Computers and the Film Industry

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Computers and the Film Industry Computer technology invades the film industry. The existence of computers have aided in the production of genres of film ranging from action movie special effects, to cartoon animation and claymation. Computer Generated Imagery, better known as CGI, assists filmmakers in many ways. An image can be made two-dimensional from a three-dimensional scene, camera angles can be altered to make a character seem larger and thus more important than its surrounding bodies, and colors can be brightened or neutralized, among other things (Parsons, Oja 1). Without the aid of computers, movies would not have the ability to be what they are today. The demand for the manual animation technique known as “in-betweening,” where an artist draws hundreds of images to produce the idea of motion, takes countless hours and requires the dedication of an artist’s full time. With the aid of computers, images are generated at face paces and movement can be altered with the click of a mouse. Thus, those hired to do such jobs have the opportunity to better the product with far less time and frustration. Like “in-betweening,” morphing, another film technique, requires long hours and hard work. Unlike “in-betweening,” which can be done without the aid of a computer, morphing is a special effect that is unable to be produced without one. It consists of filming a beginning and ending shots and the middle is left for the computer to generate. Despite the aid of the computer, this process is still quite complex. Short scenes can take a year to morph, but the end product may make all the difference for the enjoyment of the film. Computers are not only used for animation techniques and special effects, they are used... ... middle of paper ... ...n able to reach otherwise. With unlimited possibilities and the creative minds in the world, the film industry is likely to consider seeing drastic changes. Like the world has in the past, peoples’ likes and dislikes will change with the ever-changing technological world. What we enjoy as a society in 2005 is likely to be considered as bland as we consider the black and white silent films, in the years to come. Works Cited Dirks, Tim. “Landmarks in Classic Hollywood/American Films.” The Greatest Films. 1996-2005. www.filmsite.org MacNeil-Lehrer Productions. 2005. www.pbs.org/newshour Parsons, June Jamrich and Dan Oja. “Computers In Context, Film.” Computer Concepts. 8th Edition. Course Technology 2006. p.392

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