Categories of Visual Effects
In this episode of VFX for Indies, Paul DeNigris, CEO of Foxtrot X-Ray, breaks down the various categories of visual effects (VFX) work, debunking common misconceptions along the way. From CGI and compositing to motion capture and digital makeup, Paul explains how VFX is much more than just computer-generated imagery. You'll get an in-depth look at the key techniques behind visual effects such as matte painting, simulation effects, match moving, and practical effects integration.
Transcript
Hi, I'm Paul DeNigris, CEO and founder of VFX Shop, Foxtrot X-Ray,
the host of the VFX for Indies podcast. On today's VFX for Indies short, we're talking about categories of visual effects work. There are lots of misconceptions out there about VFX. One of the biggest is that VFX equals CGI and vice versa. This is totally incorrect. CGI is a category of visual effects and there's lots of VFX work that isn't CGI at all.
So let's start there.
The first category of VFX you need to know about is CGI, also known as computer generated imagery. CGI involves creating 3D models, environments, and characters entirely within a computer. This category is incredibly versatile, allowing for the creation of anything from realistic dinosaurs in Jurassic Park to the fantastical worlds of Avatar. Key applications of CGI include character animation, bringing digital characters to life with realistic movements and expressions.
Environmental effects, creating expansive landscapes, cityscapes, and otherworldly environments. Vehicles and machinery, designing and animating complex mechanical objects like spaceships and robots.
The next category of VFX you need to know about is compositing. Compositing is the process of combining multiple visual elements into a single image or sequence. This technique is essential for seamlessly integrating CGI, live action, matte paintings, and other elements.
Really, compositing is the backbone of the VFX process. And even fully CG shots will usually go through a compositing pass. Key techniques in compositing include things like green screen, blue screen. You've all seen this. We film an actor on a green screen, and then we replace that green background with something a lot more interesting. Layering, combining different layers of footage and effects to create a cohesive scene.
rotoscoping, manually outlining objects or characters to separate them from the background. A really common use of compositing for our clients, our independent film clients, is what we call screen comps or screen composites. So many movies these days use phones, laptops, televisions as a way to deliver exposition. And so our job is to take that material and integrate it onto the device in a way that looks realistic. It looks like it's
on the device that the actor is actually holding. And it's believable and sometimes interactive.
The next category of VFX is motion capture, which is sometimes called mocap. It involves recording the movements of actors and using that data to animate digital characters. This is by default a CGI technique. It's renowned for its ability to capture subtle realistic movements, making it ideal for bringing digital characters like Gollum or the Hulk to life.
Key applications include character animation, enhancing the realism of digital characters by using real human movements, facial capture, recording facial expressions to animate digital faces with high accuracy.
The next category of VFX is matte painting. And this one goes back to well before the digital era. Matte painting involves creating realistic backgrounds and landscapes that are either partially or entirely digital painted. This technique is used to extend sets.
create environments or depict locations that would be impossible to film. Key uses include set extensions. So enhancing a practical set where it's too expensive to build the entire thing, you paint out the rest of it either digitally or through conventional means. Historical recreations or reconstructions depicting historical scenes and locations, or again, painting fantasy and sci-fi worlds to really expand the scope of the film.
The next category is simulation effects. And these involve using algorithms to create realistic physical phenomena like fire, smoke, water, and explosions. These effects are essential for adding dynamic and believable elements to scenes. Key types of simulation effects include fluid simulation. So this would be realistic water, lava, other fluid environments or movements. Particle effects, simulating small dynamic elements like dust, sparks, debris, and then
what's called rigid body dynamics. So simulating the physics of solid objects in motion. So collapsing buildings, walls coming apart, things like that.
The next category of VFX is match moving and camera tracking. This is the process of tracking the movement of a live action camera so that CGI elements can accurately be integrated into the footage. This technique ensures that digital elements stay in sync with the live action scene. Some applications would be object tracking.
tracking the movement of objects within a scene. you know, you have a set safe prop and you want to replace it with a sharp sword, something like that. Camera tracking, reconstructing the movement of the camera to match CGI elements with live action footage.
The next category is virtual production, which is where we can combine live action footage with real time CGI elements using techniques like LED wall technology and real time rendering.
This approach allows filmmakers to see and interact with CG environments and characters during filming, enhancing creativity and efficiency. Key components of this are going to include the LED wall technology, like these large LED volumes. In fact, the most famous one is what ILM calls The Volume that they pioneered for their work on The Mandalorian. And usually the volume is going to be fed by a real -time rendering engine like Unreal Engine so that we can actually see the effects happen.
in real time.
The next category of VFX is practical effects integration. So primarily these days VFX is digital, but very often we're still dealing with miniatures, puppets, animatronics, and a combination of practical and digital techniques can really enhance realism and achieve unique results. Key integration methods include using scale models to create realistic environments or objects, combining robotics with
digital effects for life like creatures or enhancing live action stunts with digital enhancements.
The next category of and one that's very invisible is digital makeup, also known as digital beauty. It involves enhancing or altering the appearance of actors in post -production. We're all familiar with de -aging techniques. We've seen them in a lot of movies, but this can also involve just removing blemishes, smoothing skin, adding makeup effects that were not applied during shooting.
Key applications include skin smoothing, reducing wrinkles and imperfections, digital makeup, applying or enhancing makeup digitally for consistency and effect. And then, like I mentioned, aging and de -aging, adjusting an actor's appearance to make them look older or younger.
And then finally, we come to the most invisible and most ubiquitous category of VFX. It's being done in so many movies and TV shows, many, many more than you know. This is called Paint and Cleanup.
And it involves removing unwanted elements from footage and ensuring that the final image is as clean and as polished as you could possibly want. This can include things like removing wires, tracking markers, any onset equipment that was inadvertently captured. So key tasks will include wire removal, eliminating wires used in stunts or special effects, object removal, erasing, you know, the Starbucks coffee cup that accidentally snuck its way into Westeros... ~westeros,~ Cleanup, fixing any visual inconsistencies or errors in the footage.
And that's our roundup of the categories of visual effects work. If you liked this video, please like and subscribe and make sure you don't miss out on any of our VFX related programming. For Foxtrot X-Ray and VFX for Indies, I'm Paul DeNigris Thanks for watching.
