docs(remove-background): document compositing patterns and pitfalls

Skill (hyperframes-cli): three-pattern table (cutout-over-different-scene
vs over-its-own-source vs over-different-take) + the two non-obvious rules
(wrap video in non-timed div for opacity control, both videos data-start=0
for sync). Skill (hyperframes/patterns): worked text-behind-subject example.
Docs: --quality flag, compositing pitfalls section, quality preset table.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
James
2026-05-04 20:29:33 -07:00
co-authored by Claude Opus 4.7
parent 2f96d5c7ab
commit 5fca4becbc
4 changed files with 208 additions and 0 deletions
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@@ -124,6 +124,58 @@ Uses `u2net_human_seg` (MIT). First run downloads ~168 MB of weights to `~/.cach
Chrome decodes VP9 alpha natively, so the `.webm` plugs into a composition like any other muted-autoplay video — see the `hyperframes` skill for the `<video>` track conventions.
### Quality presets
`--quality fast|balanced|best` controls only the VP9 encoder's CRF — segmentation quality is fixed.
| Preset | CRF | When |
| ---------- | --- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| `fast` | 30 | Iterating, smaller file, looser color match |
| `balanced` | 18 | Default. Visually identical for most uses |
| `best` | 12 | Master / final delivery. Largest file, tightest match |
### Compositing patterns — pick the right one
The cutout webm is a **re-encoded copy** of the source mp4's RGB. That choice has consequences depending on what you put behind it:
| Pattern | What's behind the cutout | Result |
| -------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Cutout over a different scene** (most common) | Static image, gradient, or unrelated video | Looks great. The cutout's RGB is the only avatar source — no double-Brandon, no edge halo. This is what `remove-background` is built for. |
| **Cutout over its own source mp4** (text-behind-subject) | Same mp4 the cutout was generated from | Two RGB sources for the same Brandon. At default `--quality balanced` (crf 18) the doubling is barely visible; at `--quality fast` (crf 30) you'll see a faint color shift / edge halo. Use `--quality best` (crf 12) for masters. |
| **Cutout over a _different_ take of the same person** | Footage of the same subject | Will look like two separate people overlapping. Don't do this. |
**Text-behind-subject** (headline behind a presenter):
```html
<video
src="brandon.mp4"
id="bg"
data-start="0"
data-duration="6"
data-track-index="0"
muted
playsinline
></video>
<h1 id="headline" style="z-index:2; ...">MAKE IT IN HYPERFRAMES</h1>
<div class="cutout-wrap" style="position:absolute;inset:0;z-index:3;opacity:0">
<video
src="brandon.webm"
data-start="0"
data-duration="6"
data-track-index="1"
muted
playsinline
></video>
</div>
```
Two key rules:
1. **Wrap the cutout video in a non-timed `<div>`** and animate the wrapper's opacity, not the video element's. The framework forces opacity:1 on active clips (any element with `data-start`/`data-duration`), so animating the video's opacity directly is silently overridden. The wrapper has no `data-*` attributes, so it's owned by your CSS/GSAP.
2. **Both videos use `data-start="0"` and `data-media-start="0"`** so the framework decodes them in sync from t=0. Late-mounting the cutout (`data-start=3.3`) introduces a seek + warm-up that lands a frame off the base mp4 — visible as one frame of misalignment at the cut.
Then GSAP-flip the wrapper opacity at the cut: `tl.set(cutoutWrap, { opacity: 1 }, 3.3)`.
## TTS → Transcribe → Captions
When there's no pre-recorded voiceover, generate one and transcribe it back to get word-level timestamps for captions:
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@@ -30,6 +30,79 @@ tl.to(
tl.to("#pip-frame", { left: 40, duration: 0.6 }, 30);
```
## Text Behind Subject (transparent webm overlay)
Put a headline _behind_ a presenter so their silhouette occludes the text. Requires a transparent cutout produced by `npx hyperframes remove-background avatar.mp4 -o avatar.webm`.
Three layers, plus one critical rule:
```html
<!-- z=1 base — full opaque mp4 (lobby + presenter), always visible -->
<video
id="cf-base"
data-start="0"
data-duration="6"
data-media-start="0"
data-track-index="0"
src="avatar.mp4"
muted
playsinline
></video>
<!-- z=2 headline — visible the whole time -->
<h1
id="cf-headline"
style="position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;
transform:translate(-50%,-50%); z-index:2; font-size:220px; font-weight:900;
color:#fff; text-shadow:0 6px 32px rgba(0,0,0,.55); clip-path:inset(0 0 100% 0);"
>
MAKE IT IN HYPERFRAMES
</h1>
<!-- z=3 cutout — same source, alpha around presenter, hidden until the cut -->
<!-- WRAPPER has the opacity, NOT the video itself (see rule below). -->
<div class="cutout-wrap" style="position:absolute;inset:0;z-index:3;opacity:0">
<video
id="cf-cutout"
data-start="0"
data-duration="6"
data-media-start="0"
data-track-index="1"
src="avatar.webm"
muted
playsinline
></video>
</div>
```
```js
const tl = gsap.timeline({ paused: true });
const CUT = 3.3;
// Reveal headline early
tl.to("#cf-headline", { clipPath: "inset(0 0 0% 0)", duration: 0.6, ease: "expo.out" }, 0.25);
// At the cut, flip the cutout wrapper visible — Brandon's silhouette
// punches through the headline.
tl.set(".cutout-wrap", { opacity: 1 }, CUT);
// Sentinel: extend timeline to the composition's full duration so the
// renderer doesn't bail past the last meaningful tween.
tl.set({}, {}, 6);
window.__timelines["cover-flip"] = tl;
```
**Why a wrapper div, not opacity on the video itself?**
The framework forces `opacity: 1` on any element with `data-start`/`data-duration` while it's "active" — that's how it manages clip lifecycles. A CSS `opacity: 0` on the video element is silently overwritten. Wrap the video in a div with no `data-*` attributes; the wrapper is owned by your CSS/GSAP.
**Why both videos at `data-start="0"`?**
So both decode in sync from t=0. Late-mounting the cutout (`data-start=3.3`) makes Chrome do a seek + decoder warm-up at mount, which can land a frame off the base mp4 — visible as a one-frame jitter at the cut.
**Color match:** `remove-background` defaults to `--quality balanced` (crf 18) which keeps the cutout's RGB nearly identical to the source mp4 — minimal edge halo or color shift when overlaid. Use `--quality best` (crf 12) for hero shots; only drop to `--quality fast` (crf 30) when the cutout sits over a _different_ background and the size matters.
## Title Card with Fade
```html