Huge Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Effects Breakdown Details the Even Huger Process

Herein lies the difference between bad and good CGI.

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With Star Wars: The Force Awakens initially being pushed back and now Episode VIII meeting the same fate, let’s take a look at just what made Force Awakens so time consuming to create, which also seems to be what sets it apart from most other special effects bonanzas: good CGI.

In the run up to the movie’s release, a lot was made of how much they used practical effects to recapture the magic of George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy, but this display of incredibly detailed, believable CGI work is at least equally impressive. It’s a good indicator that digital effects are now at the point where, with the proper amount of time spent and attention paid to detail, they can look suitably convincing to blend in seamlessly with the real world.

There’s a lot to take in here, and that’s no accident—the CGI artists had to consider many potential uses for the models they created, from the actual movie down to emerging virtual reality experiences that’d let people look at things up close and personal, and the result is just mind boggling. Take your time on Episode VIII, everyone. It clearly pays off.

(via Polygon)

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Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct Geekosystem (RIP), and then at The Mary Sue starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at Smash Bros.