Can you still recall those explosions that made you scream while watching the movie, Avatar, a few years ago? Yes, those were the scenes that shocked and thrilled you as if they were real. But believe it or not, those smoke trails, missiles, and fires, were all computer-generated. Like Avatar, there are many other movies that depicted true-to-life scenes but in fact aren’t real. Below are ten of the most realistic and jaw-dropping CGI effects made in movies:
- Avatar (2009) – Heavy use of new motion-capture filming strategies made this movie a hit. In fact, it made use of photorealistic CG characters.
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) – This epic fantasy movie reportedly had 73 minutes of digital effects out of 799 shots. Animators really had a hard time rendering each frame.
- The Matrix (1999) – This sci-fi action film popularized the so-called “bullet time” effect, which enabled shots to appear in slow-motion but the camera captured scenes at a normal speed.
- Jurassic Park (1993) – Seeing dinosaurs alive and moving is but a dream for all of us. But this sci-fi adventure movie made it come true with the use of animatronic dinosaurs and digital compositing.
- King Kong (2005) – This film remake was so amazing than the previous one. With the use of gorilla clips and extensive motion capture stage, digital animators came up with startling effects.
- Inception (2010) – Though filmmakers used only little CGI effects in the dream sequences of this movie, this thriller film was able to portray visual effects that blew viewers’ minds.
- The Day after Tomorrow (2004) – This disaster film featured plenty of video effects sequences, one of which was the massive tsunami that hit Manhattan.
- Other notable films that made use of CGI effects were: Star Wars (1999), Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011), and 10,000 BC (2008).
What is CGI? How were these realistic CGI effects made? What technologies were used to create them?
According to www.sciencedaily.com, CGI is the application of the field of computer graphics (or more specifically, 3D computer graphics) to special effects. Through it, an artist can produce content without the use of actors, set pieces, or props. There are now CGI software applications that help create films, fine art pieces, and games with CGI effects.
Do you want to learn the secrets to perfecting a computer-generated imagery? Take advantage of CIIT’s 3D Design and Development Specialist course. Visit www.ciit-ph.com for the complete course details and class schedules.
