CGI, what is it? Understand the term attached to Hollywood productions!

Summary
CGI, short for computer graphic images, is a technological resource used to create computer images in film productions, revolutionizing the way movies and series are made.

Special and visual effects are common in movies, TV shows and even musicals, and one of the most popular sources used in these productions is CGI, especially with technological advances since the mid-20th century.

Also, new developments in cinematographic productions in the genres of science fiction, adventure and, importantly, superhero films have accelerated the development of new visual techniques in films.

The transition between the 20th and 21st centuries saw the emergence of more films that utilized special effects in their stories, as more digital tools became available.

Many films known for their use of resources such as CGI have become box office hits, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe or The. Disney.

CGI: What is it?

Abbreviation for Computer Graphic Imagery, CGI means the creation of images by computer, using computer graphics resources. Over time, CGI has evolved to produce three-dimensional images, with depth of field, in scenes where CGI-generated products appear to be part of the real scene.

Before technological advancements through the creation of the computer, visual effects in film productions were limited to lighting and camera plays or physical elements such as make-up, puppets and miniatures.

With the popularity of computers, the film industry began to use digital tools to create computer-generated images, scenes with actors or productions and scenes that were digitally created.

How does CGI work?

Current CGI technologies, in conjunction with image editors, use complex programs that include algorithms responsible for creating shapes that can create different shapes. To achieve this, it is essential to have strong CGI animation projects.

Simply put, CGI is divided into 8 components:

• Modeling, which involves creating objects in 3D form such as sculptures that appear in products;
• When materials are enriched with other elements such as texturing, textures;
• Lighting, which involves adjusting scenes so as to increase the perception of reality;
• A camera is an essential object for capturing images of a scene that are then processed in computer programs;
• Animation, when the created images are processed and the objects in the images can get motion;
• simulations, in which graphic elements acquire greater realism;
• Rendering, when previously edited images are converted into a display file format;
• Rendering, for example, involves refining rendered content such as appearance adjustments, shadows, reflections, and colors.

What is the origin of CGI?

CGI was coined in the 1960s by William Fetter, an art director at Boeing, to name the part of the company that created computer graphics.

The first equipment with this type of functionality was developed by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the world's leading technological institutes), for military and educational purposes.

In the mid-1950s, computers began to be used to create effects in audiovisual productions. Director Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo is one of the productions to feature 3D animation.

As early as 1973, the manufacturing West used a technique called “image processing” so that the public could see a pixelated image, which would, in the story, be the view of a sentient android.

Over the decades, CGI became more popular and became a part of various products such as online games, games, movies, series or television commercials.

As with many successful animations, you can find CGI in small scenes or works made entirely of CGI.

Why is using CGI so expensive?

Computer graphics costs are high in Hollywood productions. First, because of the framework related to the first stages of technology, such as 3D printing and image capture.

Also, using specific resources to add CGI, such as facial motion capture or a green background known as chroma key, also makes production more expensive.

Another high cost includes specialized labor, which is necessary to provide motion to CGI creations and to refine images. It's common to have companies specializing in computer graphics that have entire teams responsible for the production's CGI.

The working hours of the people involved in the process is a factor that makes movies and series using technology more expensive.

Which films have CGI references?

The films in the Star Wars saga have been a landmark in the use of special effects since the 1977 film. Subsequently, more scenes were created using CGI, with the sophistication of the techniques used followed by fans.

Matrix is ​​another popular name when it comes to special effects in cinema. The 1999 work features several scenes created with CGI, including the iconic moment when Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, dodges gunfire.

The first Jurassic Park, in 1993, was one of the pioneers of a new generation of cinematography that used CGI, quality above the average production at the time, and more realistic effects.

The movie Avatar uses special effects and CGI to create fully computer generated characters, objects and scenery in the universe. It is estimated that 70% of the production is CGI.

Finally, the 1995 film Toy Story is one of the best references in the use of CGI in the world of animation, allowing the technology to improve in many subsequent works such as Shrek, Wall-E, Moana, Spider-Man. Aranhaverse and fun.

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