Short paper giving a little insight about visual effects in movies

1. 1
VFX – PROS AND CONS IN MOVIES
Visual Effects (VFX)
According to VES handbook (LightRay FX): Visual effects (Visual FX or VFX) can be
defined as the term that describes any imagery created, altered, or enhanced for a film or
other moving media that cannot be accomplished during the live-action shooting. In other
words, much of the art of visual effects takes place in post production after primary image
capture is complete. Another definition of Visual Effects (VFX) can be that it is the process of
using computers to either create or manipulate images to create effects shots, it involves
processes like rotoscoping, painting, camera tracking, 3D animation and composing, etc.
FIG 1: Example of Movie VFX (Avatar)
Adding Visual Effects
Visual effects can be added to live-action captured through several techniques such
as matte, painting: rear and front-screen projection, miniature or forced perspective sets,
computer graphic objects, characters, and environments and also compositing of images
recorded in any number of ways.
Basically, movie makers use visual effects in place of anything that is difficult or
impossible to film. For example, Aliens attacking the earth is impossible therefore people
use visual effects to achieve it by having the aliens creatures destroy a city or the world with

2. 2
the use of Visual effects. Nevertheless, VFX can be used in more subtle areas like in a
situation where there is a scene in a movie story that needs to be in another country, an
imaginary location or a city from the future or past. It is just inefficiency or costs money to
go to another country or build a set so film makers use visual effects to make it happen. An
example of such subtle approach of using VFX is the RISE Visual Effects Studios Berlin, a
company famously known solely for its ability in visual effects, and the needs of big studio
productions to develop in-house tools and software for specialist tasks. In the movie Cloud
Atlas, RISE used visual effects to create the city of San Francisco, USA from 1973 in Glasgow,
Scotland. Refer to the images below:
FIGS 2 & 3: Glasgow as San Francisco

3. 3
Visual effects is quite a broad topic is several examples that can be discussed but this
paper is only about giving a rough concept of what visual effects are about and why film
makers use them.
Pros and Cons of VFX in movies
No doubt that since film’s early experiments with visual effects, the industry has
today developed into a very sophisticated, digitally driven and technically ultra-advanced
visual medium. Computers have since taken special effects to an entirely new level and as
they continue to update and improve their spec so too will the film industry develop around
these advances. Digital technology and computers have enabled films to be produced which
otherwise would not have not have been, however, despite the profound visual success of
special effects in certain cases some people argue that films are now placing an over
reliance on special effects with the argument that visual effects in some movies are
counterproductive as they come across as ineffective and sometimes unnecessary.
Critics are even questioning the performance of the actors if all they are doing in a
film is running in front of a green screen shouting at an imagined ‘alien’ clutching an
imagine prop. Others raise concerns regarding the quality of the movies and the process of
putting a movie together where much of it is CGI (computer-generated imagery)
constituted.
Some also
question the
performance
of the actors if
all they are
doing in a film
is running in
front of a
green screen
shouting at an
imagined ‘alien’ clutching an imagined prop or just wielding swords to an empty space in the

4. 4
name of battle. Others raise concerns regarding the films quality and the processes of
putting a film together where much of it is CGI constituted.
FIG 5: A gladiator’s death in the TV show: Spartacus- Visual effects
The question now remains that would movies being produced now be better received by
audiences without visual effects? Or is it that’s some studios and directors simply cannot
adjust effectively to modern day film making? According to Piers Bizony (A visual effects
artist):
“One of the greatest misconceptions about modern movies is that visual effects are
generated by computers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Human inventiveness is
the most important ingredient and it always will be. Computers offer amazing new
possibilities but underlying challenges of movie illusions are the same today as they were
nearly a century ago when the industry was young.”

5. 5
Pros
• Digital/visual effects have significantly impacted on mainstream movies.
• The evolutionary process by which the visual effects product is accomplished can be
an awe of inspiring process itself.
• Contemporary modern visual effects engender a film culture based on a production
process that in actual fact is less physical.
• The quality of visual effects necessarily impacts on the believability of the film for the
viewer and most movies strive to hide any signs of the film making methods used
with the aim of providing the spectator with real experience.
• Digital technology allows spectators to enjoy visual fluidity and epic structure of
historic events such as the gladiators engaging in their fierce battle, coliseums etc.
Cons
• Visual effects causes film erosion as some argue that it is occurring when movies
require the use of stunts to increase the action to higher levels of intensity.
• Digital visual effects also seem to engender a type of laziness amongst some film
makers.
• In many people’s view, VFX are simply becoming overused.
• CGI tricks the eye just as matte paintings and miniatures did. Movie makers take it
for granted.
• The best effects are those that are entirely story-driven and character-driven not
something that is not physical because it makes movies feel like cartoons.
• Visual effects are audience manipulation.

6. 6
Conclusion
It is definitely incontrovertible CGI visual effects have augmented many film
experiences and that today’s modern technological advances have created a film industry
capable of exceeding audiences’ expectations. However, despite the immense success of
these visual effects there is a growing feeling among many people and film makers alike that
digital effects are eroding the quality of some films.
Having considered some of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of Visual
Effects (VFX) within the film industry, there are clearly two opposing perspectives. Some
advocate the continuing and indeed increasing use of VFX as a key method for the
production of major film projects and to realize the creativity of the human mind whilst
others prefer a more moderate approach to the use of digital effects.

7. 7
Bibliography
LightRay Fx, (2013). Visual Effects for Film: Everything filmmakers should know about FX.
Available at: http://vfxforfilm.wordpress.com/
UK Essays: Visual Effects. Available at: http://www.ukessays.com/essay-examples/film-
studies-essay-examples/visual-effects-improving-damaging.php