Rotoscoping is kind of having an unexpected comeback in the music video editing space, but not in the liquid explosion, thermal seizure style effects we're used to. In the newer Opium videos, video editor @directedbyfrankie is seriously taking rotoscoping to a whole new level and reinventing the look in a simple but clean effect. Frankie is using rotoscope cutouts, wide-lens distortion, and cropped-background effects to create a new signature Playboi Carti look for opium.
Videos on the most recent Antagonist 2.0 tour have been going viral recently, featuring Frankie's edits in a cut-out style rotoscope effect of Carti going absolutely crazy on tour.
This written tutorial explains exactly how to recreate the same rotoscope crop effect in After Effects, even if you’re new to rotoscoping. You’ll also learn how tools like AutoEdit the AI Music Video Editor plugin for Premiere Pro which can automatically edit music videos in 1-click.
(P.S. You can also watch the video version of this tutorial here)
What Is the Playboi Carti Rotoscope Crop Effect?
The effect was also used in the recent Carti/Lil Baby/Skooly video and consists of three components:
- A clean rotoscoped subject
- A background layer cropped inward
- A wide-angle shot look that exaggerates depth and motion
When combined, the subject appears to extend outside the frame while the background squeezes inward.
This tutorial shows exactly how to build that workflow inside After Effects.
Step-by-Step: How to Recreate the Opium Rotoscope Crop Effect
1. Start by Rotoscoping Your Subject
Open your clip and double-click it to enter the Layer panel.
Select the Roto Brush Tool and begin painting over your subject.
If you see a frame rate mismatch warning
- Go to Composition > Composition Settings
- Change the frame rate to match the number in the warning
This ensures the roto propagates correctly.
Use the Refine Edge Tool for detailed areas
Switch to Refine Edge for:
- Hair
- Fingers
- Movement with thin outlines
Hold Command + Scroll to adjust brush size.
Scrub through the timeline to correct any mistakes.
When the entire clip looks accurate, click Freeze to lock the rotoscope.
2. Clean Up the Roto Edges
On your rotoscoped layer:
- Set Feather to around 5–10
- Lower Shift Edge to pull the outline inward
- Adjust Reduce Chatter if you notice flickering edges
This creates a cleaner silhouette, which is important for this style.
3. Duplicate the Layer and Remove Roto on the Bottom Layer
Press Command + D to duplicate your clip.
On the bottom layer:
- Delete the Roto Brush effect
- You now have a rotoscope cutout on top and the full clip on the bottom
This is the foundation of the crop effect.
4. Apply the “Crop Edges” Effect to the Background Layer
Search Crop Edges in “Effects & Presets” and add it to the bottom clip.
Increase the crop amounts to tighten the frame inward.
This creates the effect where the subject appears to extend beyond the video frame, matching what’s seen in Frankie’s directing style.
Why this works in Opium-style videos
These videos commonly use 11–12mm lenses, meaning:
- The subject stays large even when close
- Cropping the frame still leaves enough visual information
- The background warp feels intentional and stylized
If you shoot on a wider lens, you’ll get results closer to the original look.
Additional Effects Seen in the Video (Optional)
5. Inverted Mask Bars
To add a “bar” effect similar to the video:
- Select the Rectangular Mask Tool
- Draw a horizontal rectangle in the middle of the clip
- Set the mask to Invert
This creates stylized widescreen bars around the subject.
6. Scale Wipe Distortion
Search Scale Wipe and apply it to the bottom layer.
Set:
- Direction: 90°
- Adjust Stretch (positive or negative) to warp the background
This produces extreme vertical distortion, often used in experimental Opium visuals.
7. Add Warp Stabilizer for Trippy Motion
Even if the clip is already stable, applying Warp Stabilizer again creates a subtle “warp wiggle” motion.
Try:
- Result > No Motion
- Smoothness around 10–20
This replicates the “floating camera” feel common in Carti visuals.
FAQ: Editing Music Videos in the Modern Opium Style
What lens should I use to get the same look?
Most of these videos appear to be shot on very wide lenses (6–12mm on Sony).
This exaggerates perspective and makes the crop effect more dramatic.
Why is rotoscoping needed for this effect?
Rotoscoping isolates the subject so the background can be cropped or distorted independently.
Can this effect be done in Premiere Pro?
Technically yes... That is, if you are using the object masking mode in the latest Premiere Pro update, but the After Effects rotoscope brush is just so much better, trust me.
Can AI help speed up this workflow?
Yes, but...
AI tools like runwayml can automatically rotoscope too but its not as great or accuracte compared to doing it in after effects yourself.
How AutoEdit Can Speed Up Your Music Video Workflow
If you edit music videos regularly and want to save hours before you even get to effects like this, AutoEdit is an AI-powered plugin for Premiere Pro that:
- Automatically cuts your performance clips to the beat
- Auto-applies transitions, overlays, and VFX layers
- Sorts multi-take timelines for fast review
- Generates polished sequences you can stylize inside After Effects
Most editors use AutoEdit to build the base edit in minutes, then export that sequence into After Effects to add rotoscope effects, crop distortion, text animations, and stylized overlays.
You can see the full feature list here:
👉 https://elevenpercent.net/pages/autoedit-plugin
Conclusion
This style of rotoscope cropping, wide-lens distortion, and warped background motion is becoming a consistent theme in Playboi Carti’s Opium-influenced videos.
Using After Effects, you can recreate the look using:
- Roto Brush
- Refine Edge
- Crop Edges
- Scale Wipe
- Warp Stabilizer
And if you want to speed up the rest of your music video editing workflow, AutoEdit handles the cut-building and VFX placement so you can focus on creative effects like the one in this tutorial.