Mayalice Joseph
Treasure Coast High School
VFX Research
The objective of this task is to individually research films, advertisements, music videos, or TV shows, from 2019 onward and note how the use VFX. The completion of this task demonstrates understanding of VFX and all of its components.
Avatar is full of visual effects because of its settings. Almost all of the Avatar movies are unable to be recorded without CGI due to their fictional properties. “Avatar: The Way of Water” takes place in Pandora, a fictional moon, so there is no way to physically be there. Due to this, actors will perform their scenes in front of a green/blue screen so that editors can simply edit their environment later.
While visual effects are usually used to capture the human performer, they're also used to animate other objects and to create fictional versions of them. A regular fish may be edited to create something more unusual or rare. A specific type may be unavailable or fake, so movie makers have to find a way to make that and put it into the movie. Movie editors are tasked with editing features in and out of clips to set up a certain scene. They may also be tasked with creating filler objects to make a scene look more complete.
The actors are human, so they don't look like their character in films such as Avatar movies. Constant makeup will need many modifications while the actor performs, and the constant changes may cause problems during filming, so instead of makeup, the actor will wear a mocap. The mocap records the actor's movements, facial expressions, and movement of objects. By wearing the mocap, editors simply edit the character in and make it so that it appears as if the character is moving like the actor is.
Some specific scenes are able to be recorded in similar things. Sometimes a similar body such as a pool may be used to aid in making a scene, such as a scene taking place in the ocean, seem more realistic. Many movements can't be faked, such as a person diving into water, so they need to use something to make the motions seem more realistic. This is for more than just faking environments.
Visual effects are needed to complete fictional films. As technology advances, more films are being made to be fictional but aren't animated. CGI helps make the films come together by creating something that wouldn't ever be found. It also helps movie makers add certain things without having to risk putting other living things in danger, such as endangered species, while allowing their vision to come to life.
Theory
Roland Barthes Enigma Code/ Hermeneutic Code
The Roland Barthes Enigma Code, also known as the Hermeneutic Code, refers to any element that withholds information from the audience in an attempt to control the flow of information. It builds suspense, mystery, and curiosity within an audience. This leads to the audience becoming more engaged within the film as they try to find answers. It leaves questions unanswered to build tension and control when information is released. I used this in my film by withholding what the character saw and what led her to act the way she did. I steadily provided information about the whereabouts of what was making her that way by showing her facial expressions and actions following these facial reactions. This builds anticipation within the viewer and kept them engaged while the story unfolded.
