>I am compiling information for a research paper on the topic: > "Computer Technology: Changing the Film Industry" (past, present, and >future). Here are some important historical points in the world of computer technology in special effects: TRON -used a great deal of computer enhancement (vector style) Aluminum Cans Promotional Add -This is the famous add with the robot woman in the chair that was made to promote cans; this is what people in the industry first saw that peaked their interest. Tin Toy -First computer animated film to win an oscar. Reboot -First computer animated television show. (Also first instance where Vactors (virtual actors) enter the world as regular characters.) Toy Story -First fully computer animated film. I'm not sure what the first film to use cg (computer graphics) to simply enhance the story was. Forrest Gump is widely recognized as the first film to do this to such a full extent and so successfully, but it had been done before. Computer Technology is used to: Create Mattes (backgrounds) Add Key objects (like a flying saucer or a little flying orb) which are composited onto the background object) Elliminate unwanted elements (like the Sergents legs in Forrest Gump, but you can take out entire actors too... this can clean up continuity errors. Continuity Errors are when something has changed since a previous scene cut, like an actor is there or a glass in on the table that wasn't there before.) Wire Removal (people in action films are often on wires and cg can make sure the audience doesn't see those) Character Regeneration (used for making huge crowds out of small crowds). Compositing (placing any image onto another image, like the multiple Michael Keatons in Multiplicity). ...there are many other reasons, these are some common ones. Here are some keyword pointers: SIGGRAPH (they have a little documentary about the developement of cg which they show at their convention) PIXAR Silicon Graphics History Industrial Light and Magic John Knoll (effects supervisor at Industrial Light an Magic) I know this is a mish mosh, but hopefully something in here will help. Sincerely, Mark Allen Xantherboy ****XANTHER ****http://www.directnet.com/~xanther/ **___**_____***_____***___**_********_**___**_*******_*******__ _**_**_____**_**____****__**____**____**___**-**______** **_ __***_____**___**___**_**_**____**____*******_*******_*******__ _**_**___*********__**__****____**____**___**_**______**____**_ **___**_**_______**_**___***____**____**___**_*******_**_____** ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]