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 VFX – PROS AND CONS IN MOVIES

 by

Muhammad D. Araf

Digital Media Production

Masters of Arts in Media and Design Management

 Wiesbaden, June 2013

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 VFX – PROS AND CONS IN MOVIES

 Visual Effects (VFX)

 According to VES handbook (LightRay FX): Visual effects (Visual FX or VFX)

can be defined as the term that describes any imagery created, altered, or enhanced

for a film or other moving media that cannot be accomplished during the live-action

shooting. In other words, much of the art of visual effects takes place in post

production after primary image capture is complete. Another definition of Visual

Effects (VFX) can be that it is the process of using computers to either create or

manipulate images to create effects shots, it involves processes like rotoscoping,

painting, camera tracking, 3D animation and composing, etc.

FIG 1: Example of Movie VFX (Avatar)

 Adding Visual Effects

 Visual effects can be added to live-action captured through several techniques

such as matte, painting: rear and front-screen projection, miniature or forced

perspective sets, computer graphic objects, characters, and environments and also

compositing of images recorded in any number of ways.

Basically, movie makers use visual effects in place of anything that is difficult

or impossible to film. For example, Aliens attacking the earth is impossible therefore

people use visual effects to achieve it by having the aliens creatures destroy a city or

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the world with the use of Visual effects. Nevertheless, VFX can be used in more

subtle areas like in a situation where there is a scene in a movie story that needs to be

in another country, an imaginary location or a city from the future or past. It is just

inefficiency or costs money to go to another country or build a set so film makers use

 visual effects to make it happen. An example of such subtle approach of using VFX is

the RISE Visual Effects Studios Berlin, a company famously known solely for its

ability in visual effects, and the needs of big studio productions to develop in-house

tools and software for specialist tasks. In the movie Cloud Atlas, RISE used visual

effects to create the city of San Francisco, USA from 1973 in Glasgow, Scotland. Refer

to the images below:

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FIGS 2 & 3: Glasgow  as San Francisco

 Visual effects is quite a broad topic is several examples that can be discussed

 but this paper is only about giving a rough concept of what visual effects are about

and why film makers use them.

Pros and Cons of VFX in movies

No doubt that since film’s early experiments with visual effects, the industry

has today developed into a very sophisticated, digitally driven and technically ultra-

advanced visual medium. Computers have since taken special effects to an entirely

new level and as they continue to update and improve their spec so too will the film

industry develop around these advances. Digital technology and computers have

enabled films to be produced which otherwise would not have not have been,

however, despite the profound visual success of special effects in certain cases some

people argue that films are now placing an over reliance on special effects with the

argument that visual effects in some movies are counterproductive as they come

across as ineffective and sometimes unnecessary.

Critics are even questioning the performance of the actors if all they are doing

in a film is running in front of a green screen shouting at an imagined ‘alien’

clutching an imagine prop. Others raise concerns regarding the quality of the movies

and the process of putting a movie together where much of it is CGI (computer-

generated imagery) constituted.

Some also

question the

performance

of the actors

if all they are

doing in a

film is

running in

front of a

green screen

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shouting at an imagined ‘alien’ clutching an imagined prop or just wielding swords to

an empty space in the name of battle. Others raise concerns regarding the films

quality and the processes of putting a film together where much of it is CGI

constituted.

FIG 5:  A gladiator’s death in the TV show: Spartacus- Visual effects

The question now remains that would movies being produced now be better received

 by audiences without visual effects? Or is it that’s some studios and directors simply

cannot adjust effectively to modern day film making? According to Piers Bizony (A

 visual effects artist):

“ One of the greatest misconceptions about modern movies is that visual effects aregenerated by computers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Human

inventiveness is the most important ingredient and it always will be. Computers

offer amazing new possibilities but underlying challenges of movie illusions are the

same today as they were nearly a century ago when the industry was young.”  

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Pros

  Digital/visual effects have significantly impacted on mainstream movies.

  The evolutionary process by which the visual effects product is accomplished

can be an awe of inspiring process itself.

  Contemporary modern visual effects engender a film culture based on a

production process that in actual fact is less physical.

  The quality of visual effects necessarily impacts on the believability of the film

for the viewer and most movies strive to hide any signs of the film making

methods used with the aim of providing the spectator with real experience.

  Digital technology allows spectators to enjoy visual fluidity and epic structure

of historic events such as the gladiators engaging in their fierce battle,

coliseums etc.

Cons

   Visual effects causes film erosion as some argue that it is occurring when

movies require the use of stunts to increase the action to higher levels of

intensity.

  Digital visual effects also seem to engender a type of laziness amongst some

film makers.

  In many people’s view, VFX are simply becoming overused. 

  CGI tricks the eye just as matte paintings and miniatures did. Movie makers

take it for granted.

  The best effects are those that are entirely story-driven and character-driven

not something that is not physical because it makes movies feel like cartoons.

   Visual effects are audience manipulation.

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Conclusion

It is definitely incontrovertible CGI visual effects have augmented many film

experiences and that today’s modern technological advances have created a film

industry capable of exceeding audiences’ expectations. However, despite the

immense success of these visual effects there is a growing feeling among many people

and film makers alike that digital effects are eroding the quality of some films.

Having considered some of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of

 Visual Effects (VFX) within the film industry, there are clearly two opposing

perspectives. Some advocate the continuing and indeed increasing use of VFX as a

key method for the production of major film projects and to realize the creativity of

the human mind whilst others prefer a more moderate approach to the use of digital

effects.

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Bibliography

LightRay Fx, (2013). Visual Effects for Film: Everything filmmakers should know

about FX . Available at: http://vfxforfilm.wordpress.com/ 

UK Essays: Visual Effects. Available at: http://www.ukessays.com/essay-

examples/film-studies-essay-examples/visual-effects-improving-damaging.php