VFX: Types Of Visual Effects

Types of Visual Effects: When it comes to visual affects studios they are all staffed with Teams of VFX supervisors and artists who all have their own specialties. As VFX is such a broad field this is why they are divided into different types of categories. The 3 main categories are mentioned below: CGI: CGI Stands for Computer-generated imagery, the digitally created VFX that is used in films games and televisions is known as CGI. There are different types of computer graphics used both in 2D and 3D. But mainly CGI is said to be 3D VFX. The most significant and important process in CGI is 3D modeling, it is used to create any kind of object, living creature and surfaces. Games of throne is a very good example as you can see 3D creatures such as dragons and others. CGI can be as apparent as dragons and it can also be used in subtle ways such as filling any football field in a movie of cheering fans. In the situation of covid-19 Baseball is back but they can’t have people in the stadium which is why the stadium is filled with screaming fans through CGI as you can see from the picture down below of the Yankees-Nationals Game. Compositing: A very famous phenomenon in VFX is green screen it is also known by people who don’t have much knowledge about VFX. Green Screen is used to change the background of any scene by shooting the scene using green or blue screen and later in production the desired background or surface is composited on to the footage and is at the end it results in creating one scene out of two different footages. In most Sci fi movies the whole movie is made using green screen and after the footage is composited the footage looks realistic and looks as if the shoot has taken place in that location such as Moon etc. Green Screen is not only used by big production companies these days the software has become so user friendly that people can edit their footage at home and add their desired background to it, you might have seen multiple youtubers using this affect in their videos. It is also used in TV such as in news where the whole set is in covered in Green Screen and the background is changed to whatever they want to show, all the weather segments in news use this affect to show the movements of storms or rain etc.

Motion Capture: In the field it is often known has mocap, it is a very important feature that digitally records the motion of an actor’s movement so it can be used in making any kind of animation that is can be used in movies and video games. The digital recording of the facial expression of an actor is known as “Performance Capture”. There are multiple ways of digitally recording both motions and expressions but the most commonly used method is placing the actor in a special suit that is used to capture motion and there are special markers on it which is captured by the camera to track the motion. To track the expression of the actor dots are placed on the face so the camera can record the expression. After the motion has been digitally recorded by the camera the data is then mapped onto 3D skeletons using the camera and motion capture software.

VFX Pipeline: To truly understand how VFX artist work you need to get familiar with every step that takes place to execute the perfect result. Each and every step of the pipeline is as important as the previous and the next one. If one step isn’t executed properly the whole pipeline will start causing problem and you will have to start right from the start. The best way to work is to put equal time and energy in every step so there are no fall outs. The three main stages of VFX pipeline are mentioned below: Pre-Production: In the broader spectrum the first step of the VFX pipeline is the Pre-production. In this stage you will start with planning and when you come up with the concept of the video you are trying to make. After coming up with the main context of the film you will create a Storyboard which will help see the film visually and how the final result is going to be achieved. When you have decided everything theoretically you will move to the next Step which is the practical part of VFX. Research and Development: The first step in any VFX pipeline or other project is research and development. In this step the artists look into the techinal approach for the film and what kind of software and techinques will be used. There are a set software used in Hollywood movies as they have unique programs to achieve the best result possible. In this phase there are specials tools developed by programmers, artists and mathematicains that are required to create the film. Pre-Visualization: For any movie a storyboard is created to visualize the story but to visualize the 3D animation a rough draft is created from the storyboard. This process helps getting a rough idea of how the animation will look at the end. This step helps the director in visualizing the sequences and help him with principal photography.

Production: In this step you will go on set and make sure that all scenes are shot in the way that they can be edited correctly afterwards. The placing of the Green Screen is vital and you need to be very careful of the lighting so there are no unnecessary shadows that will be hard to deal with afterwards when you are editing the film. 3D Modeling: When it comes to the most vital part of CGI the first thing that comes in to mind is 3D modeling, without it you won’t be able to get the animation we can see in film and video games. This step is carried forward throughout the pipeline and it is tweaked as seen fit. The 3D model is also pre- visualized in the Pre-Production step and further detailing is added in the Production step. Matte Painting: After the models are created for the film or video the background of the scenes are created will the help of Matte Painting. Before the digital affects were that common matte painting for used to add different backgrounds to the scenes. Principal and Reference Photography: When the shooting process is taking place VFX artists are on the set so they can take photos from numerous different angels from environment to individuals including props. This step might not seem important to others but for a VFX artist it is very important as these photos helps creating the texture of the 3D models. They are also used to create the attributes such as object size, lighting etc.

Post-Production: This is the final stage and, in this step, you will be doing most of editing and in this stage most of the VFX will be made. You will be giving the final touches of the movie and improving grading. This step seems easier on paper but it is the hardest step as there are a lot of changes when you are trying to give the end result, some things are also subtracted or added depending upon how the footage is looking. Scene Preparation: This a vital part as it has a number of processes involved which all serve the same goal which is to provide the footage so all the elements can get inserted into the footage and an end footage can be achieved. The steps involved in this process are motion tracking, rotoscoping, keying and color correction.