Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Weta Featurette

-What are the Pros and Cons of Computer Generated Imagery?

Computer Generated Imagery(CGI) can help us to create all fantastic things in the movie easily even it is imposssible to find out in the world. For example,Avatar,Star War and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Because of motion capture,giving us a feeling of realistic, just like the dream world really exist. And any dangerous scenes such as falls and car crashes can also be shown in the movie by CGI. Also, Creating the 3D animation and virtual character by CGI can enhance the qualities as opposed to the cartoon in the old days such as Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.That provide the chance for children to enjoy the high qulity animation.

However,the disavantage of CGI is relying on computer graphics excessively. That will makes fillm maker lack the creativity because they will trend to pursue the visual effects only such as spectacle but disregard the true meaning of the story which should shown in the film.

-Will Computer Generated Imagery make actors obsolete? Yes or No? Why?

No. CGI can't instead of actors totally in the progress of film making. This is because the motion capture-the most important technology for the CGI-is depend on digitizing and tracking the human movements. That means human actors is necessary for producing CGI such as virtual characters.

-Should digital characters be nominated for acting awards competing with humans?

No. Digital character is produced by humans and all of  their action(or performance) appeared in the film both come from human actors(markers).The CGI producers just apply the movement of human actors to such digital character. And it is a fact that such characters never act on their own mind and pay the efforts or show their talent to take part in  movie shooting.

-What are the advantages and disadvantages of motion capture?

Advantage: making the movement of all things appeared in the film realistic and closer to the reality.

Disadvantage:Becuase of the laws of physics,any exaggerated and fantastic movement can not be represented. And the performance of the actors(markers) may be not satisfying enough, which also affect the outputs of CGI.

-Should animation strive for photorealism?

No. animation and photorealism both have their own artistic value. Also,the skills required

 for them is different. We can't judge which one is better but at the aim of pursuing the illusion of reality, we can find the style,technique and the character of the painters from photorealism paintings while animation only simulate the reality to make the shape and movement through technology but it is more motional.

Mission to Earth

(a)Digital cinema  are different to the traditional cinema. First,they are produced with softwares totally by the autors. The software generates variable screen layouts and chooses different things from databases to display in each frames to tell the story or theme. The story relys on the main video,motion graphics,sounds in different frames at the same time. But the traditional cinema often use only one video which including the characters,plots,dialogue to represent the story.

Second,the sequences of media elements from the digital cinema can be changable. And the change follows the rule defined by the autor. That means you may find a new picture of the story constructed by different media elements when you watch the cinema for the second time. On the other hand,the sequences of  video deisplay of tradition cinema are fixed . And there is only one story in each movie which has already planed by the autor in tradition cinema.

Third,there is no dialogue in the digital cinema. The story is only told by the voice over.However,there are a lot of dialogues shown in tradition cinema. And we often understand the story through the dialogues of the characters.

Digital cinema is constructrd by different media elements such as video,motion graphics and sounds. And all of such media element is arranged by softwares.But tradition cinema show the story for audience by video only.Instead of softwares, the development of story is decided by film maker in tradition cinema.

(b)This film reminds me the eletronic comic,which is also drawn in a lot of frames. And all of the pictures in the frame tell us the story through seeing them in the computer,just like the different media elements showing in frames in digital cinema.

(c)This medium can encourage film makers be more creative because they can make the film to tell the story  throuh a few versions(not just one version),depending on the rules defined by autor. Also,audience can understand the film by their own perception when watching the film.

Modern Time:pros and cons of new technology

First,Chaplin was a factory worker in the film. His job was tightening bolts in the film. Therefore, he should repeated the same work again and again  in the production line with industrial machinery, which made him jerky and never stop the rhythmic movements of his nut-tightening even during a break.
Second, Chaplin and other workers were observed every time in the factory by the boss with the closed circuit cameras,which made Chaplin nervous despite he wanted to takAlsoe a rest,the boss ordered him back to work.Also,beacuse of the order of the boss through the closed circuit cameras,the speed of the production line increased gradually.That caused Chaplin's problem(the jerky and rhythmic movements)more serious afterward. Finally,he has gone crazy completelly.

What I experience with digital technoligies which is similar with the film,is typing on the computer.When I type a lot of words and repeat the movement of the fingers with the keyboard on the computer, the fingers
will be tired. Likewise,using the computer to work or access to the Internet to browse the web pages, the trigger finger and the shoulder will be hurt because of maintaining the same posture or gesture for a long time.

The self-introduction

My name is Macy Ma who is a Visual Studied Student. I was admitted to Lingnan University last year. Now I am a Year 2 student.
I love my course because it is creative and inspiring. Also, I have a lot of hobbies such as listening  to music,reading novels,watching movies whether documentary films or horror films,which may be a bit related to the course.
Besides,the aim of making the blog is to share all of my feelings and reflection of what I have learnt in Digital Media class.
Therefore, my blog is expected to focus on any discusssion and views about visual cultuer in the form of digital media.
However,because of the time limitation, the design of the blog is not beautiful enough and the content is not very rich but I will try to fill my blog with more detailed design and meaningful entries in the future.

(The source:http://rudolfherczog.deviantart.com/art/Future-World-2-37872318)