Tuesday, 15 April 2014

CGI & The Concern Of Over-Saturation

By Rebecca Mills


What is it that can be said about CGI in terms of what it can add to a production? It's a tool that I am sure filmmakers wished that they had several decades ago, since it is able to add new elements to films that they wouldn't have been able to possess before. From more dynamic landscapes to visually interesting characters, CGI is prominent and it shows no signs of going away anytime soon. With that said, though, is it possible that CGI is becoming over-saturated?

It certainly appears as though CGI is becoming used to a fault. However, we have come to expect CGI, not only in terms of movies but television shows as well. There are many great visuals that have come to the surface as a result of CGI, amongst them being Iron Man as he descends from the sky in order to save civilians. However, I feel as though this is an example of CGI done in the right away, since we do not question its realism but rather allow ourselves to become immersed in the movie's universe.

I liken CGI to almost like whipped cream atop an ice cream sundae, which makes sense. Whipped cream, while a special addition to the dessert itself, should not exactly be the focus of the dessert in question. When there is too much proverbial whipped cream as far as movies are concerned, that's when problems may arise. CGI has had many instances where it comes across as looking phony when it was not going for that effect. It wanted to immerse you but, for some reason or another, failed to do so.

CGI can be utilized quite poorly, which is shocking when considering just how long CGI in general has been around. The first "Twilight" movie comes to mind, as I was not exactly a fan of all of its visuals. While the paler hues were aesthetically interesting, the CGI werewolves within the movie definitely came across as fake-looking. Yes, werewolves are not real but movies should be able to incorporate special effects so that you can suspend your disbelief and convince yourself that what you are seeing is real.

Keep in mind that "Twilight" was not meant to be a movie that was aware of itself; otherwise poor CGI would have been excusable. However, this is an example of a studio not utilizing CGI in the way that others are able to. With so many different effects that can be incorporated, it's clear that there are some will come across more than others, depending on not only experience but the competency of the studios behind certain films. Perhaps one day the movie industry will reach a point where CGI will appear authentic across the board.




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