What is CGI? | How does CGI Work? | Everything You Need to Know!
Introduction
In our tech world, impressive visuals are important to get people’s attention and keep them engaged. As companies compete for people’s attention online, videos created using computer graphics (known as CGI) have become a strong method for promoting brands and introducing new products. By using the features of CGI, companies can create amazing, immersive experiences that leave a strong impact on the people they want to reach.
What is the History of CGI?
If you’re looking for a timeline of how computer graphics (CGI) have been used in movies and TV shows, it’s available. I’ve set together a list of what I think are the most important events in the development of CGI. The use of CGI started back in the 1950s when old-style computers were used to create patterns on animation cells, which were then used in movies.
“Vertigo”, a movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock, was the first to use computer graphics (CGI) in 1958. Alfred had already started using some 2D techniques, but it wasn’t until 1972 that Edwin Catmull and Fred Parke came out with “A Computer Animated Hand”. This short film used computer animation and was one of the first to show 3D computer graphics.
What is CGI?
CGI stands for Computer-Generated Imagery, which is any video where all the images or characters are made using computer applications. In these videos, the usual ways of filming are either replaced or enhanced with computer-created images to make scenes that are not possible and easy for humans, unrealistic, or too expensive to make with normal effects or filming.
Modeling: CGI involves creating digital models of objects, characters, environments, or visual effects. This process can be different depending on the type of CGI being created. In 3D CGI, artists use specialized software to create three-dimensional models by manipulating geometric shapes, polygons, and vertices. These models can range from simple shapes to highly detailed characters and landscapes.
Texturing: Once the basic models are created, artists add textures to give them realistic surfaces. Texturing involves applying images or patterns onto the surfaces of 3D models to simulate materials such as wood, metal, fabric, or skin. Textures can be created from scratch using painting software or acquired from libraries of pre-made textures.
Rigging: In character animation, rigging is the process of adding a digital skeleton (or rig) to a 3D model. This skeleton consists of interconnected bones and joints that allow animators to manipulate the model’s movements. Rigging involves setting up controls, constraints, and deformers to enable realistic movements, such as bending limbs or facial expressions.
Animation: Once a model is rigged, animators can begin animating it by manipulating its rig controls. This involves creating keyframes to define the positions, rotations, and scales of the model at different points in time. Animation can be done manually by posing the model frame by frame or using automated tools such as motion capture to record real-world movements.
Rendering: Rendering is the process of generating the final images or frames from the 3D scene. This involves simulating the interaction of light with objects, calculating shadows, reflections, refractions, and other visual effects. Rendering can be a computationally intensive process, especially for complex scenes with detailed textures and lighting effects. It typically requires powerful computers or rendering farms to complete.
Compositing: Once the individual frames are rendered, they are composited together to create the final sequence. This involves layering the rendered images with other elements such as live-action footage, backgrounds, visual effects, and text overlays. Compositing software allows artists to adjust colors, lighting, and effects to achieve the desired look and feel of the final output.
Post-Processing: After compositing, additional post-processing effects may be applied to enhance the visuals further. These effects can include color grading, motion blur, depth of field, lens distortion, and other stylistic treatments. Post-processing helps unify the look of the final animation and ensures consistency across different shots or scenes.
What are the different types of CGI?
Here are the different types of CGI commonly used in animation:
3D CGI Animation: 3D CGI Animation involves creating three-dimensional (3D) models and environments using specialized software such as Blender, Cinema 4D, and Autodesk Maya. These models are then used and animated within a virtual space to create realistic characters and settings. 3D CGI animation is widely used in feature films, video games, television shows, and advertisements.
2D CGI Animation: 2D animation was done by hand-drawing each frame, modern 2D CGI animation involves creating characters, backgrounds, and effects using digital tools. Software like Adobe Animate (formerly Flash) permits animators to create 2D animations with CGI techniques. This type of animation is used in web series, television shows, and short films.
Motion Capture (MoCap): Motion capture includes recording the movements of objects or real actors and mapping them to models or digital characters. Specialized cameras and sensors capture the motion data, which is then processed by computer software to create lifelike animations. MoCap is commonly used in both 2D and 3D CGI animation to achieve realistic human and creature movements in video games, films, and other media.
Particle Effects: CGI animation allows for the creation of complex particle effects such as fire, water, explosions, smoke, and magical effects. These effects are generated using physics simulations and particle systems within animation software. Particle effects add depth and realism to animated scenes and are widely used in action sequences, fantasy films, and science fiction.
Visual Effects (VFX): While not exclusive to animation, CGI is extensively used in creating visual effects for animated sequences. This includes compositing CGI elements with live-action footage, adding digital matte paintings, integrating CGI creatures or characters into live-action scenes, and creating fantastical environments that would be impossible to film in real life. VFX plays a crucial role in enhancing the storytelling and visual appeal of animated films and television shows.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: With advancements in technology, CGI is increasingly being used to create immersive AR and VR experiences. These technologies allow users to interact with virtual objects and environments in real time, blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds. CGI plays a central role in creating the 3D models, animations, and visual effects that make AR and VR experiences engaging and realistic.
Overall, CGI has changed the animation industry by providing animators with powerful tools to bring their creative visions to life with remarkable realism and visual fidelity. From 3D character animation to complex visual effects, CGI continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in animated storytelling.
What are the different CGI Animation Examples?
As computer-generated imagery (CGI) got better, its use became even more important in the 1980s. Movies like Tron in 1982, The Last Starfighter in 1984, and Young Sherlock Holmes in 1985 used CGI to create realistic models of objects and characters that seemed almost real.
TRON – CGI making of (1982)
Toy Story – CGI making of (1995) HD
You can find computer-generated imagery (CGI) in a wide range of movies, from historical dramas to sci-fi epics. In a historical drama, CGI might be used to add details that match the period or to create consistent backdrops filled with buildings, people, and vehicles. In a sci-fi epic, almost 90% of what you see, including characters, vehicles, environments, and actions, could be created using CGI.
A lot of movies use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to do things that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. For example, James Cameron’s films are famous for their use of CGI. This technology was what brought the T-1000 to life in Terminator 2 (1991). It also made Titanic (1997) more impactful by using CGI models alongside real sets. More recently, Avatar (2009) showed Cameron’s visual prowess, using a mix of visual effects and CGI to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
Credit: Google
Movie: Avatar
Most films that use computer-generated imagery (CGI) effectively usually balance it with other visual effects. Jurassic Park (2015) could be the best example of this. It used both CGI and real-life effects to create dinosaurs that looked incredibly real.
Movie: Jurassic World Movie (2015)
What are the sectors of CGI Applications?
People use CGI, or Computer Generated Imagery, everywhere because they think it grabs attention. However, there are a few key areas where CGI stands out:
Movies
Engineering
Marketing
Real Estate
Visual Art
Advertising
Video Games
Television Shows & more
What are the features of CGI?
CGI videos let companies show off their creative side without being limited by old-school filming techniques. They can highlight detailed aspects of a product, bring future ideas to life, or take viewers on a journey to imaginary places. In other words, CGI opens up a world of possibilities for telling stories and expressing a brand’s identity.
Using CGI videos, companies can create engaging experiences that deeply connect with their viewers. They can tell interesting stories that stir emotions and pique interest by mixing real-life elements with computer-made images. Whether it’s a virtual walkthrough of a product or an eye-catching brand narrative, CGI videos draw in viewers and encourage them to interact with the brand.
Despite what many people think, making CGI videos doesn’t have to be expensive. Traditional filming can come with high costs for sets, props, and locations, but CGI is a cheaper option. Since it doesn’t need physical resources for production, companies can get results without going over budget.
CGI video is useful because it can change according to the environment. It can be used for everything from showing off new products to creating fun animations. No matter if you’re introducing new products, changing your company’s image, or promoting something, CGI video lets you try out lots of different ideas and make them just how you want.
In today’s world where marketing happens everywhere, being consistent is important. CGI videos can be used everywhere online, from social media and websites to emails and digital signs. This makes sure your brand’s message stays the same and powerful everywhere, helping you reach and connect with as many people as possible.
CGI Key Roles in Departments?
Making CGI is a long, hard, and technical process. The teams are big and made up of all kinds of people, from serious coders to artists and even people who aren’t artists. Everyone has an important job in making the best visual effects for their client. There are many creative and technical jobs involved in making CGI.
Art Department: The Art Department turns a director’s ideas and a script into pictures that the team can use to understand the creative and technical problems. Also, these artists design everything from storyboards to realistic pictures that show what the final shot will look like.
Pre-viz: Pre-visualization artists make the first 3D version of the final special effects scene. They then usually create simpler versions of the action scenes using art and basic 3D shapes. After this, the director decides where to put the camera and what other creative things are needed.
Asset Department: In special effects, we need virtual items that look like real things or to make new things that don’t exist or cost too much to make in real life. These are usually created by artists who model, painters who add texture, developers who create shaders, and people who rig.
Research and Development: RnD is a tech team. They make new software and tools to do tasks that are too hard or take too long for artists to do by hand over and over. So, you need to be good at computer science and love solving problems to work there.
Animation Team: In movies, if something moves, it needs to be animated. It doesn’t matter if it’s something small like a chair, a main character, or a creature. If something moves or performs, an animator is likely the one making it happen.
Matchmove: Matchmove is important for adding 3D elements into real video footage. To make these 3D elements look real, we need a virtual camera that mimics the movements of the real camera used in the footage. This is where match-move artists come in. They study the real video footage and create a matching virtual camera that everyone else can use to work on the 3D elements.
FX Simulation: An FX Artist is someone who designs and creates special effects for animations. These effects can include things like fire, water, cloth movement, explosions, and even hair. They use different types of simulations to make these effects look as real as possible. It’s a job that requires a lot of technical skills, but it’s also very creative because they’re bringing elements to life that most people might not even think about.
Lighting: A lighting artist is someone who adds all the lighting effects to a digital scene. They look at the light sources in the real-world scene and try to copy that lighting in the digital environment. The aim is to make sure that the special effects and real-world elements blend perfectly as if they’re both part of the same world.
Matte painting: A matte painting is a picture created using digital or traditional painting methods. It’s used to show a scene in a movie that can’t be filmed in real life. This could be because the landscape doesn’t exist, or it’s too expensive to go to the location or make the set bigger than what was filmed.
Rotoscoping: Rotoscoping is a technique used to create a silhouette (or mask) for an object, so it can be taken out and placed on a different background, or to change its colors, among other things. The person doing this, the rotoscoping artist, usually traces the object to create a new layer for a specific part of an image sequence or video.
Compositing: Compositing is like making a sandwich with different ingredients. These ingredients can be live-action footage, animation, 3D lighting, and special effects. You stack them all together to make the final scene look as real as possible. During this process, you’ll need to work with other teams to tackle any creative or technical issues that come up.
Production: There are many jobs for people who like to manage teams, money, and timelines. For instance, the main job at a studio is the VFX Producer. They help the Producer by working with artists, pointing out problems, keeping an eye on the progress, and making sure everything is on schedule.
What are the CGI Animation benefits?
CGI animation is like drawing cartoons using computer software. It makes things look like they’re moving. It also has many advantages, like making your video-making process quicker, easier, and cheaper.
Let’s see some crucial points:
With CGI animation, you can make videos that look very real and detailed. This means your videos will look more lifelike, and people watching them will find it easier to relate to the characters and scenes they see.
Making animations with computer graphics (CGI) is usually quicker and simpler than the old-school way of drawing them by hand.
Using computer graphics to make animations (CGI) can also save you money compared to old-school animation methods. You don’t need to hire people who know how to animate the traditional way, and you don’t have to buy special equipment or software just for making animated videos.
CGI Animation Statistics
In 2019, the North American market for 3D animation was worth approximately 5 billion U.S. dollars.
Visual Effects Software has the largest market share of 34.3% in the 3D animation market in terms of software.
3D animation in the gaming industry is anticipated to reach a market size of $40.7841 billion by 2025.
The Anime market reached $21 billion in 2019, including a significant contribution from 3D animation.
CGI animation shows alone accounted for 31% of the Global Animation Market in 2020.
By the end of 2019, 62% of the 50 highest-grossing animated films were 3D animations.
In 2024, the global 3D animation software market size is estimated to reach $47.23 billion.
The use of 3D computer animation techniques has seen a significant increase in the healthcare sector with a market share of around 22% in 2019.
3D Animation Market revenue in hardware is projected to expand at a CAGR of 10.8% from 2020 to 2027.
By 2025, 40% of animations will be made for virtual reality, augmented reality platforms, and the 3D mobile gaming market.
3D animation adoption in the architecture sector will observe a growth rate of 15% through 2027.
The Asia-Pacific 3D animation market size was approximately 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.
The movie & Entertainment sector significantly dominated the 3D animation market with a share of over 35.0% in 2019.
In Europe, the 3D animation market size was valued at around USD 3.8 billion in 2020.
The total revenue in the U.S. for all movies containing CGI (computer-generated imagery), animation, and 3D effects amounted to 5.87 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.
Through statistical analysis of box office data from the Box Office Mojo database, this study found that the box office average for CGI animated films is 7.83 times higher than the box office average for non-CGI animated films. Among animated films, CGI animation contributed 74.3% of the box office with a 26.94% share.
The number of CGI-animated films is 9.72 times higher than the number of non-CGI animated films. In particular, before the birth of CGI animated films in 1995, only 4 animated films had entered the top 10 in the 18 years between 1977 and 1995, whereas after the birth of CGI animated films, 49 CGI animated films entered the top 10 in the following 28 years.
Box office revenue of CGI, 3D Animated movies in the United States from 2008 to 2018.
Credit: statista
Source: statista.com
Conclusion
In a market where competition is getting tougher, a brand must be unique to succeed. Videos made with computer graphics (CGI) give brands a special chance to grab people’s attention, get them involved, and take their marketing to the next level. By making the most of what CGI can do, companies can make their brand experiences so engaging that they leave a strong memory with customers and push their brand ahead in the online world.
Using videos made with computer graphics (CGI) in your brand advertising and product launch plans can open up a whole new world of creative options and bring real benefits to your business. Whether you want to show off your newest products, share your brand’s story, or wow people with beautiful visuals, CGI video is a strong tool that can help you hit your marketing goals with style and effectiveness.
Chasing Illusions CGI Product Animation Studio
Chasing Illusions is a top-notch animation studio in India that creates stunning CGI. We’re experts in making high-quality visuals and videos for different fields like ads, marketing, films, and video games. If you’re looking for great graphics that are both fast and budget-friendly, Chasing Illusions is your best choice.
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