Masks & RotoAdvanced

MagicMask

AI-assisted object isolation

Creates and tracks an object matte from positive and negative guide strokes, reducing the amount of manual rotoscoping required.

MagicMask

DaVinci Resolve · Fusion

MagicMask is an intelligent isolation tool for people, objects and regions that are difficult to separate with a conventional luma or chroma key. You define the subject with strokes, track the result through time, then refine the generated matte.

Overview

What MagicMask does

Mental model

Treat it like an assistant rotoscoper: you tell it what belongs to the subject and what belongs to the background, then supervise the resulting tracked matte.

Common uses

Isolate a person from a complex background

Track clothing or products

Create selective color corrections

Build fast garbage mattes

Separate a moving subject for effects

Reduce manual roto work

Flow anatomy

Inputs & outputs

The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.

Image

Source image for the operation.

MagicMask

Fusion node

Output

The processed result from this node.

Matte

The generated mask or matte.

Inspector

Important parameters

Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.

Tracking

Controls how tracking is performed or applied.

Mode: Faster / Better

Uses Faster / Better for mode.

Stroke Mode: Add / Subtract / Select / Delete

Sets Stroke Mode to Add / Subtract / Select / Delete.

Tracking buttons

Runs Magic Mask tracking forward, backward or across the selected range.

Clear Strokes: Current / Range / All

Sets Clear Strokes to Current / Range / All.

Go To Frame

Jumps to the relevant tracked or reference frame.

Disk Cache: Regenerate All / Clear

Sets Disk Cache to Regenerate All / Clear.

Reference Time

Sets the reference frame or reference data used by the tracker.

Processed Frames: Start / End

Sets Processed Frames to Start / End.

Post Multiply Image

Multiplies RGB by alpha after processing.

Enable it when the following composite expects premultiplied image data.

Use Legacy Magic Mask

Uses the legacy Magic Mask processing path for compatibility with older results.

Matte

Opens the final matte-refinement controls after the intelligent selection has been generated.

Filter

Selects the filtering method.

Chooses the resampling or filtering method used by the operation.

Blur

Sets the amount of blur.

Erode/Dilate

Shrinks or expands the Magic Mask matte after the intelligent selection has been generated.

Gamma

Adjusts the midtone response without moving the black and white points equally.

Threshold Low / High

Sets one boundary of the active range.

Restore Fringe

Restores Fringe in the processed result.

Invert Matte

Inverts the current map, mask or selection.

Solid Matte: Invert

Sets Solid Matte to Invert.

Garbage Matte: Invert

Sets Garbage Matte to Invert.

Practical setup

A reliable workflow

1
Choose a representative frame.
2
Draw a few clean positive strokes inside the subject.
3
Add negative strokes only where the result leaks into the background.
4
Track in both directions.
5
Refine the matte and check difficult frames manually.

Typical node chain

MediaIn→

MagicMask→

Tracked matte

Examples

Where this node fits in real work

Person isolation

Track a presenter and place graphics behind them.

MediaInMagicMaskMergeMediaOut

Selective grade

Use the tracked matte as an effect mask for a color branch.

MediaInMagicMaskColorCorrectorMerge

Troubleshooting

Common mistakes

Drawing many noisy strokes instead of a few clear guides

Tracking without checking occlusions

Over-eroding hair and motion blur

Assuming the AI matte never needs manual correction

Production notes

Practical tips

Start with fewer strokes and add information only where needed.

Check occlusions and exits from frame manually.

Use downstream matte cleanup for tiny defects instead of overloading the segmentation step.

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