Technologi

CGI is, in my view, one of the most important components to consider in the way of contemporary film-making. After all, it is able to bring life to special features that might not have that degree of life otherwise. There are so many ways in which it can be used, whether it is the creation of characters that cannot be seen in reality or bringing life to landscapes that are able to prove aesthetically pleasing. With that said, is it possible that CGI can be argued to be one of the most overused features in film?

It certainly appears as though CGI is becoming used to a fault. However, we have come to expect CGI, not only in terms of movies but television shows as well. There are many great visuals that have come to the surface as a result of CGI, amongst them being Iron Man as he descends from the sky in order to save civilians. However, I feel as though this is an example of CGI done in the right away, since we do not question its realism but rather allow ourselves to become immersed in the movie's universe.

Think of CGI as almost like the whipped cream atop an ice cream sundae. Of course you will want whipped cream because it adds something special to the overall dish. However, what happens when it seems as though there is too much whipped cream? That particular experience winds up leaving something to be desired. CGI is the same way; too little and the product becomes cheap. If there is too much CGI, though, it stops looking less like an authentic piece of art and more like a synthetically manufactured entity.

It's easy to say that CGI is oftentimes utilized poorly, even now when it's been around for a number of years. For example, upon watching the first "Twilight" movie, I did not care for many of the visuals. At first, the paler colors were interesting, as I thought they added to the somber atmosphere of the film in general. However, once the CGI werewolves made their presence, I found myself taken out of the experience. Yes, werewolves are creations of fiction but the movie-going audience should not be made aware of this.

Keep in mind that "Twilight" was not meant to be a movie that was aware of itself; otherwise poor CGI would have been excusable. However, this is an example of a studio not utilizing CGI in the way that others are able to. With so many different effects that can be incorporated, it's clear that there are some will come across more than others, depending on not only experience but the competency of the studios behind certain films. Perhaps one day the movie industry will reach a point where CGI will appear authentic across the board.