Researching Thriller Films - CGI

Computer-Generated Imagery, or CGI, has become very prominent in thriller films over the last 30 years. It is where production teams add computer-based graphics into TV or film, as can be seen to the right.

The first film to use 2D CGI was Michael Crichton's 'Westworld', from 1973. Its sequel, 'Futureworld', from 1976, was the first to use 3D CGI, and many believed it would be a phase, and would die out within a few years. However, it has become a film phenomenon, and thousands of films a year are now using this piece of technology.

CGI became mainstream when it was used in George Lucas' 'Star Wars IV: A New Hope', from 1977. It was poor quality compared to modern-day technology, but it was enough to prove that this could be the future.

'Looker', in 1981, was the first film to feature a complete 3D CGI human character. It was created using a method called 'scanning', which involves using pictures of a body and putting them through a computer. It was in 1982, in 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' that CGI was proven to be the next big thing. A scene, created by Pizar, where a planet is born, is said to be where CGI really did announce itself on the big stage.

'Tron', also from 1982, used CGI for over 20 minutes, in the first lengthy use of the imagery. 'Young Sherlock Holmes', rfom 1985, was the first to use photo-realistic CGI, and 'The Abyss', a James Cameron film (who has used CGI in ALL of his films), where a 3D CGI character made from water won him a Visual Effects Oscar.

1995 was the turn of CGI, with 'Toy Story' - the first full-length, full-CGI film, which well and truly ended hand-drawn animation. The commercial success of the film proved that this was the future.

'The Matrix', of 1999, was the first real-life, full-length CGI film. Around 20% of the film was complete CGI, but the other 80% had elements in it at all times. Freeze framing, and slow motion was used within CGI for the first time, which was a great success.

The turn of the century was when CGI hit its boom. 'Star Wars Episode I' had 90% of its shots with special effects, and 'Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' used motion-capture technology to shoot Gollum - a CGI character played by an actor. 'The Polar Express' did this for every actor, to critical acclaim.

'Avatar', James Cameron's epic 3D movie, has recently become the highest grossing film of all time, earning more than $2billion. It uses CGI throughout the film to create a different world. This technique is likely to be used over and over again now, seeing as it has worked.