PEEP THIS: The Digital Evolution Will Be Green Screened (Actually, EVERYTHING Will Be)

Thought I’d share this cool video I came across via Doddle that helps shed some light on the current Hollywood discussion du jour about major VFX (Visual Effects) houses going bankrupt. I think it’s a fascinating – if scary – development in the ever-expanding “Digital Evolution”.

Notice I didn’t say, “Digital Revolution”.  The Digital Revolution is over, baby.  Digital won and now it’s evolving at lightening speed and there will be pain and casualties for segments of the industry that can’t evolve fast enough to keep up with it.  (To be clear, I’m not necessarily saying here that it’s right or just, or even a good thing. – I’m just pointing out the very real and obvious fact that it is.)

I think one of the clearest indicators that illustrates the “is-ness” of The Digital Evolution is the video clip below, which graphically reveals that  almost everything these days is being shot with green-screen visual  effects. VFX are no longer just explosions and fantasy locations, but just about anything from city streets, to vehicles, to animals, to buildings, to crowds, to set dressing, to the weather… even the people onscreen in some projects are entirely digital.

I wanted to share this video because it’s really fascinating to see exactly how much everyday things are greenscreened in, but also because it drives home a point that I’ve been making on The Double Down Film Show for a long time now.  In the current digital age, the choice is simple – EVOLVE or DIE.

This ain’t ya mama’s filmscape anymore.   Hate it or love it, just like the advent of sound and color pictures, the Digital Evolution is here to stay… until the next big filmmaking evolution comes along and changes everything again.

I bet you never know that these were filmed with green screen! from Sherif HâgȜg Yousef on Vimeo.