The document discusses the history and use of computer generated imagery (CGI) in movies, from early uses in films like Star Wars to more modern applications. It covers how CGI has helped make certain sci-fi elements cheaper to create and boosted the popularity of big-budget sci-fi films. The document also examines techniques for creating realistic CGI characters and animation versus more cartoon-style animation.

1. COMPUTER GENERATED
IMAGES IN MOVIES
Stephen Halley - 11060131
Aoife O'Dwyer - 11131888
Mark Eisenberg - 11118482

2. INTRODUCTION
"It is not just that such images [CGIs] raise the
stakes of what can be represented, but that
they are ... more real than the real ... "
Why did we chose this topic?
• Common interest.
• Relevant to our course.
• Explore various aspects.

3. Our Sections
• CGI in Science Fiction
• Realistic Effects
• Non-Realistic Animation

4. CGI IN SCI-FI:
FROM STAR WARS TO
THE AVENGERS

5. THE EARLY DAYS
• CGI & Science fiction go hand in hand.
• 3D CGI first used in 'Futureworld' (1976)
 ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ (1977)
used 3D wire frame graphics.
• 1982 – ‘Tron’ - first
movie to have extensive use
of solid 3D CGI.
Very little processing
required.

6. RISE IN POPULARITY
• Sci-Fi movies become more prominent and successful through
the use of CGI.
• CGI has helped make certain elements cheaper to create.
• Younger audiences in a video game culture.
• End of 20th century - New advances in CGI
- 'The Matrix' (1999) - Bullet Time.
• Increase in big budget, CGI
inspired, sci-fi movies.

7. • 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy (2001-2003) blended live
action and CGI seamlessly.
• AI used for digital actors
- Eg. Gollum
'Avatar' (2009) - first full length movie to use
performance capture to create photorealistic
characters and environments.
• 'Avengers Assemble' (2012) - Used CGI throughout to make
unrealistic characters and creatures look exactly like reality.

8. Realistic CGI &
Animation

9. Realistic CGI & Animation
• Character - Body Movements
• Personality - Facial Expressiveness
• Polygon Meshes - Fast rendering, common,
lots needed.
• Human Face - Bossels and Depressions,
shading problems, motion and close-up
detail.
• Empathy, Agency (impacting an event)
• No sudden movement

10. Methods
Realistic CGI
• Photographs
• Cross sections - topographic map, contours
• Magnetic-field 3D digitizing - faster
• Plaster, sculpting, projected grid
Making it easier
• Reusing old assets
• Symmetry
• Computer sculpting - Adding, removing,
assembling - "Spaceball"
• Spheres, Cylinders, Points, Moulding

11. vs.

12. Realistic Animation
• Actions follow screenplay and storyboard
• Motion capture - expressiveness
• Suite of emotions/motions
• Not producing a generalization, but working
off a blank slate.
• Reusing animation assets
• Colour, texture eg. blushing
• Intermediate emotions can
be generated by computers.

13. Cartoon Animation

14. Cell Animation
• Traditional method of animation
• Each image is drawn by hand
• Main method until computer animation
Method:
• Artists drew on
transparent pages ("cells")
• Coloured in by hand
• Sections could be moved
without redrawing entirety

15. CAPS
• "Computer Animation Production System"
• Developed by The Walt Disney Company and Pixar in
the late 1980's
• The first computer paint system
• Image outlines were scanned onto computers, then
painted
• Enclosed blocks of images could be painted with a
mouse click
• Improved colour blending, shading, camera movements
• The Rescuers Down Under (1990) was the first film
entirely made using CAPS
• Images were 2D looking and CAPS stopped being
popular in 2004

16. 3D CGI Animation
• Even outline drawings are drawn on the
computer, not by hand
• Small components can be
modified, not just layers
• Improves perspective and
makes the image look 3D
• Cel shading: "toon shading" used to make
computer images appear hand drawn. Gives
a more "traditional" feel

18. Conclusions
• From doing this presentation we have learned that tricks
of the trade are used across specialities.
• Computer Generated Images in movies are improving
at a fast rate. The detail in graphics available now were
not even dreamt of years ago.
• The things we have learned can help us in the future
with projects and in the workplace.