This thesis seeks to explore the way in which invisibility as a concept becomes explicitly housed within digital compositing, visual effects (VFX) and certain attendant techniques. The chapters will establish how compositing and effects techniques can be seen as pushing modern filmmaking into concealing, and therefore visually releasing, certain physical structures within films’ images and their production. This shall be achieved by drawing upon a combination of texts that disseminate the technical nature and make-up of VFX, alongside discussion and theorisation of their use within cinema, together with other established film theory. I will examine cases of VFX techniques within cinema that can be used to investigate how their construction and utilisation create invisibility to accommodate and nullify the profilmic elements captured through the camera and aspects of technology. The chapters begin by examining how the work of Georges Méliès, whose films use the concept of invisibility to promote a breakdown of temporal and spatial qualities, become redeployed in certain modern digital effects-based films. Expanding on this, the second chapter explores how theories surrounding realism as espoused through mise-en-scène and the so-called physical “truth” of the captured world can be rearticulated through VFX both optical and digital. Chapter three looks at how breaking down the physical structure of a performer through VFX and motion-capture result in characterisations that produce a sense of ghostliness, where the Bazinian mummification of photographic capture has new existence breathed into it. Finally, chapter four explores how recent developments in effects techniques in creating the Invisible Man act as a reflection of the physical body unbound in a digital world. Here, the digital infrastructure of modern culture, such as the Internet, is used to highlight how a more free-flowing and vivacious body can exist and make use of unseen and non-physical practices to commit nefarious acts, such as hacking. It is these aspects that become reflected in the most recent film iteration of the Invisible Man, Hollow Man (2000).

MMed, Ophthalmology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / Aim To determine and document the demographic profile, clinical features, associations and clinical and visual outcomes in black African patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) attending St John Eye Hospital during 2006 and 2007. Method A retrospective descriptive study was conducted on black African IIH patients. Patient files and data of 21 of 32 IIH patients, seen in the Neuro-ophthalmology clinic at St John Eye Hospital over a two year period (2006 and 2007), were available and this study is based on these 21 patients. All 21 patients fulfilled the modified Dandy criteria for the diagnosis of IIH. Information obtained from files of the 21 patients were recorded on a data capture sheet. The demographics, initial (presenting) and final visual acuities and visual fields, initial and final clinical symptoms and signs, associations and treatment modalities were recorded on the data capture sheet. Visual and clinical outcomes were determined by comparing the final with the initial (presenting) symptoms and signs. The minimum follow-up period between the initial and the final visit was two months. Patients were regarded as legally blind if they had severe to profound visual acuity and/or visual field loss. Results All 21 patients were female and black African. Mean age was 31.2 ± 8.9 years (range 16 – 50 years). Mean period of follow up was 19.9 ± 20.1 months (range 2 – 77 months). 71.4% were obese. All patients presented with symptoms. The commonest presenting symptom was headache (90%) followed by visual loss (67%), transient visual obscurations (38%) and diplopia (29%). The results of the presenting signs were as follows: Seven eyes (17%) had visual acuity loss (most of which were mild [9.5%]), seven patients (33%) had abduction deficits, four patients (9.5%) had unilateral abnormal pupil reactions and all patients had papilloedema. Of the recorded associations seven patients (33%) were hypertensive, six (29%) were on contraception (two [9.5%] were on oral contraception) and two (9.5%) were taking prednisone prior to presentation. After the initial visit, all 21 vi IIH patients were treated with acetazolamide (Diamox) and weight loss was recorded in three patients (14%). Two patients (9.5%) had optic nerve sheath fenestrations (ONSF), two (9.5%) had lumbar-peritoneal shunts (LPS) and six (28.6%) had multiple lumbar punctures (LP’s). The outcome analysis was as follows: Symptoms in 19 patients (90%) improved but 16 patients (76%) still had papilloedema. Two patients (9.5%) had abduction deficits at the final visit. Visual acuity loss occurred in five eyes (12%) at the final visit compared to seven eyes (17%) at the initial visit (presentation). From the initial visit (presentation) to the final visit, visual acuity in seven eyes (16%) improved, 31 eyes (74%) remained stable and four eyes (10%) worsened. Although visual fields in 33 eyes (79%) improved from the initial to the final visit, 36 eyes (86%) still had visual field loss at the final visit. 26% of eyes had severe to profound visual impairment i.e. were legally blind, at the final visit. Conclusion The results of 21 black African IIH patients reported in this study were similar to some other studies with regards to demographics, clinical features and clinical and visual outcomes. An association between IIH and oral contraceptives, steroids and hypertension could not be established. Although symptoms resolved in most patients, a significant number of patients still had papilloedema and visual field loss following treatment. Despite treatment, a quarter of the patients were legally blind at the final visit, indicating that this condition is not benign.

This writing covers concepts in the creation of a cinematic scene in digital matte painting. Digital matte painting is a visual effects process of the modern version of traditional matte painting, in which the artist paints several backgrounds to add to a scene. The digital artist uses software to paint, apply photo-bashing techniques, and/or utilize 3D models to create an exterior or interior environment. This scene incorporates 3D geometry in Autodesk Maya, brought to life through texturing and in-software lighting and animated cameras. The finalized scene includes color correction and additional visual effects.

Exploring the creative and technical process of rendering realistic images for integration into live action footage.

This dissertation examines the origins, applications, and functions of visual effects in the historical documentary film. This research study investigates how aesthetic and editorial practices and tools are used for different image forms and as part of the visual presentation. A research design that implements qualitative interviews, visual analysis, and focus groups was incorporated to examine visual effects and images at three specific sites. The pan-and-zoom effect and its variants as well as select titles from the filmography of Ken Burns were used as case studies for this dissertation. The findings from the analyses suggest that visual effects for still image forms and the repetition of these applications and strategies are significant to the content depicted in images, the scope of the visual presentation, and the capacity for audiences to connect to historical information in the film.

It has been empirically established that the differences in the lending rates charged by traditional and large lenders to large versus small creditors can be largely attributed to differences in information opacity (Dietrich, 2012; Holmes et. al. 1994). The greater the information possessed by the creditor, the lower the rate charged to the borrower, suggesting again that a risk premium is being charged for information opacity. Securitizing debt with collateral can reduce the lending rate charged, however differences in the rates charged cannot be fully explained by information opacity or availability of collateral. This dual study approach aims at increasing the understanding of loan pricing determinants. The first study uses data from the UK Survey of SME Finances, 2007 to explore factors internal and external to the firm that are significant in influencing credit prices, providing insight on why credit prices fluctuate from firm to firm. The second study uses interviews with firm owners in the Toronto computer animation and visual effects (CA&VFX) industries to effectively capture the intricacies and gain insight on the nuances involved in the pricing of credit for firms in these industries. The results of the first study suggest that the use of collateral, loan amount, loan duration, and firm size are significant credit pricing influencers while a firm’s strategic orientation, specifically product innovation and propensity to export, are of little importance. Results from the second study suggest that firm owner perceptions generally align with the extant literature on collateralization and relationships with lenders.

This thesis will go over the typical structure of a pipeline for a VFX company. The report will then compare this structure against a real VFX company’s own pipeline and discuss the choices that may push a company make unique changes to the typical pipeline structure. The goal of this thesis is to understand how a typical VFX pipeline is structured and to gain an understanding of the choices that leads to unique situations. • What does a typical VFX pipeline look like? • What can a real-world example look like? • What affects the structuring of a pipeline? / Denna rapport kommer att gå igenom den typiska strukturen av en pipeline hos ett VFX företag. Rapporten kommer sedan att jämföra denna strukturen emot ett riktigt VFX företags egna pipeline och diskutera dom val som leder till att företag ibland gör unika förändringar av den typiska pipelinen. Målet är att ta reda på hur en typisk VFX pipeline ser ut och få förståelse för dom val som leder till unika situationer • Hur ser en typisk VFX pipeline ut? • Hur kan en implementering av en pipeline se ut? • Vad är det som påverkar struktureringen av en pipeline? / <p>The VFX company and its employees which I had contact with wanted to remain anonymous.</p>

<p>By using existing knowledge from the game community, which have had a long experience from game artificial intelligence, and new research</p><p>from the field of artificial intelligence I have implemented REACT, a crowd simulation system for visual effects. REACT is based on high-level behaviour that uses an underlying layer of low-level behaviour. The high-level capabilities gives the digital character means to reasoning about how to achieve certain goals based on a knowledge base of rules and facts that are present in the virtual world. This gives the digital character a degree of autonomous intelligent behaviour.</p><p>REACT is designed to integrate directly into the 3D animation package Maya as a plug-in. This means that the animators can continue to animate their characters via their animation package of choice, rather than having to learn a new technology. In addition, many animators are already familiar with the workflow of Maya, so learning curves are reduced.</p><p>REACT is already in use in the visual effects industry where it has proven itself to be a worthy competitor to the existing systems on the market.</p>

This report summarizes the process of writing, developing, directing and completing the short film In This Place. This film was produced as my graduate thesis film in the Department of Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas at Austin in partial fulfillment of my Master of Fine Arts in Film Production degree. / text

By using existing knowledge from the game community, which have had a long experience from game artificial intelligence, and new research from the field of artificial intelligence I have implemented REACT, a crowd simulation system for visual effects. REACT is based on high-level behaviour that uses an underlying layer of low-level behaviour. The high-level capabilities gives the digital character means to reasoning about how to achieve certain goals based on a knowledge base of rules and facts that are present in the virtual world. This gives the digital character a degree of autonomous intelligent behaviour. REACT is designed to integrate directly into the 3D animation package Maya as a plug-in. This means that the animators can continue to animate their characters via their animation package of choice, rather than having to learn a new technology. In addition, many animators are already familiar with the workflow of Maya, so learning curves are reduced. REACT is already in use in the visual effects industry where it has proven itself to be a worthy competitor to the existing systems on the market.