Visual effects research

Visual Effects is a blanket term term referring to any method that makes it possible to create a scene or effect that could not otherwise be produced with regular photographic techniques.

visual effects most commonly refers to 3D computer graphics produced for film, games, and advertising, however miniature and real-world model building are good examples of visual effect techniques that require no digital assistance.

Below are examples of visual effects:

Compositing is combing (two or more images) to make a single picture, esp. electronically

Below are examples of compositing:

http://eat3d.com/livecg3 - technology and process used

Production process of film making:   

Pre-production is a fairly loose term which refers to the tasks undertaken before production begins. Exactly what is included in this stage depends on the medium and situation.

For a small video company, pre-production may refer to everything that happens before shooting begins, for example, meeting with the client, research, storyboarding, location planning, etc.

For feature films, pre-production is more specific and only begins when other milestones have been met such as financing, screenplay, casting and major staffing. In this case pre-production includes:

• Location scouting
• Prop and wardrobe identification and preparation
• Special effects identification and preparation
• Production schedule
• Set construction
• Script-locking (semi-finalisation of the script)
• Script read-through with cast, director and other interested parties

http://www.mediacollege.com/glossary/p/pre-production.html

Production:

In film and video, production refers to the part of the process in which footage is recorded. This is what most people imagine when they think of a film being made — actors on sets, cameras rolling, etc. The production phase is also known as principal photography.

In large feature films the beginning of the production phase marks the "point of no return", i.e. the point at which it is no longer financially viable to cancel the project. At this point it is almost always cheaper to continue until the project is finished than to deal with the financial fall-out of canceling.

The goal of principal photography is obviously to record all required shots, however it is fairly common to shoot "pick-up" shots in post-production. Pick-up shots may be required when a mistake is noticed, a script change is made (this is unusual), or even if a performance is deemed to be unsatisfactory.

In music, production usually refers to the creative direction of a project. Unlike a film producer who is more of a manager, a music producer has a very hands-on role in the creative development.

http://www.mediacollege.com/glossary/p/production.html

Post preduction:

Post-production is the third and final major phase of the production process. It is often referred to simply as post, e.g. "We can sort that out in post".

There are many things which can happen in post-production. Common tasks include:

• Editing video footage
• Editing the soundtrack, adding sound effects, music, etc.
• Adding titles and graphics
• Colour and exposure correction
• Adding special effects
• Re-shooting certain scenes if required ("pick-up" shots)

In some cases post-production is relatively straightforward, consisting of choosing and arranging footage in the correct sequence. In most cases however, post-production is a time-consuming job taking longer than the actual production phase.

http://www.mediacollege.com/glossary/p/post-production.html

 Lighting

Lighting is a very important aspect of film production. Whether natural light or professional lighting equipment is used, every film making endeavor requires suitable lighting to meet the needs of the story and the director's vision. Lighting setups help create the specific mood, emotion and atmosphere conveyed by the movie.

Exposure:

When a scene is shot without enough light, it becomes underexposed. This means the shot is too dark and not much detail can be seen on-screen. The worst case is not being able to recognize the faces of the actors anymore because the shot is too dark and you can only see contours of shadowy screen elements moving around. When there's too much light, the shot becomes overexposed. This means the shot is too bright, and the entire scene looks annoyingly or recognizably washed out in white. A properly exposed film means the shot is not too dark or too bright. It's just right for the scene, and all the elements register well on-screen.

Mood and treatment:

• Film making requires a wide range of talent and craftsmanship to produce a visually accomplished movie. Films are typically categorized into genres like drama, comedy, action, horror, musical, epic or children's movie. Scenes in a film should employ distinct looks with certain emotional qualities, which are achieved through proper lighting, camera shots and movement, blocking of actors and the presentation of props and sets. Lighting lets the camera capture elements of the scene in various ways. For instance, a horror movie utilizes light to make a scene look frightening; a children's movie uses light to make a scene bright, colorful and glossy; and a musical utilizes light to make a theatrical performance look dynamic or flamboyant.

  
  

  Scene Enhancement:

  • Lighting enhances scenes that typically look flat, dull or boring. For instance, it can improve the skin tone of the actors. It can also hide their flaws and flaunt their physical assets. Soft or diffused lighting, similar to the soft lighting in hotels, is normally used to make "beauty shots" (when the camera moves in, pauses and focuses on the subject). Harsh lighting, similar to the sunlight seen on a cloudless day, can produce higher contrast.

    
    

    Continuity:

    A film is not necessarily shot chronologically. More often than not, scenes in a house can be shot at different houses on different days. Lighting ensures there's continuity to the time of day. Two scenes shot at different times of the day should look as if they happened in the same part of the day. Furthermore, filmmakers don't have to wait for the sun to set or rise to shoot scenes. With lighting equipment, they can alter the kind of light to make it look like morning, noon, late afternoon or evening, even though the actual filming occurs in another time of the day.

    
    

    Aesthetics:

  • As an art form, film uses lighting for aesthetics. It creates a new world through highlights, mid-tones and shadows. It creatively exposes specific parts of the frame in reference to the main subject or the atmosphere intended for the scene. It utilizes highlights to separate the main subject from the background and uses shadows to create a feeling of tension or eeriness. For instance, a close-up shot of a person can be lit differently and result in something totally different each time. The person can look frightening with lighting coming mostly from below, as in a horror movie. The person can look like a model with soft lighting. Or the person can look angry and stressed with harsh lighting. All this can be done without necessarily changing the camera shot or asking the actor to change position.