Most Popular Visual Effects Techniques of Filmmaking

Visual Effects in Filmmaking

Visual effects are used in the process of filmmaking to create imagery and add to live action shots that are recorded. While in the past visual effects were seen mainly as an extension of the practical special effects (Special effects are illusions or visual tricks used in the movie, television and video game to simulate the imagined events in a virtual environment.) used in filmmaking, now it is a blend of digital effects and practical both used during post-production and recording.

Below are some of the most popular visual effects techniques used in filmmaking:

3 Most Common Visual Effects Techniques

Click on below Video: 7 Movies before and after Special Effect

1. Computer-Generated Imagery

Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) has shown tremendous growth over the last decade in the visual effects field. CGI has become synonymous with visual effects, as CGI is widely used throughout in many blockbuster films in extreme form.

In a few cases, CGI is used to accentuate videos or in other entire CGI environment or characters are created and added in the films.

Always CGI has come into its own there has been an extensive debate over the line separating film and animation – which is frequently becoming nonexistent.

2. Chroma key

Chroma key is post-production and visual effects techniques for digital compositing where two images or video streams together. The technique has been used in various fields to remove a background from the subject of a photo or video – especially the motion picture, news casting and video game industries. A color range in the foreground footage is created transparent, allowing separately shot background footage or a static image to be added into the view. It is also referred to as color keying or various terms for particular color-related variants such as blue screen and green screen – chroma keying can be done with backgrounds of any color that are distinct, but green and blue backgrounds are more in use because they differ most distinctly in hue from human skin colors.

3. Prosthetic Makeup

In Prosthetic makeup sculps process cosmetic effects were created and actors world frequently go through the lengthy session during which the sculps were applied before filming. But today prosthetic makeup is a far away from that and often more comfortable to apply while looking more realistic.

Despite facing an existential threat due to the prevalence of computer-generated imagery, prosthetic makeup continues to be favored by film producers. Often prosthetic makeup is used in the initial filming and computer-generated imagery is then blended in to touch it up or perform modifications during the post-production process.

Alien Transformation with Special FX Makeup | Artist Residency

In a few cases, prosthetic make-up artists design the initial model that is then transformed into a CGI model and techniques such as motion capture are used to animate it.

In many of these visual effects require sizable budgets, they are getting easier to create all the time.

Now CGI certainly manages the visual effects scenery, due to its versatility and ability to craft any imagery. In the future, its usage is entirely likely to expand further, as advanced algorithms and developments process in computer learning makes it possible to create far more realistic imagery.

Lighting Techniques in Filmmaking

Lighting is an integral part of filmmaking and in few areas of filmmaking that has many arrangements of set-ups. Quite like camera terminology, there are variations of lighting tools. There is no other right way to employ lighting design. A scene could be little different ways by different lighting techniques in filmmaking, each altering the mood and overall impact of the image.

Click on below Video: Basic Lighting Techniques

Different Lighting Techniques in Filmmaking

1. Key Light

The key light is the light of the scene. It will be an intense and direct light source of the whole scene. 

It will be the first light to set up and used in illuminating the form of the subject.

Key Points:

• Avoid placing the key light near to the camera because it will cause your lighting to become featureless and flat.
• If key light is positioned to the side or back side of a performer, it will create a mysterious mood and overall keep the image dark.

The key light is a light in a three-point lighting setup.

2. Fill Light

A fill light illuminates the shadows which are created by the key light. 

Fill light is placed in the opposite direction of the key light and not as powerful as the key.

Key Points:

• The primary function of fill is to remove shadows created by the key. It is important that the fill remains indistinctive and does not create any shadows or its characteristics. It produces less shadows when it is closer the fill light to the camera.
• It is easy to create fills if you don't have another light; you can place a reflector on opposite 3/4 to the key. Light spill onto the reflector and bounce up to the subject.
• Fill light is measured in the fill light ratio. It describes the relative amount of light from the fill and the key. Example: A ratio of 1:2 indicates that the fill is half the intensity of the key.

3. Back Light

A backlight hit an object from behind and placed higher than the object it is lighting. This light is used to separate an object from a dark background and to give the subject more depth and shape. 

Backlighting help to bring the subject out and away from looking two dimensional.

Key Points:

• Non-diffused sunlight can be too harsh to light your subject as a key light, but as a backlight, the sun can make the performer stand out.
• With the sun as a backlight, use a reflector or a foam board to bounce the sun at a less intensity back up to the performer.
• To create a silhouette, expose for backlight and remove your fill and key.
• If a backlight is placed behind a performer at a directional angle, where the light hits a portion of the face, the back light becomes a kicker. 

4. Side light

A side light is a light that comes from the side parallel to the performer. A side light is ideal for creating a dramatic mood and chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro is created with high-contrast and low-key. A traditional technique used throughout the film noir period of cinema.

 Key Points:

• To create better dramatic lighting with side light, it is best to use it without a fill or have the fill ratio low such as 1:8.
• Side lights are ideal for revealing texture.
• There are many lighting techniques, but here we explained you few lighting Techniques in filmmaking hope you find this blog helpful for filmmaking.