When Craftsmanship Meets Cutting-Edge Technology... The World of CG Creators [New Jobs]

Video Technicians Responsible for CG, VFX, etc.
Late 19th Century 'Photo Compositing' as the Origin
A Comprehensive Art Utilizing Scientific and Engineering Expertise

Editor's NoteWith super-aging and ultra-low birth rates, along with the advent of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) era, new changes are occurring in the world of occupations. We introduce the world of new jobs that open paths for new challenges in working life or a second act in life.

It is now hard to imagine a movie without video technologies such as Computer Graphics (CG) and Visual Effects (VFX). From blockbuster films produced with billions of won to small-scale art films, all rely on visual effects. Moreover, as time goes on, we are moving toward an era where content is delivered mainly through video rather than text, so the scope of CG creators' activities is expected to expand even further.

Video Technology Existing Since the 19th Century

Model set used in the spaceship battle scenes of the SF movie 'Star Wars.' 20th-century CG was created in this way. Photo by LucasArts Capture

Video technology in films is generally divided into CG and VFX. CG refers to all images created by computer, while VFX means post-production visual effects inserted into film footage. Usually, CG work is done during film production, and VFX is carried out as 'post-production' after filming is completed. However, many video technology companies provide both CG and VFX services.

Since both CG and VFX rely on software, their history is relatively short. But if we broaden the category to 'film visual effects creators,' it has developed almost since the dawn of cinema. Oscar Gustave Rejlander, a British photographic artist, introduced the first 'composite' in his photographs in the mid-19th century, demonstrating video technology.

At the turn of the 20th century, Hollywood's large-scale films used simple composites as well as miniatures and costumes to summon the realm of imagination into real cinema. At this time, video technology creators were closer to artisans than IT experts. For example, the film "Star Wars," credited with opening the era of full-fledged special effects, created numerous spaceship models to depict space battles on screen.

21st Century Comprehensive Artists Equipped with Digital, Scientific, and Engineering Knowledge

Modern CG technology goes beyond simple computer graphics, encompassing numerous fields from mechanical engineering to model making. Photo by Warner Bros.

Today's video technology creators are people skilled in advanced technology, craftsmanship, science, and art. As the film market grows and technology advances, audiences demand more realistic and dramatic special effects. Video technology companies must use every available means to bring the scenes envisioned by the cinematographer 'in front of the camera.'

For example, the blockbuster "Dune 2," which was a hot topic this year, is set on a fictional desert planet and features giant sandworms. The CG and VFX for this film were handled by artists from DNEG, the world's largest video technology production company. They created large puppets that realistically replicated the texture of the worms and meticulously analyzed hundreds of hours of real desert sandstorm footage to produce lifelike sandstorm VFX. Earth science, digital technology, costume design, and numerous talents and expertise combined to create a single special effect.

Experts working to create realistic water graphic effects during the filming of the movie 'Avatar 2'. 20th Century Studios Capture

Among Hollywood directors, James Cameron, known for his keen interest in technology, had the "Avatar 2" VFX team conduct scientific research to produce perfect visuals. Since the film needed to depict fictional underwater creatures swimming in the ocean, it was technically very challenging. The Avatar 2 VFX team simulated the ripples and splashes created when humans or animals splash in water by repeating the simulation 1,900 times to achieve this effect.