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Dictionary by pitch.dog
CG modelling, materials & rendering · Working

Render pass

Also called: AOV, arbitrary output variable

ELI5

A separately rendered image component used to control lighting or effects in compositing.

Used in conversation

“The treatment should explain where the render pass enters the shot and what it needs from production.”

Pitch context

You may encounter “Render pass” in vfx, virtual production & animation conversations or materials.

Why it matters: Explains image creation that extends beyond straightforward live-action photography.

Connected terms

  • RenderA render is the generated image; a render pass isolates one component of that image for compositing or control.
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Sources & evidence · 6

Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.