The Downside of CGI
by Rafael Gomez
CGI Is the Future of Movies
by Jackie Winston
1
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is one of the most impressive advancements in filmmaking. It has transformed the way movies are produced, making “impossible” scenery, characters, and effects possible. CGI is the next step in an ever-evolving art form.
2
When the 1993 movie Jurassic Park was released, CGI was still an unproven technology. Many people weren’t sure it was worth the money. But audiences were amazed by the realistic dinosaurs “interacting” with human actors. Jurassic Park’s enormous success proved that CGI technology could look convincing and earn money. After seeing the dinosaurs, director George Lucas said, “It was like one of those moments in history . . . a major gap had been crossed and things were never going to be the same.” Film critic Tom Shone compared the invention of CGI to the use of sound in movies in 1927. CGI has allowed filmmakers to show Washington, DC, exploding in Independence Day, giant robots battling monsters in Pacific Rim, and an entire alien planet to come to life in Avatar. None of these effects would be convincing, or even possible, without CGI.
3
Nearly three decades later, almost every movie is made with CGI. The technology is so advanced that it is often difficult to tell if a shot is CGI or live-action. The technology has expanded what’s possible in movies. Make-up effects artist Tom Savini says, “It used to be a challenge to try and create what was in the script. Now anything you can imagine can be created on the screen.” He admits that CGI is a tool that can be used well or poorly, depending on the director’s skill. When a movie relies too much on CGI, the story begins to feel unrealistic, and the audience loses interest. But most movies that use CGI do it successfully. These movies combine practical effects with CGI to appear as realistic as possible while providing audiences with an extraordinary experience.
4
CGI has advanced the entire field of cinema. It has amazed audiences with thrilling action shots, like the magical duels and broomstick flights in the Harry Potter films. CGI has also brought fantastic creatures to life, including the massive aliens in The Avengers and a dragon in The Hobbit. CGI is the latest revolution in a changing art form.
1
The movie industry’s use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) has increased dramatically over the past thirty years. CGI has changed how movies are made and what viewers expect of them. Although CGI allows directors to create stunning visual effects, it can also lower a movie’s quality and inaccurately represent history.
2
At first, CGI was used sparingly in movies. Now, however, CGI is used more and more frequently as technology improves. The film Avatar, which is almost entirely CGI, reveals how much the technology has changed movie production. Many reviewers think we have reached a point where, as CityArts chief film critic Armond White says, “Technological excess has overwhelmed narrative meaning.” Many movies are more about the special effects than the story. Viewers sense this, too. For example, in the widely criticized Star Wars prequel movies, impressive CGI came at the price of poor dialogue and a weak plot. Furthermore, actors in CGI shots must pretend to interact with characters or objects that are not there. This arrangement can lead to weaker acting performances. Heavy reliance on CGI can weaken a film’s quality and the audience’s experience.
3
CGI can also create false impressions about reality. For example, audiences think they know what dinosaurs looked and sounded like because they have seen the Jurassic Park movies. But fossil evidence suggests that almost all dinosaurs had feathers. Nevertheless, all the Jurassic Park movies portray featherless dinosaurs. Plus, the velociraptors in the movies are much larger than they were in real life. Scientists also have little knowledge about how dinosaurs sounded, but the movies added clicks, growls, and roars with no basis in fact. Viewers tend to accept these representations of dinosaurs as accurate. CGI often misleads audiences about historical and scientific information.
4
Some of the most memorable scenes in movie history have been created with CGI. It is a valuable tool, but it must be used responsibly. Only then can CGI support a strong plot and talented actors to help create a high-quality movie that is entertaining without completely rewriting the past.
How are the passages similar?
A.
They both discuss the exciting possibilities of CGI technology.
B.
They both focus on the use of CGI technology in popular movies.
C.
They both show the main reason film critics dislike CGI technology.
D.
They both criticize the use of CGI technology in popular movies.
7 answers
The correct answer is:
A. They both discuss the exciting possibilities of CGI technology.
Both passages acknowledge the transformative impact of CGI technology in filmmaking and highlight its potential to create stunning visuals and possibilities that were previously unattainable. The first passage celebrates the advancements and successful uses of CGI, while the second passage acknowledges its benefits but also addresses potential drawbacks. However, the overall tone in both is that CGI opens new creative avenues in movie production.
With which statement would both authors agree?
A.
CGI is responsible for misleading audiences about historical facts.
B.
CGI often gets in the way of an actor's ability to give a good performance.
C.
CGI is as important in film history as the invention of sound in movies.
D.
CGI technology has gained more and more popularity over the years.
The correct answer is:
D. CGI technology has gained more and more popularity over the years.
Both authors discuss the evolution and increasing use of CGI in filmmaking over the past thirty years, indicating that it has become a prominent and prevalent tool in the industry.
How is paragraph 2 structured?
A.
by detailing the history of how CGI technology was invented and when it became popular
B.
by explaining the risks of using CGI early on and how experts reacted to its success
C.
by establishing the emergence of CGI technology in 1993 and its resulting consequences
D.
by describing the first movie to use CGI and its connections to film technology from 1927
The correct answer is:
C. by establishing the emergence of CGI technology in 1993 and its resulting consequences.
Paragraph 2 discusses the release of "Jurassic Park" in 1993 as a significant moment for CGI technology, highlighting its initial skepticism and the subsequent positive reactions and effects of its successful use in filmmaking.
Why did film critic Tom Shone compare the invention of CGI to the use of sound in movies in 1927?
A.
They are both inventions that allowed movies to show magical creatures interacting with humans.
B.
They are both inventions that have had a lasting impact in the way movies are produced and seen.
C.
They are both inventions that often make it difficult to tell whether technology is being used in a movie.
D.
They are both inventions that make movie audiences lose interest when the story feels unrealistic.
The correct answer is:
B. They are both inventions that have had a lasting impact in the way movies are produced and seen.
Tom Shone's comparison highlights how both CGI and the introduction of sound revolutionized filmmaking, changing the production process and enhancing the viewing experience in significant ways.
1 answer