CGI vs VFX vs SFX — What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

Visual Effects vs CGI — We look at the differences between three terms that are often confused.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to CGI, VFX, and Special FX
00:52 - Defining CGI, VFX and Special FX
02:38 - What Are Special Effects?
04:42 - What Are Visual Effects?
07:45 - What is CGI?
11:32 - Deep Dive: 1917
13:57 - Final Thoughts

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VFX VS CGI VS SFX

There is a debate raging in the film industry. Well, there are multiple debates raging in the film industry, but today we’re focusing on one of them: VFX vs CGI vs SFX. This debate is rooted in confusion over definitions, and CGI fatigue. Certain audiences, and filmmakers, are tired of CGI being used as a creative bandaid, sloppily solving problems in post which allows for laziness on set. In this video, we dive head first into this debate, and find that the answers aren’t as clear-cut as they might seem…

WHAT IS SFX?

First, we look at the oldest of the three categories: SFX, short for special effects. Special effects refer to any elements created on set, also referred to as practical effects. When a filmmaker brags about doing some crazy visual “for real,” this is what they’re referring to. Today, SFX have become coveted, and even fetishized. See any Tom Cruise interview.

WHAT IS VFX?

Now, the second oldest: VFX, or visual effects. These are any effects added to imagery that was captured during production. This can be compositing, green screens, virtual production, motion capture, paint outs, and much more. VFX today are mostly done digitally, but a visual effect can also be executed without a computer. Old compositing techniques with optical printers count as VFX.
Now, here’s where the confusion can occur.

WHAT IS CGI?

CGI, or computer generated imagery, is a type of visual effect. But not all visual effects are CGI. CGI only refers to elements that are created solely using a computer. Seems pretty straightforward, right? The confusion arises from when filmmakers boast that their film didn’t use any CGI. People will quickly look at film’s credits, see all these VFX artists’ names, and claim that the filmmaker is lying. But actually, these VFX artists might be working on other VFX that don’t include CGI.

PRACTICAL VS DIGITAL

So why are more and more filmmakers emphasizing they aren’t using CGI? The answer lies in the evolution of filmmaking over the past 30 years. CG has become more and more dominant. And while this allows for creatives to build worlds never before thought possible, it can also result in less-than-stellar visuals and lazy filmmaking. But this is only when CGI is used poorly– it’s not an indictment of the tool. In the end, CG will always have its place in film. It’s just what that place looks like that may change.

#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking

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♬ SONGS USED:

“Smalltown Boy” - Bronski Beat
“Meth Lab Zoso Sticker” - 7 Horse
“Werewolves of London” - Warren Zevon
“Nothing But Blue Pills” - Don Davis
“Gremlins” - Jerry Goldsmith
“James Bond Theme” - Monty Norman
“Jaws” - John Williams
“EEAAO” - Son Lux
“This Title Makes Me Jurassic” - Michael Giacchino
“Across The Board” - Basil Poledouris
“Main on End” - Alan Silvestri
“Kahndaq” - Lorne Balfe
“Bella” - Jason Fendrix
“Oppenheimer” - Ludwig Gorransson
“Terminator 2 Theme” - Brad Fiedel
“On The Case” - Henry Jackman
“2815 AD” - Michael Giacchino
“Hovercraft Muzak” - Fred Karlin
“Monkey to the City” - Michael Giacchino
“Amok In Redo” - Cowboys In Japan
“Blake and Schofield” - Thomas Newman
“Engländer” - Thomas Newman
“Milk” - Thomas Newman
“The Boche” - Thomas Newman
“Lisan al Gaib” - Hans Zimmer
“The Gonk” - Herbert Chappell

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#film-theory, #video-essay, #filmmaker

[kimkhoitruong]

SFX: created and function while on set
VFX: post filming and editing
CGI: fully done by computer while still filming and post editing

[PhantomFilmAustralia]

The most egregious sin when it comes to VFX and CGI is having cutting edge technicians using state-of-the-art technology, yet they are never given the necessary time required to achieve either an incredible effect or invisible effect.

[aspizak]

Top Gun is a great example of everyone from studio to Tom lying about CGI. Sure. They shot a lot of ref footage, but 90% was replaced by CGI. Saying there’s no CGI in it while it was more CGI shots than Black Panther is rather disrespectful for artists work on it.

[gingerdog]

From what I’ve seen, in the industry rarely actually say “CGI”, or atleast not as generally as the public. Tbh, I’m just tired of hearing people using it to trash on the vfx industry (the industry that includes vfx, cgi and sfx)

[akashdefonseka]

This is the kind of video that needs to be watched by everyone because SOOO many of us can't differentiate between these terms despite using them

[oliviab]

CGI could honestly get a video all its own with so much involved in the process. You’ve got modeling, rigging, texturing, animation, lighting even simulated physics…that’s why it grinds me gears when people say “this CGI looks bad” because they really only have a gripe with one of those aspects but don’t know enough to specifically call it out. Instead they lump everything under just “CGI”

[daniellatteo_thefilmmaker]

4:22 How great it must be to be Nolan and candidly say:
"Ok guys, we're going to have some SFX in this scene. A big truck flips end over end, and then lands upside down in the middle of the street"
SFX Super " How are we going to do that?"
Nolan "Well, we're going to get a big truck, flip it end over end, and land it in the middle of the street".

[TrackpadProductions]

I really hope this video blows up the way it deserves to. One of my _biggest_ pet peeves in film circles is when people use these terms interchangeably, and I'm _so_ happy there's someone willing to break it down properly.

[JacobJohnson-lhgx]

I used to be a intern for a CGI studio and ngl everything shown and explain here is on point. Not to mention you gotta have the most expensive and top of the line computers and other equipment to be able to make the best output as possible. We literally went from goofy looking effects to realistic and seamless looking effects composited in various media. The obsession with making things look realistically look seamless is what makes the whole thing so meticulous and time consuming haha. I remember creating running animation for a 3D character meant to be shown for like 10 seconds which mind you took me weeks to finish, fine tuning everything, making sure everything looks right from the weight of each step, the interaction of the feet to the ground etc. Only for it to be covered up by the VFX department with dust, debris and smoke. The frustration was real, I wasn't even paid to animate it cause I was a intern back then haha.

[synsam]

1:52 - It's a bit unfortunate that they touch on the fact that a lot of filmmakers claim they don't use CGI, using Top Gun and Tom Cruise as an example, when it has been proven that a lot of these filmmakers and especially Top Gun have lied about this. The clip they picked to illustrate this is literally a CGI jet. I know they also said "CGI is misunderstood" in that section, but it's not just misunderstood, those claims are just straight up lies. The jets seen in Top Gun are CGI, even though the filmmakers (like Tom Cruise) claim they aren't. For some reason both journalists and others writing about filmmaking often spread the false rumours, even though they obviously are false, since there often can be VFX breakdowns showing what's CGI. Note that some filmmakers use the power of NDAs to block VFX artists from talking about the production, even after it has been released. (That's not the case with Top Gun though, so there are plenty of proof debunking the lies used in marketing.) And note that tons of VFX artists are cut from the credits, so don't use that either as a way to measure the amount of VFX work (Nolan can literally cut hundreds of VFX artists from the credits).

I can recommend the Youtube series _"NO CGI" is really just INVISIBLE CGI_ for those wanting to see a good summary of a bunch of these examples. Cheerio.

[GautamDas-logs]

Please make a video on directing style of :-
1) Alfred Hitchcock
2) Sergio Leone
3) Francis Ford Coppola
4) David Cronenberg
5) Guillermo Del Toro
6) Ridley Scott
7) James Cameron
8) Tim Burton
9) John Woo
10) Kathryn Bigelow

[freddyjosereginomontalvo]

As corridor crew once said:
You must do everything on practical effects, puppets, and makeup... and then use CGI and VFX to improve them and to apply where the practical effects can't be applied.
Awesome video as always say.
Thanks for being one of the best channels about cinematography

[rayancedrichaddad]

It's a complete audiovisual encyclopedia about the Differences between those Three Aesthetic Elements/Illusions in Filmmaking. CGI/VFX/SFX are the Three Musketeers Illusions in Filmmaking. Thousand Thanks StudioBinder for this Inspiring video.💯💯💯

[solertia]

The whole “No CGI” thing being used as a marketing tool is kinda silly. Nothing about filmmaking is “real” and filmmakers having been using “fakery” since the beginning. Just make a good movie and we won’t care.

[gumbootnet]

I guess someone else has pointed it out already but the shots of the ED-209 in Robocop were not composited onto shots of the boardroom but were actually the stop motion miniature shot in front of a rear projection screen. This was mainly a budgetary constraint.

[forkfighter]

This was so fascinating! I didn't know there was a difference between VFX and SFX. It's neat how much we can do with them in tandem. As much as I appreciate CGI, there's just something about practical effects I find charming

[ppytc]

I absolutely adore StudioBinder, even as a non-filmmaker.
Keep it up, good chaps!

[Mahem]

Lol I’ve always thought SFX stands for Sound FX

[StayFractalesque]

I thought the Robocop ED-209 shots were actually ED-209s in front of rear projections? ..thats why theres a noticeable drop in saturation, contrast, and resolution in those shots?

[stephenwilliams]

There are two great special effect moments for me. The first was the start of the first Star Wars movie (episode 4) and the Imperial cruiser just going and going and going. The second was the dinosaur reveal in the original Jurassic Park. That second one is a great scene on a number of levels, including the acting of Sam Neill and Laura Dern and, of course, the music. Spielberg has always understood that special effects are a tool and that the story is what matters.