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The Culinary Center of the Graphics Universe!
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Morphing is a much misunderstood technique. It is a transition between two or more sequences of images. The sequences must have shapes, color, motion or other elements in common to create a successful morph. These elements are modified, distorted, and dissolved in a choreographed fashion which fools the eye into believing that one thing is becoming another. If designed correctly, the morph will appear as if the first image sequence is blending, changing, metamorphisizing into the second. The most famous example being the Michael Jackson video 'Black and White'. Although the results appear simple and elegant, the techniques are sophisticated.
Each sequence must be produced with these issues in mind. Most successful morphs are separated into the specific elements or layers. For instance, the background is shot or created separately. The foreground or actors or spaceships are then shot against a blue screen. On separate layers. Once the layers are completed, then each foreground layer can be isolated and manipulated over time to become more like the the beginning of the second foreground layer. This layer is distorted in reverse to match the shape of the first layer. The layers are then dissolved together over time, giving the illusion of a metamorphic change. The new sequence is then recombined with the background through the use of compositing.
Morphing is a class of transition which belongs to a larger group of special techniques of modifying image sequences to add to the visual content. These are called Visual Effects or VFx. This can include adding lazer effects to a space battle, creating a threatening alien, resizing an actor to fit in the human body, or removing wires from a flying stuntman. Visual Effects require a lot of imagination and planning before any frame is recorded. Planning ahead is the only economical approach along with cooperation between the director and the computer artist. A more integrated approach to the motion, color, lighting, and layering can make the difference between a act as a cookie cutter or a piece of masking tape. This is called a Matte. As each image element is laid on the one below, the matte allows for control of where the 'paint' of the new layer is being placed on the layer below. This matte is black and white and all the grays in-between. These gray values allow some of the color below to mix with the new layer to create transparency.
In order to add an alien to a live action scene, we use a matte matching the alien to make a hole in the background which we can then put the alien into. If the edges of the alien matte transition correctly, and the lighting and atmosphere match, then our alien blends into the background as if he was filmed there from the start.
Visual Effects can also include such problems as recreating an event which would be impossible to do live due to safety, budget, or availability. Our computer artist have techniques to recreate these events and to make them seamlessly photographic or photo-realistic. A perfect example of this would be filming a World War II air battle over the Channel without injury or loss of an irreplaceable aircraft.
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