VFX

Usage and Common Aspects of Visual Effects in Cinema and Video Game

What is Visual Effects

Visual effects are made to show the nonexistent images as realvisual effects are made to show the nonexistent images as real.

VERISIMILITUDE

is the believability of a work of fiction

VERISIMILITUDE

verum: truth

similis: similar

VERISIMILITUDE

Steve Neale distinguishes between two types: cultural verisimilitude, meaning plausibility of the fictional work within the cultural and/or historical context of the real world, outside of the work; and generic verisimilitude, meaning plausibility of a fictional work within the bounds of its own genre

The Purpose

The purpose of this study is revealing the potentials of visual effects as an inclusive tool addressing collaborative work, production field and utilization of visual effects in video game and feature film industries by creating significant wholes from these data in line with the problem of the research.

The Purpose

What is the development process (period) of visual effect design in feature film and video game industries?
What are the differences and similarities of visual effect design in feature film and video game industries today?
What is the profile of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries in terms of gender, age, formation, equipment and knowledge?
What are the comments of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries on the tools they use and the process of learning to use these tools?

The Purpose

How do the visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries perceive their profession?
What are the views of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries regarding the tools they use?
What are the differences between the tools used by visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries?
What are the views of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries about each other's industries?

Visual Effects

Cinema
Video Game

Visual Effects in Cinema

Analog Period
Digital Period

Analog Period of Visual FX in Cinema

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Vanishing Lady - George Melies

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Playhouse - Buster Keaton

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Great Train Robbery - Edwin S. Porter

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Two Lost Worlds - Norman Dawn

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Max Fleischer

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Betty Boop - Max Fleischer

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Ten Commandments - Cecil B. DeMile

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Lost World - Harry O. Hoyt

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Metropolis - Fritz Lang

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Invisible Man - Frank Williams

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Dunning - Pomeroy Process

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Dunning - Pomeroy Process

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Three-strip Technicolor Process

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Three-strip Technicolor Process

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Optical Printer - Linwood G. Dunn

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Open Title / Vertigo - John Witney Jr.

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

Slitscan - Douglas Trumbull

Analog Period of VFX Cinema

The Rains Came - Photographic Effects Award

Digital Period of Visual FX in Cinema

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

ACM-SIGGRAPH

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Andromeda Strain - First Digital VFX

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Westworld - First 2D Computer Graphics

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Futureworld - First 3D Computer Graphics

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Startrek II: Wrath of Khan - First 3D Particle Animation

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Tron - First 3D CGI Compositing

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Willow - First 2D Morphing

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Abyss - First Water Animation

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Photoshop 1.0 - Thomas & John Knoll

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Young Sherlock Holmes - First 3D Character

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Terminator 2: Judgement Day - First 3D Reflective Character

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Death Becomes Her - First 3D Realist Skin

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Lawnmower Man - First Motion Capture

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Jurassic Park - First Camera Tracking

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Crow - First 3D Motion Tracking

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Jumanji - First Hair & Fur Visualization

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Casino - First Radiosity Lightning

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Waterworld - Larger Scale Water Visualization

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Contact - VFX as Cinematography

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Spawn - 3D Morphing

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Matrix - Bullet Time

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Hollow Man - Motion Controller Camera

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Lord of the Rings - Artificial Intelligence

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Artificial Intelligence

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Matrix Reloaded - Universal Capture

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Matrix Reloaded - Universal Capture

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Matrix Reloaded - Universal Capture

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

The Matrix Reloaded - Universal Capture

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow - Blue/Green Screen

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Avatar - Fusioncam

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Avatar - Performance Capture

Digital Period of VFX Cinema

Avatar - Simul-cam

Visual FX in Video Games

Tennis for Two

Visual FX in Video Games

Spacewar! - First Vectoral Video Game

Visual FX in Video Games

Pac-Man - First Raster Video Game and AI

Visual FX in Video Games

I, Robot - 3D Visualization on 2D Vectoral Drawing System

Visual FX in Video Games

Basketball - Sprite Animation System

Visual FX in Video Games

Sprite Animation System

Visual FX in Video Games

Space Harrier - Sprite Anim. as VFX

Visual FX in Video Games

Prince of Persia - Rotoscope using as VFX

Visual FX in Video Games

Catacomb 3-D - 3D Game without 3DVGE

Visual FX in Video Games

Night Trap - Video&Photo use as Game Environment

Visual FX in Video Games

Virtua Fighter - First 3D Video Game Engine

Visual FX in Video Games

Outcast - 3DVGE, Volume Fog, Volume Snow, Realtime Light

Visual FX in Video Games

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - 3DVGE, Depth of Field

Common Points of Visual Effects Designers

Photoshop

VFX Programmes

Cutscenes

Halo 3 - Cutscenes Movie

Cutscenes

Mortal Kombat - Cutscenes Movie

Low Poly / High Poly

Low Poly / High Poly Comparison

Previsualization

Avengers Previsualization

Previsualization

Previsualization Programmes

Shortfilm with 3DVGE

ADAM - Unity3d

Shortfilm with 3DVGE

ADAM - Unity3d

Common Points

Motion Capture - Performance Capture

Differences

Cinema Hall

Differences

Video Game

Cinema

Re-make Whole Scene

Video Game

Only the Necessary Objects are Re-make

Cinema

24 Fps
4K Resolution
Offline Render
No Limitation

Video Game

Variable Fps
Variable Resolution
Realtime Render
Limitation on Media

Research Model

Multiple Case Study

Visual Effects Designers

Natural Restricted Group

visual effect designers in feature film industry work with a different workflow than in animated films
there was no visual effect design training at the universities or private educational institutions in the early 2000s

Interview Form

Standardized open-ended interview
Questions requiring answers like “yes” or “no” are avoided and questions encouraging explanatory and detailed answers such as How, Why and What are asked

Interviewees

Linkedin has more than 562 million professional members
Twelve people who are considered to represent the people working in feature film and video game visual effect industries are reached

Collecting Data

Interviews in this research are text-based interviews and are made via e-mails
Interviews are informed about the research and their confidentiality is warranted if they choose to participate in the research
In order to prevent data loss, interview records are backed up using Gmail, G Drive, and Dropbox cloud storage services that provide service on a global scale

Analysis of Data

In order for signification to be correct, the data are divided in accordance with the categories of sub-problems.
The researcher has coded the classified data.
These codes are collected under the determined upper themes.
The codes collected under the themes are interpreted by comparing them with literature and other studies.

Analysis of Data

An analysis table is created to make the interviews ready to be coded.
The data are transferred to this table.
Interview forms are composed of participant/case, codes, themes, researcher's interpretation and page interpretation.
All data are read as a whole.

Analysis of Data

The data were read very carefully, line-by-line and coded.
The data are read one more time after coding, and then codes are reviewed, necessary changes are made, new codes are added, and the coding is completed.
Direct citations are determined to use when writing down the findings.

Analysis of Data

They are classified by placing the codes of the findings next to the codes.
The people are color coded with different colors to separate them.

Analysis of Data

As placing the codes to corresponding findings will be easier for the analysis, they are re-categorized in accordance with findings.
The analysis in the new table provided comfort and attention due to the colors of the codes specified according to the answers of interviewees under the headings of the findings.

Analysis of Data

Analysis of Data

Analysis of Data

Analyses are made separately for visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries.
A comparative thematic analysis is made between the groups to determine the common and differentiated points of the data obtained from the visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries respectively.

Findings

It is aimed to make an equal number of in-depth interviews with visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries.
Six people from the feature film industry and six people from video game are selected and interviews are made with twelve people in total.
While those working in feature film industry are all males, only one of the people working in video game is female.

Findings

Those who work in feature film industry are in the age group of 30-48, while those who work in video game are in the age group of 24-35.
Who work in feature film industry have an experience of 10 to 20 years and those who work in video game have an experience of 2.5 to 15 years.

Findings

The users from Turkey, United States of America, Chile, Canada, Denmark, Holland, Bulgaria, England and Holland have been tried to reach but the data of users from Spain, Bulgaria, England and Spain could not be reached.
The aim of research is to reach equal number of males and females when the people to reach are determined, unfortunately only one female has been reached from video game, while the total number was 35.

Findings

3.4.2. Findings related to the time spent by the visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries to learn how to use the tools they utilize

The interviewees in both industries have stated that they have learned how to use their tools by themselves.
Interviewee Number 2 from feature film industry has mentioned that his/her workmates have contributed to his/her learning process.
Interviewee Number 6 has mentioned the difficulty of learning process.

3.4.2. Findings related to the time spent by the visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries to learn how to use the tools they utilize

Interviewee Number 5 has stated that anybody who can comprehend the logic of creating 3D can easily adapt to other tools.
All interviewees have emphasized the usefulness and diversity of online resources in their learning processes.

3.4.3. Findings related to the tools used by the visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries

Visual effects designer in Cinema prefer the tools which can produce images looking almost like the finished design when designing visual effects.
The visual effect designing tools which are regarded as the industrial standard are preferred in both industries.
Training materials of industry standard tools in the forms of paid/free books, videos and articles are more than those of other tools in number.

3.4.4. Findings related to the perception of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries about their profession

Visual effect designers state that they should express the needs of their customers in their works and the timing of the work should be reasonable.
The knowledge about feature films creates difference in their designs.
The Interviewee Number 3 from feature film industry stated that it is necessary to be familiar with feature films to combine the computer graphics convincingly in live shots.
Visual effects designers in Cinema use “Procedural Structure” in their designs.
Visual effects designers in Video Game stated that 3DVGE’s has “Procedural Structure”.

3.4.5. Findings related to the views of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries about their respective industries

Meta-Design

Hugh Dubberley has stated his views on Meta-Design in ICOGRADA design training manifesto 2011 regarding today's designers are as follows:

“More common will be situations created by participants, during use, enabling multiple views. Today’s users will become designers; designers will become meta-designers, creating conditions in which others can design.” (Dubberly, 2011, pp. 76-82)

3.4.5. Findings related to the views of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries about their respective industries

Interviewee Number 2 from video game field has stated that visual designers have full command of this experience to be presented because they work on an absolute composition that cannot be changed by the user. But this is the biggest problem for game designers. Each player can be a “Co-Author” in the video game of Minecraft (2009) which means they can create the content.

Conclusion

Technological developments have also contributed to feature film industry as they do to all fields.
The visual effect discoveries produced as a solution to the needs in the analogue period of feature films are used as references in digital era of feature films and also in visual effects of video games. Edward Muybridge's works, George Melies' “Matte”, Max Fleischer's “Rotoscoping”, Eugen Schüfftan's “Schüfftan”, Frank Williams' “Process” techniques created in the analogue period of feature films are used by animation artists, visual effect designers in feature films and visual effect designers in video games by means of the graphics created with computers.
The greatest contribution to visual effects at the onset of the digital era of feature films was made by ACM-SIGGRAPH.

Conclusion

Another great contribution to computer graphics is the software developed by John and Thomas Knoll brothers. This software called Photoshop enables creating effects on digital images. At the present time, this program is used in textile, fashion design, feature films, graphic design, television productions, industrial design and numerous industries.
The visual effects have also been used as a supporting element of cinematography, besides showing impossible and hard objects/characters as if real.
- Contact (1997)
- The Matrix (1999)
- Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Conclusion

The technologies used in visual effect designs have also contributed to the acting of actors.
The systems which transfer the motions of all joints of the actors who wear special garments to digital environment and convert them to numeric data have begun to be used for visual effects in cinema along with video game after the 2000s. Motion Capture, based on rotoscoping method has evolved into Performance Capture which is intensely used both in feature film and video game industries at the present time.

Conclusion

Workflows of visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries are the same apart from a few differences.

From the findings of multiple case study, video effect designers in feature films and visual effect designers in the video games have stated that they use the same tools. Besides this, Interviewee Number 5 from the video games industry has stated that he/she has previously worked as a visual effect designer in feature film industry. Visual effect designers in both disciplines use the same tools and easily share their designs.

Conclusion

The designers have stated that they have learned about visual effect design by themselves. Designers in feature film industry have mentioned the difficulties and lack of sources during their learning process.
Visual effects designers in feature film industry had more opportunities to access online education sources than visual effects designers in video game.
An increase in the capacity of “Realtime Render” integrated into visual effect tools in feature film industry may increase the transition rate of visual effect designers in both industries to each other's industries.

Suggestions

It is suggested for researchers who want to work in the field of visual effects, to expand the data set obtained from this research made on the experiences of the visual effect designers in feature film and video game industries.
In order to expand the data set and reach further findings, interviews can be made at a national and international level.
It is suggested that new researchers should investigate the relationship of visual effects with short film, television, series and advertisement industries apart from expanding the data set.
The scope of the research can be expanded and product managers, development teams, user community leaders and various cinema directors/producers can be interviewed.

Suggestions

A sub-research can be planned by obtaining opinions of the employees in both industries regarding their profession, case study and future projections.
A visual effect design master program can be created as visual effects are the common point of both feature film and video game industries.
Production marathons can be organized in which employees from both industries can participate. Short time production events in both feature films and video games can be re-modelled and re-designed as a common field.