The Camera and Optics
It seems as if visual effects is all about simulating the look
of the real world, but that’s not quite the goal; as a visual
effects compositor, your actual job is to simulate the real
world as it appears through the lens of a camera. The distinction
is critical, because when photographed the world
looks different—more or less real, and possibly both.
It’s not too grandiose to say that cinematography is essential
to compositing, because After Effects offers the opportunity
to re-create and even change essential shooting
decisions long after the crew has struck the set and called
it a wrap. Your shot may be perfectly realistic on its own
merits, but it will only belong in the story if it works cinematically.
Factors in After Effects that contribute to good
cinematography include
. Field of view
. Depth of focus
. The shooting medium and what it tells about the
storyteller
. Planar perspective and dimensionality
. Camera motion (handheld, stabilized, or locked) and
what it implies about point of view
These seemingly disparate points all involve understanding
how the camera sees the world and how fi lm and
video record what the camera sees. All of them transcend
mere aesthetics, infl uencing how the viewer perceives the
story itself.
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