My take on 3-D tech and AVATAR......

3-D technology and CGI (Computer Generated Imaginary):

new Avatar of 3D technology

Today big producers and directors from Hollywood are attracted to 3-D technology. A 3-D film uses illusion of depth perception which makes the film objects as if seen in three dimensions. These are filmed by specially designed motion picture camera which records the subject from two perspectives and when seen from particular eyewear gives us the 3-D experience of object.3-D films have existed since 1890 but the technology was used on very small scale because of the costly hardware and processes required to produce and playback a 3-D film. Nonetheless, 3-D films were prominently featured in the 1950s and 1980s in American cinema and currently experiencing resurgence at the start of 21st century coinciding with the development of computer-generated imagery and introduction of high-definition video standards. Technology which was being used those days seems puny in front of today’s CGI and HD. In 2003 James Cameron and Emmy nominated Director of Photography Vince Pace made Reality Camera System which used the latest HD technology. This enabled use of CGI and HD technology in 3-D films. Starting from Cameron’s Ghost of Abyss, movies like Spy kids 3, Final destination, Up, Monster Vs. Aliens etc. are made using Reality Camera System.

Like 3-D technology, use of CGI in films has also increased recently. CGI is used for visual effects because CGI, ie computer generated imagery, has far better controllability over the one on reels, such as constructing miniatures for effects shots or hiring extras for crowd scene. It allows a single graphic artist to produce content without the use of actors, expensive set pieces etc. Use of CGI started in industry from mid 70’s but 1993’s Jurassic Park made a revolution in this area by perfectly integrating computer generated Dinosaurs into live action. Characters like Gollum from LOTR trilogy, King Kong from 2005 remake of King Kong, Davey Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and most recent Navi’s from Avatar are best example of characters made by using CGI.

So what’s new in AVATAR???

After a very successful movie of romance and survival, the Titanic, James Cameron introduces another would-be blockbuster film that features the entirely different world in Avatar. The movie is 40 percent live action shots and the 60 percent remaining are scenes realized using the latest computer-generated imagery (CGI). With a titanic budget (pun totally intended) of around $450 million USD, film was planned to be released in 1999 but got delayed by whole 10 years due to lack of finance and unavailability of desired technology. Movie is technical revolution in the world of 3-D and CGI. This includes innovation like “The Volume”, the performance stage, which is six times larger than usual stage. The masks used for CGI are made with tiny camera on the head to capture more than 95% of facial and eye expression. Film is realizing in both 3-D and 2-D on 18^th December worldwide.

-Pushkar Kulkarni

Student of Ramdevbada College of Engineering and a movie lover