🤯 7 Common VFX Mistakes Beginners Make (And How to Avoid Them)

 

Welcome back to Brain Planet Studios Blog, where we believe that every filmmaker has the power to create movie magic, even on a budget.

Whether you’re just starting with After Effects or diving into Blender for the first time, mistakes are part of the learning process. But… some mistakes are totally avoidable if you know what to look for.

Let’s dive into 7 common VFX mistakes beginners make—and how you can dodge them like Neo in The Matrix😏.

1. Bad Rotoscoping (Floating Edges or Jittery Masks)

The Mistake:

Poor rotoscoping leaves characters with weird glowing edges or shaky outlines. It instantly breaks the illusion.

How to Avoid It:

✅ Zoom in while rotoing.

✅ Feather your mask edges slightly.

✅ Use motion blur to help blend the cutout into the scene.

✅ Or… let AI tools (like Runway or Mocha Pro) help you speed up clean rotos.

2. Unrealistic Lighting on CGI Elements

The Mistake:

Your 3D model looks like it’s from a video game… sitting awkwardly in your live-action shot with zero light interaction.

How to Fix It:

✅ Always match your CGI lighting to the real-world lighting direction and color temperature of your shot.

✅ Use HDRI maps for realistic reflections.

3. Ignoring Motion Blur

The Mistake:

CG elements look too crisp and sharp compared to your camera footage.

The Fix:

✅ Add motion blur to your 3D renders or apply it in post during compositing.

Real cameras naturally produce motion blur—your CGI should too.

4. Wrong Camera Tracking / Bad Matchmove

The Mistake:

Your CGI object slides or floats unnaturally because your camera track wasn’t accurate.

How to Avoid:

✅ Use high-contrast tracking points on set.

✅ Check your solve error in your 3D tracking software.

✅ If needed, manually adjust problem frames.

5. Ignoring Depth of Field

The Mistake:

Your background is out of focus… but your CGI monster is razor-sharp. Instant immersion killer.

Solution:

✅ Match your DOF (Depth of Field) by either rendering with focus blur in 3D or blurring it during compositing.

6. Overusing Lens Flares or Glows

The Mistake:

Adding way too many fake lens flares, glows, or light leaks that scream “cheap YouTube VFX.”

How to Avoid:

✅ Less is more.

✅ Only use lens flares when there’s a logical light source (like the sun or a flashlight).

✅ Watch how real cameras capture light flares—then mimic that naturally.

7. Ignoring Color Grading Consistency

The Mistake:

Your VFX shot looks fine… but the color tones between the live footage and CGI don’t match.

How to Fix It:

✅ Grade your CGI layers to match the scene before final compositing.

✅ Use tools like Lumetri Color or DaVinci Resolve to bring everything into one visual style.

✅ Final Thoughts from Brain Planet Studios 🎥

We’ve all made these mistakes at some point—trust us!

But catching them early and fixing them makes a huge difference in the final polish of your film.

👉 Want us to do a full video tutorial on any of these?

👉 Have you made any of these mistakes before? Be honest 😅

Tell us in the comments!