SilhouetteFX began as a rotoscoping tool for the visual effects industry. SilhouetteFX has been expanded to include capabilities facilitating paint, warping and morphing, 2D to 3D conversion and alternative matting methods.
Version 1 was demonstrated at the January 2005 Motion Graphics LA (MGLA) meeting.
Versions 1 and 2 were broken into separate rotoscoping and paint products. Version 3 (released May 2008) and beyond combined all core features (roto and paint) into a single product. With the release of Version 3 in May 2008, SilhouetteFX gained a stereoscopic workflow plus keying and compositing capabilities.
As a paint package, SilhouetteFX can be used for wire, rig, dust and blemish removal. Advanced cloning features were added in Version 4. A hybrid vector / raster paint system was added in Version 5.
Beginning in Version 4, SilhouetteFX could be used to convert 2D motion pictures to 3D.
The mocha planar tracking system was licensed from Imagineer Systems and integrated into Version 5.
Version 5 added a high speed advanced shape driven warping and morphing system. Company partner, Perry Kivolowitz, is the co-inventor of shape driven warping and morphing and is a recipient of a 1996 Scientific and Technical Achievement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
SilhouetteFX is named for the art form associated with Étienne de Silhouette (July 8, 1709 – 1767). The fundamental output of a rotoscoping program is a matte which when viewed appears as a silhouette of an object to be treated in isolation of the remainder of an image. The image density of the matte determines how a compositing operation effect will be applied. Image pixels corresponding to brighter pixels in the matte will be treated differently than image pixels corresponding to darker pixels in the matte.
The developer, SilhouetteFX LLC, was formed as a partnership between principals from Digital Film Tools and Profound Effects, Inc.. Partners include Perry Kivolowitz, Paul Miller, Peter Moyer and Marco Paolini.
30 Days of Night (2007): Weta"47 Ronin" (2013): Framestore"A Monster Calls" (2016): MPC FilmAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012): Weta"After Party" (2017): BOT VFX"Age of Adaline" (2015): BOT VFX"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip" (2015): WetaAmerican Sniper (2014): MPC FilmAvatar (2009): Framestore"Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015): Framestore"Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016): MPC Film, WetaBedtime Stories (2008): Tippett Studio"Ben Hur" (2016): BOT VFXBeverly Hills Chihuahua (2008): Tippett StudioBridge to Terabithia (2007): WetaCats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010): Tippett StudioClash of the Titans (2010): FramestoreCloverfield (2008): Tippett StudioCoraline (2009): LaikaDawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014): WetaDistrict 9 (2009): Weta"Dracula Untold" (2014): FramestoreDrag Me to Hell (2009): Tippett Studio"Edge of Tomorrow" (2014): Framestore, MPC FilmEnchanted (2007): Tippett StudioEragon (2006): Weta"Everest" (2015): Framestore"Ex Machina" (2015): Double Negative"Fantastic Beasts" (2016): MPC Film"Fantastic Four" (2015): Weta, BOT VFXFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007): Weta"Furious Seven" (2015): WetaImmortals (2011): Tippett Studio"Independence Day: Resurgence" (2016): MPC Film, BOT VFXInterstellar (2014): Double NegativeInto The Woods (2014): MPC FilmJack the Giant Killer (2013): Image EngineJersey Boys (2014): MPC FilmJohn Carter (2012): Double Negative"Jupiter Ascending" (2015): Double Negative"Jurassic World" (2015)"Ghostbusters" (2016): MPC Film"Gods of Egypt" (2016): BOT VFXGodzilla (2014): Double Negative"Godzilla" (2016): MPC Film"Gravity" (2013): Framestore"Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014): FramestoreGulliver's Travels (2010): WetaHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010): Rising Sun Pictures, Framestore"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (2011): Framestore, Rising Sun Pictures, Tippett Studio"Hateful Eight" (2015): BOT VFX"Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" (2015): BOT VFXJumper (2008): Weta"Jupiter Ascending" (2015): FramestoreKing Kong (2005): WetaKnight and Day (2010): Weta"Magnificent 7" (2016): BOT VFXMaleficent (2014): MPC FilmMan of Steel (2013): Weta"Maze Runner: Scorch Trials" (2015): WetaMirror Mirror (2012): Tippett Studio"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2016): BOT VFX"Mission Impossible-Rogue Nation" (2015): Double NegativeNanny McPhee Returns (2010): FramestoreNight at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014): MPC Film"Now You See Me 2" (2016): Framestore"Paddington" (2014): Framestore, Double Negative"Pan" (2015): FramestorePercy Jackson: Sea Monsters (2013): Weta"Pete's Dragon" (2016): Weta, BOT VFXPiranha (2010): Tippett Studio"Pixels" (2015): BOT VFX"Point Break" (2015): BOT VFXPredators (2010): WetaPriest (2011): Tippett StudioPrometheus (2012): WetaR.I.P.D. (2013)Red 2 (2013): MPC FilmRed Cliff (2008): Tippett StudioRise of the Planet of the Apes (2011): Weta"Robocop" (2014): FramestoreRush (2013): Double NegativeSalt (2010): FramestoreSeason of the Witch (2011): Tippett Studio"Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows" (2013): FramestoreSkyfall (2012): Double Negative"Straight Outta Compton" (2015): BOT VFX"Suicide Squad" (2016): MPC Film"Sully" (2016): MPC Film"Tarzan" (2016): MPC Film, FramestoreTed (2012): Tippett Studio"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" (2016): BOT VFX"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (2014)"Terminator Genisys" (2015): Double Negative, MPC Film"The 5th Wave" (2016): BOT VFXThe A-Team (2010): WetaThe Adventures of Tintin (2011): WetaThe Avengers (2012): Weta"The BFG" (2016): Weta"The Boss" (2016): BOT VFXThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008): WetaThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (20111: MPC FilmThe Counselor (2013): MPC FilmThe Dark Knight (2008): Double NegativeThe Day the Earth Stood Still (2008): Weta"The Dinner" (2017): BOT VFX"The Finest Hours" (2016): MPC FilmThe Golden Compass (2007): Tippett Studio, Framestore"The Gunman" (2015): Double NegativeThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012): Weta"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" (2014): WetaThe Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013): WetaThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013): Double Negative / Weta"The Jungle Book" (2016): Weta"The Lake" (2017): BOT VFXThe Lone Ranger (2013): MPC FilmThe Lovely Bones (2009): Weta"The Martian" (2015): BOT VFX, FramestoreThe Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013): MPC FilmThe Smurfs (2011): Tippett StudioThe Spiderwick Chronicles (2008): Tippett StudioThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011): Tippett StudioThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012): Tippett StudioThe Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010): Tippett StudioThe Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009): Tippett StudioThe Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007): WetaThe Wolverine (2013): WetaThe World's End (2013): Double NegativeTitanic 3D (2012): StereoDTotal Recall (2012): Double Negative"Victor Frankenstein" (2015): MPC Film"War Horse" (2011): FramestoreWhere the Wild Things Are (2009): FramestoreWorld War Z (2013): MPC FilmX-Men: The Last Stand (2006): Weta"X-Men: Apocalypse" (2016): MPC FilmX-Men: First Class (2011): Weta"Zoolander 2" (2016): MPC Film