What is CGI animation?
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the application of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, films, television programs, shorts, commercials, videos, and simulators. The visual scenes may be dynamic or static and may be two-dimensional (2D), though the term "CGI" is most commonly used to refer to 3D computer graphics used for creating scenes or special effects in films and television. Additionally, the use of 2D CGI is often mistakenly referred to as "traditional animation", most often in the case when dedicated animation software such as Adobe Flash or Toon Boom is not used or the CGI is hand drawn using a tablet and mouse.The term 'CGI animation' refers to dynamic CGI rendered as a movie. The term virtual world refers to agent-based, interactive environments. Computer graphics software is used to make computer-generated imagery for films, etc. Availability of CGI software and increased computer speeds have allowed individual artists and small companies to produce professional-grade films, games, and fine art from their home computers. This has brought about an Internet subculture with its own set of global celebrities, clichés, and technical vocabulary. The evolution of CGI led to the emergence of virtual cinematography in the 1990s where runs of the simulated camera are not constrained by the laws of physics.To receive advices while signing up, use ContactComputer-generated imagery - Wikipedia
Which is more expensive: film making or animation?
By filmmaking I assume you are talking about a live action film and you want to compare it with an animation film in terms of the total production cost.A live action film and an animation film are two different mediums. A live action film is a medium where you work with real actors, crew and locations and in animation, with the help of computes and software programmes you virtually create these characters and locations for you to tell a story.Now back to your question, which medium is more expensive? It depends on a variety of factors, whether it is a complete live action film or a live action and CG mixed? Is it a complete animation film? Is it a short film or a feature film? If it a 2D animation film or 3D animation film?All I can say is an animation film is more time consuming than live action as you are creating characters, envoirments, texturing, animating, lighting and rendering those in a virtual environment with a dependency on hardware, software and human skills. Animating characters will probably take maximum of the effort and time, you will be animating either frame by frame in a software package or by using motion capture. In any scenario, it will take more time and effort than a live action film.Regarding budgets, an animation film requires high budget if not less, to hire animators, character artists, concept artist , illustrators, texturing/lighting artists along with other production staffs. It’s a very detailed process and requires a big budget to execute a quality animation film.Live action film can be very expensive too as most money is being spent on known actors and crew members, lighting, equipments, FX etc.So there is no clear answer to your question. Both the films can be expensive to make but animation, as stated earlier is more time consuming and may require a higher budget. A live action film can be very expensive if it has some CGI (Computer Generated Image). A live action film without any CG will probably cost less to make than an animation film.Hope it helps.
How do they make CGI animals look so realistic?
I've always been fascinated by how realistic the CGI animals look in today's movies. How do they make them? Is it expensive? Are real animals used to make the CGI animals?
Will Visual Effects or CGI jobs continue to grow?
CGI jobs will definitely continue to grow over the next 10 years. The jobs coming out in the future will also rely heavily on VR/AR. These stand for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. VFX artists will need to tune their skills to become knowledgeable at designing in a 3D 360 degree space. Any designer that does this will be even more valuable in the next 10 years.This does not mean that designers only doing 2D work will be obsolete. There will most likely still be a need for this. If I can give any advice to young designers or creatives looking to get into the VFX space, I would tell them to invest time in learning VR and AR design and development. This will make them extremely valuable in the creative world in the years to come.At CGI Interactive we hire designers all of the time. If you are interested in working with top B2B companies on CGI projects, presentation design, animation or web design. Take a look at our open positions at our website CGI InteractiveHope this helps!Andrew
Are there any jobs in the film CGI VFX department that are recently becoming obsolete with advanced computerization?
Maybe not entirely obsolete, but certainly radically easier. Something like 3D Matchmoving (which used to require a skilled artist to iteratively adjust the virtual camera's position and focal length as they gradually honed in on a reasonable guesstimate for the movement the live-action camera went through) is now usually done by smart software instead. A lot of natural phenomenon (water, smoke, explosions) and other simulation-type animations that used to be done 'by eye' would now be more accurately done via a physics engine. And of course motion-capture is an alternative to (but let's be honest, hardly a replacement for) traditional animation techniques. Meanwhile, the general rule-of-thumb when dealing with VFX is that anytime something is made easier by an advance in technology, filmmakers will compensate by asking for something even harder :-)
How are 2D cartoons animated today?
I understand how 3D images are made, they generate models and send them through animations. However, how do they do 2D cartoons? I asume they don't draw each individual frame anymore. But, backgrounds that don't move do appear to be hand-drawn in some shows. How do 2D cartoons go through animations?
How is the animation program at Sheridan College in Toronto?
Their traditional animation department was dubbed "the Harvard of animation schools" by animator Michael Hirsh in 1996,[4] with alumni contributing significantly to the Canadian animation industry since the 1970's Contributions to animation In the 1960's and early 1970's, the Canadian animation industry was little formed and virtually non-existant,[5] excepting animation pioneers of the National Film Board.[4][5] In 1968 President Porter organized the school's first course in classical animation, even though at the time there was little evidence of demand for graduates.[4] In 1984, Sheridan student John Minnis created the short animation piece Charade. The five-minute film was animated by Minnis with Pantone markers on paper during a single three-month summer term at Sheridan College. The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 57th Academy Awards.[10] As Sheridan's animation department continued to grow, it produced hundreds of animators into Canadian and international studios, at one point in 1996 being called "the Harvard of animation schools" on "a worldwide basis" by animator Michael Hirsh. A significant number of graduates have held key positions at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Don Bluth Productions, and Pixar Animation Studios, both for traditional and CGI animation.[4] Sheridan graduates include eight Academy Award nominees and two winners,[11] and in 2005, animation professor Kaj Pindal won an Emmy Award.[12] What I have shared is from but one of some 45 sites, and I only posted less than a tenth of the article. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now for advice, Finish where you are at while doing as many short films as you can for the next year or three and seeking the awards... As you have devoloped the background you can also get a sponsered placement in Sheridan to learn both worlds, and be in a unique position to bring even more to the field. ME! . ME! .