Definition
Rotoscoping is a visual effects and animation technique in which an editor traces over live-action footage frame by frame to create a matte or animated outline. Originally a film technique patented by Max Fleischer in 1917, it is now performed digitally in software like Adobe After Effects. In modern content creation, rotoscoping is used to remove backgrounds, isolate subjects, create stylized animations, or add visual effects to footage without a green screen. It is time-intensive but produces highly realistic compositing results.