Post-Production
VFX on an Indie Budget
You don't need a Hollywood budget to put convincing visual effects in your film. This course shows you how working indie filmmakers pull off green screen, compositing, tracking, set extensions, and cleanup with free or cheap software — and, just as important, how to plan shots so the effects actually work.
What you'll learn
✓Plan VFX shots in pre-production so the effect is easy — not a rescue job in post
✓Shoot and key green screen cleanly with cheap lighting and free compositing tools
✓Motion-track, rotoscope, and composite so your effects sit convincingly in the shot
✓Pull off set extensions, muzzle flashes, blood, and rig removal without a VFX house
Pairs with this tool
Filmmaker Toolbox
Break down your script for VFX shots, plan your green-screen setups, and build a shot-by-shot effects list in the Filmmaker Toolbox — so every effect is planned before the camera rolls, not discovered in the edit.
Open Filmmaker Toolbox →Course chapters
Module 1 — Foundations
I8 min
What indie VFX really is — invisible effects, realistic expectations, and the budget mindset
What VFX Really Is (and Isn't)
II8 min
Break down the script, spot your VFX shots, and plan them before you shoot
Planning VFX in Pre-Production
III8 min
The golden rule: what you get right on set makes every effect ten times easier
Fix It On Set, Not in Post
IV8 min
Free and cheap VFX software that punches way above its price — and what each is for
Free & Cheap VFX Software
Module 2 — Core Craft
V9 min
Light and shoot green screen cleanly on a budget so it keys without a fight
Shooting Green Screen on a Budget
VI9 min
Pull a clean key and composite layers that actually look like one image
Keying & Compositing Basics
VII8 min
Motion tracking and match moving so your effect locks to the camera move
Motion Tracking & Match Moving
VIII8 min
Rotoscoping and masking by hand — the unglamorous skill that makes VFX work
Rotoscoping & Masking
Module 3 — Putting It to Work
IX9 min
Set extensions and digital matte paintings — build a world your location can't
Set Extensions & Matte Paintings
X8 min
Muzzle flashes, blood, sparks — action effects done safely and cheaply in post
Muzzle Flashes, Blood & Gore
XI8 min
Remove rigs, boom mics, logos, and mistakes the audience should never see
Cleanup & Object Removal
XII9 min
Tie it together: organize, composite, render, and deliver your VFX shots for the edit
The Indie VFX Workflow & Delivery