Character Generation and

Special EffectsCabrera, Joeffrey E.

Cid, Chrisan Lorenzo L.

Dayoc, Jeffreson G.

Character Generation or CG

• Device or software that produces static or animated text

Hardware Character Generation

• A desktop publishing-like interface can be used to generate static and moving text or graphics

Types of Character Generation

Software Character Generation

• It runs on standard off-the-shelf computer hardware and are often integrated into video editing software

• Some SCG’s can be used in live production with special software and computer video interface cards, in which case they are equivalent to hardware CG’s

Examples of Character Generations

Special Effects (SFX, SPFX, or FX)

• Illusions or tricks of the eye used in the film, television, theatre, etc.

• Can be categorized as:

• Optical Effects

• Mechanical Effects

Optical Special Effects/ photographic effects

• Techniques in which images or film frames are created photographically

• Might be used to place actors or sets against a different background

Mechanical Special Effects/Practical or Physical Effects

• Are usually accomplished during the live-action shooting

• Includes the use of mechanized props, scenery, scale models, pyrotechnics, etc.

Special Effects Techniques

• Bullet Time

• Computer Generated Imagery (CGI)

• Digital Compositing

• Dolly Zoom

• In-Camera Effects

• Match Moving

• Matte for Filmmaking and Matte Painting

• Miniature Effects

• Morphing

• Motion Control Photography

• Optical Effects

• Optical Printing

• Practical Effects

• Prosthetic Makeup Effects

• Rotoscoping

• Stop Motion

• Go Motion

• Schüfftan Process

• Travelling Matte

• Virtual Cinematography

• Wire Removal

• Is a visual effect that refers to digitally enhanced simulation of variable speed

• Extreme transformation of time

Bullet Time

Computer Generated Imagery (CGI)

• Addition of “visual scenes” that are either 2D or 3D and can be either static or dynamic

• Higher quality and more controllable effects rather than the physical methods or processes

Digital Compositing

• Incorporates/integrates multiple images into one single image

• Appears to be just one whole (seamless)

Dolly Zoom

• Camera moves nearer or further from subject while adjusting the zoom angle

• EFFECT: Subject appears to be stationary while the background is changing in size

In-Camera Effect

• Any special effect developed using only techniques and features within the or on the camera used

• Some types:

• Matte Painting

• Dolly Zoom

• Lighting/ flash effects

• Shutter Effects

• Filtration (using different kinds of filters)

Match Moving

Cinematic technique that allows the insertion of computer graphics into live-action footage with correct position, scale, orientation, and motion relative to the photographed objects in the shot

Matte Painting

Representation of a landscape which creates an illusion of a particular place which doesn’t necessarily exist

Miniature Effect

Uses Scale models to achieve effect (sometimes with high-speed photography and/or matte shots)

Morphing

• Changes or morphs one image to another image seamlessly

Motion Control Photography

• Is a technique used in still and motion photography that enables precise control of, and optionally also allows repetition of, camera movements

Optical Effects

• Special visual effects, as the wipe or dissolve, created in the camera or especially in a film laboratory by technicians using complex optical and electronic equipment

Optical Printing

• Basically a camera and projector operating in pair, which makes it potential to photograph a photograph

Practical Effects

• A special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post-production techniques

Prosthetic Makeup Effects/ FX prosthesis

• Process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects

Rotoscoping

• Animation technique in which live action video is traced to create animation that mimics the live action

• Lines are then transferred to cells and painted as in normal traditional animation

Stop Motion

• Technique that make a simple physical object to move on its own

• Moved in small increments between frames, and creating an illusion when these frames already move on their own

Go Motion

• Variation of stop motion photography where the camera is actually moving in order to make the frames move

Schüfftan Process

• Usually uses mirrors to portray a large subject by bending the image and it can scale in mirror

Virtual Cinematography

• Purpose of recreating them as three dimensional objects and algorithms for automated creation of real and simulated camera viewpoints

Wire Removal

• Literally removing wires in videos, being used as safety precaution or to simulate flying characters in scene

Special Effects Generator

• Is a multi-input signal processor, usually incorporating different types of processes such as mixing, keying, wiping and switching.

MIX

• The SEG additively mixes the outputs of A and B

• The bar manually controls the gains of the 2 bus outputs

• It separates into two individually controlled levers to control the gains

WIPE

• A split-screen is used to divide the outputs of A and B. There are 6 selections for shapes to divide the screen:

• Vertical

• Horizontal

• Corner Inserts

INT

• In the Int Key Mode, the SEG acts like a two-input keyer.

• The output of B is the clip signal

• There is no key reverse

EXT

• In the Ext Key Mode, the SEG acts like a 3-input keyer

• Whatever signal is inputted to the Ext Key Input Y on the matrix is the clip signal between the output of bus A and bus B