Digital Technological Transformation in Filmmaking.
Introduction
The world is undergoing a transformative change, and art is not spared in this journey. Film as an art is also a development product of science, especially technology-wise. The evolution in the filming industry is revolving around how best an imagination can be put into reality, with the reality bit encompassing visual, sound, and perception all fused to bring the immersion. Humans themselves cannot actualize the art of converting fantasies to reality, but with technological assistance, these desires are achievable. Lumiere Family is considered the inventor of film making following their invention of the technology that allowed group watching (Allen, 160). Group watching marked a milestone in the film industry.
Lumiere’s invention saw other ideas crop up with regards to the improvement of the filmmaking process. The various technological transition came forth from; silent to sound film, black and white to colored, to widescreen, digital, to 3D films to VR films (Prakel, p 91). The transition in digital distribution technologies meant that the vice versa was mandatory in the production process. The production and film making has consequently been on a transformative excursion with the digital technology introducing further sophisticated advancement including, autonomous drone, 3d printing, dual camera VR, 4K and 3D technology, algorithm editing, and smartphone film making and drone googles.
Digital technology
Digital technology uses digital electronics and equipment to enhance the text, sound, pictures, and other information into binary digits recognizable by electronic computers (Ohanian et al., p132). The computers then process, conveys, store, and resume this information. It is digital because the computer does most of the work in decoding, encoding, and storing of the information. It encompasses all the computers that are used in the filmmaking process. Additionally, for enhancement purposes, algorithm editing and visual effects are all synced to increase immersion.
Virtual reality technology
Film technology is transitioning, giving evidence of the unrelenting human pursuit to the immersive experience, from silent to sound, 2D to 3Dd, and panoramic screen to IMAX. Virtual reality is another computer-simulated reality or immersive multimedia, and it replicates the environment in real or imagination (LaValle, p 6). The technology simulates the user’s environment and physical presence, allowing an interaction. During the interaction process, the virtual reality creates a sensory experience, which includes; touch, smell, hearing, and sight enabling the viewers to have the ultimate experience of the virtual space without limitations (Cipresso et al.). The experience goal of VR was to allow viewers to fully immerse themselves in the film without relying on the lighting and space on the cinema (LaValle, p 9). For these reasons, VR has drawn a lot of attention from many filmmakers since its inception as they have continuously applied its technique in their film creation. VR technology is gradually advancing, and the gradual development has seen advancements from the obscure conception to real experiences, which is feasible and tangible.
Virtual scene creation has been used to disseminate further the immersion, where scenes that are not shot during filming are integrated into the film to make it seem real. The scene creation technology was used in the movie “Life of Pi’ Oscar’s award-winning film in 2012. The endless ocean, fantastic cannibal island, and fierce Bengal tiger in the film “Life of Pi” were not shot at the actual scenes or exact locations but were created with the virtual reality technology (Yanming, p 14). The film director Ang Lee desired to let the audience have the actual experience of reality like they were at that exact location with this kind of film visual effect.
The technology has enhanced storytelling as it satisfies the illusions of the viewer in the film as they feel like they are part and parcel of the story.
3D Technology
Viewers experience a 3D effect through a fundamental feature created by the brain called perception, which is generated from the actual object seen (Rinaldi, & Roberto, 1). The positioning of the human eyes allows it to see images in two dimensions, and the 3D effect brings in the third dimension, which is on a perceptive basis. The brain synthesizes the two images brought close to the eyes; the closer the image is, the more the dimension. 3D has proved a success in the film industry, with the majority of companies investing heavily in it to promote 3D movies. For instance, Hollywood has made substantial investments in 3D film, according to Boxoffice. Avatar and Gravity are recognized to be one of the profitable investments of the 3D, and Avatar has earned close 250 million euros in china alone (Rinaldi, & Roberto, 1). The invention of 3D in filming was to have the viewer feel the reality of the film, making it more real and create an immersive experience. And how is the immersive experience designed? The 3D effect brings the image closer to reality; with a combination of a 3D sound, it makes the whole film watching so real.
The CGI
The progression of motion picture complexity has been the driving force for continued technological advancement. The technological advancement has enabled various filmmakers to diversify techniques and tools used in the production and value addition process. One of the mechanisms of enhancement is the CGI, which has broadened the perspective of creativity(“The Evolution of Animation to CGI”). This technology has given filmmakers and animators the milestone to put their imaginations into a reality opening a world of opportunities. By definition, computer-generated image (CGI) is the use of computer software in the creation of 3D images that are either dynamic or static. CGI can be used in the production of a movie either partially or entirely, visuals that cannot be captured in live-action are created using this software. James Cameron’s immense contribution to this technology was displayed in the creation of the Avatar movie.
CGI innovation has various advantages that are both to the filming industry, the audience, and the actors themselves. Most filming companies appreciate the cost-effectiveness of this technology, its feasibility, and the technological advantages it has exhibited. To filmmakers, the break-even point of this technology is in the utilization of motion capturing techniques. Motion capture has various benefits, including; offering real-time output, capturing accurate physical interactions, and complex movements (Ohanian et al., p 70). All these are possibilities that have been opened by the CGI. Stakeholders in the filmmaking industry are all at an advantaged position with this technology in regards to storytelling. James Cameron, as a producer of Avatar, stretched his imagination where actors assumed roles as elves and aliens. Cameron introduced a new motion capture called Facial Performance Replacement (FPR). The technique allowed him to rework the facial movements of an actor digitally.
All these techniques are employed to enhance interactions that simulate reality and illusion, therefore, creating full immersion in the film by the audience.
4k movies
4k is increasingly becoming popular day by day, and most of the filmmakers are slowly embracing this technology. The ongoing notion for most of the filmmakers is that the more pixel you have, the clearer the picture. This is a notion since filming is just not on the pixels that the camera has. Still, it is on the virtuosity of the filmmaker to integrate all the aspects of cinematography. The 4 k resolution is an advancement of the 1080 p resolution. 4k footage has 4000 pixels and produces sharper results compared to the 1080p (Ohanian et al., p. 272). So we can conclusively say that the higher the resolution power, the shaper, and the clarity the image. Many filmmakers have a preference for the 4k cameras, for it produces clean, stabilized videos. The same technology has been embraced by film distribution agencies and streaming companies like Netflix, Blu-ray, and many more. The technology has been used in the production of films like the Guardians of the Galaxy, which was the first production of Disney in 4k (UHD). The sharpness and the clarity of the images in movies enhance storytelling and convey themes exceptionally.
Conclusion
Digital technology has penetrated every aspect of life today, and more advancement is expected, in quest of more imaginations and demand. The film industry has grown globally thanks to the new technologies that have enhanced viewership. The growth has made a significant global contribution from the creation of a multi-billion economy that has created fully employed individuals to the creation of the ultimate enjoyment through viewership of the films. The fantasies in the movie offer satisfaction to human imagination as the film makes it seem achievable hence entertaining in the process. The significant influence of digital technology is on the entitled enjoyment that it has made possible through the advancement of the audiovisual quality. The improvement both at the production phase and the distribution phase both contribute to the vital part in enhancing storytelling in the movie.
Works cited
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“The Evolution of Animation to CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) and the Impact of James Cameron’s Avatar.” Film Studies 2270 Introduction to Film Studies, August 7, 2014, filmstudies2270.wordpress.com/animation/the-evolution-of-animation-to-cgi-computer-generated-imagery-and-the-impact-of-james-camerons-avatar/.
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