Computer Graphic Imagery or more known as CGI has been used for years now to bring more elements into films, computerizing what cannot be seen, done, or made traditionally. It changed the face of cinema as it progressed, but how much do you know about it? Here are some facts might not have heard about.
A monitor shows an computer-generated image of AFP journalist Helen Perceval (L) as she is filmed wearing a motion capture suit in a special effects studio at Framestore in London 31 January, 2014
1. CGI Has Been Around for a While
The CGI now looks so realistic that sometimes, it's easy to forget that they were computerized. Although, there was a time when it was very obvious since the technology they have then was still not advanced enough to make it lifelike.
It could be hard to believe for some, but CGI has been around since the late 50s. Mechanical computers were used the create patterns, which were then added to feature films. The first title to ever use CGI was Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" from 1958, as mentioned in NFI.
2. Graphic Imagery Out of Motions
At first, CGI was no more than an added spark to catch the attention of the audience. The first time that CGI was used to create an entire character was in the movie 'Lord of the Rings," which led to a well-known character, Gollum.
He was the first CGI character to interact with the actors. The filmmakers used motion capture by filming a real-life person's movements. CGI Gollum was then matched with the real-life actor doing the movements to make him more realistic.
3. Propping Animation Up
Animated films had already made their mark, but CGI changed the game. People were amazed by the 2D animation Disney brought into the world such as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" back in 1937.
That's until decades later when Pixar introduced the first fully computer-generated animated film, "Toy Story," which was released in 1995. Now, many studios use CGI for animated films like Dreamworks, Sony Pictures Animation, Blue Sky Studios, and more.
4. CGI-Layered
Just as "Lord of the Rings" filmmakers used an actual person to base Gollum's movements on, "Jurassic Park" also used hydraulically controlled dinosaur-sized puppets and added CGI, which as many know, created realistic-looking dinosaurs in the movie, as pointed out by Knoji. This shows that CGI can be added to any sort of movement, whether it's from a person or an object.
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5. It Takes Creativity
If anything, creating CGI effects is an art. In the CGI team, someone has to play the role of FX artist for FX simulation. They will be in charge of creating realistic simulations of things such as fire, water, cloth, hair, and more. So if you see a glorious explosion that the protagonist walks away from, the FX artist could be behind that.
6. It's Hard to Distinguish Nowadays
CGI has no doubt advanced in recent years compared to what it was decades ago. In old movies, you could tell when a lightning strike was computer-generated. Now, you'll start to wonder where the set ends and the CGI begins.
In fact, in the adaptation "The Last of Us," a lot of people thought that the giraffe Ellie was interacting with was CGI. In reality, everything else was CGI but the giraffe, and people were both confused and amazed by how advanced CGI has blurred the lines of reality in films and shows.
Related: Toy Story Released On This Day In 1995: Here's How It Pushed CGI Forward
