Wednesday, May 13, 2015

CG Effects' Virtual Un-Reality

Amusing.

6 Reasons Modern Movie CGI Looks Surprisingly Crappy

... Why do a bunch of us find the photorealistic carnage of the Genisys and Jurassic World trailers so woefully unappealing? The answer isn't dumb nostalgia (well, not just dumb nostalgia) but rather that the best CGI in the world might as well be The Scorpion King if the filmmakers fail to realize a handful of fundamental things about special effects. ...

#6. Lack Of Visual Restraint Makes Gravity Act Like A Cartoon

#5. Color Grading Makes Everything Look Like A Fantasy

#4. CGI Was Originally Used As A Last Resort

#3. Most Films Forget That A Camera Needs To Physically Exist

#2. Modern Movies Forget We Can Tell When Something Looks Fake

#1. Big Effects Sequences Are Supposed To Be Treated With Awe ...

The cartoony overtones of much live-action CGI today? I actually enjoy them. (They're not making any new Coyote and Road Runner cartoons, after all.)

Years ago, my wife (and disapproving kids) were horrified when I laughed uproariously at the tense action sequence near the front of Jurassic Park III. "Stop that! You're embarrassing all of us!" But the action and effects were over the top, and I slouched helplessly in my theater seat, honking laughter and holding my sides.

If you treat the big CG spectaculars as elaborate cartoon shorts, the entertainment factor goes up geometrically.

But I understand the complaints made up above. There was a time when I found the explosions and big chunks of metal whirling past the CGI "camera" pretty artificial. And samey. But (as always), it isn't about what holds and entertains me, but what entrances a big, general audience.

And the big effects films clearly entertain. They all seem to make $500 million and up.

1 comments:

Stephen said...

People were even saying Avengers 2 had the problem of being too cartoony in the opening. I really do miss animatronics and puppets in movies. The old Star Wars movies hold up way better than the prequels.

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