In this thesis the argument of a new visual language as a narrative device will be discussed and looked at, by analyzing four different TV-series in the science-fiction genre: Terra Nova 2011, Defiance 2013-, Doctor Who 1963 – 1989 and Doctor Who 2005-. It will be possible to see the use of digital visual effects as a narrator in the image. To do this one main question has been asked and to be able to answer that question a framework model has been created, consisting of seven different questions: How are DVFx used as a visual language in the TV-series? What key elements drive the TV-series forward? What influence did DVFx have on the TV-series? How is DVFx used in the series as a narrator? What does DVFx represent in the image? Could the series have been created without DVFx? Techno-enhancement, visual language or hybrid?

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

Uppsatsen handlar om digitala visuella effekter och hur de används i fantasyfilmerna Harry Potter och de vises sten (2001) och Harry Potter och Dödsrelikerna: Del 2 (2011). Filmanalysen är avgränsad till scener som är viktiga för filmens narrativ. Scenerna utgör centrala delar av den klassiska dramaturgiska modellen. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka om de visuella effekterna har någon narrativ betydelse och funktion inom de två Harry Potter-filmerna. I uppsatsen används litteraturen till att skapa ett analysverktyg som inkluderar en undersökning av effekternas form och syfte, samt en narrativ analys av de visuella effekterna. Uppsatsen avslutas med slutsatsen att båda Harry Potter-filmerna är beroende av visuella effekter, samt att effekterna har en avsevärd betydelse för filmernas narrativa förmåga och utveckling.

Virtual production technology has recently emerged as a transformative tool in the film industry. The technology offers filmmakers new ways to work characterized by collaborative creativity across the boundaries of their roles. This bachelor thesis examines the possibilities and challenges for media producers with the implementation of Virtual Production. It primarily focuses on the producers closest to the technology and their view on the subject.  This group is particularly relevant as they work directly with the technology. As a result, both their workflow and position relative to other roles may shift. The study maps out the opportunities and challenges associated with the technology, as well as qualitatively analyzes the potential consequences.    Data is collected through qualitative interviews with relevant stakeholders in the field. They are allowed to speak relatively freely about their thoughts on the subject and draw conclusions based on their expertise. Topics such as technical challenges, group dynamics, and future perspectives are highlighted in the interviews. The results of the interviews show enthusiasm towards further implementation of the technology, although some challenges undoubtedly arise. However, most argue that the flexibility of the new technology outweighs its shortcomings. Many point out that the future of the technology is uncertain due to the possibility of new software emerging to replace the old and potentially changing the workflow once again. Regarding workflows, there is unanimous agreement that some of the post-production work is shifted to an earlier stage of pre-production. This enables a shift of responsibilities for the Virtual Production-department and the VFX-department to a position where they plan the project at an increasingly early stage than before. New roles are created within the film team, thus creating new communication chains between roles that did not exist before. These new communication chains also come with their own set of advantages and challenges. However, the results indicate that the technology is viewed as an asset. It demonstrates that the industry is ready to embrace the technology despite the challenges it brings.

This thesis is focused on digital image postproduction -- specific field, which is responsible for digital creation and manipulation with image data of a feature film or a commercial. To achieve that, it uses large amount of human resources and the newest computer technology. The aim of this thesis was to review actual situation in film production from the informatics point of view. That comprises of explanation of field specifics, identification of information system in a typical postproduction house and finding ways how to effeciently manage postproduction projects through that. Thesis is designed as a complex practical guide, which is well understandable both to inexperienced people and proffesionals and delivers them useful information. It can be used by existing employees of a postproduction house (primarily managers and heads), freelancers or prospective future employees. This thesis highlights importanant aspects of postproduction, connected risks and helps people's to better orientate in this field. Outputs are numerous table summaries, recommendations, tips and hints and examples of possible solutions of actual postproduction problems. They are based on many internet sources and my own previous experience as a 3d graphic.

Post-product studios which finalise the results of authorial audiovisual products are an important part of the media space. In this thesis, I am dealing with one of the phases of post-production film processing -- the methodology of management and optimization of VFX projects, by which I mean the utilization of computer graphics in the creation of special visual effects in film and advertising. In order to optimize VFX projects I designed a sample project based on a typical, VFX postproduction which became the basis for the comparison of the general principles of the project management and actual procedure used in practice with the quest to optimize the management of the project. The purpose of this thesis is to establish a project management methodology for a VFX project which consists of four subsequent steps. The first step is the division of a VFX project into phases. The second step is the identification of auxiliary computer programmes for each phase, followed by an analysis of the risks and the evaluation of the optimal procedure. The first part of this thesis is devoted to the general definition of computer graphics and their use in post-production. The second part focuses on the development of the management methodology of VFX projects by testing it on a sample project.

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When working with oceans in the visual effects industry, it is not always very practical or even possible to use real live footage, especially if extreme weather conditions are required. A common scenario is computer generated objects crashing into an ocean generating splashes and foam that should stick to and integrate well with the real ocean surface. Making a shot like that look realistic is very difficult, this is where a fully computer generated ocean surface comes in handy. Creating high resolution computer generated sequences of an ocean surface with interacting objects is difficult using today’s available commercial 3D packages. I have therefore implemented a VFX ocean toolkit, which is a system built for generating the ocean surface, Kelvin wakes and interaction with objects. The ocean toolkit was built with the artist in mind and the need for real time preview to produce results quick and easy in order for the system to remain cost effective. The ocean toolkit is tightly integrated directly into the procedural 3D animation package Houdini1 as several plug-ins and shaders that can be combined to create numerous ocean surface effects.

Filmbranschen rör sig mot allt mer digitalt producerat filmmaterial för storfilm. Samtidigt tillåter teknologin filmskapare att producera detta material med allt mer verklighetstrogna resultat. Detta ställer i sin tur högre krav på filmskaparnas färdigheter och utrymme att utnyttja sin kreativitet till fullo. Denna uppsats fokuserar därför på skapandet av en filmad och digitalt producerad designartefakt med målet att efterlikna den höga kvalitet som storfilmerna i projektets referensmaterial besitter. Produktionen begränsar sig till de verktyg som finns en student på Högskolan Dalarna tillhanda. Som grund för projektet sammansätts ett teoretiskt system baserat på tidigare forskning relevant för ämnet, i uppsatsen benämnts som, digital produktion. Detta system skapas för att tillåta tre externa bedömare att bedöma artefaktens produktionsvärde utefter systemets kriterier genom ett visningstest. Resultatet av arbetet leder till slutsatserna att det är möjligt för en student att producera en artefakt med tillsynes snarlika resultat som en storfilm. Artefakten blir dock inte fullständigt kvalitetsmässigt oskiljaktig och kan inte produceras i samma skala samt måste produceras med enklare arbetsmetodik anpassad för studentens egna förutsättningar.

"Technology has been a key element in the changing creative possibilities available to filmmakers, but deep down the questions of staging, point of view, pace, suspense, time and psychology faced by filmmakers as they walk onto the set in the morning have remained remarkably consistent". Cousins, 2004, s13. Sättet att göra film på har ständigt förändrats och fortsätter att förändras men som citatet syftar till så verkar inställningen till film stå sig lika genom tiderna. I grund och botten handlar det om att berätta en historia som berör publiken. En historia berättad utifrån filmskaparnas olika stilar. Tack vare teknikutvecklingen har många effekter i film, både digitala och fysiska blivit möjliga och vem vet vad den tekniska, och kanske framförallt den digitala utvecklingen, kommer att leda till för effekter i film i framtiden? Vi är trots allt bara i början av den digitala eran. Samtidigt som det nya introduceras kanske de gamla beprövade fysiska effekterna etsar sig fast som klassiska och erkända arbetsmetoder. Vad vi behandlar i den här uppsatsen är hur digitala och fysiska tekniker att skapa effekter används och nyttjas i den svenska filmbranschen. Hur ser beslutsfattare i branschen på effekter som filmskapande och varför ser användandet ut som det gör idag? Vi har också undersökt vad det är som styr användandet av effekter inom filmskapande utifrån ekonomiska, tekniska och konstnärliga överväganden. Vi har samlat in information genom kvalitativa, djupgående intervjuer med tre produktionsbolagsföreträdare och tre finansiärer. Vi har även samlat in information kring begreppen fysiska effekter och digitala effekter bland sex stycken filmarbetare som aktivt arbetar med effektskapande på olika sätt. Det har visat sig att det råder meningsskiljaktigheter när det kommer till definition av begreppen kring digitala effekter och fysiska effekter mellan de bolagsföreträdare och finansiärer vi har intervjuat och de aktiva effektmakare som vi har bett definiera begreppen. För att underlätta framtida kommunikation kommer vi i den här uppsatsen definiera dessa begrepp utifrån våra resultat. Våra resultat tyder på att det finns en vilja inom filmbranschen att arbeta med effekter inom film men att det samtidigt saknas resurser och kompetens idag. Samtidigt tycker vi oss utläsa en okunskap kring effekter vilket ställer till det för dem som vill arbeta med effekter. Exempelvis gällande Guldbaggegalan, där kategorin "Bästa Visuella Effekter" togs bort efter bara några år efter införandet för att det ansågs vara för svårt att utläsa vad som var effekter och inte i en film. Utifrån det vi kan utläsa från våra resultat finner vi det motsägelsefullt att vilja utveckla branschen och arbetet med effekter och samtidigt inte utveckla kunnandet kring det, när man istället för att plocka bort en kategori på grund av okunskap istället borde lära sig mer om det. / "Technology has been a key element in the changing creative possibilities available to filmmakers, but deep down the questions of staging, point of view, pace, suspense, time and psychology faced by filmmakers as they walk onto the set in the morning have remained remarkably consistent." Cousins, 2004, s13. The way of filmmaking has always been changing and it continues to change but as the quote leads up to it seems like the attitude stays the same. It is essentially about telling a story, which affects the audience. To tell a story with the different approaches the creators favors. Thanks to the technical development, many of these effects, both physical and digital have become practicable and who knows what the technique and digital progress will lead to in the future of filmmaking. After all, we are only in the beginning of the digital era. In the same time, the old and proven effect making techniques might inculcate as both classic and recognizable working methods. In this essay, we will talk about how the techniques of digital and practical effects are being used in the Swedish film industry. What does the decision makers in the business think about using effects in filmmaking and why are effects being used the way they are in todays film industry? We also wanted to examine what regulates he use of effects based on economical, technical and artistic considerations. We have collected our data from interviews with three representatives from production companies and three film financiers. We have also collected information considering the definitions of visual effects and special effects from six filmmakers who that works with effect making on a daily basis. It has become apparent that there are some confusion considering the definitions of the concepts of visual effects and special effects between the producers and financiers and the filmmakers. In order to ease future communication, we will in this essay define these concepts out of our results. Our result suggests that there is a will in the Swedish film industry to work with effects in filmmaking but in the same time parts of the industry lacks of resources and capability. Simultaneously, we can note that the ignorance around the concept of effects causes communication problems for digital artists and prop makers. For instance, on the Swedish film gala "Guldbaggegalan" they added a new category only a few years back and this year they took it away because of the problems of recognizing what's visual effects and what's not. It is interesting that there is an interest in developing effects in filmmaking and at the same time takes away the award. Instead of taking it away, they should focus on educating people about effects.