Book Cover Compositing
Whispers in the City of Shadows is a compositing project that brings a hand-drawn book cover to life through the fusion of 2D animation and live-action footage. I animated a cell-style illustration using Photoshop and After Effects, then integrated it into a real-world book using Nuke for compositing. The result is a surreal, atmospheric moment where animation and reality blur, giving the illusion of a living cover whispering stories from a shadowy cityscape.
Compositing Project
Concept
The concept behind Whispers in the City of Shadows was inspired by classic vampire lore and the eerie mystique of forgotten cities. The main subjects are a looming castle and a haunting bat-like face, representing the dual nature of the narrative: a gothic stronghold of power and the presence of an unseen creature lurking in the shadows.
The idea was to create a cover that feels alive, as if the book holds a dark consciousness. This concept guided the visual tone.
This initial shot served as a test plate to evaluate lighting, composition, and motion within the scene. It also played a key role in capturing accurate color data for the final composite. Using a SpyderCUBE and a ColorChecker board, I was able to extract reference values for neutral balance, exposure, and color consistency. This allowed for precise color correction and LUT creation later in the pipeline, ensuring that the animated elements would blend naturally into the live-action footage.
Plate test
