-Main Body (Draft)

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The VFX Producer, Thomas Horton, highlight that lighting is probably the most critical and complex process when creating a photorealistic CGI environment, for example; an ocean. Because, in the real world, the way the light from the sun bounces or reflect off on various surfaces in the ocean has an impact on the overall ambience. Therefore, could be very challenging and time-consuming replicate that with CGI nowadays, but not impossible.

Horton also mentioned that, while computers can help to create the impossible seem possible, it is best to stick with practical approach when it comes to shooting like explosions, fires and even architecture because all could come down to a phenomenon that we cannot even touch: Light.

 

Another example of unsuccessful CGI aquatic creature is the Crocodile film directed by Tobe Hooper in 2000. In this film, the VFX department brought to life the creature through four primary methods: Creature vision which is when the camera assumes the point-of-view of the creature, Fiberglass prop that is a replica of real crocodile floating in the water but otherwise seems immobile, Set of jaws which is seemingly without eyes and capable of chomping actors and of course an CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). But, these methods did not have much success in order to deliver a believable crocodile because, the CGI did not even appear to occupy the same reality as the human characters and also some basic VFX work was not applied on the CGI crocodile correctly such as; lighting, animation, colour and texture.

 

Therefore, if one of the other key factors which is Animation is not followed correctly, the end result of a CGI creature in any film will be unsuccessful. Because, CGI creature will have no live, no expression and unable to provide their best work to the audiences.

The American animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas who worked in The Wald Disney Company for about forty years, did write the twelve principles of animation in a book called The Illusion of Life. This book brought the understanding of how the VFX artists and animators make us to believe that CGI creatures or things they have rendered are actually alive creating an illusion between the audience and the animated CGI creature. Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas explained the 12 principles as;

 

1. Squash and Stretch giving the illusion of weight and volume to a character as they move.

 

1. is used to let the audience know that a major action is about to take place.

 

1. helps stablish mood, create focus and clarify what is happening in the scene.

 

1. Straight ahead and pose to pose refers to the technique of drawing each pose, one right after another and also refers to the animation technique in which key frames are planned ahead of each other.

 

1. Follow through and overlapping action means action and stop (character runs, their main body stops, but the other parts keep moving for a bit after).

 

1. Slow-in and slow-out is designed to add realism to the movement of character.

 

1. refers that almost all actions in life have a slightly circular motion.

 

1. Secondary action is an additional action that reinforces and adds more dimensions to the main action.

 

1. Timing helps create the illusion that an action is abiding by the laws of physics.

 

1. is all about overstating certain movements in a way that helps evoke a point, yet does not ruin the believability of the scene.

 

1. Solid drawings encourage animators to be mindful of the fact that while forms may be presented in 2D, they shall strive to look 3D.

 

1.   posits that animators shall strive to create images that will be interesting and compelling to audiences.

 

Ollie and Frank also mentioned that there is a clear difference between human character animation and motion design but, the twelve principles are still applicable across these processes as it makes the character or CGI creatures believable. If no animation is applied to a CGI character, the end result will have no meaning and most importantly, no connection with the audiences.

 

-Conclusion

 

All the information obtained for this investigative study about successful and unsuccessful CGI aquatic creature in terms of Visual Effects Techniques (VFX), methods, lighting, animation texture, technology and colour correction will potentially help to create a CGI dolphin and water simulation for the University final project. According to VFX artists, modelling or animating a CGI character or creature is not enough for a great end result, but having contact with the aquatic creatures, which in this case are dolphins or having some references of them as documentaries or images, will always help to observe how the dolphin behaves in contact with water. VFX artist strongly suggest to use this method because, it will make us to understand the impact of the light on the dolphin skin when is wet or dry, notice how the texture might change when the dolphin is underwater or jumping out from the water and also how to animate a CGI creature applying the twelve principles of animation written by the two animators from The Wald Disney Company.

 

Regarding CGI and VFX technology, we understand that VFX technology has been changing for better since Titanic film came out successfully with its CGI water and colour correction in 1997. Nowadays, the latest film with great CGI technology is The Meg, having CGI water and CGI shark.

Vince Baertsoen who is the group CG Director at The Mill said that is not always easy to implement new technology to work faster and more efficiently. It just takes time, and we need new skills sets and developers to do this integration. VFX is about looking for solutions.

 

For example, in The Meg film directed by Jon Turteltaub in 2018. The VFX animators created a CGI Megalodon shark in record time, with lifelike accuracy from the way the shark moves in the water to its muscles and skin using Ziva VFX software and of course using some of the twelve principles of animation such as Arc, Anticipation, Timing and Slow-in and Slow-out.

Stephan Trojansky who is the president and VFX supervisor in Scanline, mentioned that having the correct computer system will help to tackle time while rendering CGI creatures. For example; Stephan said that years ago they would probably have needed a huge render farm and a large crew for a very small amount of footage for any kind of CGI, but nowadays they can use around 2,500 Intel Xenon processors with almost 100,00 cores which were used to compute all of the needs of the film The Meg. This means, a part from having great a GCI aquatic creature animated, textured or colour corrected, it is important to count with a faster computer system in order to speed the rendering and achieve the best high resolution. The head of AI Marketing in Intel said that, at Intel, they strive every day to make the amazing possible, and it’s exciting to see the end result.

 

In other words, understanding why is important to use the VFX technology we are having now such as Mo-cap System or Sophisticated CGI software’s, as well as the importance of adding lighting, colour correction and animation for a CGI creature will help to achieve a great end result. Because, with the lack and limited reference images, VFX technology and information about CGI in the 90’s, film directors tried their best to create a CGI creature and water simulation, but some of them unsuccessful.