36 (Continued From Cover) film negatives. The 1902 French film A Trip to the Moon (pictured on the cover), directed by Georges Méliès, is considered one of the most iconic films to employ such stunning visual effects. In those days, most work was done using practical techniques. Soon after, manipulating footage after it was shot became increasingly popular, and therein lies the main difference between special effects and visual effects. Special effects are created in front of the camera. Visual effects are produced in post-production. A common scenario in the visual effects realm is extending an environment. An example is the 1930 U.S. movie The Wizard of Oz. Most of the film’s scenes have been extended in post-production. To do so, artists created a physical painting to place over the footage using a technique called Matte Painting that is still widely used today, only digitally. Many famous movies used this technique to create extraordinary images. One example is Star Wars. Many of the series’ environments were created this way. Going back over the years, another important technique that became popular in the 1920s is stop-motion animation. Although this is more of a practical technique (special effects), it played a huge role alongside post-production manipulation (visual effects). It involves animating a character or object by manually moving it and filming it frame by frame. This process can take a long time. The result can then be combined with real footage, once again a great combination of special and visual effects. An example of this technique can be seen in the 1933 U.S. movie King Kong, in which the main character is fully animated using stop-motion. Miniatures (i.e., the physical reproduction and reconstruction of a specific environment on a smaller scale) also helped create iconic, memorable images. Movies like Star Wars and Aliens used large-scale environment reconstruction with miniatures. Even though computers are getting more powerful, miniatures are still part of the production of movies today. Over the next few decades, computers will play an important role in visual effects by pushing the boundaries further and creating computer-generated images that will eventually be combined with live footage. One of the most important turning points in this were scenes from James Cameron’s Terminator, where a sort of fluid effect (which looked like melting metal) appeared throughout the movie. This is something that we now take for granted, but back in the 1990s this sort of effect required very powerful computers. The villain going through the bars became an iconic image and a symbol of the beginning of a new era in visual effects. Today, computers produce realistic images or complex simulations that can be integrated seamlessly with live footage. For example, you can create a massive, realistic water simulation or simulate a crowd made up of millions. This sort of capability is also relevant for safety. For instance, you can now digitally double an actor for risky scenes and make the process safer. This also brings up another point: budget. Depending on the situation, it may be more convenient to rebuild an environment or a simulation digitally for budgetary reasons. It can be said, that to achieve a good, seamless result, you always need to balance visual and special effects wisely. Today, one of the hottest topics is AI, which can bring useful tools and benefits. Indeed, some AI tools have already been integrated into the visual effects workflow, tools that, in the majority of cases, are assisting the artist rather than replacing them. I have been asked to test and share my opinion on some of these tools to see whether they can be part of the regular workflow. AI shouldn’t make the artist’s skills unnecessary, which means that for AI to produce good results, the artist should have full control of the process. That’s how I judge these tools. That said, it should be acknowledged that one of the real problems AI can contribute to is the idea that this technology can reduce costs and speed up production in some areas, which will inevitably lead to a downgrade in quality. This is something I am personally worried about because it gives AI more power, to the point of eliminating human art and skills. On the other hand, I still retain some hope because audiences do not want that either. Audiences want to be amazed and have a great experience watching a movie. One example of this is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which sold out in theaters around the globe, which tells me that in the era of AI, people still want see what human art can bring to the big screen. (By Maurizio Di Vitto) Maurizio Di Vitto is an award-winning VE specialist who 15 years ago decided to move from Italy to London to embark on an adventure in the film industry. Di Vitto’s specialization is compositing. cases, etc.) selection, and production value all matter more today than ever before. NT: Successful international factual content usually offers either an extraordinary story, revelatory new evidence, or a fresh perspective on a little-known or underrepresented person, community, idea, or event. Style and tone also play an important role. TM: Long-running lifestyle shows with talent attached or which expand a franchise are always in demand. We have a strong slate of aspirational food and travel shows. History series are perennial best sellers. Returning documentary series resonate with the current global geopolitical situation, but enable us to update those stories through the lens of programs that audiences are already familiar with and trust. VideoAge: What are buyers asking for today that they were not asking for two or three years ago? PV: Buyers are asking for greater flexibility, more precise performance insights, and programming tailored to the needs of their audiences. They want to know not only whether a title is compelling, but also how it complements their existing offerings, which viewers it can attract or retain, and how its value can extend across platforms and windows. NT: The fundamental factual TV requirements remain largely unchanged, although buyers place greater emphasis on a program’s prior performance, particularly on its home network. AG: Three or four years ago, a producer could come into a market with a strong program and say: “Here is the TV series.” Today the questions are much more likely to be: Who is the audience? Where else can this work? What is the access? What is the talent? Can it become a series? What is the international hook? Basically, they are asking, “Why should I buy this program rather than the other 200 factual programs in front of me?” Pictured on the cover (l. to r.): A+E Global Media’s Patrick Vien and Radial Entertainment’s David Buoymaster (Continued from Page 34) VIDEOAGE October 2026 Visual & Special Effects
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5