- Admin
- March 27, 2021
- Animation
CGI is the abbreviation for computer-generated imagery. It is used to amplify and build varied images in art and media. At an elementary level, computer-generated imagery establishes still or animated visual content, which requires computer-based software.
CGI in animation helps generate imagery in 2D or 3D animations, objects, movies, renderings, television shows, video games, or cloning. This can be made to use in films, including science-fiction, action movies, and dramas to intimate dramas.
This software is widely used to create architecture, virtual reality, engineering, art and advertising. It also has a varied range of applications ranging from animating integrated location to exquisite work on props at settings.
The unique selling point of CGI is its economic utility which is cheap and includes fewer expenses. In comparison, any physical method contains laboured miniatures, hiring people for a crowd scene in any movie project. Keeping the current scenario, the world is undergoing right now, it is not easy and secured to create many visuals that have a physical impact. Computer Generated plays a pivotal role here.
Computer Generated Imagery or CGI is stratified within digital movie footage, which includes a technique called composting, which is albeit becoming agreeably attractive to viewers and is ascribed to people as the green screen. In recent times, Computer Generated Imagery is the more commonly used Visual effects across the world for most significant movies; however, the use is exquisite and accessible.
How Does CGI Work?
CGI works like a gateway between the AOL server and the program being written. The reader sends a URL that causes the AOL server to use CGI to run a program. The AOL server passes input from the reader to the program back to the reader.
- It helps to generate two-dimensional images such as texts, objects, backgrounds and environments.
- It helps to generate three-dimensional objects, including figures, spaces and environments.
- CGI can produce such an illusion that the viewers are convinced of the on-screen scene or image.
- Unsuccessful CGI might distort the whole concept and result in a total mess that would make it look like a fake presentation.
Nowadays, when people refer to CGI, they mean Visual Effects work; it includes 3D models of characters, creatures or monsters, buildings, vehicles, explosions and many more. Then these are put into a live-action scenario such as an explosion of a building or vehicle or aliens attacking Earth. Most high-profile productions, especially science-fiction movies, use these kinds of CGI.
CGI is also used in movies of romance or drama genre to maintain the background consistency or add something, in particular, that was not present when the scene was shot or particular effect purpose according to the requirements. Computer-Generated Imagery can be applied to render almost everything and anything that you see on screen in most of the best action movies.
CGI’s magic has made it possible for directors and writers to narrate their story with as much imaginational independence as they want; they think it, CGI makes it possible. Video editing software and some investment can make anything and everything worthy for the viewers.
Introduction of CGI in Movies
With CGI’s evolution, filmmakers started using it in complete freedom and started executing their ideas in a more organized manner. Digital viewpoints were created in Westworld (1973) and wire-frame models in Alien (1979), which were terrific of achievement and an absolute treat to the viewers.
With films in the upcoming years like TRON (1982), The Last Starfighter (1984) and Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), CGI reached an altogether different height, and the improvement helped filmmakers to showcase such spectacular concepts to the world. TRON was probably the most significant achievement in CGI of that time. Though the quality was primitive, it opened up a world full of possibilities. Video imagery made headlines in the world of filmmaking, and all credit goes to CGI for the revolution that it brought along.
Some notable CGI work in movies include from its early days are The Abyss (1989), Terminator movies, The Lawnmower Man (1992), Toy Story (1995), Star Wars movies, Titanic (1997) and undoubtedly one of the most famous movies of all time, The Matrix (1999).
Now, coming to the present, Marvel movies, especially the Avengers movies, Jurassic World movies, Jumanji, Fast and Furious series of movies and many more are examples of the improvement that CGI has gone through and the excellence that it has achieved with further promises to keep in the future. The future of CGI is indeed bright and evolving with years. James Cameron is considered the filmmaker who took the application of CGI to another level, and his movies are something that fans from all over the world wait for eagerly.
James Cameron’s Avatar is proof of his class and shows how a world can be created through CGI. The movie’s visuals were such a delight to watch, and the mere scenes were enough to fall in love with the movie; no doubt, it became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. That is what CGI is capable of doing if done successfully.
What is CGI in Animation?
The area that has used CGI to its full potential and applied all the resources to grow significantly over the years is animation. After 2D, Cel Animation, many other types of animation emerged like stop motion animation and acclamation. The following tells us how animation developed under CGI:-
Stop motion animation made its ground solid fairly while hand-drawn animation was still in the market. The closest filmmaking got to three-dimensional animation, although it required a lot of efforts and time to execute the whole process efficiently.
CGI allowed animation films to be as realistic or fantastical as the filmmakers wanted, making it a dream come authentic experience for filmmakers. Pixar was one of the first few companies to experiment entirely with computer-based animation. As seen in early Pixar short films like Toy Story (1995), the first CGI movie was entirely done with computer-generated imagery.
Other studios also joined the market, and movies like Antz (1998) and Shrek (2001) came out from Dreamworks’ bucket, which gave Pixar some competition.
Recent hits like Despicable Me (2010) and The Secret Life of Pets (2016) from Illumination studios’ bag prove that CGI is still evolving and under development.
MAAC Girish Park is a leading animation training institute in Kolkata to design courses in Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). Shortly after the establishment in 2001, it has been applauded for producing an enormous number of animation professionals in Kolkata.
Within a brief period, it has expanded into 80+ academic centres across India and the Middle East. Through its vast network of centres, MAAC has successfully prepared thousands of students for animation and filmmaking careers. MAAC is part of Aptech, the global retail & corporate training solutions provider headquartered in Mumbai, India, with a presence across five continents.
As a part of Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics, MAAC Girish Park is an Autodesk certified training centre. MAAC deploys world-class teaching methods, backed by a brilliant faculty that fosters creativity and an artistic mindset, which paves the student’s path of success. The path that leads to every field becomes bright and hassle-free as the course is made up in such away. For coming up with bright colours and a future, this is the right place to complete your course from.