Visual effects or VFX help the filmmakers to improve and bring life to a story. It is added to characters, worlds and various stunt scenes. VFX play a massive role in creating stunning imaginary scenes and achieving stunt shots that would otherwise be impossible.
However, it isn’t limited to the world of blockbusters and high-budget films. Nowadays, short films are also using VFX to enhance the aftermath of the film. It also helps makers to deliver their message more efficiently and effectively.
What do you mean by VFX?
VFX is the manipulation of an on-screen scene that is non-existent in real life. Through VFX, filmmakers successfully create people, animals, creatures, objects and surrounding environments in the film. Without VFX, the creation of such elements would have been impossible and challenging. Today, filmmakers and production houses don’t move to a scene location. Instead, they use VFX to integrate live-action footage with CGI.
How is VFX different from special effects?
Visual effects and special effects are not similar to each other from any angle. Special effects are done during the shoot of the film. A few examples are:
- Fake rain
- Animatronics
- Pyrotechnics
- Prosthetic makeup
However, Visual effects are added to the scene after the shooting in the post-production phase.
You’ll learn more about it in various animation and VFX courses.
What are the various VFXs used in short films?
There are three kinds of VFX or visual effects used in a short film by the makers. Moreover, renowned visual effects studios have their supervisors and VFX artists. Here are a few categories in which the VFX type falls into:
- Computer-generated Imagery:
CGI is the most used VFX type in many films and television shows. The graphics generated via CGI can be both 2D and 3D. However, CGI is basically used in films that need 3D VFX. The most popular kind of CGI is a 3D representation of animals, objects or surfaces. It is used to create animals or scenes that don’t exist and are impossible to capture in real time.
However, these VFX shots can also be subtle. For instance, a VFX artist might use visual effects to fill a cricket stadium and show that the crowd is cheering. Moreover, it can also help reduce the age of an actor on-screen and show them younger-looking.
- Composting:
Composting is a process wherein the VFX artists bring together various visual elements on one screen. In composting technique, the filmmaker creates scenes using a green or blue screen. Later, these screens are replaced with another element during post-production. The VFX artists use specific software to complete this process.
One example of composting is achieving matte painting effects such as landscape illustrations composited with live footage.
- Motion capture:
It is also known as mocap. Motion capture is the procedure of first recording the on-screen movements and then transferring them to a CGI 3D model. It is a process in which the actor or actress’s facial expressions are recorded. The process of capturing movement is known as performance capture.
Another method is when the actor is placed in a motion-capture suit with unique markers. These markers are easy to track by the cameras. The captured data is then created into a 3D skeleton model through good motion capture software.
Examples of VFX used in a short film.
A few examples of scenes where VFX is popularly used in short films are:
- Give a raining effect in the scene
- Adjust and make the footage look slower or faster
- Adding flash effect in the guns to give a firing effect
- Add CGI explosion imagery in a battle scene
- Hiring a VFX artist to lower the cost of production by using green or blue screens
- Using authentic images as a reference point
- Deconstructing the various storyboard frames to make unbelievable VFX scenes
- Record the footage using a device beforehand and then add motion effects
Conclusion
VFX is a crucial factor in short filmmaking. Moreover, its demand is continuously increasing and is predicted to grow 10x in 2024. If you want to learn VFX in Kolkata, signing up for a VFX course in a reputed academy is the best option for you.
You can enrol in Moople Academy to get hands-on experience in VFX creation.