Moving images generated entirely in software — 3D modeling, rigging, rendering. Replaces or augments live-action based on budget and creative intent.
On set or in the edit, you quickly distinguish between live-action footage and complete digital synthesis. Computer animation is created pixel by pixel on a computer — no camera negative, no physical scene. The pipeline begins with concept art and 3D modeling, proceeds through texturing, rigging, animation, and lighting, to rendering. Each phase is specialized; an error in geometry affects all subsequent steps.
In practice, this means you need an understanding not only of cinematic light and movement but also of digital constraints. A CG character animates differently than an actor — not just in the quality of movement but also in the logic of timing. Muscle jiggle, cloth simulation, hair dynamics — all of this requires time and render power. In budget calculations, an additional animation iteration quickly means an extra day of rendering farm. That's why good VFX supervisors communicate early: Which changes are still possible after lock?
Hybrid scenes are standard today — live-action with CG characters, physical environments with synthetic elements, or vice versa. Matching is the real art: light, depth of field, grain, motion blur must appear identical. Incorrect light direction on a CG character is immediately noticeable because your eye registers flatness in 3D space instantly.
The line between animation and real-time rendering is currently blurring. Game engines like Unreal enable live compositing on set — you see the CG environment in real-time in the viewfinder. This fundamentally changes directorial decisions: no more surprises in post. At the same time, the technical overhead is increasing: motion capture, LED wall setups, real-time calculations. Classic computer animation remains relevant in sequences like epic fantasy worlds or entirely synthetic characters — where control over every pixel is more important than speed.