Layering refers to the compositional practice of combining multiple visual elements stacked on top of one another to create a single, unified image or video frame. Each layer can contain different elements - a background, subject, foreground details, text, effects - that together compose the final output, with each layer contributing to the overall visual result.

In post-production and compositing workflows, layering is a fundamental technique that allows editors to combine AI-generated footage with live-action material, add visual effects over existing video, blend multiple generated clips to create complex scenes, or build up an image progressively from separate components. Layers can have different blending modes, opacity levels, and can be masked to show or hide specific areas, giving compositors fine control over how elements combine. Software like Adobe After Effects and DaVinci Resolve Fusion are built around layered compositing workflows for professional production.

In AI generation contexts, layering thinking applies when planning how generated outputs will combine with other assets in post-production. A creator might generate a background scene, separately generate a subject, and composite them together - a workflow made easier by generating elements designed to work together, such as subjects on neutral backgrounds that are easier to isolate and composite.