabled When enabled, the same dithering pattern is used for
all channels.

seed seed 1 The same pattern is usually produced for each Dither
node. Changing the seed number produces a
different pattern, for instance if you’re using multiple
Dither nodes.

static seed static_seed disabled When enabled, the dither pattern remains the same
for every frame producing a constant dither effect.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the dither

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the dither
effect is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

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 Draw Nodes | DustBust

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the dither before the
premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding
an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult
node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only
using one Dither node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
dither effect at 1.

DustBust
DustBust allows you to remove dirt and scratches from scanned images by painting over them with pixels
from another frame or another part of the same frame. It clones multiple areas from a source to a
destination based on dust points you create by Ctrl/Cmd+clicking in the Viewer. The source position can
be different for each dust point.

See also RotoPaint.

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 Draw Nodes | DustBust

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image with the dirt or scratches to remove.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

DustBust Tab

enable enable 1 Sets the effect intensity from 0-1, where 1 is equal to the
full effect.

view source view_source disabled When enabled, you can view the source frame for the
points currently in the Viewer.

frame offset frame_offset 1 The clone source can be on the same frame (value 0) or
on another frame determined by the frame offset.

Note: Frame offset is the same to all dust

points on a particular frame (but frame offset
can be animated over time if desired).

edge edge_ 0.5 Sets the edge softness for all dust points on a particular
hardness hardness frame.

Output Mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskchannel none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the effect is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

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 Draw Nodes | Flare

Flare
This node simulates lens flares that are created by reflections between lenses inside a film or video camera
when the camera is pointed towards a bright light source, such as the sun. Lens flares are typically added
to compositions to create a sense of realism, implying that the image is an un-edited shot of a real life
scene.

Lens flares are generally round, oval, or roundish with five or six flattened sides. They tend to show chroma
shifting, generating rainbow-like outlines. Nuke flares are implemented as a donut-like shape. They have
three radii:
• The outer radius is the outside of the donut.
• The middle radius is the thickest part.
• The inner radius is where the donut hole would be.

You can define two colors for the flare: the color of the donut itself and the fill color for the donut hole. If
these two colors are the same, flares are rendered as disks.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which you want to add lens flares.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Flare Tab

Position

position position 100, 300 Sets the center position of the flare on the x and y axes.

You can reposition the flare along an imaginary line

between position and the center of the image using the
offset control. In this case, set position to the
coordinates of the light source.

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 Draw Nodes | Flare

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

offset offset 0 Adjusts the flare along a line between the center of the
image at 0 and the position, or light source, at 1.

radius radius 80, 100, 120 Sets the size of the flare as described by three radii:
• inner - sets the size of the ’hole’ filled by the inner
color control.
• middle - sets the thickness of the donut filled by the
ring color control.
• outer - sets the outer limit of the donut.

size mult size_mult 1 Scales the flare globally, while retaining the ratio
described by the radius controls.

anamorph anamorph 1 Simulates anamorphic lens flares by altering the default

1:1 flare shape.

Colors

ring color ring_color 1 Sets the ring color of the flare donut. Flares fade from
black at the outer radius to the ring color on the middle
radius.

inner color inner_color 0.5 Sets the inner color of the flare donut. Flares fade from
the ring color on the middle radius to the inner color on
the inner radius.

outer falloff outer _falloff 1 Sets the blending or falloff between the outer radius
and the background image.

inner falloff inner_falloff 1 Sets the blending or falloff between the inner radius and
the background image.

Color Shifts

chroma chroma_ 0 Moves chroma spread to and from the center of the
spread spread flare. Positive values shift red outward and blue inward,
and vice versa.

Note: You can use the color inner and outerfalloff

controls to compensate for banding created by large
chroma spread values.

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 Draw Nodes | Flare

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

chroma shift chroma_shift 0 Moves color components in the direction specified in

the angle control.

angle chroma_shift_ 0 Sets the direction of chroma shift. Positive values rotate
angle the shift counter-clockwise and vice versa.

rel chroma_shift_ disabled When enabled, angle is relative to the light angle (the
angle_add angle between position and the center point of the
image).

Visibility

brightness brightness 1 Adjusts the overall brightness of the flare.

Setting this value to 0 makes the flare invisible.

in vis_in 1 Sets the relative distance from the light source to the
matte, at which the flare is fully visible.

out vis_out 1.1 Sets the relative distance from the light source to the
matte, at which the flare is fully invisible.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

vis_mask none The channel to use as a visibility mask. The lens flare
effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

Where the visibility mask is white, the full brightness

value is used. Where the mask is black, brightness is set
to 0 (invisible). Gray areas are attenuated accordingly.

mask blur vis_mask_size 4 When a visibility mask is used, the mask is blurred by this
radius.

Shape

corners corners 5 If edge flattening is set to a value greater than 0, this

controls the number of sides that make up the
polygonal flare.

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 Draw Nodes | Flare

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

edge flattening 0 Simulates polygonal flares that some physical lens flares
flattening create. The default value of 0 creates a circular flare.
Higher values push the sides toward the center of the
flare, creating a star shape at values past 1.

corner sharpness 0.5 Adjusts the sharpness of the angles created with
sharpness edgeflattening.

angle corners_angle 0 Sets the position of the first corner of a polygonal flare.
Positive values rotate the first corner counter-clockwise
and vice versa.

rel corners_ disabled When enabled, angle is relative to the light angle (the
angle_add angle between position and the center point of the
image).

Multi Tab

Asymmetry

repeat asym_repeat 1 Sets the number of darkened sections around the

circumference of the flare.

multiplier asym_ 1 Sets how dark the darkened sections are. The default
multiplier value of 1 creates no darkening, whereas a value of 0
sets the darkened sections to black.

falloff asym_falloff 1 Sets the falloff at the edges of the darkened sections.
The higher the value, the wider the darkened sections.

angle asym_angle 0 Rotates the darkened sections around the center of the
flare. Positive values rotate the sections counter-
clockwise and vice versa.

Multiple Flares

repeat mult_num 1 Creates multiple flares with similar attributes. These are
randomized according to the controls below. You can
affect multiple flares by adjusting the overall seed or by
setting seeds for individual controls.

overall seed mult_seed 0 Sets the master, or overall, seed for all the below

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 Draw Nodes | Flare

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

attributes on all repeat flares. This produces random

attributes for each flare. Change the value to randomly
vary the attributes.

random offset mult_offset 1 Randomly varies the offsets for all repeat flares along
the line from the image center to position.

mult_offset_ 48235 Randomly varies the offsets for all repeat flares. You can
seed tie Multiple Flare controls together by giving them the
same value here.

size mult_size 0 Randomly varies the sizes of all repeat flares.

Positive values scale the flares down and vice versa.

mult_size_ 94335 Randomly varies the sizes of all repeat flares. You can tie
seed Multiple Flare controls together by giving them the
same value here.

hue mult_color 0 Randomly varies the colors of all repeat flares.

Positive values move the hue towards blue and negative

values toward red.

mult_color_ 77088 Randomly varies the colors of all repeat flares. You can
seed tie Multiple Flare controls together by giving them the
same value here.

brightness mult_ 0 Randomly varies the brightness for all repeat flares.
brightness
Positive values increase the flare brightness and vice
versa.

mult_ 75021 Randomly varies the brightness for all repeat flares. You
brightness_ can tie Multiple Flare controls together by giving them
seed the same value here.

visibility mult_visibility 0 Randomly varies the visibility for all repeat flares.

Positive values increase the flare opacity and vice versa.

mult_ 68995 Randomly varies the visibility for all repeat flares. You

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 Draw Nodes | Flare

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

visibility_seed can tie Multiple Flare controls together by giving them

the same value here.

edge mult_ 0 Randomly varies the edge flattening for all repeat flares.
flattening flattening
Positive values push the sides toward the center of the
flare. Negative values push the sides out, creating a
more circular flare.

mult_ 45203 Randomly varies the edge flattening for all repeat flares.
flattening_ You can tie Multiple Flare controls together by giving
seed them the same value here.

rotation mult_rotate 0 Randomly varies the rotation for all repeat flares.

Positive values rotate the flare clockwise and vice versa.

mult_rotate_ 49429 Randomly varies the rotation for all repeat flares. You
seed can tie Multiple Flare controls together by giving them
the same value here.

Extra

speedup speedup 0 Decreases rendering time at the expense of horizontal

resolution. The default value of 0 renders at full
resolution.

Presets Tab

Flares

MultiPenta MultiPenta N/A Creates multiple preset polygonal flares along the line
from the image center to position.

Rings

LgRainbow LgRainbow N/A Creates multiple rainbow colored ring flares along the
line from the image center to position.

Glowballs

Bright Bright N/A Creates multiple preset bright flares along the line from
the image center to position.

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 Draw Nodes | Glint

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Sparkles

ManyBright ManyBright N/A Creates multiple preset sparkle flares along the line from
the image center to position.
Symmetry4 Symmetry4 N/A

Resets

all all N/A Removes all preset flares and resets all Flare node
controls to their defaults.

Glint
With the Glint node, you can create star-shaped rays around all the bright points in an image.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the star-shaped rays.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the star-shaped rays

are limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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 Draw Nodes | Glint

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Glint Tab

channels channels all The star-shaped rays are only applied to these
channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

no. of rays repeat 2 The number of rays coming out of the bright points in
your image. For example, if you want to create five-
pointed stars, enter 5 here.

length length 50 Sets the length of the rays.

aspect ratio aspect 1 Sets the aspect ratio of the star-shapes.

odd ray oddlen 1 Gives every other ray a different length and sets that
length length.

rotation rotation 0 Rotates the star-shapes by degrees. Negative values

produce anti-clockwise rotation.

from color from_color 1 Sets the color in the beginning of the rays near the
center point of the stars.

to color to_color 0 Sets the color in the end of the rays.

steps steps 5 Sets how many steps the rays are formed of. The
more steps you use and the shorter the rays are, the
smoother the rays become.

max max enabled When enabled, the brightest image forming the rays
is used.

When disabled, the images forming the rays are

added up.

effect only effect_only disabled When enabled, only outputs the effect without
merging it with the original input image.

w N/A disabled Enables the associated w channel to the right.

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 Draw Nodes | Glint

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the

channel to none.

w_channel none The channel to use as a mask for what are considered
glint sources. Highlights in the non-black areas of this
channel cause the glint effect, whereas highlights in
the non-white areas do not.

This is different from the mask channel in that the

glint effect can extend outside the matte in this
channel as long as the highlights that cause the effect
are inside the matte.

tolerance tolerance 0.5 Sets the threshold for how bright the highlights in the
input image need to be to cause the glint effect. Only
pixels above the threshold will bloom with the effect.

Low values produce more glint than high values.

gamma gamma 1 Lets you perform a gamma correction on the

highlights that cause glint before the glint effect is
applied.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the effect is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel, so that the
transform is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

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 Draw Nodes | Grain

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

Grain
The Grain node lets you add synthetic grain (rather than grain derived from actual film stock) to an image.
This helps you ensure that all of the elements in your composite, including those which were digitally
generated, look like they were shot on the same film stock.

The presets dropdown menu includes predefined types of grain, such as Kodak 5248 and Kodak 5218.
These are the correct size for 2K scans.

You can also adjust the Grain node’s controls to match a sample piece of grain:
1. Find a sample with a rather constant background.
2. Blur the sample to remove the grain.
3. Connect the blurred sample to the Grain node’s input.
4. In the Viewer, wipe between the Grain node and the original sample image, and adjust the Grain
node’s controls to match the grain. It helps to view and match each of the red, green, and blue
channels separately.

See also ScannedGrain and F_ReGrain.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input 1 The image sequence to receive the effect.

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 Draw Nodes | Grain

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

User Tab

seed seed 134 A different grain pattern is produced for each frame.
Change this number to get a different initial pattern, for
instance if you are using multiple Grain nodes.

If you require an identical grain plate for every frame,

enter -frame in this field.

presets presets N/A Choose the film stock you want to match:
• Kodak 5248
• Kodak 5279
• Kodak FX214
• Kodak GT5274
• Kodak 5217
• Kodak 5218
• other - changes the label on the node to other. This
has no effect on the effect applied.

Size

red red_size 3.3 Shrinks or enlarges the effect in the red channel.

green green_size 2.9 Shrinks or enlarges the effect in the green channel.

blue blue_size 2.5 Shrinks or enlarges the effect in the blue channel.

Irregularity

red red_i 0.6 Increases or decreases the random quality of the effect
in the red channel.

green green_i 0.6 Increases or decreases the random quality of the effect
in the green channel.

blue blue_i 0.6 Increases or decreases the random quality of the effect
in the blue channel.

Intensity

red red_m 0.416 Increases or decreases the contrast of the effect in the

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 Draw Nodes | Grid

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

red channel against the original image.

green green_m 0.46 Increases or decreases the contrast of the effect in the
green channel against the original image.

blue blue_m 0.85 Increases or decreases the contrast of the effect in the
blue channel against the original image.

black black 0 The base amount of grain to add at the black point.

minimum rgb minimum 0, 0, 0 The minimum output rgb values. If the calculation results
in pixel values lower than these, these values are used
instead.

Mask

Apply only maskgrain enabled When enabled, effect is limited to the non-black areas
through alpha of the image’s alpha channel. This can be useful when
you want to apply grain to premultiplied CG images
without contaminating the background black.

When disabled, effect is applied to the entire image.

Invert alpha invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the alpha channel, so that when Apply
only through alpha is enabled, the effect is limited to
the non-white areas of the alpha.

Grid
This node creates a grid of horizontal and vertical lines on top of the input image.

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 Draw Nodes | Grid

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image on which the grid is superimposed.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the grid is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Grid Tab

output output rgba The grid is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select the

individual channels to output.

premult premult none These channels are set to black outside the grid
shape.

clip to cliptype format Sets how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.
• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming
bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• unionbboxandformat - restrict the output image to
a combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersectbboxandformat - restrict the output
image to an intersection of the bounding box and

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 Draw Nodes | Grid

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black
before drawing into them. You might find replace
useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an
alpha channel which you want to throw away.

invert invert disabled When enabled, inverts the grid (that is, fills in the
holes in the grid and leaves holes for the lines).

opacity opacity 1 Adjusts the grid opacity on a sliding scale, where 0 is

completely transparent and 1 is completely opaque.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the grid is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel, so that grid is
limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

number number 10 Sets the number of grid squares on the x and y axes.

size size 1 Sets the grid line thickness in pixels.

translate translate 0, 0 Translates the entire grid on the x and y axes.

Color Tab

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 Draw Nodes | Grid

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ramp ramp none Selects whether to create a color gradient across the
grid:
• none - don’t create a color gradient.
• linear - the ramp changes linearly from one color
into another.
• smooth0 - the ramp color gradually eases into the
point 0 end. This means colors in the point 0 end are
spread wider than colors in the point 1 end.
• smooth1 - the ramp color eases into the point 1
end. This means colors in the point 1 end are spread
wider than at the point 0 end.
• smooth - the ramp color gradually eases into both
ends. This means colors in the point 0 and point 1
ends are spread wider than colors in the center of
the ramp.

color color 1 Sets a color for the grid.

If ramp is set to anything other than none, this is the

color for the ramp at the point 1 end (by default, the
top end).

point 1 p1 100, 400 Sets the position of point 1. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

color 0 color0 0 Sets the color for the ramp at the point 0 end (by
default, the bottom end).

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

point 0 p0 100, 100 Sets the position of point 0. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

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 Draw Nodes | LightWrap

LightWrap
LightWrap can help composite objects into a very bright background by ’wrapping’ or spilling light from
the background onto the foreground object. The node creates a reflection of light around the edges of
your foreground object by blending in whatever is in the background.

You should apply LightWrap on your foreground element before you composite the foreground over the
background with the Merge node.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input A The foreground image.

B A background that will bleed light into the foreground image.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

LightWrap Tab

Diffuse size 15 Adjusts the spread of the reflections on the

foreground element. This and Intensity need to be
balanced out together. You may want to start by
bringing Diffuse all the way down to better see what
you are blending in from the background. Then, adjust
Intensity before going back to the Diffuse slider and,
if necessary, Intensity again until you are happy with
the result.

Intensity Intensity 0 Adjusts the brightness of the reflections on the

foreground element. This and Diffuse need to be
balanced out together. You may want to start by
bringing Diffuse all the way down to better see what

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 Draw Nodes | LightWrap

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

you are blending in from the background. Then, adjust

Intensity before going back to the Diffuse slider and,
if necessary, Intensity again until you are happy with
the result.

Generate wrap onlywrap disabled When enabled, generates the LightWrap effect only,
only without merging it with the foreground object.

Disable disableluma disabled When enabled, creates a uniform effect around the
luminance edges of the foreground, rather than have the effect
based wrap adjust itself according to the background.

Enable Glow enableglow disabled When enabled, extends the effect outside the
foreground object’s alpha, making the object seem to
glow.

FGBlur FGBlur 1 Sets how much the foreground matte is blurred. The
more blur, the more of the background is added to
the foreground.

BGBlur BGBlur 0 Sets how much the background is blurred before it is

merged with the foreground element.

Saturation saturation 1 Adjusts the saturation of the LightWrap effect.

LumaTolerance LumaTolerance 0 Adjusts the luminance values of the LightWrap effect.

Highlight highlightmerge plus Sets how the foreground object is merged with the
Merge background. The default merge operation, plus, adds
the elements together, producing a glow effect.

Use constant useconstant disabled When enabled, a constant color of your choice rather
highlight than the background is used in the LightWrap effect.
Select the color using the Constant control.

Constant color 1 Sets the color to use in the LightWrap effect when Use
constant highlight is enabled.

CCorrect Tab

white white 1 This color remains unchanged when you adjust

gamma.

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 Draw Nodes | LightWrap

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

midtone bias gray 0.18 Sets the center of midtones, remaining unchanged
when you adjust contrast.

master

contrast contrast 1 Adjusts the contrast in the entire LightWrap effect.

gamma gamma 1 Adjusts the gamma in the entire LightWrap effect.

gain gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the entire LightWrap effect.

offset offset 0 Adjusts the offset in the entire LightWrap effect.

shadows

gamma shadows_ 1 Adjusts the gamma in the darkest parts of the

gamma LightWrap effect.

gain shadows_gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the darkest parts of the LightWrap
effect.

offset shadows_offset 0 Adjusts the offset in the darkest parts of the LightWrap
effect.

midtones

gamma midtones_ 1 Adjusts the gamma in the middle range of the

gamma LightWrap effect.

gain midtones_gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the middle range of the LightWrap
effect.

offset midtones_ 0 Adjusts the offset in the middle range of the

offset LightWrap effect.

highlights

gamma highlights_ 1 Adjusts the gamma in the highlights of the LightWrap

gamma effect.

gain highlights_gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the highlights of the LightWrap

effect.

offset highlights_ 0 Adjusts the offset in the highlights of the LightWrap

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 Draw Nodes | MarkerRemoval

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

offset effect.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original LightWrap effect at 0

and the color corrected effect at 1.

MarkerRemoval
MarkerRemoval uses roto shapes to mask an area of the footage that you don’t want to appear in the final
result, typically small areas like tracking markers. Nuke automatically paints the masked area with suitable
pixels sampled from the background plate.

Note: Painted pixels with values of 0.5 mean the algorithm was unable to locate any pixel to fill
in.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The node supplying the mask information, for example Roto or
RotoPaint.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

MarkerRemoval Tab

paint type mode bilinear Sets the paint mode used to fill the roto shape(s):
• bilinear - extrapolates pixels on the xy axes to fill the
roto shape(s).
• radial - extrapolates pixels radially outward from a

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Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

center point to fill the roto shape(s).

Note: The center point is averaged between

the number of roto shapes, so radial painting
with more than one roto shape is not
recommended. When using the radial mode,
you should only use one roto shape for each
MarkerRemoval node.

bilinear y linearsearch 100 Sets the height (in pixels) used to search for suitable
search pixels to fill the roto shape.

This value should always be higher than the height of the

roto mask surrounding the area you want to fill, and
should only be increased for large mask areas.

Note: This option is only available when the

painttype is set to bilinear.

control enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling

channel this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to none,
effectively disabling the node.

ctrlMask rgba.alpha The channel that contains the roto mask(s).

Pixel offset

x offset x_offset 0 If the roto shape mask you intend to use is close to the
left or right edges of the plate, you can offset the
sample area by a specified number of pixels to create a
more accurate fill for the roto shape.

y offset y_offset 0 If the roto shape mask you intend to use is close to the
top or bottom edges of the plate, you can offset the
sample area by a specified number of pixels to create a
more accurate fill for the roto shape.

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 Draw Nodes | Noise

Noise
Adds various types of seemingly random noise to the input image, all based on the Perlin noise function.

See also Grain, ScannedGrain, and F_ReGrain.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which noise is added.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the noise is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Noise Tab

output output rgba The noise is rendered into these output channels.

If you set this to something other than none, you can

use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

premult premult none Premultiply multiplies the chosen input channels with
a mask representing the noise. For example, where
there is no noise (the matte is black or empty), the
input channels are set to black. Where the noise is
opaque (the matte is white or full), the input channels
keep their full value.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Selecting rgba premultiplies the

alpha against itself (a*a). If you don’t want
this to happen, set premult to rgb instead.

clip to cliptype format Select how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.
• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming
bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• unionbboxandformat - restrict the output image to
a combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersectbboxandformat - restrict the output
image to an intersection of the bounding box and
incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black
before drawing into them. You might find replace
useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an
alpha channel which you want to throw away.

invert invert disabled When enabled, inverts the new noise and non-noise
areas.

opacity opacity 1 Sets the noise opacity where 0 is equal to transparent,

and 1 is equal to opaque.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the noise is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a

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 Draw Nodes | Noise

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the noise is
limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

type type fBm Choose the type of noise to use:

• fBm (fractional Brownian motion) - runs noise()
octave times at different scales to get random
numbers between -1 and +1 and adds them up.
• turbulence - similar to fBm except it uses the
absolute value of the noise function so the values it
sums up are all between 0 and 1.

x/ysize size 350 Sets the lowest possible noise frequency on the x and
y axes. For example, low y values relative to x
produces horizontal noise.

z zoffset 0 Offsets the noise to create new patterns. This control

must be animated to produce noise changes over
time. For example, the expression frame/10 causes the
noise to change completely over 10 frames.

octaves octaves 10 Sets the number of Perlin noise functions to add to

the noise frequency.

clip at nyquist enabled When enabled, limits the number of octaves so that
Nyquist limit the highest frequency is larger than one pixel.

Note: You may need to disable this control

if you’re animating the size of the noise, as
changes can be visible.

lacunarity lacunarity 2 Sets the amount by which octaves multiply noise

frequency. Lower values produce smoother noise and
higher values produce more granular noise.

gain gain 0.5 Sets the amount by which octaves multiply noise

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

amplitude.

gamma gamma 0.5 Sets the gamma output for the noise.

Transform Tab

translate xy translate 0, 0 Translates the noise along the x and y axes. You can
also adjust translate values by dragging the transform
handle in the Viewer.

rotate rotate 0, 0 Rotates the noise around the center x y coordinates.

You can adjust rotate values by dragging the
transform handle in the Viewer.

scale scaling 1 Scales the noise width and height around the center x
y coordinates.

skew skew 0 Skews the noise on the x and y axes.

center xy center N/A Sets the center of rotation and scale on the x and y
axes.

xrotate xrotate 30 Rotation around the x axis in 3D noise space. Setting

this to zero reveals artifacts in the Perlin noise
generator.

yrotate yrotate 30 Rotation around the y axis in 3D noise space. Setting

this to zero reveals artifacts in the Perlin noise
generator.

Color Tab

ramp ramp none Selects whether to create a color gradient across the
noise:
• none - don’t create a color gradient.
• linear - the ramp changes linearly from one color
into another.
• smooth0 - the ramp color gradually eases into the
point 0 end. This means colors in the point 0 end are
spread wider than colors in the point 1 end.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• smooth1 - the ramp color eases into the point 1

end. This means colors in the point 1 end are spread
wider than colors in the point 0 end.
• smooth - the ramp color gradually eases into both
ends. This means colors in the point 0 and point 1
ends are spread wider than colors in the center of
the ramp.

color color 1 Sets a color for the noise.

If ramp is set to anything other than none, this is the

color for the ramp at the point 1 end (by default, the
top end).

point 1 p1 100, 400 Sets the position of point 1. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

color 0 color0 0 Sets the color for the ramp at the point 0 end (by
default, the bottom end).

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

point 0 p0 100, 100 Sets the position of point 0. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

Radial
Generates a radial gradation ramp.

See also Ramp.

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 Draw Nodes | Radial

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which the effect is added.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the effect is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Radial Tab

output output rgba The effect is rendered into these output channels.

If you set this to something other than none, you can

use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

premult premult none Premultiply multiplies the chosen input channels with
a mask representing the radial ramp. For example,
where there is no radial ramp (the matte is black or
empty), the input channels are set to black. Where the
radial ramp is opaque (the matte is white or full), the
input channels keep their full value.

Note: Selecting rgba premultiplies the

alpha against itself (a*a). If you don’t want
this to happen, set premult to rgb instead.

clip to cliptype format Select how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming

bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• unionbboxandformat - restrict the output image to
a combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersectbboxandformat - restrict the output
image to an intersection of the bounding box and
incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black
before drawing into them. You might find replace
useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an
alpha channel which you want to throw away.

invert invert disabled When enabled, inverts the radial ramp and non-radial
ramp areas.

opacity opacity 1 Sets the radial ramp opacity. 0 is equal to transparent

and 1 is equal to opaque.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the ramp is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the radial
ramp is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

area xyrt area N/A Sets the area in which the radial ramp is contained.
(xywh) The center of the area control is the originating point

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

for the radial ramp.

softness softness 1 Sets the softness of the radial ramp edges, where 0 is
a hard edge.

perceptually plinear disabled When enabled, the radial ramp appears more linear to
linear the naked eye.

Color Tab

ramp ramp none Selects whether to create a color gradient across the
radial ramp:
• none - don’t create a color gradient.
• linear - the ramp changes linearly from one color
into another.
• smooth0 - the ramp color gradually eases into the
point 0 end. This means colors in the point 0 end are
spread wider than colors in the point 1 end.
• smooth1 - the ramp color eases into the point 1
end. This means colors in the point 1 end are spread
wider than colors in the point 0 end.
• smooth - the ramp color gradually eases into both
ends. This means colors in the point 0 and point 1
ends are spread wider than colors in the center of
the ramp.

color color 1 Sets a color for the ramp.

If ramp is set to anything other than none, this is the

color for the ramp at the point 1 end (by default, the
top end).

point 1 xy p1 100, 400 Sets the position of point 1. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

color 0 color0 0 Sets the color for the ramp at the point 0 end (by

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 Draw Nodes | Ramp

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

default, the bottom end).

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

point 0 xy p0 100, 100 Sets the position of point 0. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

Ramp
Generates a gradation between two defined edges. This node is included for backward compatibility -
other Draw nodes, such as Rectangle, have their own Ramp controls.

See also Radial.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which the ramp is added.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the ramp is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Ramp Tab

output output rgba The ramp is rendered into these output channels.

If you set this to something other than none, you can

use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

premult premult none Premultiply multiplies the chosen input channels with
a mask representing the ramp. For example, where
there is no ramp (the matte is black or empty), the
input channels are set to black. Where the ramp is
opaque (the matte is white or full), the input channels
keep their full value.

Note: Selecting rgba premultiplies the

alpha against itself (a*a). If you don’t want
this to happen, set premult to rgb instead.

clip to cliptype format Select how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.
• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming
bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• union bbox+format - restrict the output image to a
combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersect bbox+format - restrict the output image
to an intersection of the bounding box and
incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black
before drawing into them. You might find replace
useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

alpha channel which you want to throw away.

invert invert disabled When enabled, inverts the new ramp and non-ramp
areas.

opacity opacity 1 Sets the ramp opacity where 0 is equal to transparent,

and 1 is equal to opaque.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the ramp is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the ramp is
limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

point 0 xy p0 100, 100 Sets the position of point 0. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

point 1 xy p1 100, 400 Sets the position of point 1. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

type type linear Sets the type of ramp to apply:

• linear - the ramp has a linear gradient.
• plinear - the ramp appears to have more linear
gradient to the naked eye.
• smooth0 - the ramp gradually eases into the point 0

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

end.
• smooth1 - the ramp eases into the point 1 end.
• smooth - the ramp gradually eases into both ends.

Color Tab

color color 1 Sets a color for the ramp.

Rectangle
Generates a rectangle in a solid color on top of the input image.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which the rectangle is added.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the rectangle is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Rectangle Tab

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 Draw Nodes | Rectangle

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

output output rgba The rectangle is rendered into these output channels.

If you set this to something other than none, you can

use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

premult premult none Premultiply multiplies the chosen input channels with
a mask representing the rectangle. For example,
where there is no rectangle (the matte is black or
empty), the input channels are set to black. Where the
rectangle is opaque (the matte is white or full), the
input channels keep their full value.

Note: Selecting rgba premultiplies the

alpha against itself (a*a). If you don’t want
this to happen, set premult to rgb instead.

clip to cliptype format Select how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.
• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming
bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• unionbboxandformat - restrict the output image to
a combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersectbboxandformat - restrict the output
image to an intersection of the bounding box and
incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black
before drawing into them. You might find replace
useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an
alpha channel which you want to throw away.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

invert invert disabled When enabled, inverts the new rectangle and non-
rectangle areas.

opacity opacity 1 Sets the rectangle opacity where 0 is equal to

transparent, and 1 is equal to opaque.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the rectangle

is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
rectangle is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

area xyrt area N/A Sets the area of the rectangle.

(xywh)

softness softness 1 Sets the softness of the rectangle edges where 0 is a

hard edge.

Color Tab

ramp ramp none Selects whether to create a color gradient across the
rectangle:
• none - don’t create a color gradient.
• linear - the ramp changes linearly from one color
into another.
• smooth0 - the ramp color gradually eases into the
point 0 end. This means colors in the point 0 end are
spread wider than colors in the point 1 end.
• smooth1 - the ramp color eases into the point 1
end. This means colors in the point 1 end are spread
wider than colors in the point 0 end.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• smooth - the ramp color gradually eases into both

ends. This means colors in the point 0 and point 1
ends are spread wider than colors in the center of
the ramp.

color color 1 Sets a color for the ramp.

If ramp is set to anything other than none, this is the

color for the ramp at the point 1 end (by default, the
top end).

point 1 xy p1 100, 400 Sets the position of point 1. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

color 0 color0 0 Sets the color for the ramp at the point 0 end (by
default, the bottom end).

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

point 0 xy p0 100, 100 Sets the position of point 0. This allows you to adjust
the spread and angle of the ramp.

This control is only available if ramp is set to anything

other than none.

Roto

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 Draw Nodes | Roto

The Roto node is an optimal choice if you’re doing rotoscoping only - it allows you to create and edit
Bezier and B-spline shapes.

The toolbar on the left side of the Viewer includes point selection and manipulation, and shape creation
tools. Click and hold or right-click on a toolbar button to open a sub-menu to select any of its available
tool types. Options related to the current tool appear in a toolbar along the top of the Viewer. Click on a
toolbar item to cycle through the available options for that class of tools.

As a general workflow guide:

1. Select your tool from the left-hand Viewer tool bar.
2. Use the Roto tool settings above the Viewer to adjust the tool’s properties.
3. Draw your shape or shapes:
• Click in the Viewer to place points. You can drag while clicking to pull out Bezier handles or adjust B-
Spline tension.
• Ctrl/Cmd+drag to sketch the shape freely.
• To close the shape, click the first point or press Return. To leave the shape open, press Esc.
• Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+click to add points to an existing shape.
• To increase the smoothness of a point, select the point and press Z.
• To cusp a point, select the point and press Shift+Z.
• To delete a point, select the point and press Delete.
• Beziers: Shift+drag on a tangent handle to snap the opposite handle to the same length.
Ctrl/Cmd+drag on a tangent handle to move it independently of its opposite handle.
• B-Splines: Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+drag on a point to adjust its tension.
4. Select a shape using the Select tools or the shape list in the control panel.
5. Use the control panel to adjust or fine-tune your shape(s).
You can also create this node by pressing O on the Node Graph.

See also RotoPaint.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input bg Background input - adding a background automatically creates

another bg input, allowing you to connect up to four images.

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Connection Connection Function

Type Name

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the roto shapes are
limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Roto Tab

output output alpha The roto shapes are rendered into these output
channels. The output channels are the same for all
shapes created using this node - you cannot create a
subset of shapes and output them to a different
channel.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

premultiply premultiply none Premultiply multiplies the chosen input channels with
a mask representing the roto shapes. For example,
where there are no roto shapes (the matte is black or
empty), the input channels are set to black. Where the
roto shapes are opaque (the matte is white or full),
the input channels keep their full value.

Note: Selecting rgba premultiplies the

alpha against itself (a*a). If you don’t want
this to happen, set premultiply to rgb
instead.

clip to cliptype format Select how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming

bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• union bbox+format - restrict the output image to a
combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersect bbox+format - restrict the output image
to an intersection of the bounding box and
incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black
before drawing into them. You might find replace
useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an
alpha channel which you want to throw away.

format dropdown

format format root.format This is used if Roto has no input connected. It is the
format which the node should output in the absence
of any available input format. If an input is connected,
this control has no effect.

If the format does not yet exist, you can select new to
create a new format from scratch. The default setting,
root.format, resizes the image to the format
indicated on the Project Settings dialog box.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the roto

shapes are limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel, so that output is
limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

output mask disabled Enables the associated output mask channel to the
right. Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting
the channel to none.

outputMask none Output mask channel. This is a channel where Roto

will output a mask for what it rendered.

opacity opacity 1 The opacity of a new or existing roto shape in the

shape list. 1 is equal to totally opaque, and 0 is equal
to transparent.

feather feather 0 Softens the edges of a roto shape by fading it from

more transparent to less transparent.

With positive feather values, your feather effect is

outward. If your feather values are negative, the
feather effect is inward.

You can also add feathering to individual points by

Ctrl/Cmd+dragging a point in the Viewer. Press E to
increase the feathering of selected points, or Shift+E
to remove the feathering.

If you check feather link in the Roto tool settings

above the Viewer, you can move the shape point and
the feather point together. Otherwise, they move
independently. You can also Ctrl/Cmd+drag a shape
point to temporarily disable feather link and move
the points independently.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

on feather_on enabled When enabled, feathering is applied to the selected

shape(s).

Disabling this is the same as setting feather to 0.

feather falloff feather_falloff 1 Sets the rate of opacity falloff at a feathered edge for
a shape, in pixels.

[feather type] feather_type linear Controls the center point of the feather falloff:
• linear - the falloff changes linearly from the shape
edge to the feather edge.
• smooth0 - the center point of the feather falloff lies
closer to the shape edge than the feather edge.
• smooth1 - the center point of the feather falloff lies
closer to the feather edge than the shape edge.
• smooth - the center point of the feather falloff lies
halfway between the shape edge and the feather
edge.

These options may be helpful, for example, in

matching the soft edge to motion blurred image
content.

spline key key 0 Quick access to spline keyframes:

• Numeric fields - show whether the spline is keyed
at this frame, which key you’re viewing, and the total
number of spline keys.

• - move to the previous or next spline key.

• - set or delete spline keys.

visible visible enabled Sets whether the selected shape or group is visible
and rendered or not. You can still edit an invisible
shape and view its position in the Viewer.

locked locked disabled Locks the selected shape or group to prevent it from
being edited.

view view N/A The view(s) in which you want to draw your shape(s).

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

This is only displayed if you have set up more than

one view in your Project Settings (typically, if you’re
working on a stereoscopic project).

stereo offset stereo_offset 0 Moves the selected shape or group on the x and y
x,y axes. This is an extra transform that is applied after all
other transforms. Typically, you would position the
shape or group correctly in the hero view, then split
this control, and drag the shape to its correct location
in any other views. Note that you can also press Shift
while dragging to constrain the movement to x or y
axis only.

Stereo offset can be useful, for example, if you have

a shape or group that is correctly positioned in one
view and you want to move it to its correct location in
another view, but can’t use the translate control on
the Transform tab because that’s being driven by
Tracker data.

This control is only displayed if you have set up more

than one view in your Project Settings (typically, if
you’re working on a stereoscopic project).

shape list curves N/A Shows the hierarchy of shapes and groups, allowing
you to adjust them and how they’re displayed in the
Viewer:
• Name - double-click to edit the shape or group
Name.
• - whether the shape or group is visible and
rendered or not.
• - lock or unlock the shape or group.

• - set the shape outline color to appear in the

Viewer.
• - set the color in which you want to render your
shape.

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• - invert the shape or group.

• - set the shape or group blending mode.

• - whether motion blur is applied to the shape.

Note: You can only apply motion blur to

shapes, not groups of shapes.

• View - displays the view(s) the shape appears in.

This is only displayed if you have set up more than
one view in your Project Settings (typically, if you’re
working on a stereoscopic project).
• Lifetime - the range of frames during which the
shape is visible.
• Source - the shape source (as set on the Shape tab).

Use the shape list to:

• Select multiple items to adjust attributes on all the
selected list items.
• Drag and drop to re-order or move items between
groups.
• Right-click for a context menu containing Add new
layer and shape editing functions such as Copy and
Paste.

Transform Tab

translate x,y translate 0 Moves the selected shape or group on the x and y
axes.

You can also adjust translate values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

rotate rotate 0 Spins the selected shape or group around a pivot

point. Use center x,y to position the pivot point.

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You can also adjust rotate values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

scale scale 1 Resizes the selected shape or group on the x and y

axes.

You can also adjust scale values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

skew X skewX 0 Skews the selected shape or group along the X axis
from the pivot point. Use center x,y to position the
pivot point.

You can also adjust skew values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

skew Y skewY Skews the selected shape or group along the Y axis
from the pivot point. Use center x,y to position the
pivot point.

You can also adjust skew values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

skew order skew_order XY Sets the order in which skew X and skew Y are
applied:
• XY - Skew X is applied before skew Y.
• YX - Skew Y is applied before skew X.

center x,y center 1024, 778 Adjusts the center of rotation and skew on the x and y
axes. This control does not translate roto shapes.

You can also adjust center values by Ctrl/Cmd+Shift

and dragging the transform handle in the Viewer.

extra matrix transform_matrix N/A Adds an extra matrix which is calculated after the
transforms defined by the other controls. This can be
useful, for example, if you are using a 3rd party

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application, such as a tracker, and your tracking data

cannot be fully represented using the available
transform controls.

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

Motion Blur Tab

shape global_ enabled When enabled, motion blur is applied to shapes

motionblur_on selected in the shape list or Viewer.

shape motion blur determines the exposure for each

moving shape and blends the resulting blurred
shapes. This may be more efficient than the global
motion blur since each shape will only be blended
once.

Note: Shape motion blur may result in

artifacts when shapes blur over the same
region.

global disabled When enabled, motion blur is applied to all shapes in

the current Roto node.

Note: Global motion blur overrides the

per-shape motion blur settings.

global motion blur correctly accounts for interaction

between motion blurred shapes.This may be more
expensive than the shape motion blur since it may
blend each shape for every sample.

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Note: Global motion blur requires that

shutter and sampling parameters are the
same for all shapes and has been optimized
for consecutive shapes with the same
properties using the over blend mode.

Shape Blur

motionblur motionblur 1 Sets the number of motion blur samples for the
selected shape(s). Increase this for better quality but
slower rendering, decrease it for faster rendering.

on motionblur_on disabled When enabled, motion blur is applied to the selected

shape(s).

shutter motionblur_ 0.5 Sets the number of frames the shutter stays open
shutter when motion blurring. For example, a value of 0.5
corresponds to half a frame. Increasing the value
produces higher quality motion blur, but increases
render time.

shutter offset motionblur_ start Controls how the shutter behaves with respect to the
shutter_offset_ current frame value. There are four options:
type • centred - center the shutter around the current
frame. For example, if you set the shutter value to 1
and your current frame is 30, the shutter stays open
from frame 29,5 to 30,5.
• start - open the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 30 to 31.
• end - close the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 29 to 30.
• custom - open the shutter at the time you specify.

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In the field next to the dropdown menu, enter a

value (in frames) you want to add to the current
frame. To open the shutter before the current frame,
enter a negative value. For example, a value of - 0.5
would open the shutter half a frame before the
current frame.

[offset] motionblur_ 0 If the shutter offset control is set to custom, this

shutter_offset control is used to set the time that the shutter opens
by adding it to the current frame.

Values are in frames, so -0.5 would open the shutter

half a frame before the current frame.

Global Blur

motionblur global_ 1 Sets the number of motion blur samples for all
motionblur shapes in the current Roto node. Increase this for
better quality but slower rendering, decrease it for
faster rendering.

shutter global_ 0.5 Sets the number of frames the shutter stays open
motionblur_ when motion blurring. For example, a value of 0.5
shutter corresponds to half a frame. Increasing the value
produces higher quality motion blur, but increases
render time.

shutter offset global_ start Controls how the shutter behaves with respect to the
motionblur_ current frame value. There are four options:
shutter_offset_ • centred - center the shutter around the current
type frame. For example, if you set the shutter value to 1
and your current frame is 30, the shutter stays open
from frame 29,5 to 30,5.
• start - open the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 30 to 31.
• end - close the shutter at the current frame. For

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example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your

current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 29 to 30.
• custom - open the shutter at the time you specify.
In the field next to the dropdown menu, enter a
value (in frames) you want to add to the current
frame. To open the shutter before the current frame,
enter a negative value. For example, a value of - 0.5
would open the shutter half a frame before the
current frame.

[offset] global_ 0 If the shutter offset control is set to custom, this

motionblur_ control is used to set the time that the shutter opens
shutter_offset by adding it to the current frame.

Values are in frames, so -0.5 would open the shutter

half a frame before the current frame.

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

Shape Tab

source shape_source color Sets the color or source input for the selected shape:
• color - the color specified in the color field.
• foreground - pulls pixels from the bg input,
including any shapes drawn on it. This input is
mainly used with the Clone tab controls. Using it
may cause slower renders.
• background - pulls pixels from the bg input, not
including any shapes drawn on it.
• backgrounds 1 to 3 - pulls pixels from bg1, bg2,
and bg3 inputs.

blending blending_mode over Sets how the colors in the current shape (A) are
mode merged with the underlying image and shapes (B):
• color-burn (darken B towards A) - darkens B to
reflect A by increasing the contrast. No part of the
image becomes lighter.

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• color-dodge (brighten B towards A) - brightens B to

reflect A by decreasing the contrast. No part of the
image is darkened.
• difference (abs(A-B)) - subtracts either B from A or
vice versa, depending on which is brighter. Blending
with white inverts A, while blending with black
produces no change. Similar colors will return black
pixels.
• exclusion (A+B-2AB) - creates a result similar to the
difference mode but lower in contrast. Like with
difference, blending with white inverts A. Blending
with black produces no change.
• from (B-A) - subtracts A from B.
• hard-light (multiply if A<.5, screen if A>.5) -
lightens highlights and darkens shadows. If B is
lighter than 50% gray, the result lightens as if it were
screened. If B is darker than 50% gray, the result is
darkened as if it were multiplied.
• max (max(A,B)) - selects the lighter of the two colors
as the resulting color. Only areas darker than B are
replaced, while areas lighter than B do not change.
• min (min(A,B)) - selects the darker of the two colors
as the resulting color. Any parts that are lighter than
B are substituted. Any parts of the image that are
darker than B don’t change.

blending • minus (A-B) - subtracts B from A.

mode • multiply (AB, A if A<0 and B<0) - multiplies A by B.
(continued) The result is always darker. Blending with black gives
black and with white returns the color unchanged.
• over (A over B) - the colors of the two images will
not interact in any way, and Nuke will display the full
value of the colors in A.
• overlay (multiply if B<.5, screen if B>.5) -
depending on A, multiplies or screens the colors. B

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brightens A while preserving highlights and

shadows.
• plus (A+B) - the sum of the two colors. Increases
brightness to lighten A and reflect B. Plus is similar
to the screen blending mode, but produces a more
extreme result.
• screen (A+B-AB if A and B between 0-1, else A if
A>B else B) - this is a soft plus making everything
brighter but ramping off the whites. Light colors
have more of an effect than dark colors. The result is
always a lighter color. Blending with black leaves the
pixel unchanged, blending with white always returns
white. The result is similar to projecting multiple
slides on top of each other.
• soft-light - depending on A, darkens or lightens the
colors. Less extreme than the hard light blending
mode.

color color 1 Sets the color for the roto shape. This control only has
an effect when source is set to color.

overall width openspline_width 10 Sets the overall spline width of selected splines and
all new open splines.

start type openspline_start_ rounded Sets the style of the first point for the selected spline
end_type (s) and all new open splines:
• rounded - the starting point of the spline has a
rounded end.
• square - the starting point of the spline has a square
end.

end type openspline_last_ rounded Sets the style of the last point for the selected spline
end_type (s) and all new open splines:
• rounded - the finishing point of the spline has a
rounded end.
• square - the finishing point of the spline has a
square end.

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invert inverted disabled Swaps the colors of the currently selected shape and
the underlying image.

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

Clone Tab

translate x,y source_transform_ 0,0 Moves the source image along the x and y axes.
translate
You can also adjust translate values by dragging the
transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

round to source_translate_ disabled Rounds the translate x,y amount to the nearest
pixel round whole integer pixel. This can help you avoid softening
when using filtering.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

rotate source_transform_ 0 Spins the source image around the pivot point. Use
rotate center x,y to position the pivot point.

You can adjust rotate values by dragging the

transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

scale source_transform_ 1 Resizes the source image on the x and y axes.

scale
You can adjust scale values by dragging the transform
handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

skew X source_transform_ 0 Skews the source image along the X axis from the
skewX pivot point. Use center x,y to position the pivot
point.

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You can adjust skew values by dragging the transform

handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

skew Y source_transform_ 0 Skews the source image along the Y axis from the
skewY pivot point. Use center x,y to position the pivot
point.

You can adjust skew values by dragging the transform

handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

skew order source_transform_ XY Sets the order in which skew X and skew Y are
skew_order applied:
• XY - skew X is applied before skew Y.
• YX - skew Y is applied before skew X.

center x,y source_transform_ N/A Adjusts the center of rotation and skew on the x and y
center axes. This control does not translate the source
image.

You can also adjust center values by Ctrl/Cmd+Shift

and dragging the transform handle in the Viewer.

If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control

is disabled.

filter source_filter Cubic Select the filtering algorithm to use when remapping
pixels from their original positions to new positions.
This allows you to avoid problems with image quality,
particularly in high contrast areas of the frame (where
highly aliased, or jaggy, edges may appear if pixels
are not filtered and retain their original values).

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Note: If source is set to color on the Shape

tab, the filter dropdown is disabled.

• Impulse - remapped pixels carry their original

values.
• Cubic - remapped pixels receive some smoothing.
• Keys - remapped pixels receive some smoothing,
plus minor sharpening (as shown by the negative -y
portions of the curve).
• Simon - remapped pixels receive some smoothing,
plus medium sharpening (as shown by the negative
-y portions of the curve).
• Rifman - remapped pixels receive some smoothing,
plus significant sharpening (as shown by the
negative -y portions of the curve).
• Mitchell - remapped pixels receive some
smoothing, plus blurring to hide pixelation.
• Parzen - remapped pixels receive the greatest
smoothing of all filters.
• Notch - remapped pixels receive flat smoothing
(which tends to hide moire patterns).
• Lanczos4, Lanczos6, and Sinc4 - remapped pixels
receive sharpening which can be useful for scaling
down. Lanczos4 provides the least sharpening and
Sinc4 the most.

black outside source_black_ disabled When rotating or translating the source image, a part
outside of the image area may get cropped. To fill the
cropped portion with black, check black outside. To
fill the cropped portion by expanding the edges of
the image, uncheck black outside.

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Note: If source is set to color on the Shape

tab, this control is disabled.

time offset source_time_ 0 Allows you to clone or reveal pixels from a different
offset frame. Time offset is either relative to the current
frame (-1 is the frame previous to the current one) or
absolute (1 is the first frame in the clip).
source_time_ relative
offset_type If source is set to color on the Shape tab, this control
is disabled.

view source_view current Sets the view you want to clone from.

This is only displayed if you have set up more than

one view in your Project Settings (typically, if you’re
working on a stereoscopic project).

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

Lifetime Tab

lifetime type lifetime_type single frame Sets the range of frames during which the currently
selected shape or group is visible:
• all - the selection appears in all frames of the
composition.
• start to frame - the selection appears from the first
frame to the specified to frame.
• single - the selection appears on one frame only.
You can specify the frame using the from field.
• to end - the selection appears from the specified
from frame to the last frame.
• range - the selection appears from the specified
from frame up to the specified to frame.

from lifetime_start 1 Sets the first frame for single, to end, and range
lifetime types.

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to lifetime_end 1 Sets the last frame for start to frame and range
lifetime types.

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

Tracking Tab

Settings

track channels rgb The color correction is only applied to these channels.
channels
You can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

pre-track pretrack_filter none Before image patches are compared, the selected
filter filter is applied. You can select one of the following
options:
• none - This disables all pre-filtering, which allows
you to have full control of tuning the input image
for tracking.
• adjust contrast - This stretches the image contrast
to better suit the tracking algorithm. This option is
recommended.

adjust for adjust_for_ disabled Enabling this option performs extra pre-filtering to
luminance luminance_ help compensate for changes in brightness in the
changes changes image over time.

clamp super- clamp_footage enabled When enabled, the pixel values in the tracked area are
white, sub- clamped between 0-1.
zero footage
If you want to track the full dynamic range of your
footage, you should disable this control.

hide hide_progress_bar disabled When enabled, the tracking progress bar is hidden.
progress bar

Export

export menu export_menu CornerPin2D Sets the node type to export the track data:
(relative) • CornerPin2D (relative) - warp the image according

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to the relative transform between the current frame

and the reference frame.
• CornerPin2D (absolute) - set the to positions to
the corners of the planar surface, and the from
positions to the dimensions of the currently
selected node. This option places the incoming
image entirely inside the planar surface.
• CornerPin2D (stabilize) - applies the inverse
transform of the track to stabilize the image. This
option locks down the image so that the tracked
plane effectively doesn't move - can be very useful
for applying drift corrections.
• Tracker - creates a four-corner Tracker node with
each of the trackers taking the positions of planar
surface corners. This allows you to use the Tracker's
transform functions to stabilize, reduce jitter, and so
on. This export option is always baked out in order
for the transform to work correctly.

create export_button N/A Click to create the selected node containing the track
data.

link output link_output enabled When enabled, create a link between Roto and the
exported node, so that when the track updates, the
points are updated too.

Correction

CornerPin points

point1 xy pt1 N/A The CornerPin points are populated automatically

when you track an object. When you draw a roto
point2 xy pt2 shape and convert it into a track object, Nuke
point3 xy pt3 automatically places four corner pins around the
shape. These are the points that are tracked.
point4 xy pt4

Offsets

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offset1 xy of1 N/A You can correct the four automatically placed points
by offsetting any or all of the four points. To offset a
offset2 xy of2 point, simply click and drag it in the Viewer to the
offset3 xy of3 correct position.

offset4 xy of4

reference reference_frame The first The frame used as a reference to compare all other
frame frame used frames containing tracking data.
to track from.

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

RotoPaint
RotoPaint is a vector-based node for help with tasks like rotoscoping, rig removal, garbage matting and
dustbusting. You can draw Bezier and B-Spline shapes with individual and layer group attributes, including
per-point and global feather, motion blur, blending modes and individual or hierarchical 2D
transformations.

The RotoPaint node gives you a broader scale of tools to use than Roto, though many of the controls are
shared across both nodes. As with the Roto node, you should use the Viewer tools to create shapes and
paint strokes, and then edit them using the control panel.

The toolbar on the left side of the Viewer has point selection and manipulation, and shape creation tools
identical to Roto nodes. In addition, RotoPaint nodes also have brush, clone/reveal, blur, and dodge/burn
tools. Click and hold or right-click on a toolbar button to open a sub-menu to select any of its available
tool types. Options related to the current tool appear in a toolbar along the top of the Viewer. Click on a
toolbar item to cycle through the available options for that class of tools.

As a general workflow guide:

1. Select your tool from the left-hand Viewer tool bar.
2. Use the RotoPaint tool settings above the Viewer to adjust the tool’s properties.
3. When painting, you can:
• Shift+drag on the Viewer to change brush size.

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• Clone tool: Ctrl/Cmd+click and drag to set the clone offset. To reset the clone offset,
Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+click and drag.
4. When drawing your shapes, you can:
• Click in the Viewer to place points. You can drag while clicking to pull out Bezier handles or adjust B-
Spline tension.
• Ctrl/Cmd+drag to sketch the shape freely.
• Click the first point or press Return to close the shape. To leave the shape open, press Esc.
• Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+click to add points to an existing shape.
• Select a point and press Z to increase the smoothness of the point.
• Select the point and press Shift+Z to cusp the point.
• Select the point and press Delete to delete a point.
• Beziers: Shift+drag on a tangent handle to snap the opposite handle to the same length.
Ctrl/Cmd+drag on a tangent handle to move it independently of its opposite handle.
• B-Splines: Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+drag on a point to adjust its tension.
5. Select a shape or stroke using the Select tools or the shape/stroke list in the control panel.
6. Use the control panel to adjust or fine-tune your shape(s) or stroke(s).
You can also create this node by pressing P on the Node Graph.

See also Roto, Project3D, F_RigRemoval, and F_WireRemoval.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input bg Background input - adding a background automatically creates

another bg input allowing you to connect up to four images.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the roto shapes and
paint strokes are limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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RotoPaint Tab

output output rgba The roto shapes and paint strokes are rendered into
these output channels. The output channels are the
same for all shapes and paint strokes created using
this node - you cannot create a subset of shapes or
strokes and output them to a different channel.

If you set this to something other than none, you can

use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

premultiply premultiply none Premultiply multiplies the chosen input channels with
a mask representing the roto shapes and paint strokes.
For example, where there are no shapes/strokes (the
matte is black or empty) the input channels will be set
to black. Where the shapes/strokes are opaque (the
matte is white or full) the input channels keep their full
value.

Note that selecting rgba premultiplies the alpha

against itself (a*a). If you don’t want this to happen, set
premultiply to rgb.

clip to cliptype format Sets how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.
• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming
bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• union bbox and format - restrict the output image
to a combination of the incoming bounding box and
format area.
• intersect bbox and format - restrict the output
image to an intersection of the bounding box and
incoming format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, existing channels are cleared to black

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before drawing into them. You might find replace

useful, for instance, if you’re creating a mask in the
alpha channel, but the incoming image already has an
alpha channel that you want to throw away.

format dropdown

format format root.format This is used if RotoPaint has no input connected. It is

the format which the node should output in the
absence of any available input format. If an input is
connected, this control has no effect.

If the format does not yet exist, you can select new to
create a new format from scratch. The default setting,
root.format, resizes the image to the format
indicated on the Project Settings dialog box.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the output is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel, so that output is
limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

output mask N/A disabled Enables the associated output mask channel to the
right. Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting
the channel to none.

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outputMask none Output mask channel. This is a channel where

RotoPaint will output a mask for what it rendered.

The mask can be useful, for example, if you need to

apply grain to the areas you’ve painted, but you don’t
want to double up the gain in other areas.

color color 1 Sets the color for the roto shape or paint stroke. This
control only has an effect when source is set to color
on the Shape or Stroke tab.

opacity opacity 1 Sets the opacity of a new or existing shape or stroke in

the shape/stroke list. 1 is equal to totally opaque and
0 is equal to transparent.

source paint_source color Sets the source color for the selected shape/stroke:
• color - the color specified in the color field.
• foreground - pulls pixels from the bg input,
including any shapes and strokes drawn on it. This
input is mainly used with the Clone tab controls.
Using it may cause slower renders.
• background - pulls pixels from the bg input, not
including any shapes and strokes drawn on it.
• backgrounds 1 to 3 - pulls pixels from bg1, bg2,
and bg3 inputs.

blending blending_mode over Sets how the colors in the current shape (A) are
mode merged with the underlying image and shapes (B):
• color-burn (darken B towards A) - darkens B to
reflect A by increasing the contrast. No part of the
image becomes lighter.
• color-dodge (brighten B towards A) - brightens B to
reflect A by decreasing the contrast. No part of the
image is darkened.
• difference (abs(A-B)) - subtracts either B from A or
vice versa, depending on which is brighter. Blending
with white inverts A, while blending with black

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produces no change. Similar colors will return black

pixels.
• exclusion (A+B-2AB) - creates a result similar to the
difference mode but lower in contrast. Like with
difference, blending with white inverts A. Blending
with black produces no change.
• from (B-A) - subtracts A from B.
• hard-light (multiply if A<.5, screen if A>.5) - lightens
highlights and darkens shadows. If B is lighter than
50% gray, the result lightens as if it were screened. If
B is darker than 50% gray, the result is darkened as if
it were multiplied.
• max (max(A,B)) - selects the lighter of the two colors
as the resulting color. Only areas darker than B are
replaced, while areas lighter than B do not change.
• min (min(A,B)) - selects the darker of the two colors
as the resulting color. Any parts that are lighter than
B are substituted. Any parts of the image that are
darker than B don’t change.

blending • minus (A-B) - subtracts B from A.

mode • multiply (AB, A if A<0 and B<0) - multiplies A by B.
(continued) The result is always darker. Blending with black gives
black and with white returns the color unchanged.
• over (A over B) - the colors of the two images will
not interact in any way, and Nuke will display the full
value of the colors in A.
• overlay (multiply if B<.5, screen if B>.5) - depending
on A, multiplies or screens the colors. B brightens A
while preserving highlights and shadows.
• plus (A+B) - the sum of the two colors. Increases
brightness to lighten A and reflect B. Plus is similar to
the screen blending mode, but produces a more
extreme result.

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• screen (A+B-AB if A and B between 0-1, else A if A>B

else B) - this is a soft plus making everything brighter
but ramping off the whites. Light colors have more
of an effect than dark colors. The result is always a
lighter color. Blending with black leaves the pixel
unchanged, blending with white always returns
white. The result is similar to projecting multiple
slides on top of each other.
• soft-light - depending on A, darkens or lightens the
colors. Less extreme than the hard light blending
mode.

view view N/A Sets the view(s) in which you want to draw your shape
(s) or stroke(s). This is only displayed if you have set up
more than one view in your Project Settings (typically,
if you’re working on a stereoscopic project).

spline key key 0 Quick access to spline keyframes:

• Numeric fields - show whether the spline is keyed at
this frame, which key you’re viewing, and the total
number of spline keys.

• - move to the previous or next spline key.

• - set or delete spline keys.

visible visible enabled Sets whether the selected shape, paint stroke, or
group is visible and rendered or not. You can still edit
an invisible shape/stroke and view its position in the
Viewer.

locked locked disabled Locks the selected shape, stroke, or group to prevent
it from being edited.

stereo offset stereo_offset 0 Moves the selected stroke, shape, or group on the x
x,y and y axes. This is an extra transform that is applied
after all other transforms. Typically, you would
position the stroke, shape, or group correctly in the
hero view, then split this control, and drag the stroke

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or shape to its correct location in any other views.

Note that you can also press Shift while dragging to
constrain the movement to x or y axis only.

Stereo offset can be useful, for example, if you have a

stroke, shape, or group that is correctly positioned in
one view and you want to move it to its correct
location in another view, but can’t use the translate
control on the Transform tab because that’s being
driven by Tracker data.

This control is only displayed if you have set up more

than one view in your Project Settings (typically, if
you’re working on a stereoscopic project).

shape/stroke curves N/A Shows the hierarchy of shapes, paint strokes, and
list groups, allowing you to adjust them and how they’re
displayed in the Viewer:
• Name - double-click to edit the shape, stroke, or
group Name.
• - whether the shape, stroke, or group is visible
and rendered.
• - lock or unlock the shape, stroke, or group.

• - set the shape outline color to appear in the

Viewer.
• - set the color in which you want to render your
shape/stroke.

• - invert the shape, stroke, or group.

• - set the shape, stroke, or group blending mode.

• - whether motion blur is applied to the shape.

• View - displays the view(s) the shape/stroke appears
in. This is only displayed if you have set up more
than one view in your Projects Settings (typically, if
you’re working on a stereoscopic project).

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• Lifetime - the range of frames during which the

shape/stroke is visible.
• Source - the shape or stroke source (as set on the
Shape, Stroke, or RotoPaint tab).

Use the shape/stroke list to:

• Select multiple items to adjust attributes on all the
selected list items.
• Drag and drop to re-order or move items between
groups.
• Right-click for a context menu containing Add new
layer and shape/stroke editing functions such as
Copy and Paste.

Transform Tab

translate x,y translate 0 Moves the selected shape, stroke, or group on the x
and y axes.

You can also adjust tranlate values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

rotate rotate 0 Spins the selected shape, stroke, or group around the
pivot point. Use center x,y to position the pivot point.

You can also adjust rotate values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

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scale scale 1 Resizes the selected shape, stroke, or group on the x

and y axes.

You can also adjust scale values by dragging the

transform handle in the Viewer.

skew X skewX 0 Skews the selected shape, stroke, or group along the X
axis from the pivot point. Use center x,y to position
the pivot point.

You can also adjust center values by Ctrl/Cmd+Shift

and dragging the transform handle in the Viewer.

skew Y skewY 0 Skews the selected shape, stroke, or group along the Y
axis from the pivot point. Use center x,y to position
the pivot point.

You can also adjust center values by Ctrl/Cmd+Shift

and dragging the transform handle in the Viewer.

skew order skew_order XY Sets the order in which skew X and skew Y are
applied:
• XY - Skew X is applied before skew Y.
• YX - Skew Y is applied before skew X.

center x,y center 1024, 778 Adjusts the center of rotation and skew on the X and Y
axes. This control does not translate shapes or strokes.

You can also adjust center values by Ctrl/Cmd+Shift

and dragging the transform handle in the Viewer.

extra matrix transform_matrix N/A Adds an extra matrix which is calculated after the
transforms defined by the other controls. This can be
useful, for example, if you are using a 3rd party
application, such as a tracker, and your tracking data
cannot be fully represented using the available
transform controls.

shape/stroke curves N/A See the RotoPaint tab for the shape list controls.
list

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Motion Blur Tab

shape global_ enabled When enabled, motion blur is applied to shapes

motionblur_on selected in the shape list or Viewer.

shape motion blur determines the exposure for each

moving shape and blends the resulting blurred shape.
This may be more efficient than the global motion
blur since each shape will only be blended once.

Note: Shape motion blur may result in

artifacts when shapes blur over the same
region.

global disabled When enabled, motion blur is applied to all shapes in

the current RotoPaint node.

Note: Global motion blur overrides the per-

shape motion blur settings.

global motion blur correctly accounts for interaction

between motion blurred shapes.This may be more
expensive than the shape motion blur since it may
blend each shape for every sample.

Note: Global motion blur requires that

shutter and sampling parameters are the
same for all shapes and has been optimized
for consecutive shapes with the same
properties using the over blend mode.

Shape Blur

motionblur motionblur 1 Sets the number of motion blur samples for the
selected shape(s). Increase this for better quality but

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slower rendering, decrease it for faster rendering.

on motionblur_on disabled When enabled, motion blur is applied to the selected

shape(s).

shutter motionblur_ 0.5 Sets the number of frames the shutter stays open
shutter when motion blurring. For example, a value of 0.5
corresponds to half a frame. Increasing the value
produces higher quality motion blur, but increases
render time.

shutter motionblur_ start Controls how the shutter behaves with respect to the
offset shutter_offset_ current frame value. There are four options:
type • centred - center the shutter around the current
frame. For example, if you set the shutter value to 1
and your current frame is 30, the shutter stays open
from frame 29,5 to 30,5.
• start - open the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 30 to 31.
• end - close the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 29 to 30.
• custom - open the shutter at the time you specify. In
the field next to the dropdown menu, enter a value
(in frames) you want to add to the current frame. To
open the shutter before the current frame, enter a
negative value. For example, a value of - 0.5 would
open the shutter half a frame before the current
frame.

[offset] motionblur_ 0 If the shutter offset control is set to custom, this

shutter_offset control is used to set the time that the shutter opens
by adding it to the current frame.

Values are in frames, so -0.5 would open the shutter

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half a frame before the current frame.

Global Blur

motionblur global_ 1 Sets the number of motion blur samples for all shapes
motionblur in the current RotoPaint node. Increase this for better
quality but slower rendering, decrease it for faster
rendering.

shutter global_ 0.5 Sets the number of frames the shutter stays open
motionblur_ when motion blurring. For example, a value of 0.5
shutter corresponds to half a frame. Increasing the value
produces higher quality motion blur, but increases
render time.

shutter global_ start Controls how the shutter behaves with respect to the
offset motionblur_ current frame value. There are four options:
shutter_offset_ • centred - center the shutter around the current
type frame. For example, if you set the shutter value to 1
and your current frame is 30, the shutter stays open
from frame 29,5 to 30,5.
• start - open the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 30 to 31.
• end - close the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 29 to 30.
• custom - open the shutter at the time you specify. In
the field next to the dropdown menu, enter a value
(in frames) you want to add to the current frame. To
open the shutter before the current frame, enter a
negative value. For example, a value of - 0.5 would
open the shutter half a frame before the current
frame.

[offset] global_ 0 If the shutter offset control is set to custom, this

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motionblur_ control is used to set the time that the shutter opens
shutter_offset by adding it to the current frame.

Values are in frames, so -0.5 would open the shutter

half a frame before the current frame.

shape/stroke curves N/A See the RotoPaint tab for the shape list controls.
list

Shape Tab

source shape_source color Sets the color or source input for the selected shape:
• color - the color specified in the color field.
• foreground - pulls pixels from the bg input,
including any shapes drawn on it. This input is mainly
used with the Clone tab controls. Using it may cause
slower renders.
• background - pulls pixels from the bg input, not
including any shapes drawn on it.
• backgrounds 1 to 3 - pulls pixels from bg1, bg2,
and bg3 inputs.

feather feather 0 Softens the edges of a roto shape by fading it from

more transparent to less transparent.

With positive feather values, your feather effect is

outward. If your feather values are negative, the
feather effect is inward.

You can also add feathering to individual points by

Ctrl/Cmd+dragging a point in the Viewer. Press E to
increase the feathering of selected points, or Shift+E
to remove the feathering.

If you check feather link in the Roto tool settings

above the Viewer, you can move the shape point and
the feather point together. Otherwise, they move
independently. You can also Ctrl/Cmd+drag a shape
point to temporarily disable feather link and move

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the points independently.

on feather_on enabled When enabled, feathering is applied to the selected

shape(s).

Disabling this is the same as setting feather to 0.

feather feather_falloff 1 Sets the rate of opacity falloff at a feathered edge for
falloff a shape. This is measured in pixels.

[feather feather_type linear Controls the center point of the feather falloff:
type] • linear - the falloff changes linearly from the shape
edge to the feather edge.
• smooth0 - the center point of the feather falloff lies
closer to the shape edge than the feather edge.
• smooth1 - the center point of the feather falloff lies
closer to the feather edge than the shape edge.
• smooth - the center point of the feather falloff lies
halfway between the shape edge and the feather
edge.

These options may be helpful, for example, in

matching the soft edge to motion blurred image
content.

overall openspline_width 10 Sets the overall spline width of selected splines and all
width new open splines.

start type openspline_start_ rounded Sets the style of the first point for the selected spline
end_type (s) and all new open splines:
• rounded - the starting point of the spline has a

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rounded end.
• square - the starting point of the spline has a square
end.

end type openspline_last_ rounded Sets the style of the last point for the selected spline
end_type (s) and all new open splines:
• rounded - the finishing point of the spline has a
rounded end.
• square - the finishing point of the spline has a
square end.

invert inverted disabled Swaps the colors of the currently selected shape and
the underlying image.

shape/stroke curves N/A See the RotoPaint tab for the shape list controls.
list

Stroke Tab

source brush_source color Sets the color or source input for the selected stroke:
• color - the color specified in the color field.
• foreground - pulls pixels from the bg input,
including any shapes and strokes drawn on it. This
input is mainly used with the Clone tab controls.
Using it may cause slower renders.
• background - pulls pixels from the bg input, not
including any shapes or strokes drawn on it.
• backgrounds 1 to 3 - pulls pixels from bg1, bg2,
and bg3 inputs.

brush type brush_type paint Brush types selected from the control panel only
affect existing strokes. Use the Viewer tools to create
new strokes.

Specify the brush type for the selected stroke:

• paint - applies colored or blended paint strokes.
• smear - pulls the pixels under the cursor in the
direction of the paint stroke.

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• blur - blurs the area under the paint stroke. You can
adjust the blur amount using the effect control.
• sharpen - sharpens the area under the paint stroke
by increasing contrast. You can adjust the sharpening
using the effect control.

brush size brush_size 25 Sets the brush stroke diameter in pixels.

Alternatively, you can Shift+drag in the Viewer to set

the brush size.

brush brush_spacing 0.05 Sets the distance in pixels between paint brush dabs. A
spacing higher setting will increase the space between dabs,
creating a dotted line effect when painting. A lower
setting will decrease the distance and create a solid
brush stroke.

brush brush_hardness 0.2 Sets the brush hardness, which defines the rate of
hardness falloff from the brush center to its edge. Increasing
the hardness decreases blurring at the stroke edges,
and vice versa.

You can also tie a stroke’s hardness to pen pressure by

checking hardness next to pressure alters.

effect effect_parameter1 0 Controls the strength of blur and sharpen brush

strokes. Paint and smear brushes do not use this
control.

pressure dynamic_ enabled When enabled, a stroke’s opacity is tied to pen

alters transparency pressure.
opacity

pressure dynamic_size disabled When enabled, a stroke’s brush size is tied to pen
alters size pressure.

pressure dynamic_hardness disabled When enabled, a stroke’s hardness is tied to pen

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alters pressure.
hardness

build up buildup enabled When enabled, the stroke builds up when painted
over itself.

write on writeon_start 0 When animating strokes, sets the order in which the
start dabs on a stroke appear over a number of frames.
writeon_end 1
• write on start - set where along the stroke length
write on end
the paint begins. 0 is the start of the stroke, 1 is the
end.
• write on end - set where along the stroke length the
paint ends.

shape/stroke curves N/A See the RotoPaint tab for the shape list controls.
list

Clone Tab

translate x,y source_transform_ 0,0 Moves the source image along the x and y axes.
translate
You can also adjust translate values by dragging the
transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

rotate source_transform_ 0 Spins the source image around the pivot point. Use
rotate center x,y to position the pivot point.

You can also adjust rotate values by dragging the

transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

scale source_transform_ 1 Resizes the source image on the x and y axes.

scale
You can also adjust scale values by dragging the
transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

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skew X source_transform_ 0 Skews the source along the X axis from the pivot
skewX point. Use center x,y to position the pivot point.

You can also adjust skew values by dragging the

transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

skew Y source_transform_ 0 Skews the source along the Y axis from the pivot
skewY point. Use center x,y to position the pivot point.

You can also adjust skew values by dragging the

transform handles in the Viewer.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

skew order skew_order XY Sets the order in which skew X and skew Y are
applied:
• XY - Skew X is applied before skew Y.
• YX - Skew Y is applied before skew X.

center x,y source_transform_ N/A Adjusts the center of rotation and skew on the x and y
center axes. This control does not translate the source image.

You can also adjust center values by Ctrl/Cmd+Shift

and dragging the transform handle in the Viewer.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

round to source_translate_ disabled Rounds the translate x,y amount to the nearest whole
pixel round integer pixel. This can help you avoid softening when
using filtering.

If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

filter source_filter Cubic Select the filtering algorithm to use when remapping
pixels from their original positions to new positions.
This allows you to avoid problems with image quality,
particularly in high contrast areas of the frame (where
highly aliased, or jaggy, edges may appear if pixels are

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not filtered and retain their original values).

Note: If source is set to color on the Shape

tab, the filter dropdown is disabled.

• Impulse - remapped pixels carry their original

values.
• Cubic - remapped pixels receive some smoothing.
• Keys - remapped pixels receive some smoothing,
plus minor sharpening (as shown by the negative -y
portions of the curve).
• Simon - remapped pixels receive some smoothing,
plus medium sharpening (as shown by the negative -
y portions of the curve).
• Rifman - remapped pixels receive some smoothing,
plus significant sharpening (as shown by the negative
-y portions of the curve).
• Mitchell - remapped pixels receive some
smoothing, plus blurring to hide pixelation.
• Parzen - remapped pixels receive the greatest
smoothing of all filters.
• Notch - remapped pixels receive flat smoothing
(which tends to hide moire patterns).
• Lanczos4, Lanczos6, and Sinc4 - remapped pixels
receive sharpening which can be useful for scaling
down. Lanczos4 provides the least sharpening and
Sinc4 the most.

black source_black_ disabled When rotating or translating the source image, a part
outside outside of the image area may get cropped. To fill the
cropped portion with black, check black outside. To
fill the cropped portion by expanding the edges of
the image, uncheck black outside.

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If source is set to color, this control is disabled.

time offset source_time_ 0 Allows you to clone or reveal pixels from a different
offset frame. Time offset is either relative to the current
frame (-1 is the frame previous to the current one) or
absolute (1 is the first frame in the clip).
source_time_ relative
offset_type Note: If source is set to color on the Shape
tab, this control is disabled.

view source_view current Sets the view used as the clone source. To use the
view currently displayed in the Viewer, select current.

This is only displayed if you have set up more than

one view in your Project Settings (typically, if you’re
working on a stereoscopic project).

shape/stroke curves N/A See the RotoPaint tab for the shape list controls.
list

Lifetime Tab

lifetime type lifetime_type single frame Sets the range of frames during which the currently
selected shape, stroke or group is visible:
• all - the selection appears in all frames of the
composition.
• start to frame - the selection appears from the first
frame to the specified to frame.
• single frame - the selection appears on one frame
only. You can specify the frame in the from control.
• to end - the selection appears from the specified
from frame to the last frame.
• range - the selection appears from the specified
from frame up to the specified to frame.

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from lifetime_start 1 Sets the first frame for single, to end, and range
lifetime types.

to lifetime_end 1 Sets the last frame for start to frame and range
lifetime types.

shape/stroke curves N/A See the RotoPaint tab for the shape list controls.
list

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Tracking Tab

Settings

track channels channels rgb The color correction is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

pre-track pretrack_filter none Before image patches are compared, the selected filter
filter is applied. You can select one of the following options:

none - This disables all pre-filtering, which allows you to

have full control of tuning the input image for tracking.

adjust contrast - This stretches the image contrast to

better suit the tracking algorithm. This option is
recommended.

adjust for adjust_for_ disabled Enabling this option performs extra pre-filtering to help
luminance luminance_ compensate for changes in brightness in the image over
changes changes time.

clamp super- clamp_ enabled When enabled, the pixel values in the tracked area are
white, sub- footage clamped between 0-1.
zero footage
If you want to track the full dynamic range of your
footage, you should disable this control.

hide progress hide_ disabled When enabled, the tracking progress bar is hidden.

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bar progress_bar

Export

export menu export_menu CornerPin2D Sets the node type to export the track data:
(relative)
CornerPin2D (relative) - warp the image according to
the relative transform between the current frame and the
reference frame.

CornerPin2D (absolute) - set the to positions to the

corners of the planar surface, and the from positions to
the dimensions of the currently selected node. This
option places the incoming image entirely inside the
planar surface.

CornerPin2D (stabilize) - applies the inverse transform

of the track to stabilize the image. This option locks
down the image so that the tracked plane effectively
doesn't move - can be very useful for applying drift
corrections.

Tracker - creates a four-corner Tracker node with each

of the trackers taking the positions of planar surface
corners. This allows you to use the Tracker's transform
functions to stabilize, reduce jitter, and so on. This
export option is always baked out in order for the
transform to work correctly.

create export_button N/A Click to create the selected node containing the track
data.

link output link_output enabled When enabled, create a link between RotoPaint and the
exported node, so that when the track updates, the
points are updated too.

Correction

CornerPin points

point1 xy pt1 N/A The CornerPin points are populated automatically when

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point2 xy pt2 you track an object. When you draw a roto shape and
convert it into a track object, Nuke automatically places
point3 xy pt3 4 corner pins around the shape. These are the points that
point4 xy pt4 are tracked.

Offsets

offset1 xy of1 N/A You can correct the four automatically placed points by
offsetting any or all of the four points. To offset a point,
offset2 xy of2 simply click and drag it in the Viewer to the correct
offset3 xy of3 position.

offset4 xy of4

reference reference_ The first The frame used as a reference to compare all other
frame frame frame used to frames containing tracking data.
track from.

shape list curves N/A See the Roto tab for the shape list controls.

ScannedGrain
Applies actual scans of film grain to replicate the grain of the film stock. Frames are selected from a loop
of scanned film grain and applied to the input image. This allows you to add grain to CG creations to
match the original plate or ’age’ footage artificially.

See also Grain and F_ReGrain.

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Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the grain.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the grain is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

ScannedGrain Tab

grain fullGrain [file dir Sets the file path of your scanned grain images.
$program_
name]/FilmGrain/ To create the film grain images:
1. Film a gray card and scan the result to file.
2. Blur the scanned image.
3. Subtract the blurred image from the original.
4. Add 0.5 to the rgb channels.
5. Save the scanned grain image to the desired
file type (.rgb for example).

frame range fullGrain.first_ 1 Sets the first frame of the grain file to use.
frame

fullGrain.last_ 50 Sets the last frame of the grain file to use.

frame Approximately 50 frames are required to produce
random grain.

min. width minwidth 721 Sets the minimum width (in pixels) that images
must have in order for grain to be applied.

Set a minimum width to ensure that the grain

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resolution matches the image otherwise you may

get unwanted results.

resize resize enabled When enabled, resizes the grain plate to match
your input.

When disabled, the grain plate is cropped to

match.

flip flip disabled Increases the number of grain images available by

allowing random horizontal and vertical flipping
of the grain plate. Flipping can produce a more
random grain spread, but increases processing
time.

offset offset 0.5 Sets the value of neutral gray to subtract from
images. The closer this value is to the input gray,
the more grain is visible.

Amount of grain

amount rgb amount 0.30000001 Sets the multiplier for the red channel applied to
the grain.

0.40000001 Sets the multiplier for the green channel applied

to the grain.

0.5 Sets the multiplier for the blue channel applied to

the grain.

saturation saturation 1 Sets the intensity of grain hue across all channels.

use use_precomputed enabled When enabled, the output LUT is clamped

precomputed between 0 and 1. This control is enabled by
table default for backward compatibility.

When disabled, Nuke does not clamp the LUT.

curve editor weight N/A The grain sequence’s color curves. You can use
these to edit the gain, gamma, contrast, and so on
for individual channels. You can also look up color
information for the current pixel in the Viewer.

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 Draw Nodes | ScannedGrain

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

reset N/A N/A Returns the selected curve(s) to the default values.

low_clip low_clip 0 Sets the low threshold based on the input image.

In general, when grain is added to an image,

some input pixel values become higher, while
others become lower. This control allows you to
stop pixel values from going below a certain
value, such as the blackpoint in your image.

seed seed 1 A different grain pattern is produced for each

frame. Change this number to get a different
initial pattern, for instance if you are using
multiple ScannedGrain nodes.

If you require an identical grain plate for every

frame, enter -frame in this field.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the grain

is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel, so that grain
is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge
of the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right.

by Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

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 Draw Nodes | Sparkles

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before

being processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you

may want to check (un)premult by and select
rgba.alpha here. This will simulate applying the
grain before the premultiplication was done. It is
the same as adding an Unpremult node before
this node and a Premult node after, but allows
you to work faster if you’re only using one
ScannedGrain node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images,

you should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the

full grain effect at 1.

Sparkles
Creates customizable rays or sparkles from a central position indicator in the Viewer.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the sparkles.

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 Draw Nodes | Sparkles

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Sparkles Tab

Shape

Sparkle type mode Rays Sets the sparkle type to output from the position
indicator in the Viewer:
• Rays - produces rays fading away from the origin.
• Sparkles - produces intermittent rays fading at either
end of each ray.
• Fireworks - produces rays fading toward the origin.

triangle triangle_think disabled When enabled, a triangle shape it used to create the
shapes rays increasing the thickness.

position xy position 700, 600 Sets the center of origin for the rays on the x and y axes.

size size 300 Sets the size of the rays, in pixels, and adjusts the ray
bounding box accordingly.

Note: When Sparkle type is set to Sparkles,

this control determines the size of the longest
ray.

anamorphic anamorphic 1 Sets the anamorphic ratio of the bounding box.

Negative values decrease width and vice versa.

rotation rotation 0 Sets the amount of rotation applied to the rays.

Negative values produce clockwise rotation and vice
versa.

relative relative_ disabled When enabled, 0 degrees always points to the center of
rotation the image and rotation is relative to that value.

rays Nb ray_nb 50 Sets the number of rays emitted.

thickness ray_thick 0.2 Sets the thickness of the emitted rays in pixels.

random random_thick disabled When enabled, ray thickness is randomized within the
range [1,thickness].

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 Draw Nodes | Sparkles

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

sparkle falloff spark_falloff 0.05 When Sparkel type is set to Sparkles, determines
whether or not rays are connected to the position
indicator. Higher values decrease the distance from the
sparkle to the position indicator and vice versa.

ray falloff ray_falloff 2 Sets how quickly rays falloff as distance from the
position indicator increases.

Note: This control behaves differently

depending on the Sparkle type selected. For
example, Fireworks falloff towards the
position indicator.

seed seed 23 Sets the random seed that controls ray characteristics. If
you’re using multiple Sparkle nodes, you can use the
same seed to produce similar random results on both
nodes.

Color

brightness brightness 1 Sets ray brightness - higher values increase brightness.

color color 1 Sets the ray color.

chroma shift chroma_shift 0 Sets the amount of chroma shift applied to the rays.
Positive values split red clockwise and blue counter-
clockwise and vice versa.

chroma chroma_ 0 Sets the spread of chroma values from the position
spread spread indicator. Positive values extend the spread of the red
channel while reducing the blue channel and vice versa.

Mask

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

vismask none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the sparkles are
limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

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 Draw Nodes | Sparkles

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

mask blur vismask_size 4 Sets the size of the mask when mask is set to anything
other than none.

Effects Tab

Sparkle crawl - These controls do not affect Rays.

Sparkle crawl sparkle_crawl disabled When enabled, use the Sparkle crawl controls to cause
Sparkles or Fireworks to move, or crawl.

motion motion 300 Sets the amount of motion to apply. Animating this
control causes Sparkles or Fireworks to crawl.

direction direction 0 Sets the direction of crawl in degrees. Animate this

control to produce more crawl.

ray fade fadeTolerance 30 Controls the amount of fade to apply to Sparkles only.

Broken rays

Broken rays broken_rays disabled When enabled, use the Broken rays controls affect the
rays emitted from the position indicator.

% ray broken_ 50 Sets the percentage of rays to affect with breaks.

affected affected

break start broken_start 0.7 Sets where the first break occurs as a percentage of the
total length. For example, 0.5 is equal to 50% of the
length.

random random_ disabled When enabled, the break start control is randomized.
broken_start

breaks broken_holes 0.2 Sets the number of breaks per ray after the break start.

random random_ disabled When enabled, the breaks control is randomized.

broken_holes

Sparks

sparks sparks disabled When enabled, use the Sparks controls to clip the
(direction emission angle and direction.
clip)

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

direction sparks_ 0 Sets the ray’s emission direction in degrees.

direction

open angle sparks_angle 45 Sets the angle from which rays can be emitted. For
example, 360 causes rays to emit in all directions.

Text
This node lets you add text overlays on your images. You can simply type in the text you want to have
displayed or use Tcl expressions or Tcl variables to create a text overlay. Text overlays can also be
animated using animation layers in the Groups tab, so that their properties (such as position, size, and
color) change over time. These features make the Text node useful, for example, for creating slates or
scrolling credits.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the text overlay.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the text is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Text Tab

output output rgba The text only appears in these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

premult premult none These channels are multiplied by the drawn text, so
that they are set to black outside the text shape.

clip to cliptype format Select how to restrict the output image:

• no clip - use the entire image.
• bbox - restrict the output image to the incoming
bounding box.
• format - restrict the output image to the incoming
format area.
• union bbox+format - restrict the output image to
the combination of the incoming bounding box
and format area.
• intersect bbox+format - restrict the output image
to the intersection of the incoming bounding box
and format area.

replace replace disabled When enabled, the affected channels are cleared to
black before drawing on them.

When disabled, the text is drawn on top of the input

image.

invert invert disabled Inverts the inside and outside of the text shape.

opacity opacity 1 Adjusts the opacity of the text. The possible values
run from 0 (invisible) to 1 (fully opaque).

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the text is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the text is
limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

message message None Enter the text you want to display, a Tcl expression, a
Tcl variable, or a combination of these. Enter Tcl
expressions in square brackets, for example, [date].
To begin a new line, press Return.

To display special Unicode characters, such as

foreign language characters and copyright signs, you
can:
• use HTML named entities, such as &copy; to
display ©
• use hex entities, such as &#xa9; to display ©
• use decimal entities, such as &#169; to display ©
• type Unicode characters, such as ©, on your
keyboard or cut and paste them from other
applications. UTF-8 character encoding is used to
store them in the control's value and in the saved
Nuke script.

The above only work if the font you are using has the
character you want to display in it.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: We recommend using the above

entities rather than typing <, for example.
This is because future versions of the Text
node may interpret HTML mark-up. In
HTML, some characters, such as the greater
than and less than signs, are reserved. If you
used these signs within your text now,
future versions could mistake them for
HTML mark-up.

See Creating Text Overlays in the Nuke User Guide,

for examples of Tcl expressions, Tcl variables, HMTL
named entities, hex entities, and decimal entities you
can use in the Text node.

Tip: To get a list of all the Tcl expressions

you can use with date, you can also type X
on the Node Graph, set the script
command dialog that opens to Tcl, enter
date -h, and click OK.

box xyrt (or box N/A Adjusts the on-screen box that limits the text inside a
xywh) certain area of the frame:
• To define the left boundary of the box, adjust the x
field.
• To define the bottom boundary of the box, adjust
the y field.
• To define the right/width boundary of the box,
adjust the r field.
• To define the top/height boundary of the box,
adjust the t field.

You can also move and resize the box in the Viewer.
Your text is wrapped inside the box you defined.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

justify xjustify left Sets how to align the text horizontally:

• left - align the text along the left edge of the on-
screen text box. This leaves the right edge of the
text ragged.
• center - align the text from the center of the on-
screen text box. This leaves both edges of the text
ragged.
• right - align the text along the right edge of the
on-screen text box. This leaves the left edge of the
text ragged.
• justify - align the text both along the left and the
right edge of the on-screen text box. This leaves no
ragged edges. The justification is done by
expanding the spaces between letters. If there are
no spaces or the spaces get more than about three
times wider than they were, letters are expanded.

yjustify top Sets how to align the text vertically:

• top - align the text against the top edge of the on-
screen text box.
• center - align the text from the center of the on-
screen text box.
• bottom - align the text against the bottom edge of
the on-screen text box.

font font Utopia Sets the font to use for the text. This control uses the
FreeType library and supports a large number of
fonts, including TrueType (.ttf) fonts and PostScript
fonts (.pfa and .pfb).

Tip: You can liimit the Text node to only

use the fonts that ship with Nuke by
navigating to Project Settings > Font and
disabling include system fonts.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

index Regular Sets the font style to use for the text. The options
available in this control depend on the font selected.

global font global_font_scale 1 Sets the scale used to multiply the font size for all
scale characters in the message field.

font size font_size 100 Adjusts the size of the font. When leading is set to 0,
this parameter also controls the spacing between
each line of text.

When rendering the font, the size parameter controls

the font hinting used. Font hinting adjusts which
pixels are interpolated to more clearly render a font.
At small sizes and on low resolution output devices,
it has a big impact on the legibility of the font. For
best results, you should use this parameter (rather
than the scale parameter on the Transform tab) to
control the size of the font and keep scale set to 1.

font width font_width 100 Sets the width of the font, as a percentage of the
font size.

font height font_height 100 Sets the height of the font, as a percentage of the
font size.

kerning kerning 0 Sets the spacing between the currently selected

character and the previous character. Negative values
move the character closer to the previous character
and vice versa.

Note: Kerning has no effect on multiple

selections or the first character in a string.

tracking tracking 0 Sets the spacing between each character and the
previous character. Negative values move characters
closer to each other and vice versa.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Tracking has no effect on the last

character in a string.

baseline shift baseline_shift 0 Sets the height above the font baseline for the
currently selected characters. Negative values lower
the characters and vice versa.

leading leading 0 Sets the spacing between lines of text. Negative

values decrease the spacing and vice versa.

Groups Tab - the controls on this tab only affect groups in the animation layers table.

translate xy translate 0, 0 Translates the text on the x and y axes.

rotate rotate 0 Rotates the text by degrees. Negative values

produce anti-clockwise rotation.

scale scale 1 Scales the text. Scale width and height are ganged by
default.

skew X skewX 0 Skews the text on the x axis.

skew Y skewY 0 Skews the text on the y axis.

skew order skew_order XY Sets the order in which skew X and skew Y are
applied:
• XY - skew X is applied before skew Y.
• YX - skew Y is applied before skew X.

center xy center N/A Sets the center of rotation and scaling. You can also
move it using Ctrl/Cmd+drag.

animation group_animation N/A Displays groups created from the text in the
layers message field, allowing you to animate the required
characters using the transform controls.

Select the required text in the Viewer or message

field and then click the + button to create an
animation layer. Select the group and apply the

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

required transforms using the controls on the Group

tab.

Color Tab

ramp ramp none Select whether to create a color gradient across the
text:
• none - don’t create a color gradient.
• linear - the ramp changes linearly from one color
into another.
• smooth0 - the ramp color gradually eases into the
point 0 end. This means colors in the point 0 end
are spread wider than colors in the point 1 end.
• smooth1 - the ramp color eases into the point 1
end. This means colors in the point 1 end are
spread wider than colors in the point 0 end.
• smooth - the ramp color gradually eases into both
ends. This means colors in the point 0 and point 1
ends are spread wider than colors in the center of
the ramp.

color color 1 Sets the color for the text.

If ramp is set to anything other than none, this is the

color for the ramp at the point 1 end (by default, the
top end).

The following controls are only available if ramp is set to anything other than none.

point 1 p1 100, 400 Sets the position of the point 1 indicator. This allows
you to adjust the spread and angle of the ramp.

color 0 color0 0 Sets the color for the ramp at the point 0 end (by
default, the bottom end).

point 0 p0 100, 100 Sets the position of the point 0 indicator. This allows
you to adjust the spread and angle of the ramp.

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 Draw Nodes | Text

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Shadows Tab

enable drop enable_shadows disabled When enabled, drop shadows are applied to the text.
shadows
When disabled, all other controls on this tab are also
disabled.

inherit input shadow_inherit_ disabled When enabled, shadows inherit their color from the
color input_color text's input color.

When disabled, the color controls are enabled,

allowing you to set the shadow color independently.

color color 0,0,0,1 Sets the color of the drop shadow when inherit
input color is disabled.

opacity opacity 0.7 Sets the opacity of any drop shadow applied to the
text, where 0 is totally transparent and 1 is totally
opaque.

angle angle 225 Sets the cast angle for drop shadows relative to the
text, in degrees, where 0 is left to right.

distance distance 5 Sets the seperation distance between the text and
the drop shadow.

softness softness 0 Sets the softness, or blur, of any drop shadow

applied to the text. Higher values produce greater
blur.

shrink/expand shrink/expand 0 Sets the thickness of drop shadows relative to the

text. Negative values produce thinner shadows and
vice versa.

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Time Nodes
Time nodes deal with distorting time (that is, slowing down, speeding up, or reversing clips), applying
motion blur, and performing editorial operations like slips, cuts, splices, and freeze frames.

Add 3:2 pulldown

Adds 3:2 pulldown to the input footage.

3:2 pulldown is a process of converting 24 frames per second (fps) film to 29.97 fps interlaced video. In
this process, the film is first slowed down 0.1% to match the speed difference between 29.97 fps and 30
fps. Then, film frames are distributed across video fields in a repeating 3:2 pattern in order to make 24 film
frames fill the space of 30 video frames per second:
• The first frame of film is copied to 3 fields of video,
• the second frame of film is copied to 2 fields of video,
• the third frame of film is again copied to 3 fields,
• the fourth frame of film is copied to 2 fields, and so on.

If you’re using footage that was originally film but was converted to video, you may have used the
Remove 3:2 pulldown node when importing the footage to Nuke. In this case, the Add 3:2 pulldown node
allows you to reintroduce 3:2 pulldown before rendering the footage back to video.

See also Remove 3:2 pulldown.

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 Time Nodes | AppendClip

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input 1 The image sequence to add 3:2 pulldown to.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

User Tab

phase phase 0 The 3:2 pulldown process results in:

• three whole frames that contain two fields from the
same film frame, and
• two split-field frames that contain fields from two
different film frames. The two split-field frames are
always adjacent to each other.

This control lets you shift the point at which the two
split-field frames occur within the first five frames of the
footage, relative to your first input frame.

AppendClip
AppendClip lets you splice clips. Splicing refers to joining clips head-to-tail, thus allowing action to flow
from one shot to the next. When you splice clips, you have options for:
• Fading to or from black.
• Dissolving between input clips.
• Slipping the combined clip in time.

To make an edit, you can first use the FrameRange node to cut portions out of input sequences and then
use the AppendClip node to link them together.

See also FrameRange.

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 Time Nodes | AppendClip

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input 1 The image sequence to which subsequent clips are appended. You
can connect any number of sequences to an AppendClip node.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

AppendClip Tab

Fade In fadeIn 0 Sets the number of frames to fade in from black on the
first clip in the sequence.

Fade Out fadeOut 0 Sets the number of frames to fade out to black on the
last clip in the sequence.

Cross Dissolve dissolve 0 Sets the number of frames to use to dissolve between
clips.

Bear in mind that differences in format between

dissolved clips are not catered for, so you may want to
use Cross Dissolve in conjunction with Reformat nodes.

First Frame firstFrame 1 Sets the amount of frames to slip the start of the first
clip in the sequence. For example, a value of 5 causes
the first clip to start playing at frame 5 instead of frame
1.

Last Frame lastFrame Depending on the First Frame value, displays the frame
number of the end of the sequence after the slip.

take metadata meta_from_ disabled When disabled, the metadata is taken from whichever
from first clip first input is currently taking precedence.

This control was added to preserve the behavior of

previous versions of Nuke, where the metadata was
always taken from the first input, and is on by default
when a legacy script is loaded.

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 Time Nodes | FrameBlend

FrameBlend
The FrameBlend node interpolates frames by generating an additive composite of the frames that precede
and follow it, rather than creating mere copies between the existing frames. This method creates
“ghosting” around all fast moving features. The results may look odd when viewed as part of a still frame,
but will contribute to smoother motion during actual playback.

You should insert this node before the temporal effect you want to influence (for example, before a
Retime node).

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to blend.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the frame blend is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

FrameBlend Tab

channels channels all The frame blend is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

Number of numframes 5 Sets the number of frames to blend together to

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 Time Nodes | FrameBlend

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

frames create the effect:

• When Custom is disabled, blend together Number
of frames-1 previous frames and the current frame,
creating a trail-like effect on moving objects.
• When Custom is enabled, then the Number of
frames are evenly distributed across the specified
range.

Frame Range startframe -1 When Custom is enabled, the specified frame range is
blended together producing the same result for every
endframe -1 output frame (unless you put an expression into the
frame numbers).

Custom userange disabled When enabled, use the Frame Range controls to
specify the blended frame range.

Input Range getinputrange N/A Click to automatically use the input sequence frames
as the blend FrameRange.

Foreground N/A disabled Enables the associated matte channel to the right.
matte Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

inputmask none Use this channel as a matte around a moving

foreground object so that only pixels with a value of
zero are blended. If you blend enough frames
together and the object moves enough, the object is
removed from the output to produce a clean
background plate.

output N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Image count Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
to channel to none.

blendmask none When enabled, saves a floating point alpha image to a

channel you specify; the result indicates the number
of images that contributed to each pixel of the matte.

To normalize the alpha, divide the number 1 by the

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 Time Nodes | FrameHold

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

number of frames averaged, and then multiply the

alpha channel by this result. You can also use the
inverse of this matte for additional degraining.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the blend is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the blend
is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Mixes between the original image at 0 and the full
frame blend at 1.

FrameHold
Lets you either:
• pick one frame and use that frame at every frame of the input clip, or
• use every certain number of frames of the input clip (for example, every fifth frame).

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 Time Nodes | FrameRange

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed An image sequence with a single frame or every certain number of
frames you want to use, disregarding all other frames.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

FrameHold Tab

first frame firstFrame 1 The first frame to use. If increment is set to 0, first
frame is used at every frame of the input clip.

Set setToCurrentFrame N/A Click to set the first frame control to the current
to Current Viewer frame.
Frame

increment increment 0 The increment to use when rendering every certain

number of frames from the input clip. For example, if
this is set to 5 and first frame is set to 1, Nuke only
uses frames 1, 6, 11, 16, and so on from the input.

FrameRange
Lets you set a frame range for a clip. This controls which frames are sent to the flipbook and displayed in
the Viewer when the frame range source dropdown menu is set to Input.

After setting the frame range for a clip, you may want to adjust the script length for the new output range.
Press S on the Node Graph to open the Project Settings, and enter frame range values that match the
output range you specified.

To make an edit, you can first use this node to cut portions out of input sequences and then append the
results together using the AppendClip node.

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 Time Nodes | Kronos

Tip: Using FrameRange, you can also set the frame range for a clip directly in the Dope Sheet.
See Nuke's online help for more information.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to cut.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

FrameRange Tab

frame range first_frame 1 Enter the appropriate in and out point values.

For example, if your original clip is 50 frames but you

last_frame 100 want to use only the last 25 frames in your composite,
you would enter 25 as the first frame and leave the last
frame at 50.

reset N/A N/A Resets the frame range to its original in and out points.

Kronos
Kronos (NukeX and Nuke Studio only) is a retimer, designed to slow down or speed up footage. It works
by calculating the motion in the sequence in order to generate motion vectors, which in turn, enables you
to generate an output image at any point in time throughout the sequence by interpolating along the
direction of the motion. Kronos also contains a number of controls to allow you to trade off render time
versus accuracy of vectors.

See also OFlow, TimeWarp, and Retime.

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 Time Nodes | Kronos

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input FgVecs If the motion in your input sequence has been estimated before (for
example, using VectorGenerator), you can supply one or more vector
BgVecs sequences to Kronos to save processing time.

Note: The BgVecs input appears as an arrowhead on the

side of the node.

MoSrc An alternate Motion Source input, for example, if your Source

sequence is very noisy and interfering with the motion estimation.

Matte An optional matte of the foreground, which may improve the motion
estimation by reducing the dragging of pixels that can occur
between foreground and background objects.

Source The sequence to retime.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Kronos Tab

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use GPU if
available is enabled. Local GPU displays Not
available when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device in
the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for
processing on the selected GPU, such as when there
is not enough free memory available on the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

alternative from the default blink device dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU requires

you to restart Nuke before the change takes
effect.

Use GPU if useGPUIfAvailable enabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local GPU
available specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

Note: Enabling this option with no local

GPU allows the script to run on the GPU
whenever the script is opened on a machine
that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you wish to
render from the command line with the --
gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for more

information on the GPUs supported by your
operating system.

Input Range input.first N/A The first frame of input to use.

When you first create the node, this is automatically

set to the first frame of the Source clip. After that, it
is only updated if you click Reset.

input.last N/A The last frame of input to use.

When you first create the node, this is automatically

set to the last frame of the Source clip. After that, it is
only updated if you click Reset.

Reset resetInputRange N/A Resets Input Range to the frame range of the current
Source input. This can be useful if the clip in the
Source input has changed.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Channels retimedChannels all Sets the channels affected by the retime.

Method interpolation Motion Sets the interpolation algorithm to use:

• Frame - the nearest original frame is displayed.
• Blend - a mix between two frames is used for the
in-between frame. This is quick to render and is
useful when tweaking the timing on a curve before
setting the method to motion.
• Motion - vector interpolation is used to calculate
the in-between frame.

Timing timing2 Output Sets how to control the new timing of the clip:
Speed • Output/Input Speed - describes the retiming in
terms of overall output duration. For example,
double speed halves the duration of the clip and
half speed doubles the duration of the clip.
• Frame - describes the retiming in relative terms, for
example, ’at frame 100 in the output clip, display
frame 50 of the source clip‘. You’ll need to set at
least 2 key frames for this to retime the clip.

Output Speed timingOutputSpeed 0.5 This control is only active if Timing is set to Output
Speed.

Values below 1 slow down the clip and vice versa. For
example, to slow down the clip by a factor of two
(half speed), set this value to 0.5.

Note: Retimes can be difficult to control

using Output Speed, because you're
retiming output frames. Altering a keyframe
alters the relative position of all later
frames. However, Output Speed keyframes
do allow you to use negative speed values,
unlike Input Speed retimes.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Input Speed timingInputSpeed 0.5 This control is only active if Timing is set to Input
Speed.

Values below 1 slow down the clip and vice versa. For
example, to slow down the clip by a factor of two
(half speed), set this value to 0.5.

Note: Retimes can be easier to control

using Input Speed, because keyframes are
set against the source frames, rather than
the output frames. However, Input Speed
keyframes do not allow you to use negative
speed values, unlike Output Speed retimes.

Frame timingFrame2 1 This control is active only if Timing is set to Frame.

Use this to specify the source frame at the current

frame in the timeline. For example, to slow down a 50
frame clip by half, key the Frame to 1 at frame 1 and
the Frame to 50 at frame 100.

Motion motionEstimation Dependen Sets the method of calculating motion estimation

t on script vectors:
• Local - uses local block matching to estimate
motion vectors. This method is faster to process,
but can lead to artifacts in the output. This option is
for legacy compatibility.
• Regularized - uses semi-global motion estimation
to produce more consistent vectors between
regions.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Scripts loaded from previous

versions of Nuke default to Local motion
estimation for backward compatibility.
Adding a new Kronos node to the Node
Graph defaults the Method to Regularized
motion estimation.

Vector Detail vectorDetail 0.3 Adjust this to vary the density of the vector field. A
value of 1 generates a vector at each pixel, whereas a
value of 0.5 generates a vector at every other pixel.

Higher values pick up finer movement, but also

increase processing time.

Strength strength 1.5 This control is only active if Method is set to

Regularized.

Sets the strength in matching pixels between frames.

Higher values allow you to accurately match similar
pixels in one image to another, concentrating on
detail matching even if the resulting motion field is
jagged. Lower values may miss local detail, but are
less likely to provide you with the odd spurious
vector, producing smoother results.

Note: The default value should work well

for most sequences.

Smoothness smoothness 0.5 This control is only active if Method is set to Local.

A high smoothness can miss lots of local detail, but is

less likely to provide you with the odd spurious
vector, whereas a low smoothness concentrates on
detail matching, even if the resulting field is jagged.

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 Time Nodes | Kronos

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: The default value should work well

for most sequences.

Resampling resampleType Bilinear Sets the type of resampling applied when retiming:
• Bilinear - the default filter. Faster to process, but
can produce poor results at higher zoom levels. You
can use Bilinear to preview a retime before using
one of the other resampling types to produce your
output.
• Lanczos4 and Lanczos6 - these filters are good for
scaling down, and provide some image sharpening,
but take longer to process.

Shutter

Shutter shutterSamples 1 Sets the number of in-between images used to create

Samples an output image during the shutter time. Increase this
value for smoother motion blur, but note that it takes
much longer to render.

Shutter Time shutterTime 0 Sets the equivalent shutter time of the retimed
sequence. For example, a shutter time of 0.5 is
equivalent to a 180 degree mechanical shutter, so at
24 frames per second the exposure time will be
1/48th of a second.

Imagine a gray rectangle moving left to right

horizontally across the screen. The figures below
show how Shutter Time affects the retimed
rectangle.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Automatic autoShutterTime disabled When enabled, Kronos automatically calculates the

Shutter Time shutter time throughout the sequence.

Note that this only produces motion blur when the

retimed speed is greater than the original speed.

Output output Result Sets the final output display for the retimed image.
Selecting anything other than Result is only useful
when a Matte Channel is used.
• Result - displays the retimed Source image.
• Matte - displays the retimed Matte input.
• Foreground - displays the retimed foreground. The
background regions outside the matte input may
show garbage.
• Background - displays the retimed background.
The foreground regions inside the matte input may
show garbage.

Matte matteChannel None Where to get the (optional) foreground mask to use
Channel for motion estimation:
• None - do not use a matte.
• Source Alpha - use the alpha of the Source input.
• Source Inverted Alpha - use the inverted alpha of
the Source input.
• Matte Luminance - use the luminance of the Matte
input.
• Matte Inverted Luminance - use the inverted
luminance of the Matte input.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• Matte Alpha - use the alpha of the Matte input.

• Matte Inverted Alpha - use the inverted alpha of
the Matte input.

Advanced

Flicker flickerCompensatio disabled When enabled, Kronos takes into account variations in
Compensatio n luminance and overall flickering, which can cause
n problems with your output.

Examples of variable luminance include highlights on

metal surfaces, like vehicle bodies, or bodies of water
within a layer that reflect light in unpredictable ways.

Note: Using Flicker Compensation

increases rendering time.

Legacy Mode legacymodeNuke9 Dependen Scripts loaded from previous versions of Nuke
t on Nuke default to Legacy Mode for backward compatibility.
version Adding a new Kronos node to the Node Graph hides
this control.

When enabled, Kronos reverts to the legacy method

for calculating Output Speed using the Local motion
estimation method.

Advanced > Tolerances

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 Time Nodes | NoTimeBlur

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Weight Red weightRed 0.3 For efficiency, much of the motion estimation is done
on luminance only - that is, using monochrome
images. The tolerances allow you to tune the weight
Weight Green weightGreen 0.6 of each color channel when calculating the image
luminance. These parameters rarely need tuning.
However, you may, for example, wish to increase the
Weight Blue weightBlue 0.1 red weighting Weight Red to allow the algorithm to
concentrate on getting the motion of a primarily red
object correct, at the cost of the rest of the items in a
shot.

Vector vectorSpacing 20 Sets the spacing between motion vectors displayed

Spacing on the Viewer when Overlay Vectors is enabled. The
default value of 20 means every 20th vector is drawn.

Overlay showVectors disabled When enabled, the motion vectors are displayed in
Vectors the Viewer. Forward motion vectors are drawn in red,
and backward motion vectors in blue.

Note: Motion vectors displayed in the

Viewer are added to your output if you
don’t turn off the overlay before rendering.

NoTimeBlur
NoTimeBlur prevents nodes downstream from asking for fractional or multiple frames. You can use this
node to avoid unwanted computation. For example, you may find that using TimeBlur on all the upstream
nodes in your composition can be unnecessary and very time consuming. In these cases, you can use
NoTimeBlur node to limit the number of nodes to which you’re applying TimeBlur. Just insert the
NoTimeBlur node in your node tree above the TimeBlur and any nodes you want the TimeBlur node to
process.

You can also use the NoTimeBlur node to force animated objects to align with input images.

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed NoTimeBlur can be inserted between any two existing nodes to limit
requests for fractional or multiple frames downstream.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

NoTimeBlur Tab

rounding rounding rint Sets the rounding type to use when blocking fractional
or multiple frames:
• rint - rounds the frame(s) to the nearest integer value.
• floor - rounds the frame(s) down to the nearest integer
value.
• ceil - rounds the frame(s) up to the nearest integer
value.
• none - no rounding is applied to the requested frame
(s).

use single single enabled When enabled, only the first frame requested is used.
frame

OFlow
Lets you generate high-quality retiming operations, such as slowing down or speeding up the input
footage. OFlow analyzes the movement of all pixels in the frames, generates motion vectors based on the
analysis, and then renders new “in-between” images by interpolating along the direction of the motion.
You can also use OFlow to add motion blur or enhance the existing motion blur in the image.

See also Retime and Kronos.

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input Source The sequence to retime.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

OFlow Tab

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use GPU if
available is enabled. Local GPU displays Not available
when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device in
the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for processing
on the selected GPU, such as when there is not
enough free memory available on the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an
alternative from the default blink device dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU requires

you to restart Nuke before the change takes
effect.

Use GPU if useGPUIfAvailable enabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local GPU
available specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Enabling this option with no local

GPU allows the script to run on the GPU
whenever the script is opened on a machine
that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you wish to
render from the command line with the --
gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for more

information on the GPUs supported by your operating
system.

Input Range input.first N/A The first frame of input to use.

When you first create the node, this is automatically

set to the first frame of the Source clip. After that, it is
only updated if you click Reset.

input.last N/A The last frame of input to use.

When you first create the node, this is automatically

set to the last frame of the Source clip. After that, it is
only updated if you click Reset.

Reset resetInputRange N/A Resets Input Range to the frame range of the current
Source input. This can be useful if the clip in the
Source input has changed.

Channels retimedChannels all Sets the channels affected by the retime.

Method method Motion Sets the interpolation algorithm:

• Frame - the nearest original frame is displayed.
• Blend - a mix between two frames is used for the in-
between frame. This is quick to render and is useful
when tweaking the timing on a curve before setting
the method to motion.
• Motion - vector interpolation is used to calculate
the in-between frame.

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Timing timing2 Output Sets how to control the new timing of the clip:
Speed • Output/Input Speed - describes the retiming in
terms of overall output duration. For example,
double speed halves the duration of the clip and half
speed doubles the duration of the clip.
• Frame - describes the retiming in relative terms, for
example, ’at frame 100 in the output clip, display
frame 50 of the source clip‘. You’ll need to set at
least 2 key frames for this to retime the clip.

Output Speed timingOutputSpeed 0.5 This control is only active if Timing is set to Output
Speed.

Values below 1 slow down the clip and vice versa. For
example, to slow down the clip by a factor of two (half
speed), set this value to 0.5.

Note: Retimes can be difficult to control

using Output Speed, because you're
retiming output frames. Altering a keyframe
alters the relative position of all later frames.
However, Output Speed keyframes do allow
you to use negative speed values, unlike
Input Speed retimes.

Input Speed timingInputSpeed 0.5 This control is only active if Timing is set to Input
Speed.

Values below 1 slow down the clip and vice versa. For
example, to slow down the clip by a factor of two (half
speed), set this value to 0.5.

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Retimes can be easier to control

using Input Speed, because keyframes are
set against the source frames, rather than the
output frames. However, Input Speed
keyframes do not allow you to use negative
speed values, unlike Output Speed retimes.

Frame timingFrame2 1 This control is active only if Timing is set to Frame.

Use this to specify the source frame at the current

frame in the timeline. For example, to slow down a 50
frame clip by half, key the Frame to 1 at frame 1 and
the Frame to 50 at frame 100.

Vector Detail vectorDetail 0.2 Adjust this to vary the density of the vector field. A
value of 1 generates a vector at each pixel, whereas a
value of 0.5 generates a vector at every other pixel.

Higher values pick up finer movement, but also

increase processing time.

Smoothness smoothness 0.5 A high smoothness can miss lots of local detail, but is
less likely to provide you with the odd spurious
vector, whereas a low smoothness concentrates on
detail matching, even if the resulting field is jagged.

Note: The default value should work well

for most sequences.

Resampling resampleType Bilinear Sets the type of resampling applied when retiming:
• Bilinear - the default filter. Faster to process, but can
produce poor results at higher zoom levels. You can
use Bilinear to preview a retime before using one of
the other resampling types to produce your output.
• Lanczos4 and Lanczos6 - these filters are good for
scaling down, and provide some image sharpening,

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

but take longer to process.

Shutter

Shutter shutterSamples 1 Sets the number of in-between images used to create

Samples an output image during the shutter time. Increase this
value for smoother motion blur, but note that it takes
much longer to render.

Shutter Time shutterTime 0 Sets the equivalent shutter time of the retimed
sequence. For example, a shutter time of 0.5 is
equivalent to a 180 degree mechanical shutter, so at
24 frames per second the exposure time will be
1/48th of a second.

Imagine a gray rectangle moving left to right

horizontally across the screen. The figures below show
how Shutter Time affects the retimed rectangle.

Automatic autoShutterTime disabled When enabled, OFlow automatically calculates the

Shutter Time shutter time throughout the sequence.

Note that this only produces motion blur when the

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 Time Nodes | OFlow

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

retimed speed is greater than the original speed.

Advanced

Flicker flickerCompensation disabled When enabled, OFlow takes into account variations in
Compensation luminance and overall flickering, which can cause
problems with your output.

Examples of variable luminance include highlights on

metal surfaces, like vehicle bodies, or bodies of water
within a layer that reflect light in unpredictable ways.

Note: Using Flicker Compensation

increases rendering time.

Advanced > Tolerances

Weight Red weightRed 0.3 For efficiency, much of the motion estimation is done
on luminance only - that is, using monochrome
images. The tolerances allow you to tune the weight
Weight Green weightGreen 0.6 of each color channel when calculating the image
luminance. These parameters rarely need tuning.
However, you may, for example, wish to increase the
Weight Blue weightBlue 0.1 red weighting Weight Red to allow the algorithm to
concentrate on getting the motion of a primarily red
object correct, at the cost of the rest of the items in a
shot.

Vector vectorSpacing 20 Sets the spacing between motion vectors displayed

Spacing on the Viewer when Overlay Vectors is enabled. The
default value of 20 means every 20th vector is drawn.

Overlay showVectors disabled When enabled, the motion vectors are displayed in
Vectors the Viewer. Forward motion vectors are drawn in red,
and backward motion vectors in blue.

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 Time Nodes | Remove 3:2 pulldown

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Motion vectors displayed in the

Viewer are added to your output if you don’t
turn off the overlay before rendering.

Remove 3:2 pulldown

Removes 3:2 pulldown from the input footage.

If you’re using footage that was originally film but was converted to video, you may want to use the
Remove 3:2 pulldown node when importing the footage to Nuke. This allows you to convert the footage
to its original state (24 fps non-interlaced film) before adding effects to it. If you later want to render the
footage back to video again, you can use the Add 3:2 pulldown node to reintroduce 3:2 pulldown.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input 1 The image sequence to remove 3:2 pulldown from. For example,
footage that was originally film but was converted to video.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

User Tab

phase phase 0 The 3:2 pulldown process results in:

• three whole frames that contain two fields from the
same film frame, and
• two split-field frames that contain fields from two
different film frames. The two split-field frames are
always adjacent to each other.

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 Time Nodes | Retime

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Phase is the point at which the two split-field frames

occur within the first five frames of the footage, relative
to your first input frame. The value here should match
the phase used when 3:2 pulldown was added.

invert field field_dom disabled Video frames are usually divided into two fields. Each
dominance field contains only half of the image information, drawn
as horizontal scan lines:
• The first field of a frame contains every other scan line.
• The second field of a frame contains the remaining
scan lines.

When both fields are displayed in rapid sequence, they

appear to produce a normal, complete frame.

Invert field dominance determines which field is

displayed first:
• When enabled, the odd lines come first.
• When disabled, the even lines come first.

Retime
Lets you slow down, speed up, or even reverse select frames in a clip without necessarily altering its
overall length.

See also OFlow, TimeWarp, and Kronos.

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 Time Nodes | Retime

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The sequence to retime.

Control Knob Default Function

(UI) (Scripting) Value

Retime Tab

input range input.first 1 When enabled, sets the first frame of the input sequence
to use for the retime.

input.first_ disabled Enable this control to lock the retime to a specific first
lock frame.

Note: If both output range fields are locked,

the retime is calculated to make the frame ranges
match. Otherwise the output frames move to
accommodate the speed.

input.last Dependent When enabled, sets the last frame of the input sequence to
on input clip use for the retime.

input.last_ disabled Enable this control to lock the retime to a specific last
lock frame.

Note: If both output range fields are locked,

the retime is calculated to make the frame ranges
match. Otherwise the output frames move to
accommodate the speed.

reverse reverse disabled When enabled, the input frames run backwards.

output output.first 1 When enabled, sets the first frame of the clip length after

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 Time Nodes | Retime

Control Knob Default Function

(UI) (Scripting) Value

range the retime.

output.first_ disabled Enable this control to lock the output to a specific first
lock frame.

output.last Dependent When enabled, sets the last frame of the clip length after
on input clip the retime.

output.last_ disabled Enable this control to lock the output to a specific last
lock frame.

speed speed 1 Sets the retime speed enabling Nuke to calculate the
output range for you, rather than using the output range
controls. Values higher than 1 increase playback speed;
values less than 1 decrease playback speed.

before before hold Sets the behavior of frames before the output.first frame
(examples refer to a 20 frame sequence with an
output.first value of 5):
• continue - the first frame in the sequence is held until
the output.first frame is reached.
• loop - substitutes an equal number of frames, effectively
creating a clip loop.

Example: 17, 18, 19, 20, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.

• bounce - substitutes a reversed equal number of frames,
creating a clip bounce.

Example: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
• hold - the first frame in the sequence is held until the
output.first frame is reached.

Example: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
• black - frames are black until the output.first frame is
reached.

after after hold Sets the behavior of frames after the output.last frame
(examples refer to a 20 frame sequence with an

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 Time Nodes | Retime

Control Knob Default Function

(UI) (Scripting) Value

output.last value of 5):

• continue - the output.last frame in the sequence is held
until the end of the sequence is reached.
• loop - substitutes an equal number of frames, effectively
creating a clip loop.

Example: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.

• bounce - substitutes a reversed equal number of frames,
creating a clip bounce.

Example: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 19, 18, 17, etc.
• hold - the output.last frame in the sequence is held until
the end of the sequence is reached.

Example: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 20, 20, 20, etc.
• black - frames are black from output.last until the end of
the sequence is reached.

filter filter box Sets the type of filtering to apply to the retime:
• none - passes fractional frame numbers to the input,
which is useful if the input can calculate its own frame
interpolation.
• nearest - rounds the center of the range to nearest
integer frame.
• box - uses a weighted average of several frames together
to cover the output range.

shutter shutter 1 Controls frame-blending by manipulating the shutter value.

Lower shutter values generate less frame-blending.

TimeWarp Tab

warp warp N/A To warp the input clip, edit this curve are as follows:
• To slow down motion, decrease the slope of the curve.
• To speed up motion, increase the slope of the curve.
• To reverse motion, create a downward sloping portion

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 Time Nodes | SmartVector

Control Knob Default Function

(UI) (Scripting) Value

on the curve (a dip, in other words).

You can:
• Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+click to insert keyframe knots on the
curve.
• Ctrl/Cmd+drag to reposition keyframe knots.
• Ctrl/Cmd+drag to rotate a keyframe knot control
handles.

Note: The curve must pass through 0,0 and 1,1

so that the in and out points work, respectively.

reset N/A N/A Click to reset the curve to the default values.

SmartVector
The SmartVector node writes motion vectors to the .exr format, which are then used to drive the
VectorDistort or VectorCornerPin nodes as part of the Smart Vector toolset.

See VectorDistort and VectorCornerPin.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Inputs Matte An optional matte of the foreground, which may improve the motion
estimation by reducing the dragging of pixels that can occur
between foreground and background objects.

Source The sequence from which to generate motion vectors.

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 Time Nodes | SmartVector

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

SmartVector Tab

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use
GPU if available is enabled. Local GPU displays
Not available when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device
in the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for
processing on the selected GPU, such as when
there is not enough free memory available on
the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an
alternative from the default blink device
dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU requires

you to restart Nuke before the change
takes effect.

Use GPU if useGPUIfAvailable enabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local GPU
available specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

Note: Enabling this option with no local

GPU allows the script to run on the GPU
whenever the script is opened on a
machine that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you wish to
render from the command line with the -
-gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for more

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 Time Nodes | SmartVector

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

information on the GPUs supported by your

operating system.

Vector Detail vectorDetailReg 0.3 Sets the vector quality. The default value of 0.3 is
sufficient for sequences with low detail and
movement, but you may want to increase the
detail to improve the vector quality in some cases.

Note: High detail vectors take longer to

render, but can improve the results you
get from the VectorDistort node.

Strength strengthReg 1.5 Sets the strength in matching pixels between

frames. Higher values allow you to accurately
match similar pixels in one frame to another,
concentrating on detail matching even if the
resulting motion field is jagged. Lower values may
miss local detail, but are less likely to provide you
with the odd spurious vector, producing smoother
results.

Note: The default value works well for

most sequences.

Matte Channel matteChannel None Where to get the optional foreground mask to use
when estimating motion:
• None - do not use a matte.
• Source Alpha - use the alpha of the Source
input.
• Source Inverted Alpha - use the inverted alpha
of the Source input.
• Matte Luminance - use the luminance of the
Matte input.
• Matte Inverted Luminance - use the inverted

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 Time Nodes | SmartVector

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

luminance of the Matte input.

• Matte Alpha - use the alpha of the Matte input.
• Matte Inverted Alpha - use the inverted alpha
of the Matte input.

Output output Background When Matte Channel is set to anything other than
None, the Output control determines whether
Foreground or Background vectors are passed
down stream or written to file.

Inpaint Matte inpainting disabled When enabled, any areas where vectors are absent
Region are infilled using the nearest available vectors.

Note: This control is only available when

Matte Channel is set to one of the matte
options, such as Matte Alpha.

Matte Dilation matteDilation 50 Controls the amount of dilation applied to the

matte before inpainting the matte region.

Note: This control is only available when

Inpaint Matte Region is enabled.

Export

Export Write export_write N/A Click to automatically create a Write node with
suitable .exr settings to contain the vector data.

Advanced

Flicker flickerCompensation disabled When enabled, SmartVector takes into account

Compensation variations in luminance and overall flickering,
which can cause problems with your output.
Examples of variable luminance include highlights
on metal surfaces, like vehicle bodies, or bodies of
water within a layer that reflect light in
unpredictable ways.

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 Time Nodes | TemporalMedian

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Using Flicker Compensation

increases rendering time.

Tolerances

Weight Red weightRed 0.3 For efficiency, much of the motion estimation is
done on luminance only - that is, using
monochrome images. The tolerances allow you to
tune the weight of each color channel when
calculating the image luminance. These parameters
Weight Green weightGreen 0.6 rarely need tuning. However, you may, for
example, wish to increase the Weight Red to
allow the algorithm to concentrate on getting the
motion of a primarily red object correct, at the
Weight Blue weightBlue 0.1 cost of the rest of the items in a shot.

TemporalMedian
This node applies a temporal median filter to the input clip. It outputs each pixel by calculating the
median of the current frame, the frame before, and the frame after. This can be useful for removing grain,
for example.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to apply a temporal median filter to (typically,
the image sequence to degrain).

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 Time Nodes | TemporalMedian

Connection Connection Function

Type Name

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the temporal median

filter effect is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

TemporalMedian Tab

channels channels all The temporal median filter effect is only applied to
these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

core core 0.05 If the differences between pixel values on the current,
previous, and next frame are greater than this value,
those pixels are left unchanged. This is because higher
differences between frames probably indicate
something other than film grain.

mask N/A disabled Enable the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the temporal

median filter effect is limited to the non-black areas
of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
temporal median filter effect is limited to the non-

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 Time Nodes | TimeBlur

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

TimeBlur
When a fast moving subject is recorded on film or video, its edges appear to smear as a result of the
object's movement while the shutter is open. The longer the shutter remains open at each frame interval,
the more obvious this effect. TimeBlur simulates this phenomenon by sampling its input at divisions times
over shutter frames starting at the current frame plus offset.

Time blur is commonly applied to garbage masks that are tracked to a fast moving feature. The time blur
averages the incoming mask image over the shutter period, to better match the motion blur in the original
image and creating a more convincing integration.

See also NoTimeBlur.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which you want to apply blur.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

TimeBlur Tab

divisions divisions 10 The number of times you want to sample the input
over the shutter time. For images with fast-moving
content, higher values are necessary to eliminate
"steppiness" or banding in the output.

shutter shutter 0.5 Sets the number of frames the shutter stays open
when motion blurring. For example, a value of 0.5
corresponds to half a frame. Increasing the value
produces more blur, and decreasing the value less.

shutter offset shutteroffset start Controls how the shutter behaves with respect to the
current frame value:
• centred - center the shutter around the current
frame. For example, if you set the shutter value to 1
and your current frame is 30, the shutter stays open
from frame 29,5 to 30,5.
• start - open the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 30 to 31.
• end - close the shutter at the current frame. For
example, if you set the shutter value to 1 and your
current frame is 30, the shutter stays open from
frame 29 to 30.
• custom - open the shutter at the time you specify.
In the field next to the dropdown menu, enter a
value (in frames) you want to add to the current
frame. To open the shutter before the current
frame, enter a negative value. For example, a value
of - 0.5 would open the shutter half a frame before
the current frame.

shuttercustomoffset 0 If the shutter offset control is set to custom, this

field is used to set the time that the shutter opens
by adding it to the current frame. Values are in
frames, so -0.5 would open the shutter half a frame
before the current frame.

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 Time Nodes | TimeClip

TimeClip
Just like TimeOffset, the TimeClip node lets you move the clip forwards or backwards in time and reverse
the order of frames in the clip. In addition to this basic functionality, you can slip a clip, set the frame
range for the clip, set what happens to frames outside of this frame range, fade the clip to or from black,
and set expressions to adjust the node’s behavior.

Tip: Using TimeClip, you can also offset, trim, and slip clips directly in the Dope Sheet. See
Nuke's online help for more information.

See also TimeOffset.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to slip.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

TimeClip Tab

Fade In fadeIn 5 The number of frames to fade from black.

Fade Out fadeOut 5 The number of frames to fade to black.

frame range first Dependent The first frame of the range.

on Project
Settings You can also adjust this by going to the Dope Sheet tab
and dragging the head of the clip to a new location.

before hold Sets the behavior of frames before the first frame
(examples refer to a 20-frame sequence with a first
value of 5):

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 Time Nodes | TimeClip

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

• hold - the first frame in the sequence is held until the

first frame is reached. Example: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
• loop - substitutes an equal number of frames,
effectively creating a clip loop. Example: 17, 18, 19, 20,
1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
• bounce - substitutes a reversed equal number of
frames, creating a clip bounce. Example: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2,
3, 4, etc.
• black - frames are black until the first frame is reached.

last Dependent The last frame of range.

on Project
Settings You can also adjust this by going to the Dope Sheet tab
and dragging the tail of the clip to a new location.

after hold Sets the behavior of frames after the last frame
(examples refer to a 20 frame sequence with a last value
of 5):
• hold - the last frame in the sequence is held until the
end of the sequence is reached. Example: 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 20, 20, 20, etc.
• loop - substitutes an equal number of frames,
effectively creating a clip loop. Example: 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
• bounce - substitutes a reversed equal number of
frames, creating a clip bounce. Example: 16, 17, 18, 19,
20, 19, 18, 17, etc.
• black - frames are black from last until the end of the
sequence is reached.

frame frame_mode expression Sets the frame mode:

• expression - Lets you enter an expression in the field
on the right. The expression changes the relation
between the current frame and the frame read in. For
example, if your clip begins from image.0500.rgb and
you want to place this first frame at frame 1 rather than

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 Time Nodes | TimeClip

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

frame 500, you can use the expression frame+499. This

way, 499 frames are added to the current frame to get
the number of the frame that’s read in. At frame 1,
image.0500.rgb is read in; at frame 2, image.0501.rgb is
read in; and so on. Another example of an expression is
frame*2. This expression multiplies the current frame
by two to get the number of the frame that’s read in.
This way, only every other frame in the clip is used. At
frame 1, image.0002.rgb is read in; at frame 2,
image.0004.rgb is read in; at frame 3, image.0006.rgb is
read in; and so on.
• start at - Lets you enter a start frame number in the
field on the right. This specifies the frame where the
first frame in the sequence is read in. In other words, all
frames are offset so that the clip starts at the specified
frame. For example, if your sequence begins from
image.0500.rgb and you enter 1 in the field,
image0500.rgb is read in at frame 1. Similarly, if you
enter 100 in the field, image0500.rgb is read in at
frame 100.
• offset - Lets you enter a constant offset in the field on
the right. This constant value is added to the current
frame to get the number of the frame that’s read in.
For example, if your clip begins from image.0500.rgb
and you want to place this first frame at frame 1 rather
than frame 500, you can use 499 as the constant offset.
This way, 499 is added to the current frame to get the
frame that’s read in. At frame 1, image.0500.rgb is read
in; at frame 2, image.0501 is read in, and so on. You can
also use negative values as the constant offset. For
example, if you use the value -10, Nuke subtracts ten
from the current frame to get the frame that’s read in.
At frame 20, image.0010.rgb is read in; at frame 21,
image.0011.rgb is read in; and so on.

original range origfirst Dependent The original first frame of the sequence.

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 Time Nodes | TimeEcho

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

on Project
Settings

origlast Dependent The original last frame of the sequence.

on Project
Settings

reverse reverse disabled Reverse the clip within the specified frame range.

TimeEcho
Merges multiple frames from the input into a single frame to create an echo-like effect over time. This
allows you to create streaking and smearing effects, for example.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence with the frames to merge.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

TimeEcho Tab

TimeEcho mode max Sets how the frames are blended together:
Method • Plus - uses the sum of all frames. Note that this may
result in pixel values higher than 1.0.
• Max - uses the highest value from the frames.
• Average - averages the frames (uses the sum divided
by the number of frames). The result is darker than the

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 Time Nodes | TimeOffset

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

original images.

Frames to framesbehind 1 Sets the number of frames to merge together, counting

look at backwards from the current frame (and including the
current frame).

For example, if the current frame is 10, and you set this
value to 4, TimeEcho merges frames 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Frames to framesfade 1 Allows you to fade out frames, so that the further back a
fade out frame is in time, the less effect it has on the final
images. Note that this is the total number of frames
over which the fade happens, with the last of these
frames remaining at maximum.

For example, if you set this to 5, the fade will gradually

happen over the first five frames used, with the fifth
frame remaining at maximum:
• the first image is reduced to 20% of its original
opacity
• the second image is reduced to 40% of its original
opacity
• the third image is reduced to 60% of its original
opacity
• the fourth image is reduced to 80% of its original
opacity
• the fifth image remains at 100% of its original opacity.

TimeOffset

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 Time Nodes | TimeOffset

Lets you offset a clip. Offsetting a clip refers to moving it backward or forward in time. There are any
number of reasons why you might want to do this (for example, to synchronize events in a background
and foreground clip).

After offsetting the clip, you may want to adjust the script length for the new output range. Press S on the
Node Graph to open the Project Settings, and enter frame range values that match the output range you
specified. If you don’t do this, Nuke fills the empty frames at the head or tail of the clip by holding the
first or last frame.

Tip: Using TimeOffset, you can also offset clips directly in the Dope Sheet. See Nuke's online
help for more information.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to offset.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

TimeOffset Tab

time offset time_offset 0 The number of frames by which you want to offset the
(frames) clip.

Enter a negative value to subtract frames from the head

of the clip. Enter a positive value to add frames to the
head of the clip.

reverse input reverse_input disabled When enabled, TimeOffset inverts the clip (making the
last frame the first, and so on).

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 Time Nodes | TimeWarp

TimeWarp
Lets you slow down, speed up, or even reverse selected frames in a clip without necessarily altering its
overall length.

See also OFlow, Retime, and Kronos.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The sequence to warp.

Note: When you connect the TimeWarp node, frame 1 is

automatically keyframed as the first frame.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

TimeWarp Tab

input frame lookup 1 Sets which frame of the input sequence appears at the
current frame.

For example, you could set frame 10 of the input to

output at frame 5, effectively doubling the speed of the
sequence.

curve editor N/A N/A Click to open up the Curve Editor.

input length length 1 Sets the length of time to average together to produce
the output frame.

Click the set to df/dt button to automatically set the

inputlength to the correct formula based on the
derivative of the inputframe.

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 Time Nodes | VectorGenerator

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

set to df/dt N/A N/A Click to automatically set the inputlength to the correct
formula based on the derivative of the inputframe.

filter filter box Sets the type of filtering to apply to the time warp:
• none - passes fractional frame numbers to the input,
which is useful if the input can calculate its own frame
interpolation.
• nearest - rounds the center of the range to nearest
integer frame.
• box - uses a weighted average of several frames
together to cover the output range.

VectorGenerator
VectorGenerator (NukeX and Nuke Studio only) produces images containing motion vector fields. In
general, once you have generated a sequence of motion vector fields that describe the motion in a
particular clip well, they will be suitable for use in any nodes which can take vector inputs. These include
Kronos and MotionBlur available in NukeX.

The output from VectorGenerator consists of two sets of motion vectors for each frame. These are stored
in the vector channels.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input Matte An optional matte of the foreground, which may improve the motion
estimation by reducing the dragging of pixels that can occur
between foreground and background objects.

An optional matte of the foreground. This can be used to help the

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 Time Nodes | VectorGenerator

Connection Connection Function

Type Name

motion estimation algorithm inside VectorGenerator understand

what is foreground and background in the image, so that the
dragging of pixels between overlapping objects can be reduced.
White areas of the matte are considered to be foreground, and black
areas background. Grey areas are used to attenuate between
foreground and background.

Source The sequence from which to generate motion vectors.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

VectorGenerator Tab

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use
GPU if available is enabled. Local GPU displays
Not available when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device
in the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for
processing on the selected GPU, such as when
there is not enough free memory available on
the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an
alternative from the default blink device
dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU requires

you to restart Nuke before the change
takes effect.

Use GPU if useGPUIfAvailable enabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local GPU
available specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

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 Time Nodes | VectorGenerator

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Enabling this option with no local

GPU allows the script to run on the GPU
whenever the script is opened on a
machine that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you wish to
render from the command line with the -
-gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for more

information on the GPUs supported by your
operating system.

Method motionEstimation Dependent Sets the method of calculating motion estimation

on script vectors:
• Local - uses local block matching to estimate
motion vectors. This method is faster to process,
but can lead to artifacts in the output.
• Regularized - uses semi-global motion
estimation to produce more consistent vectors
between regions.

Note: Scripts loaded from previous

versions of Nuke default to Local motion
estimation for backward compatibility.
Adding a new VectorGenerator node to
the Node Graph defaults the Method to
Regularized motion estimation.

Vector Detail vectorDetail 0.3 This determines the resolution of the vector field.
The larger vector detail is, the greater the
processing time, but the more detailed the vectors
should be. A value of 1.0 generates a vector at
each pixel. A value of 0.5 generates a vector at
every other pixel. For some sequences, a high

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 Time Nodes | VectorGenerator

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

vector detail near 1.0 generates too much

unwanted local motion detail, and often a low
value is more appropriate.

Strength strength 1.5 This control is only active if Method is set to

Regularized.

Sets the strength in matching pixels between

frames. Higher values allow you to accurately
match similar pixels in one image to another,
concentrating on detail matching even if the
resulting motion field is jagged. Lower values may
miss local detail, but are less likely to provide you
with the odd spurious vector, producing smoother
results.

Note: The default value should work

well for most sequences.

Smoothness smoothness 0.5 This control is only active if Method is set to

Local.

A high smoothness can miss lots of local detail,

but is less likely to provide you with the odd
spurious vector, whereas a low smoothness
concentrates on detail matching, even if the
resulting field is jagged.

Note: The default value should work

well for most sequences.

Matte Channel matteChannel None Where to get the (optional) foreground mask to
use for motion estimation:
• None - do not use a matte.

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 Time Nodes | VectorGenerator

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• Source Alpha - use the alpha of the Source

input.
• Source Inverted Alpha - use the inverted alpha
of the Source input.
• Mask Luminance - use the luminance of the
Matte input.
• Mask Inverted Luminance - use the inverted
luminance of the Matte input.
• Mask Alpha - use the alpha of the Matte input.
• Mask Inverted Alpha - use the inverted alpha of
the Matte input.

Output output Foreground When a matte input is supplied, this determines

whether the motion vectors corresponding to the
background or the foreground regions are output.
• Foreground - the vectors for the foreground
motion are output.
• Background - the vectors for the background
motion are output.

Advanced

Flicker flickerCompensation disabled When enabled, VectorGenerator takes into account

Compensation variations in luminance and overall flickering,
which can cause problems with your output.

Examples of variable luminance include highlights

on metal surfaces, like vehicle bodies, or bodies of
water within a layer that reflect light in
unpredictable ways.

Note: Using Flicker Compensation

increases rendering time.

Advanced > Tolerances

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 Time Nodes | VectorToMotion

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Weight Red weightRed 0.3 For efficiency, much of the motion estimation is
done on luminance only - that is, using
monochrome images. The tolerances allow you to
tune the weight of each color channel when
Weight Green weightGreen 0.6
calculating the image luminance. These parameters
rarely need tuning. However, you may, for
example, wish to increase the red weighting
Weight Blue weightBlue 0.1 Weight Red to allow the algorithm to concentrate
on getting the motion of a primarily red object
correct, at the cost of the rest of the items in a
shot.

VectorToMotion
VectorToMotion converts SmartVectors to motion, forward, and backward channels that can be used
with VectorBlur to create motion blur, without using a VectorGenerator.

It doesn't have any controls of its own, it's a conversion tool to convert vectors to motion channels. See
Nuke's online help for more information.

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Channel Nodes
Channel nodes deal with the use of channels and layers within your composite. Typical channels are red,
green, blue, and alpha - however, there are many other pieces of useful data that can be stored in unique
channels. A layer is simply a collection of channels, for example rgba.

AddChannels
Adds channels to the input image. Channels that do not already exist are created and filled with the color
defined by the color knob.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image to which the new channels are added.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

AddChannels Tab

channels channels none The channels to add.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

and channels2 none Additional channels to add.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

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 Channel Nodes | ChannelMerge

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

and channels3 none Additional channels to add.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

and channels4 none Additional channels to add.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

color color 0 The default color to fill in any new channels - existing
channels are not changed.

Note: The current version only accepts rgba

and gray shades for other channels.

ChannelMerge
The ChannelMerge node lets you merge together one channel from each input and save the result in the
selected output channel. All other channels are copied unchanged from the B input.

If no A input is connected, both channels to merge are taken from the B input.

By default, ChannelMerge combines the inputs’ alphas.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input A The image that contains a channel to merge with a channel from
input B. This input is optional.

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 Channel Nodes | ChannelMerge

Connection Connection Function

Type Name

B The image that contains a channel to merge with a channel from

input A. If no A input is connected, both channels to merge are
taken from this input.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the merge is limited

to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ChannelMerge Tab

A channel N/A enabled Enables the associated A channel to the right.

Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

A rgba.alpha The channel to merge from input A. If no A input is

connected, this channel is taken from input B.

operation operation union Sets how the pixel values from input A are calculated
with the pixel values from input B to create the new
pixel values that are output as the merged image:
• absminus abs(A-B) - how much the pixels differ.
• b if not a A?A:B - shows A wherever A exists;
otherwise shows B.
• divide A/B, 0 if A<0 and B<0 - divides the values but
stops two negative values from becoming a positive
number.
• from (B-A) - subtracts A from B.
• in Ab - only shows the areas of image A that overlap
with the alpha of B.
• max (max(A,B)) - selects the lighter of the two colors
as the resulting color. Only areas darker than B are

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 Channel Nodes | ChannelMerge

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

replaced, while areas lighter than B do not change.

• min (min(A,B)) - selects the darker of the two colors
as the resulting color. Any parts that are lighter than
B are substituted. Any parts of the image that are
darker than B don’t change.
• minus (A-B) - subtracts B from A.
• multiply (AB, A if A<0 and B<0) - multiplies A by B.
The result is always darker. Blending with black gives
black and with white returns the color unchanged.
• out A(1-b) - only shows the areas of image A that do
not overlap with the alpha of B.
• plus A+B - the sum of the two colors. Increases
brightness to lighten A and reflect B.
• stencil B(1-a) - this is the reverse of the out
operation. Only shows the areas of image B that do
not overlap with the alpha of A.
• union A+B-AB - shows both image A and B.
• xor A+B-2AB - shows both image A and B where the
images do not overlap.

B channel N/A enabled Enables the associated B channel to the right.

Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

B rgba.alpha The channel to merge from input B.

output N/A enabled Enables the associated output channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

output rgba.alpha Render the merged image into this output channel.

Set BBox to bbox union How to output the bounding box:

• union - combine the two bounding boxes.

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 Channel Nodes | Copy

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• B side - use the bounding box from input B. Any

data from the A input that’s outside this box is
clipped.
• A side - use the bounding box from input A. Any
data from the B input that’s outside this box is
clipped.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the merge is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the merge
is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original B input at 0 and the

full merge effect at 1.

Copy
Replaces channels in the B input with channels from the A input. You can use a mask channel to indicate
which input is used for each pixel or whether both inputs should be mixed for some pixels.

Using the mix slider, you can use this node as a dissolve. You can also create this node by pressing K on
the Node Graph.

See also Shuffle.

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 Channel Nodes | Copy

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input A The image that contains a channel to copy to input B.

B The image that contains a channel to replace with a channel from the
A input.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the A input is used

where the mask is white, the B input where the mask is black, and a
blend between the inputs where the mask is gray.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Copy Tab

Copy channel N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

from0 rgba.alpha A channel to copy from input A.

to N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling

this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

to0 rgba.alpha The channel that the above Copy channel replaces in
input B.

Copy channel N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

from1 rgba.alpha Another channel to copy from input A.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

to N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling

this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

to1 rgba.alpha The channel that the above Copy channel replaces in
input B.

Copy channel N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

from2 rgba.alpha Another channel to copy from input A.

to N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling

this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

to2 rgba.alpha The channel that the above Copy channel replaces in
input B.

Copy channel N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

from3 rgba.alpha Another channel to copy from input A.

to N/A enabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling

this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

to3 rgba.alpha The channel that the above Copy channel replaces in
input B.

Layer Copy channels none Copies all the selected channels from A to B, if they
exist in A. If they don’t exist in A, the channels from B
are used unchanged.

This allows you to easily copy multiple channels from

A to B. For example, setting this to all copies all the
channels that exist in A.

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 Channel Nodes | Copy

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

Set BBox to bbox union How to output the bounding box:

• union - combine the two bounding boxes.
• B side - use the bounding box from input B. Any
data from the A input that’s outside this box is
clipped.
• A side - use the bounding box from input A. Any
data from the B input that’s outside this box is
clipped.

metadata metainput B Sets the source of the metadata passed down the
from node tree:
• B - only input B metadata is preserved.
• A - only input A metadata is preserved.
• All - both input A and B metadata is preserved.

range from rangeinput B Sets the output frame range passed down the node
tree:
• B - only frames from input B are output.
• A - only frames from input A are output.
• All - both input A and B frames are output.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the A input is

used where the mask is white, the B input where the
mask is black, and a blend between the inputs where
the mask is gray.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

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 Channel Nodes | Remove

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the B input
is used where the mask is white and the A input where
the mask is black.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the copy before the
premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding
an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult
node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only
using one Copy node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original B input at 0 and the

full copy effect at 1.

Remove

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 Channel Nodes | Remove

Removes channels from the input clip. When you are done using a layer or a channel within a set, you may
wish, for the sake of clarity, to remove it so that it is no longer passed to downstream nodes. Note that
leaving channels in the stream will not itself cause them to be computed; only channels required are
computed.

Removing layers and or channels does not free up space for the creation of new channels and layers. Once
you create a channel, it permanently consumes one of the script’s 1023 available channel name slots. You
are free, however, to rename channels and/or assign them new outputs.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence with channels to remove.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Remove Tab

operation operation remove Sets how channels are removed:

• remove - removes the channels you select below.
• keep - keeps the channels you select below and
removes all other channels.

channels channels all The channels to remove (or keep if you’ve set operation
to keep).

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

and channels2 none Additional channels to remove (or keep if you’ve set
operation to keep).

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

and channels3 none Additional channels to remove (or keep if you’ve set

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 Channel Nodes | Shuffle

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

operation to keep).

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

and channels4 none Additional channels to remove (or keep if you’ve set
operation to keep).

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

Shuffle
Note: Nuke 12.1 introduced a new and improved Shuffle2 node, which makes Shuffle and
ShuffleCopy obsolete. Shuffle and ShuffleCopy are still available for backward compatibility if
you press X in the Node Graph and enter Shuffle or ShuffleCopy.

Shuffle lets you:

• rearrange up to 8 channels from a single image (B input). For example, you can use it to swap rgba.red
for rgba.green, and vice versa,
• rearrange channels between two separate nodes (A and B input), like a foreground and background
branch,
• replace a channel with black (removing the alpha channel, for example) or with white (making the alpha
solid, for example),
• create new channels.

To simply copy a channel from one data stream into another, see Copy.

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 Channel Nodes | Shuffle

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input B The primary image sequence with the channels to rearrange.

A The secondary image sequence with the channels to rearrange.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Shuffle Tab

Input Layer

In fromInput1 B The incoming layer(s) that contains the channel(s) to

rearrange.
in1 rgba
You can also select new here to create new channels.

In fromInput2 B Additional incoming channels to rearrange. If you only

want to rearrange channels from one layer, you don’t
need these controls.
in2 none
You can also select new here to create new channels.

Output Layer

N/A out1 rgba The rearranged channels are output to this layer.

You can also select new here to create new channels.

N/A out2 none Additional rearranged channels are output to this layer. If
you only want to rearrange channels from one layer, you
don’t need these controls.

You can also select new here to create new channels.

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 Channel Nodes | ShuffleCopy

ShuffleCopy
Note: Nuke 12.1 introduced a new and improved Shuffle2 node, which makes Shuffle and
ShuffleCopy obsolete. Shuffle and ShuffleCopy are still available for backward compatibility if
you press X in the Node Graph and enter Shuffle or ShuffleCopy.

ShuffleCopy lets you:

• rearrange up to 8 channels from two images (two inputs). For example, you can use it to combine two
separate passes (such as the beauty pass and the reflection pass) into the same data stream,
• replace the alpha with black (removing the alpha channel) or with white (making the alpha solid),
• create new channels.

Channels not affected by this node are taken from input 2, which is considered the main data stream.

To rearrange channels in a single upstream node, Shuffle.

To simply copy a channel from one data stream into another, see Copy.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input 1 The first image sequence with the channels to rearrange.

2 The second image sequence with the channels to rearrange. Any

channels not affected by this node are also taken from this input.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

ShuffleCopy Tab

1 in in rgba Channels supplied by input 1. If you check a column

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 Channel Nodes | ShuffleCopy

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

below, that channel is taken from this input, and gets

output to the channel indicated by the row.

2 in in2 rgba Channels supplied by input 2. If you check a column

below, that channel is taken from this input, and gets
output to the channel indicated by the row.

[top right out rgba The rearranged channels are output to this layer.
dropdown
menu]

[bottom right out2 none The second set of outputs from the node. This allows you
dropdown to output another four rearranged channels from the
menu] node, for a total of eight channels of output to match the
possible eight channels of input.

You can also select new here to create new channels.

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Color Nodes
Color nodes deal with color corrections, color space, and color management.

Add
The Add node lets you offset a channel’s values. It adds a fixed value to the channel, which, in effect,
lightens the whole channel. You can also add a negative value to a channel, in which case the channel gets
darker.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to offset.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the offset is limited

to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Add Tab

channels channels all The offset is only applied to these channels.

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 Color Nodes |

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

value value 0 The value to add to the channels selected above. A

positive value lightens the selected channels, and a
negative value darkens them.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the offset is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the offset
is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the addition before the
premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding
an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult
node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only

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 Color Nodes | Clamp

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
offset effect at 1.

Clamp
This node constrains, or clamps, values in the selected channels to a specified range. By default, it clamps
all channels to values between 0 and 1. This can be useful for ensuring that the input’s blackest blacks and
whitest whites will be visible on an intended display device, or for restricting data fed to a subsequent
node that does not support numbers outside this range.

See also ClipTest.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose values you want to clamp.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the clamp is limited

to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

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 Color Nodes | Clamp

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Clamp Tab

channels channels all The effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

minimum minimum 0 The lower clamp value. By default, all values that are
lower than this number are set to this value. For
example, if you set this to 0.2, any value below 0.2 is
set to 0.2. This has the effect of causing black values to
go gray.

However, if you check enabled next to MinClampTo,

all values that are lower than this number are set to the
MinClampTo value. For example, if you set this to 0.2
and MinClampTo to 0.4, any value below 0.2 is set to
0.4.

minimum_enable enabled Whether to clamp selected channels to a minimum

value. Disabling both minimum and maximum
effectively disables the node.

maximum maximum 1 The upper clamp value. By default, all values that are
higher than this number are set to this value. For
example, if you set this to 0.8, any value above 0.8 is
set to 0.8. This has the effect of causing white values
to go gray.

However, if you check enabled next to MinClampTo,

all values that are higher than this number are set to
the MaxClampTo value. For example, if you set this to
0.8 and MinClampTo to 0.6, any value above 0.8 is set
to 0.6.

maximum_enable enabled Whether to clamp selected channels to a maximum

value. Disabling both minimum and maximum
effectively disables the node.

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 Color Nodes | Clamp

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

MinClampTo MinClampTo 0 The value to which low illegal values are clamped
when MinClampTo is enabled. This sets the clamped
areas to a custom color, allowing you to visualize the
clamped range or create graphic effects.

MinClampTo_ disabled When enabled, all values below minimum are

enable clamped to the MinClampTo value.

When disabled, all values below minimum are

clamped to the minimum value.

MaxClampTo MaxClampTo 1 The value to which high illegal values are clamped
when MaxClampTo is enabled. This sets the clamped
areas to a custom color, allowing you to visualize the
clamped range or create graphic effects.

MaxClampTo_ disabled When enabled, all values above maximum are

enable clamped to the MaxClampTo value.

When disabled, all values above maximum are

clamped to the maximum value.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the clamp is

limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the clamp
is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

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 Color Nodes | ClipTest

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the clamp before the
premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding
an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult
node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only
using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
clamp effect at 1.

ClipTest
ClipTest applies zebra stripes to all pixels outside a specified range. This can help you ensure that the
input’s blackest blacks and whitest whites are visible on an intended display device. By default, ClipTest
highlights any pixels that are outside the range from 0 to 1.

Note: This node affects the final output and not just the Viewer.

See also Clamp.

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 Color Nodes | ClipTest

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose out-of-range pixels you want to
highlight.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the zebra stripes are
limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ClipTest Tab

channels channels rgba The zebra stripes are only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

lower lower 0 Highlight any pixels whose values are lower than this
number.

upper upper 1 Highlight any pixels whose values are higher than this
number.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the zebra

stripes are limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

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 Color Nodes | CMSTestPattern

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the zebra
stripes are limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the clip test before the
premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding
an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult
node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only
using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
clip test effect at 1.

CMSTestPattern
This node generates calibration patterns for color management. You should run the output of this node
through a color management node and then render the result with a GenerateLUT node. This way, you can
produce 1D and 3D lookup table (LUT) files for various programs:

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 Color Nodes | CMSTestPattern

• 1D LUTs assume that the primary color channels (red, green, and blue) are independent, and the output
for a particular primary color (for example, red) only depends on the input value of that channel (rather
than the values of all three channels). For each input value, there is one output value. 1D LUTs are
represented by a curve. They are useful for quickly creating an image for viewing purposes, using less
processing power, but they cannot be used to adjust saturation independently of brightness.
• In 3D LUTs, the output values of each primary color channel are calculated based on the input values
from all three channels (red, green, and blue). For each input value, there are three output values. This is
represented by a 3D grid or cube. 3D LUTs can adjust saturation and brightness together, and are very
useful for emulating a particular known look, such as Cineon.

See GenerateLUT and Vectorfield for more information.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Output unnamed Add an arrangement of Nuke nodes that do the color correction you
want your 3D LUT to do. Then output the result using a GenerateLUT
node.

Alternatively, you can insert a Write node after the CMSTestPattern

node, write the image out, grade it in another application, and read
the result back in using a Read node. Then output the result using a
GenerateLUT node.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

CMSTestPattern Tab

RGB 3D LUT cube_size 32 Enter the cube size to use for the test pattern. The cube
cube size size defines the size of the LUT cube on the xyz axes with
higher values increasing the number of colors. In reality,
you would be unlikely to use a cube size greater than
128 and the test pattern is automatically clipped above
cube size 444.

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 Color Nodes | ColorCorrect

ColorCorrect
The ColorCorrect node is used to make quick adjustments to contrast, gamma, gain, and offset. You can
apply these to a clip’s master (entire tonal range), shadows, midtones, or highlights.

You can control the range of the image that is considered to be in the shadows, midtones, and highlights
using the lookup curves on the Ranges tab. However, do not adjust the midtone curve - midtones are
always equal to 1 minus the other two curves.

You can also create this node by pressing C on the Node Graph.

See also Grade and Multiply.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the color correction.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction

is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ColorCorrect Tab

channels channels rgb The color correction is only applied to these

channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

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 Color Nodes | ColorCorrect

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

individual channels.

master

saturation saturation 1 Adjusts the saturation in the entire image.

contrast contrast 1 Adjusts the contrast in the entire image.

gamma gamma 1 Adjusts the gamma in the entire image.

gain gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the entire image.

offset offset 0 Adjusts the offset in the entire image.

shadows

saturation shadows.saturation 1 Adjusts the saturation in the darkest parts of the

image.

contrast shadows.contrast 1 Adjusts the contrast in the darkest parts of the image.

gamma shadows.gamma 1 Adjusts the gamma in the darkest parts of the image.

gain shadows.gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the darkest parts of the image.

offset shadows.offset 0 Adjusts the offset in the darkest parts of the image.

midtones

saturation midtones.saturation 1 Adjusts the saturation in the middle range of the

image.

contrast midtones.contrast 1 Adjusts the contrast in the middle range of the image.

gamma midtones.gamma 1 Adjusts the gamma in the middle range of the image.

gain midtones.gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the middle range of the image.

offset midtones.offset 0 Adjusts the offset in the middle range of the image.

highlights

saturation highlights.saturation 1 Adjusts the saturation in the highlights of the image.

contrast highlights.contrast 1 Adjusts the contrast in the highlights of the image.

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 Color Nodes | ColorCorrect

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

gamma highlights.gamma 1 Adjusts the gamma in the highlights of the image.

gain highlights.gain 1 Adjusts the gain in the highlights of the image.

offset highlights.offset 0 Adjusts the offset in the highlights of the image.

Ranges Tab

test test disabled Lets you overlay the output with black, gray, or white
to show what is considered to be in the shadows,
midtones, or highlights. Green and magenta indicate
a mixture of ranges.

curve editor lookup N/A You can use the shadow and highlight lookup curves
to edit the range of the image that is considered to
be in the shadows or highlights. You can also look up
color information for the current pixel in the Viewer.

Warning: DO NOT adjust the midtone

curve. Midtones are always equal to 1 minus
the other two curves.

reset N/A N/A Returns the selected curve(s) to the default values.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

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 Color Nodes | ColorCorrect

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color correction
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix N/A enabled Enables the mix luminance slider. Disabling this
luminance checkbox is the same as setting mix luminance to 0.

mix_luminance 0 Controls how much of the original luminance is

preserved after the color correction. A value of 0
means the altered luminance is used in the output
image. A value of 1 produces a luminance value close
to that of the original input image.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
color correction at 1.

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 Color Nodes | ColorLookup

ColorLookup
Allows you to make contrast, gamma, gain, and offset adjustments (and, in fact, many others) using lookup
tables (LUTs). LUTs refer to line graphs of a given color channel’s brightness. The horizontal axis represents
the channel’s original, or input, values, and the vertical axis represents the channel’s new, or output values.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to color correct.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ColorLookup Tab

channels channels rgba The color correction is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

use use_precomputed enabled When enabled, ColorLookup uses a precomputed

precomputed lookup table (LUT) between 0 and the value specified
table in the range field to increase processing speed.

range range 1 Sets the precomputed LUT search range between 0

and this value to increase processing speed.

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 Color Nodes | ColorLookup

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

curve editor lut N/A You can use the lookup curves to edit the range of
the image in individual channels, or ganged using the
master curve (which represents all channels). To edit
one curve with reference to another, select multiple
curves.

You can look up color information for the current

pixel in the Viewer. Drag the cursor over the pixels
you want to sample for the correction. In the
ColorLookup curve editor, press Ctrl/Cmd+Alt while
clicking on the curve to set points at the places where
the red, green, and blue lines intersect with the color
curve. Edit the position of the points and adjust the
tangent handles to adjust the curve shape for the
color correction.

reset N/A N/A Returns the selected curve(s) to the default values.

source source 0 Sets a source color for adding points to the curve
editor.

target target 0 Sets a destination color for adding points to the curve
editor.

Set RGB setRGB N/A Adds points on the r, g, and b curves, mapping source
to target.

You can use this control to match shadow, midtone,

and highlights on two plates, for example. Set source
to shadow rgb in one, target to shadow rgb in the
other, then press Set RGB. Same for midtone and
highlight areas.

Set RGBA setRGBA N/A Adds points on the r, g, b, and alpha curves, mapping
source to target.

Set A setA N/A Adds points on the alpha curve, mapping source to
target.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.

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 Color Nodes | ColorLookup

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the

channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color correction
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

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 Color Nodes | ColorMatrix

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
color correction at 1.

ColorMatrix
ColorMatrix multiplies the rgb colors by an arbitrary 3x3 matrix. This is useful for transforming color
spaces.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the color correction.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction

is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

ColorMatrix Tab

channels channels rgb The color correction is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

matrix matrix 0 The color matrix to apply to the input image. The

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 Color Nodes | ColorMatrix

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

output values of each primary color channel are

calculated based on the input values from all three
channels (red, green, and blue).

For example, if you enter 0.5, 1, and 2 on the first row

of the matrix, the input red value is multiplied by 0.5,
the input green value by 1, and the input blue value by
2. These are then added together to produce the
output red value. The output green and blue values are
not affected by the first row of the matrix.

You can get the values for the matrix from the
Colorspace node’s color matrix output control, for
example. Ctrl/Cmd + drag the Animation menu to
copy the whole matrix at once.

invert invert disabled When enabled, the inverse of the matrix is used.

mask N/A 0 Enables the associated mask channel to the right.

Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same

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 Color Nodes | Colorspace

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel, so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color correction
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

Colorspace

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 Color Nodes | Colorspace

The Colorspace node converts images from one colorspace to another, for example from Nuke’s native
colorspace to other color spaces more appropriate to a given process or intended display device. This
node supports RGB, HSV, YUV, CIE, and CMS formats (and various subformats). It can adjust for different
primaries, white point, and different encodings.

If you wish to reverse your colorspace conversion later in the script:

1. Copy the Colorspace node and insert it at the appropriate point in your script.
2. Set the out controls to sRGB, D55, and RGB.
3. Set the in controls to match the values you entered in the first Colorspace node.

If you wish to write out the input clip in the new colorspace, set the colorspace dropdown menu to linear
in the Write node controls. This halts the automatic conversion and lets the one you created have priority.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the colorspace conversion.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the colorspace

conversion is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Colorspace Tab

channels channels rgb The colorspace correction is applied only to these

channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels

in colorspace_in linear Sets the input colorspace. This node converts the
input image from this colorspace to the out

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 Color Nodes | Colorspace

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

colorspace.

illuninant_in D65 Sets the input illuminant to simulate colors under

different lighting. For example, the default D65
simulates illumination roughly equivalent to mid-day
sun in Western or Northern Europe.

primary_in sRGB Sets the input primaries (the exact "shade" of red,
green, and blue).

out colorspace_out linear Sets the required output colorspace. This node
converts the input image from the in colorspace to
this colorspace.

illuninant_out D65 Sets the output illuminant to simulate colors under

different lighting. For example, A simulates
illumination from a household tungsten filament light
bulb.

primary_out sRGB Sets the input primaries (the exact "shade" of red,
green, and blue).

Bradford bradford_matrix disabled If the illuminant_in and illuminant_out values are not
matrix the same, you can enable this to apply an illuminant
adaptation transform. This alters colors so they appear
the same.

When disabled, the input and output colors have the

same CIE colorspace XYZ values.

color matrix colormatrix N/A If a matrix is used in the color transform chosen
output above, the output appears here.

Changing the matrix values has no effect, but you can

copy them into a ColorMatrix node to apply them to
an image. Ctrl/Cmd + drag the Animation menu to
copy the whole matrix at once. See ColorMatrix for
more information.

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 Color Nodes | Colorspace

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: A colorspace conversion may be

doing far more than just a single 3x3 matrix
operation!

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

colorspace conversion is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
colorspace conversion is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color conversion
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a

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 Color Nodes | ColorTransfer

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if

you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
colorspace conversion at 1.

ColorTransfer
ColorTransfer lets you match the colors of one clip with those of another. It changes the colors in input B
to match input A.

See also Grade and MatchGrade.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input A The image sequence whose colors you want to match.

B The image sequence whose colors you want to change.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

ColorTransfer Tab

ROI x, y, r, t ROI N/A The region of interest. This is the area in input A with the

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 Color Nodes | Crosstalk

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

(or x, y, w, h) colors to match. By default, it is set to cover the entire

input.

You can adjust the following:

• x - the distance (in pixels) between the left edge of
image A and the left side of the ROI.
• y - the distance (in pixels) between the bottom edge
of image A and the bottom edge of the ROI.
• r - the distance (in pixels) between the left edge of
image A and the right side of the ROI.
• t - the distance (in pixels) between the bottom edge of
image A and the top edge of the ROI.
• w - the width of the ROI. This is only available if you
click the wh button.
• h - the height of the ROI. This is only available if you
click the wh button.

You can also adjust the ROI in the Viewer by dragging its
edges.

When adjusting the ROI, you may want to connect the

Viewer to input A rather than the ColorTransfer node, so
you can better see the area you are selecting.

Crosstalk
Adds or removes crosstalk, or bleeding, from one color channel to another. Each output color channel is
the sum of three lookup tables, each indexed by one of the input color channels. The horizontal axis
represents the channel’s original, or input, values, and the vertical axis represents the channel’s new, or
output values.

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 Color Nodes | Crosstalk

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image whose color you want to adjust.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the effects are limited
to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Crosstalk Tab

[crossover crossover N/A From the curve list on the left, select the curve you
curves] want to modify.

For example, you’d select red to only modify the red

values.

You can also select R->G, for example, to use the red
value to evaluate the curve and add the result to the
green value. Adjust the curve as necessary. To insert
points on the curve, Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+click on the curve.

Reset N/A N/A Resets the selected curves to their initial positions.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the effects

are limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a

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 Color Nodes | Exposure

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the effects
are limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the expressions
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

Exposure
Allows you to adjust the exposure of the input sequence using f-stops, printer lights, film densities, or
Cineon values.

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 Color Nodes | Exposure

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image whose exposure you want to adjust.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the effects are limited
to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Exposure Tab

channels channels rgb The exposure change is only applied to these

channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

colorspace colorspace Linear Sets the output colorspace:

• Linear - performs a linear multiplication to calculate
the exposure.
• Cineon - data is assumed to be raw data from a
Cineon file requiring addition or subtraction. The
result, when passed through a Log2Lin node,
approximately matches the Linear result.

Note: You can match Linear exactly if you

set gamma to 0.6 and enable ignore in the
Log2Lin node Properties panel.

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 Color Nodes | Exposure

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

blackpoint blackpoint 0 Sets the black point (typically the darkest pixel). Any
pixels of this value are set to 0. In other words, this
color is turned into pure black.

Typically, you would set this by sampling the darkest

pixels in the Viewer. To find these in your image, you
may want to temporarily increase the gain in the
Viewer node controls until only the darkest pixels are
visible. Adjusting the Viewer gain does not affect the
colors you sample.

Adjust in mode Densities Sets the range imposed on the red, green, and blue
sliders to alter the exposure of the input image:
• Stops
• Lights
• Densities (log10(density) of 0.6 gamma negative
stock)
• Cineon (offset of Cineon 10-bit log data)

Adjusting the color sliders has the same effect in all

modes, the range is a matter of user preference.

gang gang enabled When enabled, the color sliders are ganged together
- adjustments to one affect all three equally.

red red 0 Adjusts the exposure in the red channel using the
range specified by the Adjust in control.

green green 0 Adjusts the exposure in the green channel using the
range specified by the Adjust in control.

blue blue 0 Adjusts the exposure in the blue channel using the
range specified by the Adjust in control.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the effects

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

are limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the effects
are limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the expressions
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Expression
Allows you to apply complex mathematical formulas to a channel’s values using C-like syntax expressions.
If necessary, you can apply different expressions to different sets of channels.
• x or y is the pixel coordinate. If the input is a proxy image, then these are scaled and translated to the
coordinate that would be in the full size image.
• cx and cy can provide a more useful coordinate system. In this system 0,0 is the center of the picture.

-1,0 is the center of the left edge, 1,0, is the center of the right edge. 1,1 is a point 45 degrees up from
the origin on the right edge (outside the top of the picture if the aspect ratio is greater than 1).
• You can refer to any input channel by name, for example r for the red channel.
• You can refer to any control on any node by its name. For example, Blur1.size returns the size of the blur.
You can also evaluate animated controls, for example Blur1.size(t).
• A blank expression is the same as zero.
• All math is done with 32-bit floating point numbers.

See also MergeExpression.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which you want to apply expressions.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the expressions are

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Expression Tab

[variable temp_name0 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,
name field] you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name
here, and the expression on the right of the = sign.
You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

= temp_expr0 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,

you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name on
the left side of the = sign, and the expression in this
field. You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

[variable temp_name1 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,
name field] you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name
here, and the expression on the right of the = sign.
You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

= temp_expr1 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,

you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name on
the left side of the = sign, and the expression in this
field. You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

[variable temp_name2 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,
name field] you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name
here, and the expression on the right of the = sign.
You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

= temp_expr2 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,

you can use this row for assigning the expression

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name on

the left side of the = sign, and the expression in this
field. You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

[variable temp_name3 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,
name field] you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name
here, and the expression on the right of the = sign.
You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

= temp_expr3 N/A If you need to use a long expression in several fields,

you can use this row for assigning the expression
temporarily to a variable. Enter the variable name on
the left side of the = sign, and the expression in this
field. You can then use the variable to represent the
expression in the = fields next to the channels.

channels channel0 red The channel(s) to which you want to apply the
expression in the below = field.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

= expr0 N/A The expression to apply to the above channels.

For example, to assign noise to the above channel(s)

and then boost the gain of that result by 20, you
would type (random*r)*20 here.

To reference pixels in other channels, use

layer.channel (for example, matte.garbage). If you
don’t specify the layer name, the Expression node
assumes the channel is in the current layer. As a
shortcut, you can use r, g, b, and a to reference the
red, green, blue, and alpha channels in the rgba layer.

channels channel1 green The channel(s) to which you want to apply the

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

expression in the below = field.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

= expr1 N/A The expression to apply to the above channels.

For example, to assign noise to the above channel(s)

and then boost the gain of that result by 20, you
would type (random*r)*20 here.

To reference pixels in other channels, use

layer.channel (for example, matte.garbage). If you
don’t specify the layer name, the Expression node
assumes the channel is in the current layer. As a
shortcut, you can use r, g, b, and a to reference the
red, green, blue, and alpha channels in the rgba layer.

channels channel2 blue The channel(s) to which you want to apply the
expression in the below = field.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

= expr2 N/A The expression to apply to the above channels.

For example, to assign noise to the above channel(s)

and then boost the gain of that result by 20, you
would type (random*r)*20 here.

To reference pixels in other channels, use

layer.channel (for example, matte.garbage). If you
don’t specify the layer name, the Expression node
assumes the channel is in the current layer. As a
shortcut, you can use r, g, b, and a to reference the
red, green, blue, and alpha channels in the rgba layer.

channels channel3 alpha The channel(s) to which you want to apply the
expression in the below = field.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

= expr3 N/A The expression to apply to the above channels.

For example, to assign noise to the above channel(s)

and then boost the gain of that result by 20, you
would type (random*r)*20 here.

To reference pixels in other channels, use

layer.channel (for example, matte.garbage). If you
don’t specify the layer name, the Expression node
assumes the channel is in the current layer. As a
shortcut, you can use r, g, b, and a to reference the
red, green, blue, and alpha channels in the rgba layer.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

expressions are limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
expressions are limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the expressions
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
expressions effect at 1.

The following functions are supported:

Function Purpose Operator Usage Related Functions

abs (x) Returns the absolute value of a x See also: fabs.

floating-point number x.

acos (x) Calculates the arc cosine of x; that If x is less than -1 or See also: cos, cosh, asin, atan.
is the value whose cosine is x. greater 1, acos returns
nan (not a number)

asin (x) Calculates the arc sine of x; that is If x is less than -1 or See also: sin, sinh, acos, atan.
the value whose sine is x. greater 1, asin returns
nan (not a number)

atan (x) Calculates the arc tangent of x; x See also: tan, tanh, acos, asin,
that is the value whose tangent is atan2.
x. The return value will be
between -PI/2 and PI/2.

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Function Purpose Operator Usage Related Functions

atan2 (x, y) Calculates the arc tangent of the x, y See also: sin, cos, tan, asin,
two variables x and y. This acos, atan, hypot.
function is useful to calculate the
angle between two vectors.

ceil (x) Round x up to the nearest integer. x See also: floor, trunc, rint.

clamp (x, Return x clamped to the min and x, min, max See also: min, max.
min, max) max values specified.

clamp (x) Return x clamped to [0.0 ... 1.0]. x See also: min, max.

cos (x) Returns the cosine of x. x in radians See also: acos, sin, tan, cosh.

cosh (x) Returns the hyperbolic cosine of x See also: cos, acos, sinh, tanh.
x, which is defined
mathematically as:
(exp(x) + exp(-x)) / 2.

degrees (x) Convert the angle x from radians x See also: radians.
into degrees.

exp (x) Returns the value of e (the base of x See also: log, log10.
natural logarithms) raised to the
power of x.

exponent (x) Exponent of x. x See also: mantissa, ldexp.

fBm (x, y, z, Fractional Brownian Motion. This x, y, z, octaves, See also: noise, random,
octaves, is the sum of octave calls to noise lacunarity, gain turbulence.
lacunarity, (). The input point for each is
gain) multiplied by pow(lacunarity,i)
and the result is multiplied by
pow(gain,i). For normal use,
lacunarity should be greater than
1 and gain should be less than 1.

fabs (x) Returns the absolute value of the x See also: abs.
floating-point number x.

false () Always returns 0. none See also: true.

floor (x) Round x down to the nearest x See also: ceil, trunc, rint.

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Function Purpose Operator Usage Related Functions

integer.

fmod (x, y) Computes the remainder of x, y See also: ceil, floor.

dividing x by y. The return value is
x - n y, where n is the quotient of
x / y, rounded towards zero to an
integer.

frame () Return the current frame number. none See also: x.

from_byte Converts an sRGB pixel value to a color_component See also: to_sRGB, to_rec709,
(color linear value. from_rec709.
component)

from_rec709 Converts a rec709 byte value to a color_component See also: from_sRGB, to_
(color linear brightness. rec709.
component)

from_sRGB Converts an sRGB pixel value to a color_component See also: to_sRGB, to_rec709,
(color linear value. from_rec709.
component)

hypot (x, y) Returns the sqrt(x*x + y*y). This is x, y See also: atan2.
the length of the hypotenuse of a
right-angle triangle with sides of
length x and y.

int (x) Round x to the nearest integer x See also: ceil, floor, trunc,
not larger in absolute value. rint.

ldexp (x, Returns the result of multiplying x, exp See also: exponent.
exp) the floating-point number x by 2
raised to the power exp.

lerp (a, b, x) Returns a point on the line f(x) a, b, x See also: step, smoothstep.
where f(0)==a and f(1)==b.

Matches the lerp function in other

shading languages.

log (x) Returns the natural logarithm of x. x See also: log10, exp.

log10 (x) Returns the base-10 logarithm of x See also: log, exp.

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Function Purpose Operator Usage Related Functions

x.

logb (x) Same as exponent(). x See also: mantissa, exponent.

mantissa (x) Returns the normalized fraction. If x See also: exponent

the argument x is not zero, the
normalized fraction is x times a
power of two, and is always in the
range 1/2 (inclusive) to 1
(exclusive). If x is zero, then the
normalized fraction is zero and
exponent() returns zero.

max (x, y, ... ) Return the greatest of all values. x, y, (...) See also: min, clamp.

min (x, y, ... ) Return the smallest of all values. x, y, (...) See also: max, clamp

mix (a, b, x) Same as lerp(). a, b, x See also: step, smoothstep,

lerp

noise (x, y, z) Creates a 3D Perlin noise value - a x, optional y, optional z See also: random, fBm,
signed range centered on zero. turbulence
The absolute maximum range is
from -1.0 to 1.0.

This produces zero at all integers,

so you should rotate the
coordinates somewhat (add a
fraction of y and z to x, etc.) if you
want to use this for random
number generation.

pi () Returns the value for pi none none

(3.141592654...).

pow (x, y) Returns the value of x raised to x, y See also: log, exp, pow
the power of y.

pow2 (x) Returns the value of x raised to x, y See also: pow

the power of 2.

radians (x) Convert the angle x from degrees x See also: degrees

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 Color Nodes | Expression

Function Purpose Operator Usage Related Functions

into radians.

random (x, y, Creates a pseudo random value optional x, optional y, See also: noise, fBm,
z) between 0 and 1 - it always optional z turbulence
generates the same value for the
same x, y and z.

Calling random with no

arguments creates a different
value on every invocation.

rint (x) Round x to the nearest integer. x See also: ceil, floor, int, trunc

sin (x) Returns the sine of x. x in radians See also: asin, cos, tan, sinh

sinh (x) Returns the hyperbolic sine of x, x See also: sin, asin, cosh, tanh
which is defined mathematically
as:
(exp(x) - exp(-x)) / 2.

smoothstep Returns 0 if x is less than a, returns a, b, x See also: step, lerp

(a, b, x) 1 if x is greater or equal to b,
returns a smooth cubic
interpolation otherwise.

Matches the smoothstep function

in other shading languages.

sqrt (x) Returns the non-negative square x See also: pow, pow2
root of x.

step (a, x) Returns 0 if x is less than a, returns a, x See also: smoothstep, lerp
1 otherwise.

Matches the step function other

shading languages.

tan (x) Returns the tangent of x. x in radians See also: atan, cos, sin, tanh,
atan2

tanh (x) Returns the hyperbolic tangent of x See also: tan, atan, sinh, cosh
x, which is defined

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 Color Nodes | Gamma

Function Purpose Operator Usage Related Functions

mathematically as:
sinh(x) / cosh(x).

to_byte Converts a floating point pixel color_component See also: from_sRGB, to_
(color value to an 8-bit value that rec709, from_rec709
component) represents that number in sRGB
space.

to_rec709 Converts a floating point pixel color_component See also: from_sRGB, from_
(color value to an 8-bit value that rec709
component) represents that brightness in the
rec709 standard when that
standard is mapped to the 0-255
range.

to_sRGB Converts a floating point pixel color_component See also: from_sRGB, to_
(color value to an 8-bit value that rec709, from_rec709
component) represents that number in sRGB
space.

true () Always Returns 1. none See also: false

trunc (x) Round x to the nearest integer x See also: ceil, floor, int, rint
not larger in absolute value.

turbulence This is the same as fBm() except x, y, z, octaves, See also: fBm, noise, random
(x, y, z, the absolute value of the noise() lacunarity, gain
octaves, function is used.
lacunarity,
gain)

x () Return the current frame number. none See also: frame

y (frame) Evaluates the y value for an optional: frame, none

animation at the given frame. defaults to current
frame

Gamma
Applies a constant gamma value to a set of channels. This lightens or darkens the midtones.

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 Color Nodes | Gamma

The actual function is 1/pow(value).

Note: Increasing the gamma to lighten the midtones darkens any values above 1. Similarly,
decreasing the gamma to darken the midtones lightens any values below 0. If you don’t want this
to happen, you can instead use a Colorspace node, which allows you to adjust the gamma using a
color curve rather than a slider. Simply add points on the curve just below 0 and above 1 to
preserve the super blacks and whites.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which you want to apply a gamma value.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the gamma

adjustment is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Gamma Tab

channels channels all The gamma adjustment is only applied to these

channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

value value 1 The gamma value. The default value of 1 equals no

change.

Note that you can enter formulae into this field,

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 Color Nodes | Gamma

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

making it easy to do quick calculations. For example,

you could type 1/2.2 here and press Return to get
0.45454545.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the gamma

adjustment is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the gamma
adjustment is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the gamma adjustment
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

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 Color Nodes | GenerateLUT

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
gamma adjustment at 1.

GenerateLUT
Generates lookup tables, or LUTs, from color management nodes downstream of a CMSTestPattern node.
LUTs are generated according to the size of CMSTestPattern cube size.

You can use the GenerateLUT node to create both 1D and 3D LUTs:
• 1D LUTs assume that the primary color channels (red, green, and blue) are independent, and the output
for a particular primary color (for example, red) only depends on the input value of that channel (rather
than the values of all three channels). For each input value, there is one output value. 1D LUTs are
represented by a curve. They are useful for quickly creating an image for viewing purposes, using less
processing power, but they cannot be used to adjust saturation independently of brightness.
• In 3D LUTs, the output values of each primary color channel are calculated based on the input values
from all three channels (red, green, and blue). For each input value, there are three output values. This is
represented by a 3D grid or cube. 3D LUTs can adjust saturation and brightness together, and are very
useful for emulating a particular known look, such as Cineon.

Tip: For good visual fidelity when using 3D LUTs, it is recommended that a log colorspace is
used for 3D LUT generation. For more information on how to generate a LUT in log colorspace,
please refer to Nuke's online help.

For more information, see CMSTestPattern and Vectorfield.

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 Color Nodes | GenerateLUT

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed An arrangement of nodes that do the color correction you want your
3D LUT to do, preceded by a CMSTestPattern node.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

GenerateLUT Tab

output file file none The path and file name of the LUT file you want to
generate.

file type file_type none The file format of the LUT file you want to generate.
If this is set to auto (the default), Nuke guesses the
format from the file name extension.

The following file extensions are recognized:

• .3dl - Autodesk and ASSIMILATE Scratch LUT
format (3D).
• .blut - Side Effects Houdini binary LUT format (3D).
• .cms - Light Illusion LightSpace CMS LUT format
(1D and 3D).
• .csp - Rising Sun Research CineSpace LUT format
(3D).
• .cub - FilmLight Truelight LUT format (1D and 3D).
• .cube - IRIDAS LUT format (1D and 3D).
• .vf - Nuke's native LUT format used by the
Vectorfield node (3D).

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 Color Nodes | GenerateLUT

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: FilmLight and Foundry have elected to no longer bundle Truelight as of Nuke 11. The
Truelight node has been superseded by the free version of Baselight for Nuke which itself can
import a BLG (Baselight Linked Grade) that can contain a Truelight strip, plus optionally a lot
more in terms of creative grading intent. Together with OpenColorIO and the native Nuke
Vectorfield node we feel all the Nuke color management issues for which the Truelight node
was originally intended are now addressed.

For further information on Baselight for Nuke, please contact [email protected]

1D preLUT

1D preLUT lut1d 1024 The size of the 1D LUT.

size
style1d logarithmic Some systems assume the LUT is designed to apply
to logarithmic images, others linear. Some LUT
formats are assumed to encode values as either
logarithmic or linear. Use this setting to get your
output LUT values encoded the way your use of the
LUT requires.

3D LUT (These controls are only visible when you’ve selected 3dl in the file type dropdown menu.)

input bit bitdepth_id 10 bit The bit depth to scale input values to for .3dl files.
depth (.3dl) For example, a 10-bit file has values between 0 and
1023.

output bit output_bitdepth_id input bit The bit depth to scale output values to for .3dl files.
depth (.3dl) depth For instance a 10-bit file has values between 0 and
1023. In general this should match the input bit
depth.

clamp ouput clamp_output enabled Clamp 3D LUT output values to the range of 0-1.
Turning this off allows superwhite values to be
represented which are allowed in some packages,
such as Nuke. This may cause the result to be
unreadable in other packages.

3dl file format_3dl_id autodesk Select the format you want to use for your .3dl file.
format flame/smoke The final cube size is determined by the

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 Color Nodes | Grade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

CMSTestPattern which generates the input.

• autodesk flame/smoke - use Autodesk preferred
cube sizes of 17x17, 33x33, and 65x65.
• autodesk lustre - use Autodesk preferred cube
sizes of 17x17, 33x33, and 65x65, and output a
3DMESH/Mesh header.
• assimilate scratch - scale and offset the 3D LUT.
This should be used only for legacy scratch files
prior to Flame compatibility.

Generate and generate N/A Generate the LUT file and save it to the output file
Write LUT location.
File

Python Tab (These controls are for Python callbacks and can be used to have Python functions
automatically called when various events happen in Nuke.)

before beforeRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering in

render execute(). If they throw an exception, the render
aborts.

before each beforeFrameRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering of
frame each individual frame. If they throw an exception,
the render aborts.

after each afterFrameRender none These functions run after each frame is finished
frame rendering. They are not called if the render aborts. If
they throw an exception, the render aborts.

after render afterRender none These functions run after rendering of all frames is
finished. If they throw an error, the render aborts.

render renderProgress none These functions run during rendering to determine

progress progress or failure.

Grade

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 Color Nodes | Grade

Lets you define white and black points by sampling pixels from the Viewer. Setting the brightest parts of
the image to pure white and the darkest to pure black in this manner can help you add punch to
overexposed images, for example. You can also use this node for matching foreground plates to
background plates.

To sample pixels from the Viewer, click on a color swatch to the right of the control you want to set. The
eye dropper icon appears. In the Viewer:
• Ctrl/Cmd+click to sample a single pixel from the node’s output.
• Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+drag to sample a region of pixels from the node’s output.
• Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+click to sample a single pixel from the node’s input while viewing its output.
• Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+Shift+drag to sample a region of pixels from the node’s input while viewing its output.
• Crtl/Cmd+ right-click cancels pixel selections.

You can also create this node by pressing G on the Node Graph.

See also ColorCorrect and Multiply.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose tonal range you want to define.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Grade Tab

channels channels rgb The color correction is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

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 Color Nodes | Grade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

individual channels.

blackpoint blackpoint 0 Sets the black point (typically the darkest pixel). Any
pixels of this value are set to 0. In other words, this
color is turned into pure black.

Typically, you would set this by sampling the darkest

pixels in the Viewer. To find these in your image, you
may want to temporarily increase the gain in the
Viewer controls until only the darkest pixels are
visible. Adjusting the Viewer gain does not affect the
colors you sample.

whitepoint whitepoint 1 Sets the white point (typically the lightest pixel). Any
pixels of this value are set to 1. In other words, this
color is turned into pure white.

Typically, you would set this by sampling the

brightest pixels in the Viewer. To find these in your
image, you may want to temporarily lower the
gamma in the Viewer controls until only the brightest
pixels are visible. Adjusting the Viewer gamma does
not affect the colors you sample.

lift black 0 Any pixels that are black are set to this color.

This allows you to, for example, match the tonal range
of one clip with that of another. First, set blackpoint
to the darkest pixel in the image whose colors you
want to change (pressing Alt to make sure you sample
from the input). Then, set this control to the darkest
pixel in the image whose tonal range you want to
match (not pressing Alt to make sure you sample
from the output).

gain white 1 Any pixels that are white are set to this color.

This allows you to, for example, match the tonal range
of one clip with that of another. First, set whitepoint

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 Color Nodes | Grade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

to the lightest pixel in the image whose colors you

want to change (pressing Alt to make sure you sample
from the input). Then, set this control to the lightest
pixel in the image whose tonal range you want to
match (not pressing Alt to make sure you sample
from the output).

multiply multiply 1 Multiplies the result of the Grade node by this factor.
This has the effect of lightening the result while
preserving the black point.

offset add 0 Offsets the result of the Grade node. Offsetting is to

add a fixed value to the result, which, in effect
lightens the whole image. You can also add a negative
value to the result, in which case the whole image
gets darker.

gamma gamma 1 Applies a constant gamma value to the result of the

Grade node. This lightens or darkens the midtones.

reverse reverse disabled Allows you to copy and paste this node and invert its
effect further downstream. This performs the
opposite gamma correction, followed by the
opposite linear ramp.

black clamp black_clamp enabled When enabled, any output values that are lower than 0
are set to 0.

white clamp white_clamp disabled When enabled, any output values that are higher than
1 are set to 1.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a

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 Color Nodes | Grade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color correction
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
color correction at 1.

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 Color Nodes | HistEQ

HistEQ
Alters the histogram of the input image to be flat. This process is called histogram equalization. It can be
useful for increasing the contrast in an image, for example, if the background and foreground in the image
are both bright or both dark.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to equalize.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

HistEQ Tab

Histogram histeqbins 4096 Adjust the number of entries in the histogram.

Entries

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

invert mask invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

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 Color Nodes | Histogram

Histogram
Histogram graphs the number of pixels at each brightness level. This is a useful gauge to see whether the
input image has a good distribution of shadows, midtones, and highlights.

You can also use this node to adjust the tonal range of the input image. Note, however, that Histogram
clamps superblacks and superwhites. If you don’t want this to happen, use the Grade node instead.

Tip: You can also use the histogram panel available in the content menu under Windows >
Histogram.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose tonal range you want to examine or
adjust.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Histogram Tab

Histogram hist N/A The horizontal axis represents brightness (the

numerical value of a pixel), with the shadows on the
left, midtones in the middle, and highlights on the

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 Color Nodes | Histogram

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

right. The vertical axis represents pixel count (the

percentage of pixels with that value).

input range in 0, 1, 1 Allows you to extend the image’s tonal range, which
has the effect of increasing contrast.

To set the black point, drag the leftmost input range

slider till it roughly lines up with the initial boundary
of the histogram. This makes shadows darker.

To set the white point, drag the rightmost input range

slider till it roughly lines up with the final boundary of
the histogram. This makes highlights lighter.

To set the midtone, or neutral, value, drag the middle

input slider. This applies a gamma correction (lightens
or darkens the midtones).

The histogram updates as you adjust these controls.

output range out 0, 1 Sets the range to which the input range is mapped.
This can be used to shorten the image’s tonal range,
which has the effect of removing pure black and
white and decreasing contrast.

Any pixels that are black are set to the value on the
left. This makes shadows lighter.

Any pixels that are white are set to the value on the
right. This makes highlights darker.

The histogram updates as you adjust these controls.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

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 Color Nodes | HSVTool

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color correction
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
color correction at 1.

HSVTool

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HSVTool lets you simultaneously adjust hue, saturation, and value components from a single control panel.
It also features a color replacement tool and makes an excellent keyer.

The main strength of this node is the precision it offers in limiting corrections to a narrow sample of
colors. You can limit the correction to certain hues by sampling a few pixels and then shifting their values.
Because you limit the color range, the surrounding image is generally unaffected by the shift.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose HSV components you are adjusting.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

HSVTool Tab

Color Replacement

srccolor srccolor 0 Sets the source color you intend to adjust from.

dstcolor dstcolor 0 Sets the destination color you intend to adjust to.

Hue

Range huesrcs 0, 360

Rotation huerotation 0

Reset huereset N/A Click to reset all Hue controls to the default setting.

Range Rolloff huerolloffrange 0

HMask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

HMask none The channel to use as a hue mask.

invert mask invert_hue_ disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
mask correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

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 Color Nodes | HSVTool

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Saturation

Range satsrcs 0, 1

Adjustment saturation 0

Reset satreset N/A Click to reset all Saturation controls to the default
setting.

Range Rolloff satrolloffrange 0

Force Value setsaturation disabled

SMask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

SMask none The channel to use as a saturation mask.

invert mask invert_sat_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

Brightness

Range brtsrcs 0, 1

Adjustment brightness 0

Reset brtreset N/A Click to reset all Brightness controls to the default
setting.

Range Rolloff brtrolloffrange 0

Force Value setbrightness disabled

BMask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

BMask none The channel to use as a brightness mask.

invert mask invert_bright_ disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
mask correction is limited to the non-white areas of the

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 Color Nodes | HueCorrect

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

mask.

output N/A enabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

output rgba.alpha The channel to use for the output mask.

is Conversion hue

invert mask invert_alpha_ disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
mask correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

HueCorrect
Lets you make precision adjustments to the levels of saturation in a range of hues. You do so via edits to a
series of suppression curves. The horizontal axis represents the original, or input, saturation, and the
vertical axis represents the new, or output, saturation.

By choosing which curve you edit and how much of that curve you alter, you can precisely limit the
influence of the effect.

For the compositor, HueCorrect is obviously of greatest use in diminishing green, blue, or redscreen spill.

For the times when you just want to correct the saturation component and don’t require limiting the
correction to any particular range of hues, you can also use the Saturation node.

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 Color Nodes | HueCorrect

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to correct.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the correction is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

HueCorrect Tab

channels channels rgb The correction is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

curve editor hue N/A Use the curves to adjust the hue of the input image.
You can also look up color information for the current
pixel in the Viewer.

reset N/A N/A Click to reset the curves to the default values.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the

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 Color Nodes | HueCorrect

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the correction before
the premultiplication was done. It is the same as
adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one HueShift node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix N/A enabled Enables the mix luminance slider. Disabling this
luminance checkbox is the same as setting mix luminance to 0.

mix_luminance 0 Controls how much of the original luminance is

preserved after the color correction. A value of 0
means the altered luminance is used in the output
image. A value of 1 produces a luminance value close
to that of the original input image.

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 Color Nodes | HueShift

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
correction at 1.

HueShift
HueShift transforms the input image’s colorspace. It works by transforming the colors to CIE XYZ space and
then doing simple scales and rotates on the space. In XYZ space, X and Z control the color and Y is the
brightness.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to hue shift.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the shift is limited to

the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

HueCorrect Tab

channels channels rgb The shift is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

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 Color Nodes | HueShift

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

input ingray 0.25 After converting to CIE XYZ space, the colors are
graypoint skewed so that this gray color is X = Z = 0.

output outgray 0.25 After all other operations are completed, the CIE XYZ
graypoint space is skewed to the output gray point so a fully
desaturated images is tinted the specified color.

overall saturation 1 Multiplies X and Z by the specified overall saturation

saturation value.

color axis color 1, 0, 0 Adjusts the saturation in one direction in the XZ plane
rgb by setting this color axis. Adjust the saturation along
axis control to affect the saturation.

saturation color_saturation 1 Adjusts the color saturation in the direction specifed

along axis by the color axis control.

hue rotation hue_rotation 0 Adjusts the rotation around the Y axis, which is mostly
useful for making psychedelic effects.

brightness brightness 1 Multiplies the image by the specified value.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

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 Color Nodes | Invert

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the correction before
the premultiplication was done. It is the same as
adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one HueShift node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
shift at 1.

Invert
Inverts a channel’s values. To invert a channel is to subtract its values from one, which causes its blacks to
become white and its whites to become black. In the course of building a script, you’ll have frequent need
to invert mattes in particular.

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Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to invert.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the inversion is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Invert Tab

channels channels all The inversion is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

clamp clamp disabled Restricts the results of the inversion to values

between 0 and 1, clamping superblacks and
superwhites.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the inversion

is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the

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 Color Nodes | Log2Lin

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

inversion is limited to the non-white areas of the

mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the inversion before the
premultiplication was done. It is the same as adding
an Unpremult node before this node and a Premult
node after, but allows you to work faster if you’re only
using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
inversion at 1.

Log2Lin
Whenever you read a clip into a script, it is automatically converted to Nuke’s native color space, which is
32-bit per channel RGB, a linear format. This conversion takes place even if the clip you read in is in the
Kodak Cineon format, which is a logarithmic format. The reverse of this conversion, called a lin-to-log
conversion, also automatically takes place when you write the processed element back out of the script -
that is, Nuke automatically converts it back into a Cineon element.

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 Color Nodes | Log2Lin

Nuke uses the Kodak-recommended settings when making Cineon conversions in either direction. It’s rare
that you would want to override these settings, but if it becomes necessary you can use the Log2Lin node.
If you do, you should also check raw data (or set colorspace to linear) in the Read and Write node
controls to skip the automatic conversion.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to convert.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the shift is conversion

to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Log2Lin Tab

channels channels rgb The conversion is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

operation operation log2lin Sets whether the conversion is from or to Cineon log
colorspace:
• log2lin - from Cineon colorspace.
• lin2log - to Cineon colorspace.

black black 95 Sets the value in the Cineon file that is converted into
0.

reset N/A N/A Click to reset the black value to the default setting.

ignore ignore_black disabled When enabled, the black offset is not subtracted so

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

that the conversion is a pure log function.

white white 685 Sets the value in the Cineon file that is converted into
1.

reset N/A N/A Click to reset the white value to the default setting.

gamma gamma 0.6 Sets the exposed light level multiplier to calculate the
film density.

reset N/A N/A Click to reset the gamma value to the default setting.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

conversion is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
conversion is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask..

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha

here. This will simulate applying the conversion
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
conversion at 1.

MatchGrade
MatchGrade (NukeX and Nuke Studio only) allows you to automatically calculate a grade to match the
colors in the Source input to the colors in the Target input. You can use MatchGrade to:
• extract a baked-in grade if the Target clip that you want to match to contains the same frames as the
Source clip,
• match the grade between two different clips to create the same look,
• mask the grade to only match certain elements between the Source and Target clips, and
• export LUT or CDL files to re-use the calculated grade elsewhere.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input Target The image sequence you want the Source clip to match.

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Connection Connection Function

Type Name

When Task is set to Match Graded Source, this should be a graded

version of the Source footage.

When Task is set to Match Different Clip, this should be a different

clip rather than a version of the Source footage.

Source The image sequence to which the color transform is applied.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

MatchGrade Tab

Task matchGradeTask Match Graded Choose whether you want to match the Source
Source input with a graded version of the same clip or
a different clip:
• Match Graded Source - Match the Source
clip with a graded version of the same clip
(connected to the Target input). This allows
you to extract and export a baked-in grade
applied to the original clip.

In this mode, MatchGrade expects the same

frames in both its inputs.
• Match Different Clip - Match the colors of
one clip (Source) with those of another
(Target). This allows you to create a grade to
reproduce the look of the Target clip in the
Source clip.

In this mode, MatchGrade expects different

frames in the Source and Target inputs.

Analysis analysisType Analyze Set the type of analysis to perform:

Reference • Analyze Reference Frames - Calculate a
Frames single, global grade from selected reference
frames that cover the characteristic colors in
the sequence and apply that grade to every
frame of the Source sequence. You can use

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

the controls under Ref Frames to choose the

reference frames.
• Auto-analyze Per Frame - Calculate a local
grade frame-by-frame, so that the color
transform updates according to the current
frame.

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Graded
Source.

Mask mask None Set whether to use a mask channel to limit the
grade to certain areas of the image:
• None - Do not use a mask. The grade is
applied to the entire image.
• Alpha - Use the alpha channel as a mask. The
grade is limited to the non-black areas of the
alpha channel.
• Inverted Alpha - Invert the alpha channel and
use that as a mask. The grade is limited to the
non-white areas of the alpha channel.

Using a mask can be useful if you only want to

match certain elements between shots or
balance the color content when Task is set to
Match Different Clip.

Note: When Task is set to Match

Graded Source, only the alpha from
the Source input is used.
When Task is set to Match Different
Clip, the alpha from both inputs is
used.

Apply Grade to applyToMask enabled When enabled, the computed grade is only

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Masked Region applied to the areas of the source controlled by

the Mask.

When disabled, the grade is applied to the

whole image instead, allowing you to compute
the grade from a selected region and apply it
to the whole image without having to export
the LUT.

Note: This control is only displayed

when the Mask control is set to
anything other than None.

Output output Matched Select what to display in the Viewer:

• Matched - View the color matched result.
• Source - View the Source input. This can be
useful when setting reference frames for the
Source input.
• Target - View the Target input. This can be
useful when setting reference frames for the
Target input.

Align Target to alignTargetToSource N/A Click this to add a Transform node and a
Source Reformat node upstream of the MatchGrade
node to automatically align the target with the
source clip.

You can use Align Target to Source if the clips

are not aligned in time and space, such as when
the target clip has been reformatted.

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Graded
Source.

Crop Target autoCrop disabled When enabled, clicking Align Target to Source

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

generates a rectangular crop for the target

input.

You can use Crop Target if the target contains a

region that isn't present in the source, for
example a black border.

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Graded
Source.

Ref Frames - These controls are only available when Analysis is set to Analyze Reference Frames.

Source sourceRefFrames 0 Displays the Source input frames that you have
set as reference frames. These should be frames
that cover the characteristic colors in the
Source sequence.

When Task is set to Match Graded Source, the

same frames are also used as reference frames
from the Target input.

addSourceRef- N/A Set the current Source input frame as a

Frame reference frame.

deleteSourceRef- N/A Remove the current Source input frame from

Frame the reference frames.

Target targetRefFrames 0 Displays the Target input frames that you have
set as reference frames. These should be frames
that cover similar content as the Source
reference frames (for example, the same
amount of grass, skin, and so on).

Note: You do not need to use the

same number of Source and Target
reference frames or set the same
frames as reference frames for both.

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Different
Clip.

addTargetRefFrame N/A Set the current Target input frame as a

reference frame.

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Different
Clip.

deleteTargetRef- N/A Remove the current Target input frame from

Frame the reference frames.

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Different
Clip.

Analysis

Transform transform 3D LUT Set the transformation used to grade the

Source input:
• 3D LUT - Calculate the grade as a 3D look-up
table (LUT). If necessary, you can use the
Export controls to write this to a .csp format
and then click Create OCIOFileTransform to
create an OCIOFileTransform node that
applies the grade.
• CDL - Calculate the grade as a color decision
list (CDL). If necessary, you can click Create
OCIOCDLTransform to create an
OCIOCDLTransform node that applies the
grade.

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: The CDL transform is limited

and cannot model all types of color
transformation. In most cases,
selecting 3D LUT gives the best
results.

Note: This control is only available

when you have set at least one
reference frame.

Pre LUT prelut Auto Detect Specify a 1D shaper LUT to use for the analysis:
• Auto Detect - Automatically detect the best
pre-LUT to use.
• Linear - Use a linear pre-LUT.
• Logarithmic - Use a logarithmic pre-LUT.

LUT Resolution lutres 32 Set the resolution of the LUT in which

MatchGrade stores the color transformation.

A value of 16 speeds up processing. A value of

64 can improve the results, but also increases
processing time.

If two very similar colors in the Source image

are very different in the Target, try setting this
to 64, which is the maximum value.

Colorspace colorspace RGB Set the colorspace to use:

• RGB
• YUV
• LAB

The correct setting to use depends on the

nature of the transformation. Try each option to
see which works best with your footage.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Different
Clip.

Iterations iterations 6 The number of refinement passes. Higher values

can produce a better color match, but also take
longer to process.

Note: This control is only available

when Task is set to Match Different
Clip.

Analyze analyzeRefFrames N/A Click this to calculate the grade.

Reference
Frames
Note: This control is only available
when you have set at least one
reference frame.

slope slope N/A The slope value of the CDL transform. If you're
not happy with the value MatchGrade calculates
automatically, you can use this to fine-tune the
results.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

lock lockSlope disabled Lock the slope value to prevent MatchGrade

from recalculating it when Recalculate CDL is
pressed.

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

offset offset N/A The offset value of the CDL transform. If you're
not happy with the value MatchGrade calculates
automatically, you can use this to fine-tune the
results.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

lock lockOffset disabled Lock the offset value to prevent MatchGrade

from recalculating it when Recalculate CDL is
pressed.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

power power N/A The power value of the CDL transform. If you're
not happy with the value MatchGrade calculates
automatically, you can use this to fine-tune the
results.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

lock lockPower disabled Lock the power value to prevent MatchGrade

from recalculating it when Recalculate CDL is
pressed.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

saturation saturation N/A The saturation value of the CDL transform. If

you're not happy with the value MatchGrade
calculates automatically, you can use this to
fine-tune the results.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

lock lockSaturation disabled Lock the saturation value to prevent

MatchGrade from recalculating it when
Recalculate CDL is pressed.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

error cdlError N/A Displays the error for the CDL transform. The
smaller the value, the better the results.

This value cannot be edited.

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 Color Nodes | MatchGrade

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

Recalculate calculateCDL N/A Click this to recalculate the CDL transform that
CDL best fits the 3D LUT. CDL Output values that
have lock enabled are not recalculated.

This allows you to manually set some values and

automatically estimate others. For example, you
can adjust and lock slope and offset and then
click this button to automatically recalculate
power and saturation.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to CDL and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

Export

LUT output file outfile N/A The file path and name of the 3D LUT file to
export. The file extension is .csp.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to 3D LUT and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

Write writelut N/A Click this to export the 3D LUT to the .csp file
specified in the LUT output file field.

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Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to 3D LUT and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

Create createOCIOFile- N/A Click this to create an OCIOFileTransform node

OCIOFile- Transform that you can use elsewhere in the script to apply
Transform the same grade.

Note: This control is only available

when Transform is set to 3D LUT and
you have clicked Analyze Reference
Frames.

Create createOCIOCDL- N/A Click this to create an OCIOFileTransform node

OCIOCDL- Transform that you can use elsewhere in the script to apply
Transform the same grade. The button behaves differently
depending on the Transform control's setting:
• 3D LUT - Use the LUT output file and Write
controls to write the LUT to a .csp file and
then click Create OCIOFileTransform to
create an OCIOFileTransform node that
applies the grade.
• CDL - Click Create OCIOCDLTransform to
create an OCIOCDLTransform node that
applies the CDL grade.

Python Tab (These controls are for Python callbacks and can be used to have Python functions
automatically called when various events happen in Nuke.)

before render beforeRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering
in execute(). If they throw an exception, the
render aborts.

before each beforeFrameRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering
frame of each individual frame. If they throw an
exception, the render aborts.

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 Color Nodes | MinColor

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Value Function

after each afterFrameRender none These functions run after each frame is finished
frame rendering. They are not called if the render
aborts. If they throw an exception, the render
aborts.

after render afterRender none These functions run after rendering of all frames
is finished. If they throw an error, the render
aborts.

render renderProgress none These functions run during rendering to

progress determine progress or failure.

MinColor
Calculates the difference between the darkest value in the input image and the target value, and then
adds the result to the image. This sets the darkest pixel to the target value.

To have MinColor calculate the darkest pixels and remember them, click Find Pixel Delta.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to which the minimum is applied.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

MinColor Tab

search channels rgb Only these channels are searched for the minimum
value.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

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 Color Nodes | MinColor

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

modify modify all Sets the channels to which the calculated delta is
added.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

target target 0.095 Sets the value to add to the calculated darkest pixel
from the input image. This sets the darkest pixel in
the image to the target value.

direction adjdir Up Sets the conditions under which the image is

modified:
• Up - only apply changes if the calculated delta is
positive.
• Down - only apply changes if the calculated delta
is negative.
• Both - apply changes if the calculated delta is
positive or negative.

delta pixeldelta 0 Displays the calculated pixel delta value.

Find Pixel N/A N/A Click to calculate the pixel delta for all or some
Delta frames.

Python Tab (These controls are for Python callbacks and can be used to have Python functions
automatically called when various events happen in Nuke.)

before beforeRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering in

render execute(). If they throw an exception, the render
aborts.

before each beforeFrameRender none These functions run prior to starting rendering of
frame each individual frame. If they throw an exception,
the render aborts.

after each afterFrameRender none These functions run after each frame is finished

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 Color Nodes | Multiply

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

frame rendering. They are not called if the render aborts. If

they throw an exception, the render aborts.

after render afterRender none These functions run after rendering of all frames is
finished. If they throw an error, the render aborts.

render renderProgress none These functions run during rendering to determine

progress progress or failure.

Multiply
Lets you multiply a channel’s values by a given factor, which has the effect of lightening the channel while
preserving the black point. This operation is also knows as gain.

See also ColorCorrect and Grade.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose channel values you want to multiply.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the multiplication is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

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 Color Nodes | Multiply

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Multiply Tab

channels channels all The multiplication is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

value value 0 The factor by which you want to multiply the values in
the above channels.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

multiplication is limited to the non-black areas of this
channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
multiplication is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

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 Color Nodes | OCIOCDLTransform

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha

here. This will simulate doing the gain adjustment
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
multiplication effect at 1.

OCIOCDLTransform
Applies an ASC CDL (American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List) grade based on the
OpenColorIO Library. For more information, see http://opencolorio.org.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the CDL transform.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the CDL transform is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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 Color Nodes | OCIOCDLTransform

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

OCIOCDLTransform Tab

channels channels rgb The CDL transform is applied only to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

slope slope 1 Adjusts the gain for the entire image.

offset offset 0 Adjusts the offset for the entire image.

power power 1 Adjusts the gamma for the entire image.

saturation saturation 1 Adjusts the saturation for the entire image.

direction direction forward Select Inverse to invert the transform.

working working_space linear Sets the color space in which the file is applied. The
space input is transformed from scene linear to the selected
working space, the file color transform is applied, and
then the result is transformed back to scene linear.

read from read_from_file disabled Enable this to load color correction information from
file a .cc or .ccc file.

file file none The ASC CDL file to use for the transform. This can be
a .cc or .ccc file.

cccid cccid none If the ASC CDL file is a .ccc (Color Correction
Collection) file, specify the cccid to look up here.

select cccid select_cccid N/A Click to open the cccid dialog and select the cccid
from the dropdown menu.

You can view the Slope, Offset, Power and

Saturation settings for the chosen .ccc from within
this dialog. These cannot be modified.

export grade export_cc N/A Exports the grade as a .cc (Color Correction) file.
as .cc

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.

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 Color Nodes | OCIOCDLTransform

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the

channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

colorspace conversion is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
colorspace conversion is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color conversion
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

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 Color Nodes | OCIOColorSpace

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
colorspace conversion at 1.

OCIOColorSpace
Much like the standard ColorSpace node, you can use the OCIOColorSpace node for converting an image
sequence from one colorspace to another. The OCIOColorSpace node is based on the OpenColorIO
library. For more information, see http://opencolorio.org.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the colorspace transform.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the colorspace

transform is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

OCIOColorSpace Tab

channels channels rgb The ColorSpace transform is applied only to these

channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Color Nodes | OCIOColorSpace

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

in in_colorspace linear Specifies the colorspace of your input image.

out out_colorspace linear Specifies the colorspace you want to convert the
image to.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

colorspace conversion is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
colorspace conversion is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color conversion
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Color Nodes | OCIODisplay

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a

Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
colorspace conversion at 1.

OCIODisplay
Uses the OpenColorIO library to apply a colorspace conversion to an image sequence, so that it can be
accurately represented on a specific display device. The OCIODisplay node is based on the OpenColorIO
library. For more information, see http://opencolorio.org.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the colorspace conversion.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the colorspace

conversion is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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 Color Nodes | OCIODisplay

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

OCIODisplay Tab

input colorspace linear Specifies in the colorspace of your input sequence.

colorspace

display device display default Specifies the colorspace of the display device that will
be used to view the sequence.

view view sRGB Specifies the colorspace transform to apply to the scene
transform or image.

gain gain 1 Set the amount of exposure adjustment applied before

the display transform.

gamma gamma 1 Set the amount of gamma correction applied after the
display transform.

channel view channel_ RGB Specifies the channels to view before the display
selector transform.

layer layer rgba Specifies the layer to process. This should be a layer with
RGB data.

Context Tab

key1 key1 n/a Allows you to add variables to register certain viewer
processes by creating a custom config.ocio and
value1 value1 n/a
specifying the variable in the to_reference file
key2 key2 n/a transform.

value2 value2 n/a See Nuke's online help for more information.

key3 key3 n/a

value3 value3 n/a

key4 key4 n/a

value4 value4 n/a

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 Color Nodes | OCIOFileTransform

OCIOFileTransform
Uses the OpenColorIO library to load a colorspace conversion from a file (usually a 1D or 3D LUT) and
apply it. You can also load other file-based transformations, for example an ASC ColorCorrection XML. File
transforms are applied without any input or output colorspace handling. If the file expects log-encoded
pixels, but you apply the node to a linear image, you will get incorrect results. The OCIOFileTransform
node is based on the OpenColorIO library.

For more information, see: http://opencolorio.org

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the colorspace conversion.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the colorspace

conversion is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

OCIOFileTransform Tab

channels channels rgb The file transform is applied only to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

file file none The file to use for the transform. Supported formats:
• .3dl (Flame)

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 Color Nodes | OCIOFileTransform

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

• .3dl (Lustre)
• .ccc (ColorCorrectionCollection)
• .cc (ColorCorrection)
• .csp (Cinespace)
• .lut (Houdini)
• .itx (Iridas_itx)
• .cube (Iridas_cube)
• .mga (Pandora_mga)
• .m3d (Pandora_m3d)
• .spi1d (spi1d)
• .spi3d (spi3d)
• .spimtx (spimtx)
• .cub (Truelight)
• .vf (Nukevf)

Note: FilmLight and Foundry have elected to no longer bundle Truelight as of Nuke 11. The
Truelight node has been superseded by the free version of Baselight for Nuke which itself can
import a BLG (Baselight Linked Grade) that can contain a Truelight strip, plus optionally a lot
more in terms of creative grading intent. Together with OpenColorIO and the native Nuke
Vectorfield node we feel all the Nuke color management issues for which the Truelight node
was originally intended are now addressed.

For further information on Baselight for Nuke, please contact [email protected]

direction direction forward Select Inverse to invert the transform.

interpolation interpolation linear Specifies the interpolation method. This is ignored if

the file used is not a LUT. The following interpolation
methods are listed from fastest to most accurate:
• nearest
• linear
• tetrahedral
• best

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 Color Nodes | OCIOFileTransform

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

working working_space scene_linear Sets the color space in which the file is applied. The
space (linear) input is transformed from scene linear to the
specified working space, the file color transform is
applied, and then the result is transformed back to
scene linear.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

colorspace conversion is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
colorspace conversion is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color conversion
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Color Nodes | OCIOLogConvert

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if

you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
colorspace conversion at 1.

OCIOLogConvert
Sometimes log data is required for certain processing operations, like plate resizing or pulling keys.
Usually a colorspace is provided specifically for these operations. The OCIOLogConvert node uses the
OpenColorIOlibrary to convert from compositing_log to scene_linear, or the reverse. For more
information, see http://opencolorio.org.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the colorspace conversion.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the colorspace

transform is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as a triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

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 Color Nodes | OCIOLogConvert

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

OCIOLogConvert Tab

channels channels rgb The colorspace conversion is applied only to these

channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

operation operation log to lin Specifies the operation to perform:

• log to lin - Performs a log to linear colorspace
conversion.
• lin to log - Performs a linear to log colorspace
conversion.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

colorspace conversion is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
colorspace conversion is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

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 Color Nodes | PLogLin

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the color conversion
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
colorspace conversion at 1.

PLogLin
Converts between logarithmic and linear encoding (colorspace) based on a single gray point rather than
the standard Cineon formula with a black point and white point (the formula that the Log2Lin node uses).
This method is frequently referred to as Josh Pines log conversion.

Like the Log2Lin node, you can use this node to override Nuke’s default Cineon-conversion. When doing
so, ensure that the Read or Write node is not applying an automatic colorspace conversion based on its
assumptions about the file format. You can do this by setting colorspace on the Read or Write to linear or
enabling its raw option. PLogLin uses the formula posted on the EXR list at:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/openexr-devel/2005-03/msg00006.html

See also Log2Lin.

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 Color Nodes | PLogLin

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed • If you are using this node to convert your input file to linear, attach
the Read node here.
• If you are using this node to convert to logarithmic for output,
attach the node whose result you want to output here.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the colorspace

conversion is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Output • If you are using this node to convert your input file to linear, attach
any nodes you want to use to process the image here.
• If you are using this node to convert to logarithmic for output,
attach the Write node here.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

PLogLin Tab

channels channels all The PLogLin effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

operation operation log to lin Select the operation you want the node to perform:
• log to lin - convert the input from logarithmic to
linear colorspace.
• lin to log - convert the input from linear to
logarithmic colorspace.

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 Color Nodes | PLogLin

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

linear linref 0.18 Set this to the linear value that corresponds with the
reference log reference value.
value
For example, you could leave this at 0.18 (mid-gray)
and enter the logarithmic value that corresponds with
0.18 in the log reference value field.

log reference logref 445 Set this to the logarithmic value that corresponds with
value the linear reference value.

negative ngamma 0.6 The film response gamma value.

gamma

density per density 0.002 The change in the negative gamma for each log space
code value code value.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

colorspace conversion is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
colorspace conversion is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

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 Color Nodes | Posterize

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the colorspace
conversion before the premultiplication was done. It
is the same as adding an Unpremult node before this
node and a Premult node after, but allows you to
work faster if you’re only using one color correct
node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
colorspace conversion at 1.

Posterize
Posterize reduces the color resolution of an image. This creates abrupt changes from one tone to another,
producing a dramatic graphic effect.

REFERENCE GUIDE
362
 Color Nodes | Posterize

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to posterize.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the posterize effect is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Posterize Tab

channels channels all The posterize effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

Colors Colors 16 The bit depth to use. For example, setting this control
to 8 independently limits each affected channel to
256 colors.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the posterize

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the

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 Color Nodes | RolloffContrast

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

posterize effect is limited to the non-white areas of

the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate doing the posterization before
the premultiplication was done. It is the same as
adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
posterize effect at 1.

RolloffContrast
Applies a contrast curve, with smooth falloff at the low and high ends, equally across all channels in the
input image. The center value controls the overall brightness of the colors and the contrast value
increases or decreases the contrast of the image. Use soft clip to control the amount of rolloff and check
override values to adjust the tension and extent of the soft clip curve.

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 Color Nodes | RolloffContrast

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the rolloff.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the contrast changes

are limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

RolloffContrast Tab

channels channels rgba The effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

range range 1 Values between 0 and the input value use a lookup
table to reduce processing time.

contrast contrast 1 Higher values increase the contrast. Values closer to 0

reduce the contrast.

center center 0.5 The center value is located at the center of the
contrast curve by default and controls the overall
brightness of the colors.

soft clip soft_clip 0 The amount of roll off from the linear curve near the
ends, softening the effect of the contrast.

override value_override disabled If enabled, custom values below override the

values computed values.

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 Color Nodes | RolloffContrast

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

slope mag 1 slope_mag_low1 0.80000001 A value from 0 to 1 that controls where the interior
low shoulder control points are in the bezier.

slope mag 2 slope_mag_low2 0.0025 A value from 0 to 1 that controls where the interior
low shoulder control points are in the bezier.

blank point black_low 1 A value from 0 to 1 that controls the location of the
percentage black point. Computed as the distance between the
origin and the contrast line zero crossing.

slope mag 1 slope_mag_high1 1 A value from 0 to 1 that controls where the interior
upper control points are in the upper bezier.
shoulder

slope mag 2 slope_mag_high2 0.80000001 A value from 0 to 1 that controls where the interior
upper control points are in the upper bezier.
shoulder

white point white_high 1 A value from 0 to 1 that controls the location of the
percentage white point. Computed as the distance between the
1,1 point and the contrast line y = 0 crossing.

mask N/A disabled Enable the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the contrast

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copy the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Invert the use of the mask channel, so that the contrast
effect is is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled Blur the edges of the mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enable the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

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 Color Nodes | Sampler

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate adjusting the contrast before
the premultiplication was done. It is the same as
adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Invert the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolve between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

Sampler
This node converts a horizontal scanline of pixel data into a lookup curve. The Viewer sampler widget or
sampler y coordinate selects the scanline (sampler x is ignored).

The Sampler node can be useful for visualizing the effects of color corrections on the image.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence from which the sample is taken.

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 Color Nodes | Saturation

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Sampler Tab

channels channels rgb Loo kup curves are only generated for these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none, you

can use the checkboxes on the right to select individual
channels.

sampler xy sampler 0, 0 Sets the position of the sampler widget that determines
the scanline to convert into a lookup curve.

Note: The sampler x coordinate is ignored.

normalize x normalize_x enabled When enabled, the lookup curves are normalized.

Sample sample_ N/A Click to sample the current frame and update the lookup
current frame current curve output for the current sampler point.

[lookup lut N/A Displays the scanline specified by the sampler y

curves] coordinate as lookup curves. You can also view
individual pixel values by mousing over the Viewer.

Saturation
For the times when you just want to correct an image’s saturation (color intensity) and don’t require
limiting the correction to any particular range of hues, use the Saturation node.

If you do want to adjust the levels of saturation in a range of hues (for example, to diminish green, blue, or
redscreen spill), use the HueCorrect node instead.

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 Color Nodes | Saturation

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose saturation you want to adjust.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the saturation

adjustment is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you
cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is disabled
or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Saturation Tab

channels channels all The saturation adjustment is only applied to these

channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

saturation saturation 1 Sets the saturation for the input image.

A value of 1 equals no change. A value of 0 produces

a grayscale image.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the

saturation adjustment is limited to the non-black
areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the
same mask further downstream.

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 Color Nodes | SoftClip

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the
saturation adjustment is limited to the non-white
areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate adjusting the saturation before
the premultiplication was done. It is the same as
adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
saturation adjustment at 1.

SoftClip
Compresses high-dynamic-range (HDR) imagery into the 0-1 range. Because simple color compression
changes the apparent chroma and contrast of the image, the conversion control allows for several
compression modes that try to preserve colors.

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 Color Nodes | SoftClip

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The HDR image sequence to compress into the 0-1 range.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

SoftClip Tab

conversion conversion none Sets the color compression mode:

• none - no compression is applied.
• preserve hue and brightness - if r, g, or b are greater
than softclip max, the saturation is reduced to get it
below softclip max while preserving the brightness.
• preserve hue and saturation - if r, g, or b are greater
than softclip max, the brightness is reduced to get it
below softclip max.
• logarithmic compress - compress all components
between softclip min and max through a logarithmic
curve between softclip min and 1.0.

softclip min softclip_min 0.8 Sets the lower clipping limit. All values above softclip
min are compressed.

Note: When using logarithmic compress, this

value should be set to 0 or 1 to avoid artefacts
for high softclip max values.

softclip max softclip_max 1 Sets the upper clipping limit. RGB values between
softclip min and this value are compressed to be
between softclip min and 1.

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 Color Nodes | Toe

Toe
Toe lifts the black level, in a similar way to gain controls in other color correction nodes, but with a rolloff
so that whites are mostly not affected. This makes the shadows in your image lighter.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence whose black levels you want to lift.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the color correction

is limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Toe Tab

channels channels rgb The color correction is only applied to these channels.

You can use the checkboxes on the right to select

individual channels.

lift lift 0 Changes the black values to this value, without

affecting any original white values of the image.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the color

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 Color Nodes | Toe

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

correction is limited to the non-black areas of this

channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the color
correction is limited to the non-white areas of the
mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

(un)premult N/A disabled Enables the associated channel to the right. Disabling
by this checkbox is the same as setting the channel to
none.

unpremult none The image is divided by this channel before being

processed, and multiplied again afterwards.

If you are using premultiplied input images, you may

want to check (un)premult by and select rgba.alpha
here. This will simulate applying the color correction
before the premultiplication was done. It is the same
as adding an Unpremult node before this node and a
Premult node after, but allows you to work faster if
you’re only using one color correct node.

If you are using unpremultiplied input images, you

should leave this set to none.

invert invert_unpremult disabled Inverts the use of the (un)premultiply channel.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
color correction at 1.

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 Color Nodes | Truelight

Truelight
FilmLight and Foundry have elected to no longer bundle Truelight as of Nuke 11. The Truelight node has
been superseded by the free version of Baselight for Nuke which itself can import a BLG (Baselight Linked
Grade) that can contain a Truelight strip, plus optionally a lot more in terms of creative grading intent.
Together with OpenColorIO and the native Nuke Vectorfield node we feel all the Nuke color management
issues for which the Truelight node was originally intended are now addressed.

For further information on Baselight for Nuke, please contact [email protected]

Vectorfield
Vectorfield applies color values from lookup tables (LUTs), allowing you to make complex color
corrections quickly using pre-calculated files. You can create LUT files using the GenerateLUT node or a
third-party application capable of producing a LUT format the Vectorfield node supports.

For more information, see CMSTestPattern and GenerateLUT.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to receive the color correction.

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

Vectorfield Tab

vectorfield vfield_file none The path and file name of the LUT file that describes the
file color correction to apply.

reload reload N/A Reloads the vectorfield file.

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 Color Nodes | Vectorfield

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

file type file_type auto The file format of the LUT file to apply. The following
file extensions are recognized:
• auto - Nuke attempts to guess the file type from the
vectorfield file’s extension.
• .3dl - Autodesk and ASSIMILATE Scratch LUT format
(3D).
• .blut - Side Effects Houdini binary LUT format (3D).
• .cms - Light Illusion LightSpace CMS LUT format (1D
and 3D).
• .csp - Rising Sun Research CineSpace LUT format (3D).
• .cub - FilmLight Truelight LUT format (1D and 3D).
• .cube - IRIDAS LUT format (1D and 3D).
• .vf - Nuke's native LUT format used by the Vectorfield
node (3D).
• .vfz - Gzip compressed .vf files.

Note: FilmLight and Foundry have elected to no longer bundle Truelight as of Nuke 11. The
Truelight node has been superseded by the free version of Baselight for Nuke which itself can
import a BLG (Baselight Linked Grade) that can contain a Truelight strip, plus optionally a lot
more in terms of creative grading intent. Together with OpenColorIO and the native Nuke
Vectorfield node we feel all the Nuke color management issues for which the Truelight node
was originally intended are now addressed.

For further information on Baselight for Nuke, please contact [email protected]

interpolation interpolation trilinear field If all possible input points and their values were stored
in a 3D LUT, the LUT would soon become too large. To
combat this, only some points and their values are
sampled and saved and the rest are interpolated. This
control lets you select the interpolation method to use:
• step field - This returns the value of the nearest voxel
with no interpolation. This option should only be used
for testing, as it is likely to produce artifacts.
• linear staggered vector field - Instead of having the

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 Color Nodes | Vectorfield

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

color vectors stored in the center of each voxel, the

components of the color vectors are treated as being
stored on the faces of the voxels. This can be very
useful in fluid simulation. However, unless you
specifically generate the 3D LUT with this
interpolation in mind, you should not use this option.
• trilinear field - This is a smooth quasilinear
interpolation between the nearest voxel neighbors to
the queried point.
• cubic field - This option is like trilinear field but uses
a larger stencil and tries to interpolate more smoothly
between values using cubic interpolation.

GPU gpuExtrapolate enabled Controls whether the graphics processing unit (GPU)
extrapolate implementation extrapolates the grid values or clamps
to the maximum value of the LUT. In most cases, this
parameter should be on.

colorspace in colorspaceIn linear Determines how to convert from Nuke’s linear

colorspace to the input required by the 3D LUT:
• linear
• sRGB
• rec709
• Cineon
• Gamma 1.8
• Gamma 2.2
• PanaLog
• REDLog
• ViperLog
• AlexaV3LogC
• PLogLin
• SLog
• REDSpace

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 Color Nodes | Vectorfield

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

colorspace colorspaceOut linear Determines how to convert from the 3D LUT's output to
out Nuke’s linear colorspace. See colorspace in for the
conversion type available.

3DL Settings (These controls are only visible when you’ve selected 3dl in the file type dropdown menu.)

output bit output_ auto Select the bit depth to scale output values for .3dl files.
depth (.3dl) bitdepth_id For instance, a 10 bit file will have values between 0 and
1023. In general this will match the input depth.
• auto - use header information to determine the
output bit depth and, failing that, use a heuristic to
guess. The heuristic assumes no values are outside the
range 0-1.
• inputbitdepth - use the input bit depth.
• 4 bit - use a 4 bit depth.
• 8 bit - use an 8 bit depth.
• 10 bit - use a 10 bit depth.
• 12 bit - use a 12 bit depth.
• 16 bit - use a 16 bit depth.

normalize normalize_ disabled Normalize 3dl output values to the range 0-1. This is
output output legacy behavior in Nuke which normalizes the output
range if it exceeds 1. Where the output scale is
incorrect, output bit depth should be used instead to
scale the data.

3dl file format_3dl_id auto Select the format you want to use for your .3dl file.
format • auto - use header information to determine the
format. Since it is not always possible to determine
the format from the header, you should select the
correct format where possible. The format can always
be determined for files generated by Nuke.
• autodesk flame/smoke - use Autodesk preferred
cube sizes of 17x17, 33x33, and 65x65.
• autodesk lustre - use Autodesk preferred cube sizes
of 17x17, 33x33, and 65x65, and output a

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 Color Nodes | Vectorfield

Control (UI) Knob Default Function

(Scripting) Value

3DMESH/Mesh header.
• assimilate scratch - scale and offset the 3D LUT. This
should be used only for legacy scratch files prior to
Flame compatibility.

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Filter Nodes
Filter nodes contain convolve filters, such as blur, sharpen, edge detect, and erode.

Blur
Adds blur to an image or matte using box, triangle, quadratic, or gaussian filter algorithms. The blur
value is calculated for image pixels by examining their neighbors within the constraints of the size control
(in pixels), and applying the selected algorithms. The default, gaussian, produces the smoothest blur, but
takes longer to render.

You can also create this node by pressing B on the Node Graph.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to blur.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the blur effect is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Blur Tab

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 Filter Nodes |

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

channels channels all The blur effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

size size 0 Sets the radius within which pixels are compared to
calculate the blur. Higher values widen the compare
area, producing more blur.

filter filter gaussian Select the filter algorithm to use:

• box
• triangle
• quadratic
• gaussian

Note: Box blur is the fastest to render,

whereas Gaussian blur is the smoothest.

quality quality 15 Controls the trade off between faster processing time
at lower values, and smoothness at higher values.

The image is scaled down so the blur filter is no larger

than this number, and then scaled up with linear
interpolation after filtering.

crop to crop enabled When enabled, the bounding box cannot grow past its
format incoming size. This avoids creating oversized
bounding boxes that can take longer to compute.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the filter

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a

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 Filter Nodes | Bilateral

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same

mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the filter
effect is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
blur effect at 1.

Bilateral
A bilateral filter is a smoothing filter that is particularly good at preserving edges, though it can be
computationally expensive.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input guide An optional image to compute color similarity while filtering.

Connecting the guide input converts the output from the filter to
the same format as the guide image, resulting in a joint bilateral
resampling filter. If the source and guide images have the same
format, the node acts as a cross bilateral filter.

If the guide input is not connected, the output format is equal to

that of the source input and acts as a standard bilateral filter.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the filter effect is

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 Filter Nodes | Bilateral

Connection Connection Function

Type Name

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

unnamed The image sequence to filter.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Bilateral Tab

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use GPU if
available is enabled. Local GPU displays Not available
when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device in
the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for processing
on the selected GPU, such as when there is not
enough free memory available on the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an
alternative from the default blink device dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU requires

you to restart Nuke before the change takes
effect.

Use GPU if useGPUIfAvailable enabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local GPU
available specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

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 Filter Nodes | Bilateral

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Enabling this option with no local

GPU allows the script to run on the GPU
whenever the script is opened on a machine
that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you wish to
render from the command line with the --
gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for more

information on the GPUs supported by your operating
system.

Channels channels all The filter is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

Guide guide all When the guide input is connected, sets the channels
Channels in the guide image used to compute the filtering
weights.

The guide image should contain some prior

information on the source useful to the filtering, such
as a depth channel. If no information is available, the
result of an unguided C_Bilateral filter can be used as
guide input of a second filtering operation.

Size size 3 Sets the height and width of the area within which
pixels are compared to calculate the blur. Higher
values widen the compare area, producing greater
effect.

Positional positionalSigma 0.4 Controls the amount that nearby pixels affect the
Sigma overall blur.

Colour Sigma colourSigma 0.4 Controls the amount of blur that occurs over edges in
the image, lower values preserve edges more reliably.

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 Filter Nodes | BumpBoss

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Filter filter gaussian Sets the type of color weighting applied to the
output:
• guassian - weighted to differences in the
surrounding pixel color and how close those pixels
are to one another.
• median - weighted according to the middle value
pixel.

Mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the filter

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

Inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

Invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the filter
effect is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

Fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

Mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

BumpBoss
BumpBoss produces an emboss effect by overlaying input A over input B, rather than offsetting a single
input image like the Emboss node. The BumpBoss properties can be modified by the offset between the
center and lightposition indicators in the Viewer.

See also Emboss.

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 Filter Nodes | BumpBoss

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input A The emboss texture to overlay input B.

B The image sequence to emboss with input A.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the filter effect is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

BumpBoss Tab

channels channels all The emboss effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

light position lightposition 480, 360 Sets the coordinates of the lightposition indicator in
xy the Viewer. The position of this indicator in relation to
the center indicator controls the shadow applied to
the emboss.

Note: You can also move the lightposition

indicator manually.

Bump Size bumpsize 1 Sets the size of the emboss applied to the image
connected to input B.

Light Height height 1 Controls the height of the lightposition indicator,

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 Filter Nodes | BumpBoss

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

where zero is level with the image, producing no

emboss.

Note: Negative values position the light ’behind’ the

image.

Light intensity 1 Sets the intensity of the simulated light.

Intensity

Minimum minshadow 0 Sets the minimum shadow intensity limit. Increasing

Shadow this value decreases the amount of shadow allowed,
Intensity and vice versa.

Image Center center 320, 240 Sets the coordinates of the center indicator in the
xy Viewer. The position of the lightposition indicator in
relation to this indicator controls the shadow applied
to the emboss.

Note: You can also move the center

indicator manually.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the filter

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the filter
effect is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

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 Filter Nodes | Convolve

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

Convolve
Convolve lets you create custom filter effects by supplying your own filter image. This image is used as
the convolution matrix. In other words, the new value of a pixel is calculated by centering the filter image
on the pixel, examining its neighbors, multiplying each pixel value by the corresponding pixel values in
the filter image, and then adding the results together. This allows you to defocus a clip and create lens
blur effects in the shape of the filter image, for example.

See also Blur and Defocus.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input filter The filter image. This image is used as the convolution matrix.

Note that you don’t necessarily need to crop the filter image to a
smaller size, as Fast Fourier Transforms are used to speed up
convolutions with large filter images.

image The image sequence to receive the convolution filter effect.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the filter effect is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask.

At first, the mask input appears as triangle on the right side of the
node, but when you drag it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If
you cannot see the mask input, ensure that the mask control is
disabled or set to none.

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 Filter Nodes | Convolve

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Convolve Tab

channels channels all The filter effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use GPU if
available is enabled. Local GPU displays Not available
when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device in
the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for processing
on the selected GPU, such as when there is not
enough free memory available on the GPU.

You can select a different GPU, if available, by

navigating to the Preferences and selecting an
alternative from the default blink device dropdown.

Note: Selecting a different GPU requires

you to restart Nuke before the change takes
effect.

Use GPU if useGPUIfAvailable enabled When enabled, rendering occurs on the Local GPU
available specified, if available, rather than the CPU.

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 Filter Nodes | Convolve

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Enabling this option with no local

GPU allows the script to run on the GPU
whenever the script is opened on a machine
that does have a GPU available.
You should also select this if you wish to
render from the command line with the --
gpu option.

See Nuke's Online Help Installation pages for more

information on the GPUs supported by your operating
system.

filter channel filter_channel rgba.alpha The channel to use as the convolution matrix from the
filter input.

This control is only available if use input channels is

disabled.

use input use_input_ disabled When enabled, Convolve uses the same channels from
channels channels the filter input as the image input (that is, whatever
channels is set to).

filter bounds filter_bounds shape Sets what to use as the filter bounds:
• shape - The filter input’s bounding box. In this case,
Convolve only uses the bounding box area, and the
center of the filter is the center of the bounding box.
This is the default value, and you may want to use it
if your filter input is a roto shape with a small
bounding box that doesn’t fill the entire format area,
for example.
• format - The filter input’s format. In this case,
Convolve uses the entire format area, allowing you
to offset the filter image within the format.

normalize normalize enabled When enabled, the filter input is divided by the sum
of all the pixels in it before using it. This ensures that
the convolution doesn’t change the overall brightness.

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Filter Nodes | Defocus

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the filter

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

For example, you can use a depth channel here to

simulate depth-of-field blurring.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the filter
effect is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
filter effect at 1.

Defocus
Defocuses the image using a disc filter. This allows you to simulate the defocusing effect of a circular lens
and create lens blur effects like ’bokeh’ (the blooming of highlights when defocused).

To create lens blur effects that aren’t circular, use the Convolve node.

To simply blur an image or a matte, use the Blur node, which is faster than Defocus.

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Filter Nodes | Defocus

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to defocus.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Defocus Tab

channels channels all The defocus effect is only applied to these channels.

If you set this to something other than all or none,

you can use the checkboxes on the right to select
individual channels.

defocus defocus 1 Sets the size of the defocus disc used.

aspect ratio ratio 1 Adjusts the width of the defocus disc without altering
its height.

scaling scale 1 Scales the defocus disc simultaneously on the x and y

axes. You can also split the scaling into separate width
and height controls.

quality quality 20 Sets the interpolation used to smooth out the discs.
Higher values produce better results, but take longer
to render.

method method accelerated Sets the mode of operation:

• accelerated - faster than fullprecision mode,
especially for large defocus disks.
• fullprecision - delivers perfect defocus at the cost of
performance.

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 Filter Nodes | DegrainBlue

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Note: Accelerated mode may generate

speckles in horizontal lines due to
imprecisions in the computer math.
Normally, those speckles are invisible to the
eye (delta < 0.00001), but they can cause
artifacts in nodes that use comparison math
(that is, if (src.red==0) ...). You can use
fullprecision to avoid this speckling, but
there is a significant render time increase.

mask N/A disabled Enables the associated mask channel to the right.
Disabling this checkbox is the same as setting the
channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the filter

effect is limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a
channel. Injecting the mask allows you to use the same
mask further downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the filter
effect is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of
the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire

mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full
effect at 1.

DegrainBlue
This gizmo reduces grain in the blue channel, which often is where most grain occurs.

See also DegrainSimple and Denoise.

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Filter Nodes | DegrainSimple

Inputs and Controls

Connection Type Connection Name Function

Input unnamed The image sequence to degrain.

Control Knob Default Function

(UI) (Scripting) Value

User Tab

Size size 8 The amount of grain to remove from the blue channel. Increasing this
value removes more grain and decreasing it leaves more in.

DegrainSimple
Lets you reduce grain in the red, green, and blue channels respectively, and allows you to mask the effect.

See also DegrainBlue and Denoise.

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input unnamed The image sequence to degrain.

mask An optional image to use as a mask. By default, the grain reduction is

limited to the non-black areas of the mask. At first, the mask input
appears as triangle on the right side of the node, but when you drag
it, it turns into an arrow labeled mask. If you cannot see the mask
input, ensure that the mask control is disabled or set to none.

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Filter Nodes | Denoise

Control Knob (Scripting) Default Function

(UI) Value

DegrainSimple Tab

channels channels all The channels to degrain. If you set this to something other
than all, rgba, or rgb, the R blur, G blur, and B blur sliders
below affect the first three channels in the selected layer.

R blur rVal 2 The amount of grain to remove from the red channel.

G blur gVal 2 The amount of grain to remove from the green channel.

B blur bVal 5 The amount of grain to remove from the blue channel, which
often is where most grain occurs.

mask N/A disabled Enable the associated mask channel to the right. Disabling this
checkbox is the same as setting the channel to none.

maskChannelInput none The channel to use as a mask. By default, the grain reduction is
limited to the non-black areas of this channel.

inject inject disabled Copies the mask input to the predefined mask.a channel.
Injecting the mask allows you to use the same mask further
downstream.

invert invert_mask disabled Inverts the use of the mask channel so that the grain reduction
is limited to the non-white areas of the mask.

fringe fringe disabled When enabled, only apply the effect to the edge of the mask.

When disabled, the effect is applied to the entire mask.

mix mix 1 Dissolves between the original image at 0 and the full grain
reduction at 1.

Denoise
The Denoise node is an efficient tool for removing noise or grain from your footage. It uses spatial or
temporal filtering to remove noise without losing image quality.

REFERENCE GUIDE
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 Filter Nodes | Denoise

Inputs and Controls

Connection Connection Function
Type Name

Input Motion An optional input for attaching pre-calculated motion vectors, such as
those created by VectorGenerator.

Denoise can generate motion vectors internally, but connecting this

input may produce significantly faster results.

Noise An optional input for attaching a separate noise file. If you’re working
with complex footage that doesn’t have a convenient area for
analyzing noise, you can use the Noise input to analyze noise from
another image and apply the results to your footage.

Source The image sequence to denoise.

Control (UI) Knob (Scripting) Default Function

Value

Denoise Tab

Local GPU gpuName N/A Displays the GPU used for rendering when Use GPU if
available is enabled. Local GPU displays Not
available when:
• Use CPU is selected as the default blink device in
the Preferences.
• no suitable GPU was found on your system.
• it was not possible to create a context for
processing on the select