CGIComputer-Generated Imagery

By: Josh Watson

What is it?• application of computer generated graphics into...

• 3D computer graphics

• special effects in film

• television shows

• commercial

• simulators

• video games usually use real time computer graphics, but any games with video clips or film mostly use CGI

Why is it used?• it is used to make manipulating visual

effects a lot easier

• you can change little things a lot easier then other then such things as miniature models

• also allows the creation of images that would not usually be able to be created with other technologies

• gives a single computer artist the capability to create such scenes without actors or scenes, simply a computer

• since CGI began, it has given small companies and artists the chance to create amazing films, games, and other art from their own home

How does it work?• an image that has been taken from a CAD(computer-

aided design) file

• converted by computer software that manipulates the lighting and reflections

• this then creates a photorealistic image

• it combines 3D models of objects and hand "keyframed" movements

• models are constructed out of geometrical vertices, faces, and edges in a 3D coordinate system

• objects are moulded much like real clay, working from simple forms to specific details with various sculpting tools

• a bone/joint animation system is set up to deform the CGI model

• in a process called “rigging”, the virtual doll is given many controllers and handles for controlling movement

• animation data can be made using motion capture, or keyframing by a human animator

The first bit of CGI1980’s

• first used in movies in 1973, “Westworld”

• first use of 3D wire framing in the sequel in 1976, “Futureworld”

• “Stars Wars” then used it for the wire framing of the Death Star and for the Millennium Falcon

• “Black Hole” used raster(formation consisting

of the set of horizontal lines composed of pixels that is used to form an image

on a CRT) wire framing to create the simple image of a never ending black hole

• 1982- “Tron” & “The Last Star Fighter” were the first two full films of use of CGI for visual effects, but directors seemed to think that they were trying to make it look computer generated and did not like it

1990’s• 1991- “Terminator 2”(Best Visual

Effects) & “Beauty and the Beast”(Best Picture) had seamless CGI integrated into scenes

• 1993- “Jurassic Park”, where they used big puppet dinosaurs on set and used CGI to make them real. “Babylon 5” & “SeaQuest” used CGI as their #1 way of visual effects

• 1994- “Forrest Gump”, CGI was used to input him into many historical events, and also make the ping pong ball move faster then it actually was

• 1995- “Toy Story” was the very first totally computer generated film

2000’s (the creation of new CGI)

• CGI became the #1 source for visual effects

• it was possible to create a virtual stunt double

• camera tracking- where an actor could wear bright colour dots on the moving parts of his/her body and the camera would then track the movements of those dots (EX: Video games such as NHL, NFL, FIFA, games where they want to collaborate a real person’s actions into a game)

• flocking- or crowd simulator software, where the animator can create crowds with the computer, no longer needing extras

• virtual sets

Behind the Scenes of Avatar- Virtual Camera

Creation of NHL 2K9

Film & Visual Effects Studios

■ Blue Sky Studios■ Blur Studio■ DreamWorks Animation■ Marza Animation Planet■ Pacific Data Images■ Pixar■ Walt Disney Animation Studios■ Sony Pictures Animation■ Lucasfilm Animation

Film

■ Industrial Light & Magic■ Sony Pictures Imageworks■ Digital Domain■ Double Negative■ Modus FX■ Rainmaker Digital Effects■ Rhythm and Hues Studios■ Weta Digital■ Tippett Studio■ Framestore■ The Mill■ Rising Sun Pictures■ Scanline VFX

Visual Effects

Sites

• http://www.enotes.com/topic/Computer-generated_imagery

• Google Images

• Youtube

• http://www.iscanmyfood.com/hd/index.php?t=Computer+generated+imagery