VFX vs CGI vs SFX: Which technology does what and how to spot the difference while watching a movie?

New Delhi. Film making is no longer limited to just cameras and actors, rather it has become a high-tech art, in which modern technologies are used to make imagination look like reality. Be it the huge forts of ‘Baahubali’ or the space battle of (Avengers), mainly three technologies contribute behind all this: VFX, CGI and SFX. Recently, amidst the discussion of a big project like ‘Ramayana’, these words are once again in the headlines. Although the general audience considers them to be the same, but in reality the work and method of these three are completely different.

SFX i.e. Special Effects: The real magic that happens in front of the camera
SFX i.e. special effects are those effects which are prepared on the set during the shooting of the film. It is also called ‘Practical Effects’ because computers are not used in it. For example, if an explosion is to be shown in a scene, rain is to be shown, fake blood is to be shown or the scene of breaking glass is to be filmed, then all this comes under SFX. Scenes created with robots, miniature sets or mechanical devices in old-time films also fall in this category. Its special thing is that it is shot in real time in front of the camera, which makes the scene feel more real.

CGI: When computers create whole new worlds
CGI i.e. Computer Generated Imagery is the technology in which a completely digital world is created. In this, 3D models, animations and graphics are prepared with the help of computers. It is used to show those things on the screen which do not exist in the real world or which are extremely expensive or impossible to make. Like huge dragons, alien planets or unrealistic characters in a movie, all these are wonders of CGI. In this, there is no need of a real set during the shooting, rather the entire scene is prepared in the computer and later it is added to the film.

VFX: Perfect blend of real and digital worlds
VFX or Visual Effects is the most widespread technique, which is a combination of real shot footage and CGI. It is used in post-production i.e. after shooting. For example, an actor is shot in front of a green screen and a burning city, mountains, or a fantasy world is later added behind him. The main purpose of VFX is to ensure that digital and real footage blend so seamlessly that the viewer cannot notice the difference. Nowadays, VFX is used heavily in almost every big film.

How to recognize the difference while watching a movie?
If you look carefully, it is possible to recognize the difference between these techniques. Where real explosions, rain or things created on set are seen, that is SFX. If any completely imaginary creature or world appears that may not be real even though it looks real, it is CGI. Whereas when digital backgrounds or changes are added along with the actual shooting, it is VFX. However, in modern films the work is done so clearly that sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish them.

the art of turning imagination into reality
Today in the film industry, these three technologies together are giving a new dimension to cinema. Audiences now get to see a world that was earlier possible only in imagination. In the coming times, projects like ‘Ramayana’ will bring forward even more advanced forms of these techniques, which will further raise the standards of Indian cinema at the global level.