VISUAL EFFECTS

ABSTRACT

Visual effects (commonly shortened to Visual F/X or VFX) are the various processes by which
imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot.

“Visual Effects" is referring to digital post-production and "special effects" referring to on-set

mechanical effects and in-camera optical effects.

Post-production is, in fact, many different processes grouped under one name. These typically
include:-
 Editing the picture / television program
 Writing, (re-)recording, and editing the soundtrack.
 Adding visual special effects - mainly computer-generated imagery (CGI) and
digital copy from which release prints will be made (although this may be made
obsolete by digital-cinema technologies).
Transfer of film to Video or Data with a telecine and Color grading

ECE ,ACE Page 1

 VISUAL EFFECTS

PREFACE

I present to you the report on a very interesting topic, “VISUAL EFFECTS (VFX)”. This Report
is based on VFX technology and latest application and its future Scope : This report presents the
research, finding and recommendation resulting from the project .The objective was to compile
and synthesize information based on status of present latest application of VFX technology
available in today’s movie industry.

ECE ,ACE Page 2

 VISUAL EFFECTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS :

Contents

PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................ 3

SYNOPSIS ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 4

HISTORY ........................................................................................................................................ 6

SPECIAL EFFECT (SFX): ............................................................................................................. 8

Video games................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Early development ........................................................................................................................... 9

Match moving ................................................................................................................................ 10

Compositing: .................................................................................................................................. 12

Physical compositing: .................................................................................................................... 13

CGI animation:............................................................................................................................... 13

Cartoon Pixar movies: ................................................................................................................. 14

Rotoscoping & Rigging : ............................................................................................................. 17

Blue screen/Green screen:.............................................................................................................. 20

Processing a green backdrop & Blue Backdrop : .......................................................................... 22

Major factors : ............................................................................................................................... 22

Clothing: ........................................................................................................................................ 23

APPLICATIONS OF VISUAL EFFECTS .................................................................................... 25

Typical applications: ...................................................................................................................... 26

ADVANTAGES&DISADVANTAGES………………………………………………………28
FUTURESCOPE………………………………………………………………………………..29
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………… . ……….29

ECE ,ACE Page 3

 VISUAL EFFECTS

INTRODUCTION
In filmmaking, visual effects (abbreviated VFX) are the processes by which imagery is created
and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot. Visual effects involve the
integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look
realistic, but would be dangerous, expensive, impractical, or simply impossible to capture on
film. Visual effects using computer generated imagery have recently become accessible to the
independent filmmaker with the introduction of affordable and easy-to
use animation and compositing software.
It Can be further categorized as :
Visual effects may be divided into at least four categories:
Matte paintings and stills: digital or traditional paintings or photographs which serve as
background plates for keyed or roto scoped elements.
Live-action effects: keying actors or models through blue screening and green screening.
Digital animation: modeling, computer graphics lighting, texturing, rigging, animating,
and rendering computer-generated 3D characters, particle effects, digital sets, backgrounds.
Digital effects (commonly shortened to digital FX or FX) are the various processes by which
imagery is created and/or manipulated with or from photographic assets. Digital effects often
involve the integration of still photography and computer-generated imagery (CGI) in order to
create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible
to capture in camera. FX is usually associated with the still photography world in contrast to
visual effects which is associated with motion film production.
Sometimes It is also Mistaken as Special effects (SFX) which is not true just a hoax we will
discuss about in later on in the upcoming slides .
Through Visual effects we can modify and come up with the following details.
 Concept art
 Character design
 3D modelling
 Shades and texture development
 Digital sculpting
 Realistic lighting and rendering

ECE ,ACE Page 4

 VISUAL EFFECTS

FIGURE 1: Depicting Visual Effects

FIGURE 2:A Still Image From a Hollywood Movie Spider Man- 3 Depicting Incredible use of
VFX ..

ECE ,ACE Page 5

 VISUAL EFFECTS

HISTORY:
There is not much to talk about the History of VFX as such as it is not an individual effort but
there were some companies which can be given the credit of initiating the work of finding the
visual effects and promoting it on a large scale.
It was not until 1930 that world knew anything about VFX .The main role in acquainting the
world with this beautiful boon was given by the Americans. .Later on European and many other
nations came forward in promoting visual effects. And in this way it reached various South
American and Asian nations successive. However America & Britain rule the world in using
VFX in the world. Talking about Asian nations VFX Then spread Its roots in JAPAN, CHINA,
KOREA and INDIA.. With Time Visual effects progressed a lot in India.
The History of VFX in Indian Films dates back to the silent era. At the same time
as hollywood films were experimenting and executing VFX, India had also closely followed and
caught on. Dada Saheb Phalke's silent movie Kaliamardhan in the year 1919 is one such example
with amazing work. Later came Telugu cinema like Pathala Bhairavi and Maya Bazaar which
took VFX to greater heights. With the advent of Computer Graphics in hollywood in the 1970s
Indian films yearned to similar work and in the 1980s India's first Computer graphics facilities
came up led by Prasad Video Digital which later gave birth to Prasad EFX who imported the
first film scanners and recorders to India and thus pioneered the digital image revolution in India.
The recent film "Krrish" had Hollywood VFX supervisor Craig Mumma and was completely
executed in India by Prasad EFX. And films like Magadheera,Eega from director Rajamouli also
the best examples of VFX in Indian Films and his recent outing Baahubali took VFX of Indian
Films to next level.
If your jaw dropped on seeing the latest James Bond film Skyfall, the credit doesn't go just to Q,
but also to visual effects (VFX) artists from India who ensured that the film's many spectacles
had audiences in thrall. Yes, today, many Indian VFX and animation studios are working on
Hollywood films. Due to all this India is now matching Toes with Advanced VFx nations like
America & UK.

ECE ,ACE Page 6

 VISUAL EFFECTS

FIGURE 3:An image showing the use of SFX from the movie 2012

FIGURE 4:Image Depicting the SFX From an Oscar winning FILM HARRY POTTER-
DEATHLY HALLOWS 2

ECE ,ACE Page 7

 VISUAL EFFECTS

SPECIAL EFFECT (SFX):

SFX often mistook as Visual Effect, will be explained in following stanzas:
SFX is the market-leading sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine. Covering genre entertainment in
all its forms: TV, movies, comics, books, games, merchandise and more. SFX is the
market-leading sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine.
Definition of SFX :(1) See self-extracting archive. (2) (Special effects) Graphics techniques that
are applied to images and movies in order to simulate a real or imaginary.
Video games:
The principles involved with modern video game sound effects (since the introduction of sample
playback) are essentially the same as those of motion pictures. Typically a game project requires
two jobs to be completed: sounds must be recorded or selected from a library and a sound engine
must be programmed so that those sounds can be incorporated into the game's interactive
environment.
In earlier computers and video game systems, sound effects were typically produced using sound
synthesis. In modern systems, the increases in storage capacity and playback quality has allowed
sampled sound to be used. The modern systems also frequently utilize positional audio, often
with hardware acceleration, and real-time audio post-processing, which can also be tied to the 3D
graphics development. Based on the internal state of the game, multiple different calculations
can be made. This will allow for, for example, realistic sound dampening, echoes and doppler
effect.
Historically the simplicity of game environments reduced the required number of sounds needed,
and thus only one or two people were directly responsible for the sound recording and design. As
the video game business has grown and computer sound reproduction quality has increased,
however, the team of sound designers dedicated to game projects has likewise grown and the
demands placed on them may now approach those of mid-budget motion pictures.

ECE ,ACE Page 8

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Early development:
In 1856, Oscar Rejlander created the world's first "trick photograph" by combining different
sections of 30 negatives into a single image. In 1895, Alfred Clark created what is commonly
accepted as the first-ever motion picture special effect. While filming a reenactment of the
beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots, Clark instructed an actor to step up to the block in Mary's
costume.From 1910 to 1920, the main innovations in special effects were the improvements on
the matte shot by Norman Dawn. During the 1920s and 30s, special effects techniques were
improved and refined by the motion picture industry. Many techniques—such as the Schüfftan
process.
Live special effects:
Live special effects are effects that are used in front of a live audience, mostly during sporting
events, concerts and corporate shows. Types of effects that are commonly used include: flying
effects, laser lighting, Theatrical smoke and fog, CO2 effects, pyrotechnics, confetti and other
atmospheric effects such as bubbles and snow

The development of color photography required greater refinement of effects techniques. Color
enabled the development of such travelling matte techniques as blue screen and the sodium
vapour process. Many films became landmarks in special-effects accomplishments: Forbidden
Planet used matte paintings, animation, and miniature work to create spectacular alien
environments. In The Ten Commandments, Paramount's John P. Fulton, A.S.C., multiplied the
crowds of extras in the Exodus scenes with careful compositing, depicted the massive
constructions of Rameses with models, and split the Red Sea in a still-impressive combination of
travelling mattes and water tanks. Ray Harry hausen extended the art of stop-motion animation
with his special techniques of compositing to create spectacular fantasy adventures such as Jason
and the Argonauts (whose climax, a sword battle with seven animated skeletons, is considered a
landmark in special effects

Note that Our Topic is Visual Effects and not Special Effects. SFX are things like pyrotechnics,
rain and snow. Visual Effects (VFX) are the optical tricks that are used, including projection,
green-screen, miniatures, etc...

ECE ,ACE Page 9

 VISUAL EFFECTS

FIGURE 5:A Still Image From Life Of Pi Showing the magic of VFX

Figure 6:A vibrant VFX image from the film Prometheus 2

ECE ,ACE Page 10

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Match moving:

In cinematography, match moving is a 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. The term is used loosely to describe several different
methods of extracting camera motion information from a motion picture. Sometimes referred to
as motion tracking or camera solving, match moving is related to rotoscoping and
photogrammetry. Match moving is sometimes confused with motion capture, which records the
motion of objects, often human actors, rather than the camera. Typically, motion capture requires
special cameras and sensors and a controlled environment (although recent developments such as
the Kinect camera have begun to change this). Match moving is also distinct from motion control
photography, which uses mechanical hardware to execute multiple identical camera moves.
Match moving, by contrast, is typically a software-based technology, applied after the fact to
normal footage recorded in uncontrolled environments with an ordinary camera.
Match moving is primarily used to track the movement of a camera through a shot so that an
identical virtual camera move can be reproduced in a 3D animation program. When new
animated elements are composited back into the original live-action shot, they will appear in
perfectly matched perspective and therefore appear seamless.
As it is mostly software-based, match moving has become increasingly affordable as the cost of
computer power has declined; it is now an established visual-effects tool and is even used in live
television broadcasts as part of providing effects such as the virtual yellow-down-line in
American football.
In cinematography, match moving is a 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. The term is used loosely to describe several different
methods of extracting camera motion information from a motion picture. Sometimes referred to
as motion tracking or camera solving, match moving is related to roto scoping and photo
grammetry. Match moving is sometimes confused with motion capture, which records the
motion of objects, often human actors, rather than the camera. Typically, motion capture requires
special cameras and sensors and a controlled environment (although recent developments such as
the Kinect camera have begun to change this). Match moving is also distinct from motion control
photography, which uses mechanical hardware to execute multiple identical camera moves.
ECE ,ACE Page 11
 VISUAL EFFECTS

Match moving, by contrast, is typically a software-based technology, applied after the fact to
normal footage recorded in uncontrolled environments with an ordinary camera.
Calibration:
The second step involves solving for 3D motion. This process attempts to derive the motion of
the camera by solving the inverse-projection of the 2D paths for the position of the camera. This
process is referred to as calibration.
To explain further: when a point on the surface of a three dimensional object is photographed its
position in the 2D frame can be calculated by a 3D projection function. We can consider a
camera to be an abstraction that holds all the parameters necessary to model a camera in a real or
virtual world. Therefore a camera is a vector that includes as its elements the position of the
camera, its orientation, focal length, and other possible parameters that define how the camera
focuses light onto the film plane. Exactly how this vector is constructed is not important as long
as there is a compatible projection function .
Compositing:
Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often
to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. Live-action shooting for
compositing is variously called "chroma key", "blue screen", "green screen" and other names.
Today, most, though not all, compositing is achieved through digital image manipulation. Pre-
digital compositing techniques, however, go back as far as the trick films of Georges Méliès in
the late 19th century; and some are still in use.
Basic procedure:
All compositing involves the replacement of selected parts of an image with other material,
usually, but not always, from another image. In the digital method of compositing, software
commands designate a narrowly defined color as the part of an image to be replaced. Then the
software replaces every pixel within the designated color range with a pixel from another image,
aligned to appear as part of the original. For example, one could record a television weather
presenter positioned in front of a plain blue or green background, while compositing

software replaces only the designated blue or green color with weather maps.

ECE ,ACE Page 12

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Physical compositing:
In physical compositing the separate parts of the image are placed together in the photographic
frame and recorded in a single exposure. The components are aligned so that they give the
appearance of a single image. The most common physical compositing elements are partial
models and glass paintings.
Partial models are typically used as set extensions such as ceilings or the upper stories of
buildings. The model, built to match the actual set but on a much smaller scale, is hung in front
of the camera, aligned so that it appears to be part of the set. Models are often quite large
because they must be placed far enough from the camera so that both they and the set far beyond
them are in sharp focus.[1]
Glass shots are made by positioning a large pane of glass so that it fills the camera frame, and is
far enough away to be held in focus along with the background visible through it. The entire
scene is painted on the glass, except for the area revealing the background where action is to take
place. This area is left clear. Photographed through the glass, the live action is composited with
the painted area. A classic example of a glass shot is the approach to Ashley Wilkes’ plantation
in Gone with the Wind. The plantation and fields are all painted, while the road and the moving
figures on it are photographed through the glass area left clear.
A variant uses the opposite technique: most of the area is clear, except for individual elements
(photo cutouts or paintings) affixed to the glass. For example, a ranch house could be added to an
empty valley by placing an appropriately scaled and positioned picture of it between the valley
and the camera.
CGI animation:
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the application of computer graphics to create or
contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, films, television programs, commercials,
videos, and simulators. The visual scenes may be dynamic or static, and may be two-dimensional
(2D), though the term "CGI" is most commonly used to refer to 3D computer graphics used for
creating scenes or special effects in films and television. They can also be used by a home user
and edited together on programs such as Windows Movie Maker or iMovie.
The term 'CGI animation' refers to dynamic CGI rendered as a movie. The term virtual world
refers to agent-based, interactive environments. Computer graphics software is used to make
computer-generated imagery for films, etc. Availability of CGI software and increased computer

ECE ,ACE Page 13

 VISUAL EFFECTS

speeds have allowed individual artists and small companies to produce professional-grade films,
games, and fine art from their home computers. This has brought about an Internet subculture
with its own set of global celebrities, clichés, and technical vocabulary. The evolution of CGI led
to the emergence of virtual cinematography in the 1990s where runs of the simulatedcamera are
not constrained by the laws of physics.
Static images and landscapes:
Not only do animated images form part of computer-generated imagery, natural looking
landscapes (such as fractal landscapes) are also generated via computer algorithms. A simple
way to generate fractal surfaces is to use an extension of the triangular mesh method, relying on
the construction of some special case of a de Rham curve, e.g. midpoint displacement.[1] For
instance, the algorithm may start with a large triangle, then recursively zoom in by dividing it
into four smaller Sierpinski triangles, then interpolate the height of each point from its nearest
neighbors.[1] The creation of a Brownian surface may be achieved not only by adding noise as
new nodes are created, but by adding additional noise at multiple levels of the mesh.[1] Thus a
topographical map with varying levels of height can be created using relatively straightforward
fractal algorithms. Some typical, easy-to-program fractals used in CGI are the plasma fractal and
the more dramatic faultfractal.
A large number of specific techniques have been researched and developed to produce highly
focused computer-generated effects — e.g. the use of specific models to represent the chemical
weathering of stones to model erosion and produce an "aged appearance" for a given stone-based
surface.[3]
Cartoon Pixar movies:
Not only do animated images form part of computer-generated imagery, natural looking
landscapes (such as fractal landscapes) are also generated via computer algorithms. A simple
way to generate fractal surfaces is to use an extension of the triangular mesh method, relying on
the construction of some special case of a de Rham curve, e.g. midpoint displacement.[1] For
instance, the algorithm may start with a large triangle, then recursively zoom in by dividing it
into four smaller Sierpinski triangles, then interpolate the height of each point from its nearest
neighbors.[1] The creation of a Brownian surface may be achieved not only by adding noise as
new nodes are created, but by adding additional noise at multiple levels of the mesh. [1] Thus a

ECE ,ACE Page 14

 VISUAL EFFECTS

topographicalmap with varying levels of height can be created using relatively straightforward
fractal algorithms.

ECE ,ACE Page 15

 VISUAL EFFECTS

FIGURE 7:Some Images Depicting ROTOSCOPING & RIGGING IN

MOVIES:

FIGURE 7.1:ROTOSCOPING

FIGURE 7.2: RIGGING

ECE ,ACE Page 16

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Rotoscoping & Rigging :

Rotoscoping is a vital process within the visual effects pipeline. Whether you need to take out
elements from live-action footage or bring elements in, you need to have a strong understanding
of this very important technique. This article will give you an understanding of rotoscoping and
its use, as well as some helpful tips when rotoscoping for your next piece of footage.
In its more traditional use, rotoscoping meant tracing over live action footage frame by frame for
use in animated films. That way the animator could get very realistic movements by tracing over
the actor in the scene. You can kind of think of it as today’s motion capture.
In visual effects, however, the process, although similar, has a different purpose. Rotoscoping for
VFX is used to create a matte or mask for an element so it can be extracted out to place on a
different background, masked out so colors can be changed or any other set of reasons. The
rotoscoping artist (or roto artist for short) will trace an object using a set of tools within the
compositing software to create a new alpha channel for a specific part of an image sequence or
video.
Unlike computer generated imagery that can easily add an alpha channel to its images, footage
taken directly from a camera has no alpha data so the roto artist will need to manually create that
alpha by tracing over the elements within the video. A rotoscoping artist will need to create
different shapes around an object and animate those shapes to match the movement on each
frame.
Depending on the complexity of the shot, the process of rotoscoping can take hours or even days
to complete. The use of blue and green screens can make the process of compositing different
elements into a scene much easier, but not every shot can take advantage of blue or green
screens, so rotoscoping still plays a large role in the production of visual effects. Because you
can find rotoscoping used in just about every movie and television show that utilizes visual
effects, it’s no surprise that roto artists are a vital role within the VFX pipeline.
There are many different compositing applications that have the tools needed to begin
rotoscoping. Rotoscoping is an art form in itself so mastering it will not be something done
overnight, but the following tutorials will give you a strong foundation in creating good
rotoscoping data: Your First Day of Rotoscoping in NUKE, Introduction to Rotoscoping in After
Effects, and Introduction to Rotoscoping in Fusion.The illusions or tricks of the eye used in the
film, television, theatre, video game, and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in

ECE ,ACE Page 17

 VISUAL EFFECTS

a story or virtual world are traditionally called special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, SPFX,
or simply FX).
Special effects are traditionally divided into the categories of optical effects and mechanical
effects. With the emergence of digital filmmaking a distinction between special effects and
visual effects has grown, with the latter referring to digital post-production while "special
effects" referring to mechanical and optical effects.
Mechanical effects (also called practical or physical effects) are usually accomplished during the
live-action shooting. This includes the use of mechanized props, scenery, scale models,
animatronics, pyrotechnics and atmospheric effects: creating physical wind, rain, fog, snow,
clouds, etc. Making a car appear to drive by itself and blowing up a building are examples of
mechanical effects. Mechanical effects are often incorporated into set design and makeup. For
example, a set may be built with break-away doors or walls to enhance a fight scene, or
prosthetic makeup can be used to make an actor look like a non-human creature.
Optical effects (also called photographic effects) are techniques in which images or film frames
are created photographically, either "in-camera" using multiple exposure, mattes, or the
Schüfftan process, or in post-production using an optical printer. An optical effect might be used
to place actors or sets against a different background.
Since the 1990s, computer generated imagery (CGI) has come to the forefront of special effects
technologies. It gives filmmakers greater control, and allows many effects to be accomplished
more safely and convincingly and—as technology improves—at lower costs. As a result, many
optical and mechanical effects techniques have been superseded by CGI.
The science fiction boom
Through the 1950s and 60s numerous new special effects were developed which would
dramatically increase the level of realism achievable in science fiction films. The pioneering
work of directors such as PavelKlushantsev would be used by major motion pictures for decades
to come.[citation needed]
If one film could be said to have established a new high-bench mark for special effects, it would
be 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey, directed by Stanley Kubrick, who assembled his own effects
team (Douglas Trumbull, Tom Howard, Con Pedersen and Wally Veevers) rather than use an in-
house effects unit. In this film, the spaceship miniatures were highly detailed and carefully
photographed for a realistic depth of field. The shots of spaceships were combined through hand-

ECE ,ACE Page 18

 VISUAL EFFECTS

drawn rotoscopes and careful motion-control work, ensuring that the elements were precisely
combined in the camera – a surprising throwback to the silent era, but with spectacular results.
Backgrounds of the African vistas in the "Dawn of Man" sequence were combined with
soundstage photography via the then-new front projection technique. Scenes set in zero-gravity
environments were staged with hidden wires, mirror shots, and large-scale rotating sets. The
finale, a voyage through hallucinogenic scenery, was created by Douglas Trumbull using a new
technique termed slit-scan.
The 1970s provided two profound changes in the special effects trade. The first was economic:
during the industry's recession in the late 1960s and early 1970s, many studios closed down their
in-house effects houses. Many technicians became freelancers or founded their own effects
companies, sometimes specializing on particular techniques (opticals, animation, etc.).
The second was precipitated by the blockbuster success of two science fiction and fantasy films
in 1977. George Lucas's Star Wars ushered in an era of science-fiction films with expensive and
impressive special-effects. Effects supervisor John Dykstra, A.S.C. and crew developed many
improvements in existing effects technology. They developed a computer-controlled camera rig
called the "Dykstraflex" that allowed precise repeatability of camera motion, greatly facilitating
travelling-matte compositing. Degradation of film images during compositing was minimized by
other innovations: the Dykstraflex used VistaVision cameras that photographed widescreen
images horizontally along stock, using far more of the film per frame, and thinner-emulsion
filmstocks were used in the compositing process. The effects crew assembled by Lucas and
Dykstra was dubbed Industrial Light and Magic, and since 1977 has spearheaded most effects
innovations.
That same year, Steven Spielberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind boasted a finale with
impressive special effects by 2001 veteran Douglas Trumbull. In addition to developing his own
motion-control system, Trumbull also developed techniques for creating intentional "lens flare"
(the shapes created by light reflecting in camera lenses) to provide the film's undefinable shapes
of flying saucers.
The success of these films, and others since, has prompted massive studio investment in effects-
heavy science-fiction films. This has fueled the establishment of many independent effects
houses, a tremendous degree of refinement of existing techniques, and the development of new
techniques .

ECE ,ACE Page 19

 VISUAL EFFECTS

But the Visual effect would not be possible without Blue screens and Green Screens.Which is
Explained Further.

ECE ,ACE Page 20

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Blue screen/Green screen:

Blue is generally used for both weather maps and special effects because it is complementary to
humanskin tone. The use of blue is also tied to the fact that the blue emulsion layer of film has
the finest crystals and thus good detail and minimal grain (in comparison to the red and green
layers of the emulsion.) In the digital world, however, green has become the favored color
because digital cameras retain more detail in the green channel, and it requires less light than
blue. Green not only has a higher luminance value than blue, but also in early digital formats, the
green channel was sampled twice as often as the blue, making it easier to work with. The choice
of color is up to the effects artists and the needs of the specific shot. In the past decade, the use of
green has become dominant in film special effects. Also, the green background is favored over
blue for outdoor filming where the blue sky might appear in the frame and could accidentally be
replaced in the process. Although green and blue are the most common, any color can be used.
Red is usually avoided due to its prevalence in normal human skin pigments, but can be often
used for objects and scenes which do not involve people. For example, in John Pizzarelli's song
Birthday Emotions from the Sesame Street television series, painting backgrounds made by Gerri
Brioso are used as a live-action film sequence while the kids such as the Italian-American
siblings are jumping through the air and celebrating one of their birthday parties.
A ring of bright LEDs around the camera lens. This requires no light to shine on the background
other than the LEDs, which use an extremely small amount of power and space unlike big stage
lights, and require no rigging. This advance was made possible by the invention of practical blue
LEDs in the 1990s, which also allow for emerald green LEDs.
There is also a form of color keying that uses light spectrum invisible to human eye. Called
Thermo-Key, it uses infrared as the key color, which would not be replaced by background
image during postprocessing.[10][11]
Jefferson Airplane used chroma-key background in their performance of "White Rabbit" on "The
Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" to create psychedelic colors.Futher use of green screens and
blue screens as Green and blue Backdrops which would be explained further.

ECE ,ACE Page 21

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Processing a green backdrop & Blue Backdrop:

Virtual television studio with green-screen technique:
Green is currently used as a backdrop more than any other color because image sensors in digital
video cameras are most sensitive to green, due to the bayer pattern allocating more pixels to the
green channel, mimicking the human eye's increased sensitivity to green light.[6] Therefore, the
green camera channel contains the least "noise" and can produce the cleanest key/matte/mask.
Additionally, less light is needed to illuminate green, again because of the higher sensitivity to
green in image sensors.[7] Bright green has also become favored since a blue background may
match a subject's eye color or common items of clothing such as jeans.
Before digital chroma keying, bluescreening was accomplished using film. The camera color
negative was printed onto high-contrast black and white film, using either a filter or the color
sensitivity of the black and white film to limit it to the blue channel. Assuming this film was a
negative it produced clear where the blue screen was, black elsewhere, except it also produced
clear for any white objects (since they also contained blue). Removing these spots could be done
by a suitable double-exposure with the color positive, and many other techniques. The end result
was a clear background with an opaque shape of the subject in the middle. This is called a
'female matte', similar to an 'alpha matte' in digital keying. Copying this film onto another high-
contrast negative produced the opposite 'male matte'. The background negative was then packed
with the female matte and exposed onto a final strip of film, then the camera negative was
packed with the male matte was double-printed onto this same film. These two images combined
together creates the final effect.
Blue was preferred as a backdrop before digital keying became commonplace because of the
existence of high contrast film that was sensitive only to the blue color.

Major factors :
The most important factor for a key is the color separation of the foreground (the subject) and
background (the screen) – a blue screen will be used if the subject is predominately green (for
example plants), despite the camera being more sensitive to green light.

ECE ,ACE Page 22

 VISUAL EFFECTS

In analog color TV, color is represented by the phase of the chromasubcarrier relative to a
reference oscillator. Chroma key is achieved by comparing the phase of the video to the phase
corresponding to the preselected color. In-phase portions of the video are replaced by the
alternate background video.
In digital color TV, color is represented by three numbers (red, green, blue intensity levels).
Chroma key is achieved by a simple numerical comparison between the video and the
preselected color. If the color at a particular point on the screen matches (either exactly, or in a
range), then the video at that point is replaced by the alternate background

Clothing:
Girl wearing blue clothing in front of green screen.
A chroma key subject must avoid wearing clothes which are similar in color to the chroma key
color(s) (unless intentional e.g. wearing a green top to make it appear that the subject has no
body), because the clothing may be replaced with the background video. An example of
intentional use of this is when an actor wears a blue covering over a part of his body to make it
invisible in the final shot. This technique can be used to achieve an effect similar to that used in
the Harry Potter films to create the effect of an invisibility cloak. The actor can also be filmed
against a chroma-key background and inserted into the background shot with a distortion effect,
in order to create a cloak that is marginally detectable.
Difficulties emerge with blue screen when a costume in an effects shot must be blue, such as
Superman's traditional blue outfit. In the 2002filmSpider-Man, in scenes where both Spider-Man
and the Green Goblin are in the air, Spider-Man had to be shot in front of the green screen and
the Green Goblin had to be shot in front of a blue screen. The color difference is because Spider-
Man wears a costume which is red and blue in color and the Green Goblin wears a costume
which is entirely green in color. If both were shot in front of the same screen, parts of one
character would be erased from the shot.
Occasionally, a magenta background is used, as in some software applications where the
magenta or fuchsia is sometimes referred to as "magic pink".

ECE ,ACE Page 23

 VISUAL EFFECTS

FIGURE 8:Some Images Showing The magic Of Visual Effects And Their Importance in the
Movies….

FIGURE 8.1: Academy and Oscar Award Winning film For Best VFX AVATAR

FIGURE 8.2:A Famous Scene from a Bollywood Film KICK

FIGURE 8.3:BAAHUBALI

ECE ,ACE Page 24

 VISUAL EFFECTS

APPLICATIONS OF VISUAL EFFECTS

 We all know that Visual Effects Have Great Applications in the field of Cinema. In
fact we can’t imagine watching movies without Visual effects.
 There are various Tools & Softwares which make this Incredible
Thing VFX possible Some of the most Important and famous are as Follows..:
1. Maya - very extensive VFX tool.
2. Blender 3d - An open source demonstrating its power with a series of small films. 3. Adobe
After Effects - very widely used and easy to use.
 Other than Cinema There are many other Applications of VFX Listed below:
 Disguising tracking marks with roto scoping and effects
 Preparing footage for motion tracking
 Planar motion tracking a face in mocha
 Applying tracking data to artwork in After Effects
 Fine-tuning motion tracking curves in After Effects
 Animating text and graphic elements
 Applying color and light effects
 Batch rendering the final comp

ECE ,ACE Page 25

 VISUAL EFFECTS

Typical applications
In television studios, blue or green screens may back news-readers to allow the compositing of
stories behind them, before being switched to full-screen display. In other cases, presenters may
be completely within compositing backgrounds that are replaced with entire “virtual sets”
executed in computer graphics programs. In sophisticated installations, subjects, cameras, or
both can move about freely while the computer-generated imagery (CGI) environment changes
in real time to maintain correct relationships between the camera angles, subjects, and virtual
“backgrounds.”
Virtual sets are also used in motion pictures filmmaking, some of which are photographed
entirely in blue or green screen environments; as for example in Sky Captain and the World of
Tomorrow. More commonly, composited backgrounds are combined with sets – both full-size
and models – and vehicles, furniture, and other physical objects that enhance the “reality” of the
composited visuals. “Sets” of almost unlimited size can be created digitally because compositing
software can take the blue or green color at the edges of a backing screen and extend it to fill the
rest of the frame outside it. That way, subjects recorded in modest areas can be placed in large
virtual vistas. Most common of all, perhaps, are set extensions: digital additions to actual
performing environments. In the film Gladiator, for example, the arena and first tier seats of the
Roman Colosseum were actually built, while the upper galleries (complete with moving
spectators) were computer graphics, composited onto the image above the physical set. For
motion pictures originally recorded on film, high-quality video conversions called “digital
intermediates” are created to enable compositing and the other operations of computerized post
production. Digital compositing is a form of matting, one of four basic compositing methods.
The others are physical compositing, multiple exposure, and background project.

ECE ,ACE Page 26

 VISUAL EFFECTS

ADVANTAGES
o Visual effects have significantly impacted on mainstream movies.
o The evolutionary process by which the visual product is accomplished can be an
awe of inspiring process itself
o Contemporary modern visual effects engender a film culture based on a
production process that in actual fact is less physical
o The quality of visual effects necessarily impacts on the believability of the film
for the viewer and most movies strive to hide any sign of the film making
methods used with the aim of providing the spectator with real experience
o Digital technology allows spectators to enjoy visual fluidity and epic structure of
historic events such as gladiators engaging in their fierce battle, Coliseums etc.

DISADVANTAGES
o Visual effects causes film erosion as some argue that it is occurring when movies
require the use of stunts to increase the action to higher level of intensity
o Digital visual effects also seem to engender a type of laziness amongst some
movie makers
o In many people’s view, VFX are simply being overused
o The best effects are those that are entirely story-driven or character-driven not
something that is not physical because it makes movies look like cartoons
o Visual effects are audience manipulation.

ECE ,ACE Page 27

 VISUAL EFFECTS

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

Visually appealing movies and pictures attract all. VFX has a very good prospect in post=
production studios working on entertainment application like movies
Visual effects industry in India is booming in a major mode. Although it is not as popular as the
VFX industry internationally, but it is still gaining popularity with the new generation here in
India. While mostly people prefer watching these effects take shape on the screen, some like to
find out how visual effects work through a visual effect course
With the growing interest in VFX technology, a number of colleges and institutes in India have
come up with Visual effects course .But Post Production Institute is best institute who want to
make career in VFX field. In India, there are not many people who specialize in VFX, thus
creating a huge demand for the experts.
Some of the most popular VFX areas include Roto scoping, 3D Animation, Rendering, Painting
and Camera Tracking.
Avatar, Terminator, Star Wars, Jurassic Park and many such more entertaining movies have
fascinated both the young and old. The fabulous technology showcased in these films is beyond
words to describe. It is so complex yet so simple. However, the most striking feature is the
marvelous visual effects put forward. It is indeed a work of art to produce such excellent effects.
As the advantages and power of special effects in a film get known to those involved in film
making, a learning program in this field keeps becoming more popular for the aspiring and
ambitious youth. A specialized visual effects course can do wonders to boost up one's career in
this promising profession

ECE ,ACE Page 28

 VISUAL EFFECTS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I Took References from certain Websites and Books for Fetching Images And Information which
are enlisted as follows :
 Www.wikipedia.com
 www.visualeffects.com
 www.motionvfx.com
 http://technav.ieee.org/tag/9509/visual-effects
 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/
And there were also some books which helped us as a source of information and Google images.
 After Effects Expressions by Marcus Geduld
 Matchmoving by Tim Dobbert

ECE ,ACE Page 29