Computer%20Graphics%20in%20Film

1
Computer Graphics in Film

• Rafael Sabino
• 9/14/2004
• Topics in Computer Science

2
My Purpose

• Give a general idea of how computer graphics
  special effects are done in movies
• The Perfect Storm
• Portrays the struggles of a six man crew on the
  Andrea Gail caught in a meteorological phenomena
  called the perfect storm.

3
Introduction

• Why is the movie important in graphics?
• Until then, no studio tackled so much digital
  water in so many forms
• Water is one of the most difficult objects to
  create and make look realistic
• Company that created the digital effects was
  Industrial Light and Magic (ILM)

4
How much did it take?

• A crew that grew to be about 120 people
• It took about 14 months to create a total of 340
  shots
• 250 shots or about 30 minutes of the film include
  digital water
• 100-foot by 92-foot tank and a full sized model
  of the Andrea Gail
• Among others

5
The Film Process How is it Done?

• After a production studio decides to make a film,
  they choose a director, which in turn chooses a
  special effects company
• Once this is decided, the film process starts

6
Script

• First step is to create a story and/or the script
• From the script, the special effects team creates
  storyboards

7
Storyboards

• A collection of still drawings, words and
  technical instructions that describe each shot.
• A typical film has an average of 2000 shots!

8
The Film Team Divides and Conquers

• Different groups are created, among these are
• Sets Designers (design and construct sets)
• Research and Development

9
The Film Team Divides and Conquers (continued)

• Stunt Team
• Physical Effects Team (prepares anything not CG)
• Wardrobe
• Camera, lighting, and sound equipment

10
Production

• Once all teams are divided, the film crew enters
  the production stage
• Production the process of filming live-action
  shots
• It involves actors and stunts people working on
  site or on set to get all of the footage

11
Post-Production

• Once production finishes, post-production starts
• What happens here?
• Parts of the film where effects need to be added
  are digitized
• Creation of shots where CG and live action are
  combined
• Creation of shots which contain miniature models
  and CG

12
Post-Production (continued)

• All CG Shots are rendered
• Stunt shots get touched up to remove wires, etc.
• Shots get cleaned and color corrected
• The entire film gets amalgamated from all of the
  shots
• Film gets mastered, duplicated, sent to a theater
  near you!

13
ILMs role in the Film Process

• Upon reaching an agreement with the director, ILM
  chooses its visual effects supervisor for the
  project
• A crew of 120 was assembled for the 340 shots of
  the film

14
ILMs Role Storyboards and Animatics

• The film is carefully planned out, shot by shot,
  to match the overall vision director has for film
• Storyboards are used
• Animatics insures director planned shot will work

15
ILMs Role CG Shots

• Total of 340 shots were created
• 90 of the shots where completely CG
• 220 have CG water or another CG element

16
ILMs Role CG Shots (cont.)
17
ILMs Role CG Shots
18
ILMs Role CG Shots
19
ILMs Role Water Effects

• ILMs job was to simulate all water effects
  closely enough so that artificial water could be
  conglomerated with real water realistically
• A good understanding of how air, water, and solid
  objects interact with each other was essential
  for the realism of the movie

20
ILMs Role Water Effects

• In addition to studying the physics of water, the
  team observed and annotated how light affects its
  appearance
• Once all background research was done, an ocean
  water simulator was created to emulate the ocean
  water found in the movie

21
ILMs Role Water Effects

• Basic fluid dynamic simulation provided the
  foundation for the body of the ocean
• Most 3D modeling work was done using off the
  shelf software called Maya
• About 30 plug-ins written in C where created
  for this movie

22
ILMs Role Water Effects

• Multiple particle systems were created to ape the
  complex physics of the ocean
• A collision model was created to dictate what
  particles should do when colliding with
  themselves or other objects
• Shaders were used to create the look of the CG
  environment
• In some shots, billions of particles had to be
  created

23
Putting It All Together

• A shaded version of the Andrea Gail

24
Putting It All Together

• The colored and textured version of the Andrea
  Gail

25
Putting It All Together

• The simulated ocean

26
Putting It All together

• Run off from wave crashing over the boat

27
Putting It All Together

• A wave of particles created by the boats
  movement in the water

28
Putting it All Together

• Splash created by boat crashing into wave

29
Putting It All Together

• The lighting model

30
Putting it All Together

• Frame of final shot with all layers put together

31
Moral Issues

• How far will technology go?
• Some fear that technology will replace humans as
  it gets more sophisticated

32
Acknowledgments

• www.cgw.com
• www.science.howstuffworks.com