FAQ

What makes Batch different?

Batch is built for scale. Write one prompt and it can rotoscope an entire feature or series on its own, finding every person or object you ask for and delivering production grade mattes that meet the standards of film industry post. One prompt covers the whole project, not one shot at a time.

Most familiar tools bolt new masking features onto editing and color software designed decades ago, and still need an artist driving every shot. Batch was built from the ground up to be fully automated. Send it a whole project, tell it what you need, and get finished mattes back.

What is Batch?

Batch is automated rotoscoping for film and TV. You describe what you want isolated in plain language, and Batch returns mattes. It is built by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Batch does the roto, artists do the art.

Does it actually work?

Yes, on the coverage that makes up most of a show. People standing, sitting, walking, talking. It is strong on typical dialogue and drama coverage. Batch now handles occlusions much better, fast motion and much more. It is improving all the time as we actively update our models often. That said, there are instances where Batch struggles. We encourage testing to understand how Batch works best on your footage.

Does Batch generate or alter my picture?

No. The pipeline is non generative. It outputs segmentation mattes and depth maps. It does not synthesize, generate, or alter picture content.

What do I actually get back?

Alpha mattes, delivered per subject by default, or merged into a single combined matte if you prefer. Depth maps and upscaled footage if you add those services.

Is there software to download?

Yes. Batch Portal Beta is a desktop app for Mac and Windows. You create an account in the app, add credits, drop in footage, and submit. Deliverables download straight back into a dated project folder on your drive. We also build bespoke solutions for studios and post houses. See below.

How do I send footage?

Directly from the Portal. Uploads go to secure storage using encrypted transfer, with resumable handling for large files. Every file is malware scanned on arrival before it is allowed into processing.

Can I use Batch with DaVinci Resolve, Nuke, or Baselight?

Batch is application agnostic. The mattes drop into the tools you already use. Direct plugins for Resolve and other host applications are on the roadmap, not shipping today.

What can Batch do right now?

Three services are live. Roto and mattes, prompt driven, where you type what to isolate such as people, sky, hair, or treeline. Depth maps, per pixel, for atmosphere, relighting, and separation. Up res, AI upscale to 4K.

What about green screen keying, tracking, editable splines, or audio?

In development. We will announce them when they are genuinely ready rather than list them early.

How specific can my prompt be?

Quite specific. Natural language works. Arms, right arm, left arm all work, for example.

What formats can I send?

Video files. ProRes MOV, H.264 MP4, and DNxHD MXF are verified. Image sequences such as EXR and DPX are not supported as input today.

What resolutions do you support?

Up to 4K. Larger formats such as 6K and 8K are accepted and processed at 4K.

How long does it take?

Hours, not weeks. A single shot typically completes in tens of minutes depending on length, resolution, and subject count. These are typical results from real jobs rather than a delivery guarantee. If you are working to a tight deadline, tell us when you submit and we will tell you what is possible.

How does pricing work?

Batch runs on credits. You buy credits and spend them on the services you use, priced by the second of footage. Roto is the base rate, depth maps and up res cost less, and each additional subject in a shot adds a little. Current rates and pack sizes are in the app.

Do I have to subscribe?

No. You can buy credit packs outright and use them whenever you like. Purchased credits never expire. Subscription plans are also available, and what each one includes is in the app.

What is the Indie plan?

Indie is a trade, and we think it is a fair one.

Independent films, docs, music videos, and short form work carry the same roto burden as a studio show on a fraction of the budget. Indie exists for exactly that. You get Batch at our deepest discount, well under a third of our standard rate, so the work is actually affordable on the budgets these projects really have.

In return, Batch trains on the footage you submit while you are on the plan. That is the whole trade. Your footage makes the system better at the kind of work you do, and that improvement comes back to you and to everyone shooting at your scale.

What we do. We use your footage and the mattes made from it to train and improve our models.

See the Indie user agreement for more details.

What we never do. We do not publish, broadcast, or distribute your footage. We do not license or sell it as stock. We do not put it in our marketing or show it publicly without asking you first, in writing. And we never send it to a third party AI provider. Only the trained model leaves the pipeline. Your footage never leaves as footage.

Standard, Pro, and Enterprise carry our no training commitment. The only thing that changes that is you asking us to, in a signed agreement. Same technology, same quality, different deal. You choose.

Do you offer enterprise or on premise?

Yes. Batch also offers bespoke enterprise services, engineered at the studio or post house level. We can train on your project's footage to improve outcomes on unique work like fantasy or science fiction. We can build VFX pull pipelines, deploy on your own infrastructure, and work to your facility's requirements. Custom terms and a dedicated point of contact come with it, and pricing is quoted per project.

Who owns my footage and the mattes?

You do, both. You keep all rights to your footage. You own the mattes, depth maps, and other outputs, and can use them commercially in your work. The one limit is in our terms: you cannot use Batch outputs to build or benchmark something that competes with Batch.

Do you train on my footage?

Not on Standard, Pro, or Enterprise, unless you ask us to under a signed agreement. We do not use your content to train, fine tune, or improve any model otherwise, and we never send it to a third party AI provider. The Indie plan is the one plan built around that trade, and it is spelled out above.

How long do you keep my files?

On Standard, Pro, and Enterprise, source files are held roughly 14 days and delivered output roughly 10 days, so you have time to download. We do not keep a permanent archive, and your footage is never written to backup or archival storage. You can request earlier deletion in writing at any time and we will confirm it. Indie is covered by the Indie user agreement.

Is Batch secure enough for studio work?

Our security program is designed to align with the MPA Content Security Best Practices and the Trusted Partner Network. Footage is encrypted in transit and at rest, processed in the United States, and access requires multi factor authentication with no standing employee access to production media. Every ingest is malware scanned, enforced at the database layer. We respond to security questionnaires and can share documentation on request.

What if there is a security incident?

We notify affected customers without undue delay and within 72 hours of confirming an incident.

Is my project confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is mutual and built into our terms, and your footage is treated as your confidential information for as long as we hold it. We are glad to sign your NDA.

I am a cinematographer.

Batch gives you control in post that you used to lose at wrap. Isolate people to hold density, bring up practicals, shape a sky, or add atmosphere with depth. The look you protected on set stays protectable in the grade.

I am a colorist.

Less time windowing, tracking, and rendering. More time grading. Isolate subjects instantly, grade them separately, and use depth for falloff and atmosphere that would otherwise take a session to build.

I am a VFX artist.

Prep time collapses. Get usable mattes for cleanup, set extension, and object removal without sending a show out to a roto vendor, then spend your time on the shot instead of the shapes.

Something looks wrong. What now?

Get in touch at lets@batch.film with the job ID from your history. If a matte is not what you expected we want to see it, because that is how the system improves.

Can I help shape the product?

Yes. Batch is developed alongside working professionals, and feedback from real shows drives the roadmap. Reach out at lets@batch.film.