The problem with full length computer generated films

[DOA4]

Those movies never look real. I believe computers are able to generate a realistic-looking face.

[Auggie2k]

Funny this post came up. Just watching the fight in matrix reloaded where he fights about 100 agents, it's a bit to obvious that its computer generated, it's too neat! Tip for creating realism...imperfections! (I got that from bicentennial man)

[tomars]

Those movies never look real. I believe computers are able to generate a realistic-looking face. I don't want to watch a movie of an actual fish.
Anyway, I reckon that a realistic looking face would be cheesy - you might as well just use a real actor.

[Wipeout]

That's very weird. I went to wikipedia.com and there are only 18 computer animated films.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_computer-animated_films

[WE_DELIVER]

A lot of the full lenght CG films aim for an unrealistic look. Im sure it would not be as fun to look at green monsters, talking fish, and talking cars if they looked realistic. Besides, it takes a huge amount of computing power if you try to go for super realism. Just doesnt make sence when you can use actors in most scenes to save money, and put CG where you absolutely need it.

[Wipeout]

Well, I guess CG films are something new. I went to a timeline of CGI in movies here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_CGI_in_movies

I think what he/she meant with full length was feature length.

[MPXX]

Ha "ReBoot" is on that list...I remember watching that when I was a kid...great show, althought at the time I though people were actually running around in my computer :D

[Jim Morrison]

I cant stand when they use all that cgi shit in horror movies these days.

[Afn]

CG is more of a script plot device for weak scripts.

I think some films are made better without CG. CG is overused, however CG is cheap.

The best films have little to no CG. What they have is STORY, something that is lacking from most movies today.

A great story can be told without CG, and FX. Good writing that translates into filmed performace is hard to do, but if the material is compelling, people will buy tickets filling theaters regardless of cgi/fx content.

And that is what it is all about. For now. Digital is going to make most studios unprofitable, but that is my opinion.

[rastabob2]

The problem is that our eyes/brains will instantly spot the slightest missing or erroneous detail in a human face, body, or movement.
Much more so than in any other living or inanimate thing.
You can get away with CG dinosaurs much easier than you can with 3d humans. If we take the matrix as an example, it was instantly obvious when they were switching to the 3d version of Neo rather than the filmed one, which just spoils the scene.
Full length CGI movies need to stick to very cartoonish looks - those that dont just tend to have characters that look like corpses (e.g. the polar express, which did not even make the wikipedia list)

[Wipeout]

-Star Wars

-Lord of the Rings

My point is the best films DO have CG.

[Happe''2]

-Star Wars

-Lord of the Rings

My point is the best films DO have CG.

anybody who uses best film and star wars in the same sentence should be tar'd and feathered...

my biggest problem with CG movies are that they tend to be Really lame.

[WE_DELIVER]

I think some CG movies were great:
Shrek
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
are all great movies and great examples of good story writing.

As in other movies, CG is a tool and should be used skillfully. In some shots it can definetely be more afordable to do a CG shot than a miniature or realworld performance. In some shots such as shots heavy with water, fire, hair and complicated elements, it may be easier and more affordable to go with an actual on camera performance instead of the CG.

So, I dont think that "Digital" is going to make most studios unprofitable especially if you have a director/producer that knows how to balance CG and real footage. Not to mention that now-a-days Digital Video production can be pretty much half as cheap as the old-school 35mm production price.
Thats why a lot more individuals and independent groups are making movies with the ability of editing them on their laptops or whatnot.

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

anybody who uses best film and star wars in the same sentence should be tar'd and feathered...

For a film that won 6 Academy Awards, the most that year which would include best visual effects (for the time), I would think it deserves better recognition. It may not have won best picture, but I think it is safe to say it was the best film of 1977.