VFX Technology Used To Create Magic On Screen

Today this blog will inform you about how VFX Technology is used to create magic on screen.

We all have watched those nerve-racking shots on the big screen where actor jumps from the tallest building or performs life threatening stunts.

But the fact is that those stunts are not that dangerous as they look on the big screen.

And the reason behind it is the magic of VFX Technology.

Hollywood’s larger than life movies like Skyscraper or High-Rise has VFX Technology loaded visuals which makes us to believe in the unbelievable incidents.

The definition of VFX says it is the combination of live-action footage and computer generated imagery to create an environment which looks realistic.

In the movies VFX is used to create stunning shots which would be dangerous, expensive and impossible to capture using film camera.

VFX Technology packed movies not only keep the audiences glued to their seats but also has opened a new area for the professionals to explore and innovate.

VFX Technology Magic On The Screen

We as an audience love to see magic on the screen.

On screen magic takes us to the world of imagination.

Hollywood has a long list of movies where magical things happened with the help of technology.

Remember all those Disney movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin where beautiful visual effects have been incorporated with the live-action.

Fantasy world of Disney Movies makes the time stills and takes the audience to the childhood environment filled with love and fun.

The purpose of VFX technology is to provide help in filmmaking.

A film needs a very vast set which requires expenditure and labour.

It is much easier to create a set digitally rather than physically to save time and reduce labour cost.

The war sequences in the movies shows huge mass of army but practically few hundred peoples have been used actually in the shooting location.

For example movies like Bahubali or The Lord of the rings used vast set of soldiers create with the help of CGI.

Many times stunts performed by the stunt man can be replaced by the actor digitally.

Removing unwanted extra or explosions are too easy act with the help of computer.

Digital technology helps us to add backdrop or correct the errors to give a perfect experience of a film.

In the movies VFX loaded scene requires a lot of planning and innovation as because VFX is the main part of storytelling.

VFX Technology usually used at the post-production stage but the filmmaker plans about it at the pre-production stage only.

There are various tools which helps in creating mind-blowing Visual Effects.

Techniques To Create VFX Tricks

Written by J.K Rowling the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has an extensive VFX content to bring the magical creatures of the wizard world to life.

The visual effects of this movie transported us to a world that does not exist.

CGI Technique

Any Images that needs to be drawn or created using a computer tool is called Computer Generated Imagery.

Film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them introduced a new world of CGI creatures and new digital environments to the Harry Potter fans.

CGI can be 2Dimensional or 3Dimentional.

The magical 3D creatures were created by famous Framestore Studio’s team of animators in this movie.

This film became the first Wizarding World Film to win an Academy Award.

Motion-Capture Technique

VFX techniques like Motion-Capture widely used to track the movement of the creatures.

In this technique of Mo-Cap movement of person is recorded through sensors.

Movie War for the Planet of the Apes has used this vfx technique a lot.

Forced Perspective Technique

Movies like Elf and Harry Porter used VFX Technology Forced Perspective to create unbelievable shots.

In Harry Porter movies fictional character Rubeus Hagrid looked like a giant by the use of forced perspective.

Forced Perspective creates optical illusion to make an object appear far away, closer or larger than its actual size.

In the movie Elf oversized human struggles to fit in with Santa’s elf community.

3D Modelling Technique

Shah Rukh Khan starred movie Zero used 3D modelling VFX tool to give a new look to the Bollywood actor.

3D modelling and sculpting technique gives shapes to all kind of characters and monsters.

In the movie Zero this technique transformed the body of the actor into a dwarf.

This technique is very much is use now days to make magic on screen.

HDRI VFX Technology & Techniques

HDRI method gave an amazing viewing experience to the film Echo directed by Victor Perez.

High-dynamic-range imaging (HDRI) is used to produce high range of luminosity which is not possible with standard digital imaging technique.

The wide landscape received a bright luminance effect with the help of this technique.

Green Screen Technique

This VFX Technology is used for joining two images together; here the colour in the top layer is made transparent revealing another image in the background.

It is also known as chroma keying.

Film-The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey used this VFX tool.

Rotoscoping Technique

In this process artists manually trace over motion picture footage frame by frame.

It is a vital process where you can take out elements from live-action footage.

The artists get realistic movements by tracing over the actor in the shot.

Animated film The Case of Hana and Alice was entirely animated with rotoscoping.

Crowd Simulation Tool

Crowd Simulation is the process of creating, rigging or texturing humans, clothes and props in large numbers.

Movie like Lord of the Rings used crowd simulation to generate massive crowd in the battle ground.

Adobe After Effect VFX Tool

Adobe After Effects tool is another VFX tool used for motion graphics, logo animation and title introduction.

This tool has unique features which help to perform different visual effects on the shot.

The film Star Trek has utilized Adobe After Effect to create moons to asteroids on the screen, planets were colour-corrected using this tool.

Enter the field of VFX Technology with MAAC Kolkata.

3D Animation Short Film “GULAL” Nominated in Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2019

3D Animation Short Film “GULAL” Nominated in Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2019.

24FPS International Awards, also considered to be the film festival of MAAC.

Gives an opportunity to the students across various centers of MAAC to showcase their talents in 3D Animation and VFX and other categories.

While also enriching them with production experience while they create their own masterpieces with their own teams.

We, at MAAC Chowringhee, Rashbehari and Ultadanga have always supported and encouraged our students to participate and perform to the best of their abilities, leaving no stones unturned to achieve the same.

So, in accordance with it, we always look forward to participating in the 24 FPS international awards.

Yester year too we did our best by participating in the Script to screen (Where students are supposed to make a short film on a given topic, starting from the very concept to the final look of the film) category of 24 FPS.

We put together the concept of brotherly love in the short “GULAAL”, which received a special jury mention award at the 24 FPS international awards 2108.

The short tells a story about cross border hatred and how the means of destruction itself can become instrumental in abridging the emotional gaps and solidify the fraternal love in all of us.

We at MAAC Chowringhee, Rashebhari and Ultadanga are very proud of the achievement garnered by our students.

We received the mail at our center informing us that our short has been a part of the “official selection” for the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival, 2019 in the Animated Films Category, BEST ANIMATED (student) Award.

This is a proud moment for us, to be able to bag a nomination in such prestigious film festival.

Even being nominated is such a great feeling. Now, to shed a little bit of light on the film festival, here we go.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest and most prestigious award in Indian cinema.

The award is presented at the National Film awards ceremony held by the Directorate of Film Festivals.

The award ceremony is held annually.

The Directorate of Film Festival is an organization that was set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The award was first presented in the year 1969. In commemoration to the Contribution made by Dadasaheb Phalke to the Indian Cinema, the government of India decided to introduce an award under his name.

Dadasaheb Phalke(1870-1944) was a film-maker of Indian origin, who directed Indian’s first ever full-length feature film which was “Raja Harishchandra” in the year 1913.

As the award is named after such innovative and genius personality, who made great contribution for the development in Indian Cinema.

The recipients of the awards are also honored for their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.

The selection procedure is undertaken by a committee , which constitutes of great eminent personalities from the Indian Film Industry.

As the years rolled on the awards have expanded to include the genre of animated as well as short films under its umbrella.

The feeling of pleasant surprise cannot even be summed up in words when we received the mail containing the information regarding the nominations.

The students and faculties involved were equally surprised and overjoyed at the intimation of the same.

The months of toil that they had put in into churning out the basic story structure out of the theme given to them.

And then going forward the concept was transformed over tedious hours into a short animated film.

The Journey of the people who live the movie making experience through the 24 FPS international award is in itself quite an adventure.

With the start of the entire experience the students and faculties alike work tirelessly towards the goal to make a movie out of a bare concept and stop at nothing till the goal is reached.

The journey of our students began in may, 2018 with the receiving of the theme on which the story was to be made, and the medium was already set in stone to be 3d.

Since then the flow of the production kicked in, starting with the basic story and scripting, to the concept sketches of the characters and background.

With the pre-production in place and approved by the faculties and mentors from the research and development team in MAAC HO, the team jumped to the most tedious and the longest part of the journey, that is production phase.

This particular phase involved the concept sketches to be turned in full fledged 3d models, which were then to be textured and rigged properly to be able to produce any lifelike movements.

Which in itself was a very rigorous process.

After the completion of these particular phases, the 3D Animation was done, this was the time when our team of students went under the pressure of sticking to the deadline.

The time was slipping with still lots to do.

At this time the team raised their collaborated as well as their individual efforts to speed up the process. It had become something like a race against time.

The animation phase passed by swiftly with the lighting and rendering taking place simultaneously.

The sound track for the entire film was being prepared as the production was going on and so was the edit lineup ready.

With production and post-production running parallel to one another, it was like buzzing through the whole process.

But all is well that ends well and so, the efforts really paid off.

When we receive a nomination in our very own 24 FPS International Awards, which in itself is the most prestigious award to be adorned with for the students of MAAC across India, it becomes a cause for celebration for us.

Winning one is a goal for all of us, although the bar of the competition is raised every year with the fabulous submissions and the undying dedication of the students.

When the Film Festivals, across the world and India showcase the work of our students and recognize their handwork put in through months, our pride and joy knows no bounds.

LETTERED: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO TYPOGRAPHY

Bringing the aesthetic and the utilitarian aspects of words together is what we know as typography.

Words are an unavoidable part of our life.

As basic units of communication, they exist in everyday existence in all sorts of forms: spoken, written, and even thought!

From the newspaper you read with your morning chai, the number of the bus you take to work, to this blog words, letters and numbers are by your side constantly.

Naturally, due to this ability of transference, they play a crucial role in design as well.

Good design, it is said, must effectively communicate the idea that the designer wants to convey to the audience.

And as basic units of any means of communication, words are an indispensable part of design.

What is typography?

Typography is, in simple words, the art and technique of arranging written or typed text in a way that makes it easy to read and understand, as well in a manner that is appealing to look at.

The term is also applied to the style, arrangement and appearance of individual letters, numbers and symbols – thereby associating it with type design, which is the art of designing such written characters for use in written text.

Typography involves a number of aesthetic and technical aspects such as selection of typefaces (commonly known as font faces), letter and text sizing (font size), line lengths, line spacing (called leading; rhymes with wedding), the space between characters in a line (tracking), and the gaps between every pair of characters (kerning).

Originally, typography as an art was practiced by specialists who created hand-written manuscripts.

With the invention of printing technology and automation, it became the work of typesetters and was used by book publishers and newspaper houses.

As the years passed and the digital age came to be, the applications of typography have expanded greatly.

Due to its aesthetic appeal, it is often applied beyond strictly text-based media. Today, book cover illustrators, graffiti artists, comic and manga illustrators, film and theatre art directors, and graphic designers too find use for typography.

And it’s not just limited to physical media – there are brilliant examples of typography on the internet as well.

Using typography effectively in design

Design is a visual means of communication, combining images with words (whether written or implied) to pass along a message. It is around us on paper and in virtual space.

From coins we use to make our daily purchases to advertisements broadcast on the television and printed in the newspaper, videos we see on our mobile screens, websites we visit or the books we read, design is an essential part of our lives.

Around 95% of content on the internet is comprised of text, making it invaluable to know how to shape and arrange text in an effective way so that the end user can easily find the content they are interested in.

In typography, the beginning lies in planning out the overall arrangement of the text.

This is called macro typography, and is similar to the discipline of information design.

In this stage, we decide on the arrangement of the content: how many columns, where there should be space for images, column width, where there should be white space, etc.

Effective typography follows the basic principles of design and is readable, appealing to look at with harmonious individual elements, and has a balanced arrangement.

Once the arrangement of the chunks of text on the page is fixed, we move on to the aspects of micro typography.

The most obvious of these is the appearance of the text itself, which is defined by the font face or typeface.

A common concern is the number of font faces that may be used. Typically, two or three different font faces are more than enough.

The point to keep in mind here is harmony.

The fonts should be different from and still complement each other.

For instance, if the heading is a serif font, the text of the body could be in a sans serif font to add contrast and still maintain harmony.

Alternatively, the heading could use a bold or italic variant of a font while the body uses a regular variant of the same font.

Using standard fonts makes it easier for readers as they are more likely to be familiar with the font face.

Capital letters are better avoided, especially for the body of the content.

Just as too little text can hinder the message being communicated, too much text is also not helpful.

It is important to find a balance between text and white space.

As a general rule of thumb, gaps for leading and kerning should be around 125%-150% of the corresponding line of text to avoid the words and letters looking too cramped or too spaced out.

Lines should not be too long, nor should they be too short. Shorter lines, however, are acceptable for mobile layouts (more on that in a bit).

Colour is another element of typography that could be a perfect choice or end up horribly wrong.

Contrast is always welcome, but inverse contrast (such as white text on a black background) can make reading a tedious experience.

The key, again, is to use complementary colours for different parts of text.

Smaller text should have a contrast ratio of at least 5:1 against the background, while for larger text the recommended minimum is 3:1.

Lastly, since typography is a universal art, cross-platform layouts have to be kept in mind.

The average user accesses content on a desktop as well on a tablet or mobile phone.

These have different screen sizes, and maintaining equal readability requires that the text be rearranged to suit each of these platforms.

As a result, most web content is designed in two layouts: full-size for a desktop and reader-friendly shorter lines for mobile phones and tablet computers with smaller screen space.

The same applies for print media design: a smaller canvas often needs text to be resized to be readable in the way it would on a larger sized printout.

Rearranging often follows to maintain the design aesthetic.

A lot of websites, like Google or eBay treat text as the primary user interface.

They serve as good examples of what to and no to do with text.

If you’re running out of inspiration for creative text arrangements, you can take a trip to London and explore the graffiti on Lake Street.

Or simply visit Maac Kolkata Centre and check out the graphic design courses on offer.