The progression of CGI in films has been an interesting one. It’s been used in tons of different instances, and so the skill levels of CGI artists vary wildly depending on the task that needs to be done. It first broke through with Jurassic Park, which used CGI for its infamous dinosaurs. It replaced stop motion animation, which had been one of the dominant creature effects practice in Hollywood. From there, CGI has been used in everything from superpowers, to de-aging, to simply filling out backgrounds. But the technology is growing so considerably that it’s being used today for impactful storytelling. Nowhere is this more obvious than Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The third Guardians film focused on Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and his origin. He and his companion, Groot (Vin Diesel), are obviously CGI characters. Marvel didn’t actually have a raccoon and a walking tree on set. And yet, these characters have depth and a sense of emotion that’s palpable on screen. It’s what’s made them so popular with fans. Focusing on Rocket for the third film was a challenge for CGI. It’s obvious that a realistic anthropomorphic raccoon was doable with CGI as evident by all the previous films he appeared in. But there’s a big difference between featuring a hardcore raccoon in action and having him express real emotion. Nevertheless, the movie succeeded incredibly in that regard.
Rocket grew up in a laboratory with other anthropomorphic animal characters. They are all clearly CGI, and yet the scenes involving Rocket’s childhood are bursting with emotions. Combined with Cooper’s voice, there is real heart and love behind those eyes. The audience can feel Rocket’s pain. And this performance wasn’t delivered by an actor. It was crafted by CGI artists. Working behind a computer screen, these artists create real emotion. Their work can go beyond simply filling in backgrounds and touching up injuries. They are storytellers in their own right, and they should be acknowledged for it.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now streaming on Disney+.
0 Commentaires