Visual effects (vfx) is the term given to a sub-category of special effects in which images or film frames are created or manipulated for film and video. Visual effects usually involve the integration of live-action footage with computer generated imagery or other elements (such as pyrotechnics or model work) in order to create environments or scenarios which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible to capture on film. They have become increasingly common in big-budget films, and have also recently become accessible to the amateur filmmaker with the introduction of affordable animation and compositing software.

Timing

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Visual effects are frequently integral to a movie's story and appeal. Although most visual-effects work is completed during post-production, it usually must be carefully planned and choreographed in pre-production and production.

Categories

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Visual effects may be divided into at least four categories:

• Models: miniature sets and models, animatronics
• Matte paintings and stills: digital or traditional paintings or photographs which serve as background plates for keyed or rotoscoped elements
• Live-action effects: keying actors or models through bluescreening and greenscreening
• Digital animation: modelling, lighting, texturing, rigging, animating, and rendering computer generated 3D characters, particle effects, digital sets, backgrounds, etc..

Notable visual effects companies

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• BUF Compagnie
• CBS Digital
• Clear
• Cinesite
• Computer Film Company
• Core Digital
• Digital Domain
• Double Negative
• Flash Film Works
• Framestore CFC
• Grey Matter FX
• The Mill
• Grid VFX, Belgium
• Hydraulx
• Industrial Light and Magic
• Intelligent Creatures
• Mac Guff
• Method Studios
• Moving Picture Company
• Rainmaker Animation & Visual Effects
• Rhythm and Hues Studios
• Soho VFX
• Sony ImageWorks
• Tippett Studio
• Weta Digital
• Zoic Studios

See also

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• Animation
• computer generated imagery
• 3D computer graphics
• Physical Effects — another category of special effects
• bluescreen
• front projection effect
• rear projection effect

External links

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• VFXY - Your gateway to Visual Effects
• Official site of Hydraulx
• Tippett Studio
• VFX HQ : Visual Effects Headquarters — 1994-1998
• FX Guide — news, tutorials and resources

Further reading

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• T. Porter and T. Duff, "Compositing Digital Images", Proceedings of SIGGRAPH '84, 18 (1984).
• The Art and Science of Digital Compositing (ISBN 0121339602)

Visual effects | Film techniques | Film and video technology | Special effects | Computer graphics

Visual Effects | VFX