“Wait! It wasn’t real?”
These were the words heard around the world, when countless movie-goers saw the “Life of Pi.”
The co-star, a Bengal tiger, was completely computer generated imagery, or CGI, and its looked incredibly realistic.
We as modern movie viewers have lost the awe that comes with a good special effect. So if you can fool and audience for a moment you’ve succeeded; “Life of Pi” did that the whole film.
Viewers thought the tiger actually acted out the scenes only to be transferred via a green screen. In actuality the tiger never existed.
The work of those involved didn’t go without notice.
The film took Oscars for Best Cinematography and for Best Visual Effects.
Rhythm and Hues, the company responsible for the visual effects of “Life of Pi,” along with countless other films has just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The outsourcing of jobs isn’t new to most people of America but to the CGI world, it’s starting to hit home.
“It makes people aware that overseas competition is affecting jobs in all industries, and the visual effects department is an example of that,” said Ryan Camero, a Delta student and art forum organizer.
As a symbol of solidarity there is a Facebook protest in support for CGI companies, which involves a neon-green profile picture as a way to drum interest in the new wave of outsourcing.
“I hope the protest acts as a waking point for those who aren’t aware that there is long-term and large-scale issue here. This cause in general demonstrates a breaking point for an industry that suffers the same obstacle many others are; which is the security of industry and national support. The nature of those who is overseas studios see significant backlash in out country. It is a problem that should be talked about,” said Camero.