Duplicate Read Node Replacer

I find that a lot of people end up duplicating 'Read' nodes in their nuke flow. Thus ignoring a very brilliant feature of nuke, the Postage Stamp tool.

Duplicating read nodes will slow the comp and as well as take more processing time. This python script, once run, reads through all read nodes and replaces duplicate ones with a postage stamp. It does so from top to bottom so the nodes on top are considered as Parents and the ones below them are replaced and linked to the parent node.

The script also adds a label to the postage stamp tool saying what file name it is pointing to and the name of the parent node so that it is easier to keep track of in a big flow.



Note: this is a python module so you will have to import it in your menu.py
Simply copy the file to .nuke directory. In the menu.py file (if you don't have one create a new file called menu.py) add the following lines:

import dupReadReplacer

toolbar=nuke.menu('Nuke')
toolbar.addCommand('Edit/Replace duplicate read nodes','dupReadReplacer.removeDupRead()')

This will add the script to the 'Edit' menu in nuke as 'Replace duplicate read nodes'


Click here to download (.py file)

zSoftSlice

This is a small gizmo that allows you to select portions (slices) in your depth pass with a soft falloff on either side. A good example of its use is to colour correct different portions of an image in depth like for adding haze.


Click here to download (.gizmo)

Two way target camera

One of my friends in the matte painting team needed a target camera for nuke for trying out projection stuff, so I made this simple two node setup which allows the camera to always look at a target no matter if you move the camera or the target around. It uses the very basic principles of trigonometry.



Click here for download (.nk file)