Quick VFX preview in editorial — placeholder for final effects to check cut timing and sequence flow. Usually low-res with approximate elements.
In the editorial process, you need clarity on timing and cut rhythm quickly — especially when VFX are involved. This is where the temporary composite comes in: a rough, low-resolution preview of your planned effects to see if the editing decision works at all. You work with proxy elements, simplified renders, or even placeholder material from stock libraries to avoid blocking the editorial flow. This is not a final composite — it's a scaffolding.
The practical benefit is that you don't have to wait for the full-resolution render to realize that the cut length isn't right or that the VFX action starts two frames too early. On set, you might only deliver raw footage; in the edit, you visualize the planned CG explosion, keying, or tracking animation at 25% resolution and half bit depth. Your editor can work with it, you can test cuts, the sound designer can adjust their timing. The actual compositing layer comes later, once the edit is locked. Many teams use After Effects with low-res proxies, quick-and-dirty Nuke setups, or specialized VFX preview tools for this — the goal is speed, not quality.
A typical scenario: You're editing an action sequence with five VFX shots. The lead compositor has provided you with quick greenscreen composites (1K instead of 4K, without color grade), and you've placed them in your edit timeline. This allows you to immediately see if the transitions are fluid, if the motion tracking jitter is distracting, or if a shot should be half a second shorter. As soon as the edit lock is established, these temporary versions are trashed, and the VFX pipeline delivers the final, high-resolution composites.
A common mistake: Leaving temporary composites in the project for too long and forgetting that they need to be replaced by final versions later. Some editors work with the rough versions until the very end and only realize in the DCP master that the material is much too quiet or too pale. Therefore, it's important to maintain clear version control and always re-evaluate editing decisions with the final composites — especially for critical effect moments like explosions or color grading.