Visual effects
Visual effects (
vfx) is the term given to a sub-category of
special effects in which images or
film frames are created or manipulated for film and video. Visual effects usually involve the integration of
live-action footage with
computer generated imagery or other elements (such as pyrotechnics or model work) in order to create environments or scenarios which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible to capture on film. They have become increasingly common in big-budget films, and have also recently become accessible to the amateur filmmaker with the introduction of affordable
animation and
compositing software.
Visual effects are frequently integral to a movie's story and appeal. Although most visual-effects work is completed during
post-production, it usually must be carefully planned and choreographed in
pre-production and
production.
Visual effects may be divided into at least four categories:
*Models:
miniature sets and models,
animatronics*
Matte paintings and stills: digital or traditional paintings or photographs which serve as background plates for
keyed or
rotoscoped elements
*Live-action effects:
keying actors or models through
bluescreening and greenscreening
*Digital animation:
modelling, lighting,
texturing, rigging, animating, and
rendering computer generated
3D characters, particle effects, digital sets, backgrounds, etc..
*
BUF Compagnie*
CBS Digital*
Clear*
Cinesite*
Computer Film Company*
Core Digital*
Digital Domain*
Double Negative*
Flash Film Works*
Framestore CFC*
Grey Matter FX*
The Mill*
Grid VFX, Belgium
*
Hydraulx*
Industrial Light and Magic*
Intelligent Creatures*
Mac Guff*
Method Studios*
Moving Picture Company*
Rainmaker Animation & Visual Effects*
Rhythm and Hues Studios*
Soho VFX*
Sony ImageWorks*
Tippett Studio*
Weta Digital*
Zoic Studios*
Animation*
computer generated imagery*
3D computer graphics*
Physical Effects — another category of
special effects*
bluescreen*
front projection effect*
rear projection effect*
VFXY - Your gateway to Visual Effects*
Official site of Hydraulx *
Tippett Studio*
VFX HQ : Visual Effects Headquarters — 1994-1998
*
FX Guide — news, tutorials and resources
* T. Porter and T. Duff, "Compositing Digital Images", Proceedings of SIGGRAPH '84, 18 (1984).
* The Art and Science of Digital Compositing (ISBN 0121339602)
