Outline for the Third Term Paper

Special Effects in Animation and Live Action Films

Introduction:

A.   Films Discussed: 1) Avatar 2) Inception

B.    Thesis: In this paper I will be discussing and comparing the visual effects, as well as the process in achieving success in delivering visually appealing and stunning scenes such as out of this world battle scenes and intricate dreamlike visuals in both animated and live action films,

C.   Body Paragraphs:

1. Avatar: Scene where the Na’vi and avatars Battle to defend Pandora from the overtake of the greedy humans

-CG animation/software such as Maya used create the realistic gunships, missiles, smoke, fire, water and other effects in this fighting scene for survival

-Blue screen shots of live-action actors in cockpits to create realistic avatar with overlay of animated textures

-Incredibly detailed explosions that had the ‘wow’ factor used CG and a fluid dynamics engine to create that realism

-Photorealistic virtual characters and environments achieved using 20 million polygons with 1.2 million leaves (WOW!)

-Stereoscopic 3D

-It definitely puts the “special” in Special EFX (visually stunning)

-Realistic/relatable characters with sensitive emotions

2. Inception: Scene where the cityscape is literally upside down/ 3 dimensional (sphere)

-Double Negative Team spent weeks taking thousands of stills/ millimeter-accurate scans

-Replicates- photorealistic models of Persian apartments

-3d Modeling in Maya and other 3d software (CG)

-Digital people/cars added

-Ptex mapping used to avoid burden of UVs- mapping

-Interesting and unordinary geometry/ realism within imaginary world

-Crazy dreamlike environment (I’ve had lucid dreams like these)

-Unique looking/ Sci-fi environment that takes you to a different imaginary world

Conclusion

- In conclusion, while comparing the different visual effects used in both animated and live-action films such as Avatar and Inception, I’ve come to realized that CG plays a big role in bringing life to an imaginary world. Both films used modern technology and software such as Maya to produce 3D computer graphics imagery that would later be rendered out to stunningly beautiful visual effects on camera. I also learned that in Avatar they brought the best of both worlds, and had animations on top of real actors in cockpits. I’ve seen many great films that use traditional and optical illusions to create great visual EFX, but in this case, modern day CGI takes the win with these stunning and amazingly successful battle sequences and intricate dream-like worlds.