(until 2001)
3D Computer Graphics Interface are not 3-D !? - the proposition of '3D-HCI'
Abstract
This paper aims to given an insight into how current 3D computer graphics (CG) systems can be redesigned to enhance the human-computer interaction (HCI) performance. The motivation for this study comes from my own empirical experience. I have been working in the animation production for years, and I have observed that all the current 3D systems in the marketplace are essentially "2D counterparts" of 3D implementation (no different to 2D systems with the exception that they perform the illusion of 3D). The uniqueness of 3D interface isn't significant and there isn't any 3D imaging functions at all. I wonder what makes these so-called 3D CG systems perform 3-D?
In this paper, I intend to show how we can transform existing systems into true 3-D systems thereby facilitating the best HCI. An innovation of this nature would be of interest to 3D animators and computer system designers alike. Towards the end of this paper, I shall propose some means to accomplish the ultimate goal, which is to institute a novel operating environment to replace the existing operational mechanism, and I shall call it "3D operating environment". In order to create this innovative operating environment, I believe we need a set of new criterion in respect of HCI on 3D applications, which I shall call - "3D-HCI". The intention of this paper is to set out all the concerns and interests relating to the criteria, creating this ideal operating environment. I will conclude the paper by listing the golden rules adhere to achieve the '3D-HCI' contents and the concepts relevant to establish the ideal '3D operating environment'.
Analysis of Hong Kong's SFX styling in the movie "StormRiders"
Introduction
Seeing movie is an experience allowing us to be deceived, to suspend our belief and the sense of reality. In the cinema, we are seeing a sequence of stills, the animated images, but we perceive clips of conceivable movements composing a thoroughgoing story.
Movie is received in sensory form. The visual and auditory senses are transmitted to become a coefficient perception and hallucination in our mind. This sense of delusion dominates our rational ideology because the spectators are witnessing the narrative happening in front of their eyes and everything looks so 'real'. In some science fiction movies, their supernatural wonders (i.e. in the movie "Willow"), ghosts ("Poltergeist") and thrillers ("Wishmaster"), or even cartoon characters ("Casper") and the vanished dinosaurs ("Jurassic Park"), they are all created as synthetic actors and virtual beings. They overrule the audiences' emotion and drive our mind to believe in their existence. Most of those visual illusions are created by the well-known special effect production houses in the United States, i.e. ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) and the Digital Domain. They have invested enormously on the cutting edge technology and manpower to produce these special effects (SFX) blockbuster movies. Unfortunately, the SFX production in Hong Kong is very different. The reason why we drops behind is because the local production houses are dealing with a very unlike environment, we have limited resources and the present condition is worse since the local movie industry is declining.
Until the inspired chinese digital effects movie "StormRiders" launched a few months ago, the situation changed dramatically since this movie has proved there is a chance to reckon on the optimism for the future of local Chinese films. The production environment of local SFX movies can not be changed within a short period of time according to the limited budgets, production time constraints and human resources supplies, but we could scope the direction towards creative SFX to a more distinctive style. With limited capital investment and production restrictions, such as insufficient local supports and constrained time frame for production, local production houses can't really compete with the Hollywood in quantitative and qualitative manner. I think it is wise for local film producers to focus on the SFX designs, such as the abstraction ideology and artistic imagery expression in SFX production. I aim to study the local movie "StormRiders" which is produced by Centro Digital Pictures(a large local production house), to investigate if this movie is truly successful in its distinctive SFX means. I shall explore the SFX scenes and imagery expression applied in the two clips chosen from the movie (please see the attached CD-ROM "2_Clips") and see how and to what extent the computer generated images (CGI) fulfilled the SFX efficacious result.
The Sur/petition Matrix for Hong Kong's CG industry
Introduction
The profession of computer graphics seems directly cohered to hi-technology and is extremely sophisticated. People usually have an impression that this business must stay on the cutting edge facilities in order to sustain the profitability or it is doomed to failure in the confined marketplace. Some entrepreneur would expect that once they furnished their production house with the most sophisticated technology, to stay close or adhere to the Hollywood pattern, then they would certainly gain a superior position among those so-called 'low-end' competitors. They have omitted there are still lots of factors influencing the business potency within the rigid competition since computer graphics is no difference from all other business nature. This paper will explore the opportunity to strengthen the Hong Kong's computer graphics industry (denoted as CGI afterwards) through maneuvering strategies and constructing 'value activities'. I intend to work out a strategic matrix, named 'sur/petition matrix' to help the CGI companies to position among themselves and develop a broad formula for them to compete with others creatively under a win-win situation.
Competitive strategy is a well-known concept vigorously pushed by the business schools around the world. We understand that in a profit-seeking business, participators have to be competitive in order to survive and competition has become the "baseline" for survival. However, competition is merely part of the basis keeping the business survive, and a successful business needs to go beyond competition. Edward De Bono has introduced us the concept of 'sur/petition', which means "seeking above" competition, or someone calls it 'hypercompetition'. Sur/petition is about creating "value monopolies" and instead of running in the same race among competitors, the company should create its own race with integrated values or added values (De Bono, 1992, pp. ix-xi ) towards purely CGI production. This idea has induced me a slightly different approach to maneuver competitive strategy for this original and dynamic industry in Hong Kong.
Performance Management for CG animators in Hong Kong
Introduction
The analysis of 'human resource cycle' under the human resources management (HRM) subject is centered around performance as the key element composed the concept illustrated in figure 1 underneath.
Peter Herriot considers recruitment and selection are aimed at employing workforce who is supposed to perform well. Appraisal is of performance, and leads to performance-related rewards and to career development. Rewards and training are designed to improve performance further in advance. Development prepares people for selection to new jobs and new tasks in which their performance will be appraised, and this process goes in loops (Herriot, 1992, pp. 88-89).
Since the computer graphics (CG) industry is a labour-intensive business, people are bearing more value than other resources in this business, it also has the connotation of ownership to the organization. Studios or production houses must use their human resource they own and develop them so that the organization can get the most benefit out of this capital. We understand that the current HRM strategy emphasize on individuals, and most organizations seek to reinforce performance policy in order to enhance their human resource to sustain the performance value of their human resources power.
The emphasis on performance is incentive in nowadays HRM studies. This paper aims at discovering the problematic of human resources management of local CG animation studios in Hong Kong, and aims to revise the performance management system (PMS) with association of appraisal model, rewards system, work motivation and job satisfaction stimulation tactics.
Perception of local CG animators' job performance:
Performance is defined as the extent to which an organization's member contributes to achieve the objectives of the organization. Once a person is employed, the organization will need some index of that person's job performance for 'person-job fitting' policy confronting the organization's future development. This human resource distribution task is held through making decisions regarding pay raises, job design, transfers, promotions, and training plans.
The most common practice of local CG studios is they make a great proportion of salary contingent upon individual animator's performance. Problems can be found as various aspects of job performance are rated mutually, hasty appraisal interviews, instrumental pay raise and tactless promotion is introduced. Some studios don't even have training or development programmes for their animators, they would only use monetary rewards to compensate overloaded works and excessive long working hours. Some animators would find promotion is used as an excuse for job enlargement, which means more work and less pay in matter of facts. Mike Wong from Centro, stated that most 3D animators are practically sharing the same hourly rate as those who work hourly-based in McDonald ("The 4th HKAWUG Meeting", 3D Master, Nov 1998, issue 6, p. 23). Animators feel that they are not respected as professional and the disregard induce low work moral and high turnover rate among this industry.
The "performance causes satisfaction" hypothesis is dignified among most local studio practice as performance is seen to lead to satisfaction while performance is followed by rewards. This can be presented as the following formula:
Performance ---> Rewards ---> Job Satisfaction
This theory could be understood as when an animator is working hard to produce good animation and is rewarded with extra pay in returns. This animator's performance could be related to his/her satisfaction because his/her performance is rewarded. A bonus could substitute pay raise for the rewarding model. In both cases, performance and satisfaction is noticed be fairly close related, but there are many studies indicated us there are a very low relationship between these two variables (Johns, Gary (1992), pp. 152-153). We have seen local CG business could not do good job of tying rewards to performance. High productivity and good quality animation is not followed by a reward or extra pay to animators. Instead, an assignment to a more interesting project might improve on job satisfaction to animators.
It is also important to realize that simply increasing an employee's satisfaction might not cause this person to perform better. Performance management is a value-added strategy holding far above other issues within a studio/production house to organize its human resource and to support animators to upgrade their organization in returns.
Can we improve the competence of Computer Graphic Animators/Designers in Hong Kong
Introduction
We are seeing computer graphic animation been broadly applied in the local broadcast and movies in Hong Kong. The so-called CGI (Computer Generated Images) in the United States is noticed as an advance industry, a booming business among broadcasting and movie making since the business structure reflects its uniqueness among other design business practice. There is a recognized profession known as CGI in the U.S. since there are well-known colleges, universities that offer distinctive degree and higher degree courses on this subject. The situation is very different in Hong Kong because most of the computer graphics animation (CG) is done by the in-house division under the graphics department or a special branch within a post-production house known as the 3D CG team to handle these jobs. i.e. the TVB, Asia TV, RTHK, Star TV, Cable TV, The Centro, and Digit Digit. There is seldom a production house like Menfond, specializing in 3D animation design.
Since the CG industry is not clearly defined locally, animators are trained for graphic design or other design disciplines before join in the industry. There is still no recognition for such a profession known as CG animation or CGI in Hong Kong at this moment. Most production houses and broadcast companies would introduce the alike apprenticeship for chosen designers and transfer them to CG animators. This situation could be seen as an issue of human resources allocation within an organization. It also raises the topic on how and who is qualified to become a professional CG animator. This paper is focused on the competencies for CG animators/designers in Hong Kong. I attempt to work out a model defining the competence of our animators through studying the different roles they performed at workplace and see if we could introduce a development program to raise the professionalism of this industry.
I See a puzzle - The mysteries behind Hong Kong's 3D Computer Animators
Preface
I have fast become a computer graphics enthusiast since 1988 when I first experienced the Macintosh in a graphic studio as a design artist. I have always been fascinated by the new forms of artistic expression made possible by computer graphics. I feel that the computer really has contributed to my design. A lot of people may not agree with me, but the computer tends to make me try more and provides me with the chance to do something I could not otherwise do, such as playing with images and types, creating images in Photoshop. And also, I can produce my own animation in the 3D virtual world. I find, as a designer, I can produce images with the computer that I could not or would not consider making with traditional media. During my work placement in a 3D computer graphics studio, I experienced using a sophisticated workstation and powerful animation systems. I find computer technology provides the potential to extend my abilities and creative sense. It gets me mesmerized into its amazing visual world and its capability just fascinates me.
A new technology is never new for too long. With every breakthrough, people usually admire this cutting edge but in doing so, I always ask myself how can this new technology be used to extend my work and where does this technology lead? My focus is on how the new technology can advance animation effects. One inventor's breakthrough is another inventor's stepping stone. And the question is how does an animator and designer cope with it?
The enormous impact of the computer is revolutionizing the animation industry just as it has changed the nature of publishing forever. Such revolutionary invention affects people in both positive and negative ways. Most people would admit that many computer applications offer definite advantages, but some are still disturbed by some aspect of computer usage. They fear that the human imagination is being limited by what is possible with currently available technology. The potential of computer graphics is undeniable but the problem is how do artists extend their creative talents to accommodate this tool?
In this essay, I will explore my interest in this issue through examining on the practice of computer graphics animators in Hong Kong who work with this new technology and identify the way their practice challenges animation design. I will also consider the environment in some American studios and do a comparison. My goal is to help artists define for themselves a theoretical stance toward their work with technology.
I shall outline the process by which 3D computer animations are made and consider the designer's relationship to the process. Chapter 1 is a quick introduction to computer animation, followed by an overview of its most significant application.
Chapter 2 summarizes the contrast of computer graphics environment and the animator's role between Hong Kong and the United States. I use interviews and observations to enter into the artist's view, to develop an overview of their experience. Then I will take the Hong Kong animators' experience and compare those elements and contrast between the two countries. In Chapter 3, I am going to pursue and define the problems most Hong Kong animators are faceing with.
In Chapter 4, I will smake some suggestions for the animators to go through the maze of computer graphics. And finally, Chapter 5 will look towards the future. It presents the ideas in current technology about the role of animators and computers, and its potential to change the animation industry in the next decade.
created by Ann/y@AnStudio, since 2001
Abstract
This paper aims to given an insight into how current 3D computer graphics (CG) systems can be redesigned to enhance the human-computer interaction (HCI) performance. The motivation for this study comes from my own empirical experience. I have been working in the animation production for years, and I have observed that all the current 3D systems in the marketplace are essentially "2D counterparts" of 3D implementation (no different to 2D systems with the exception that they perform the illusion of 3D). The uniqueness of 3D interface isn't significant and there isn't any 3D imaging functions at all. I wonder what makes these so-called 3D CG systems perform 3-D?
In this paper, I intend to show how we can transform existing systems into true 3-D systems thereby facilitating the best HCI. An innovation of this nature would be of interest to 3D animators and computer system designers alike. Towards the end of this paper, I shall propose some means to accomplish the ultimate goal, which is to institute a novel operating environment to replace the existing operational mechanism, and I shall call it "3D operating environment". In order to create this innovative operating environment, I believe we need a set of new criterion in respect of HCI on 3D applications, which I shall call - "3D-HCI". The intention of this paper is to set out all the concerns and interests relating to the criteria, creating this ideal operating environment. I will conclude the paper by listing the golden rules adhere to achieve the '3D-HCI' contents and the concepts relevant to establish the ideal '3D operating environment'.
Analysis of Hong Kong's SFX styling in the movie "StormRiders"
Introduction
Seeing movie is an experience allowing us to be deceived, to suspend our belief and the sense of reality. In the cinema, we are seeing a sequence of stills, the animated images, but we perceive clips of conceivable movements composing a thoroughgoing story.
Movie is received in sensory form. The visual and auditory senses are transmitted to become a coefficient perception and hallucination in our mind. This sense of delusion dominates our rational ideology because the spectators are witnessing the narrative happening in front of their eyes and everything looks so 'real'. In some science fiction movies, their supernatural wonders (i.e. in the movie "Willow"), ghosts ("Poltergeist") and thrillers ("Wishmaster"), or even cartoon characters ("Casper") and the vanished dinosaurs ("Jurassic Park"), they are all created as synthetic actors and virtual beings. They overrule the audiences' emotion and drive our mind to believe in their existence. Most of those visual illusions are created by the well-known special effect production houses in the United States, i.e. ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) and the Digital Domain. They have invested enormously on the cutting edge technology and manpower to produce these special effects (SFX) blockbuster movies. Unfortunately, the SFX production in Hong Kong is very different. The reason why we drops behind is because the local production houses are dealing with a very unlike environment, we have limited resources and the present condition is worse since the local movie industry is declining.
Until the inspired chinese digital effects movie "StormRiders" launched a few months ago, the situation changed dramatically since this movie has proved there is a chance to reckon on the optimism for the future of local Chinese films. The production environment of local SFX movies can not be changed within a short period of time according to the limited budgets, production time constraints and human resources supplies, but we could scope the direction towards creative SFX to a more distinctive style. With limited capital investment and production restrictions, such as insufficient local supports and constrained time frame for production, local production houses can't really compete with the Hollywood in quantitative and qualitative manner. I think it is wise for local film producers to focus on the SFX designs, such as the abstraction ideology and artistic imagery expression in SFX production. I aim to study the local movie "StormRiders" which is produced by Centro Digital Pictures(a large local production house), to investigate if this movie is truly successful in its distinctive SFX means. I shall explore the SFX scenes and imagery expression applied in the two clips chosen from the movie (please see the attached CD-ROM "2_Clips") and see how and to what extent the computer generated images (CGI) fulfilled the SFX efficacious result.
The Sur/petition Matrix for Hong Kong's CG industry
Introduction
The profession of computer graphics seems directly cohered to hi-technology and is extremely sophisticated. People usually have an impression that this business must stay on the cutting edge facilities in order to sustain the profitability or it is doomed to failure in the confined marketplace. Some entrepreneur would expect that once they furnished their production house with the most sophisticated technology, to stay close or adhere to the Hollywood pattern, then they would certainly gain a superior position among those so-called 'low-end' competitors. They have omitted there are still lots of factors influencing the business potency within the rigid competition since computer graphics is no difference from all other business nature. This paper will explore the opportunity to strengthen the Hong Kong's computer graphics industry (denoted as CGI afterwards) through maneuvering strategies and constructing 'value activities'. I intend to work out a strategic matrix, named 'sur/petition matrix' to help the CGI companies to position among themselves and develop a broad formula for them to compete with others creatively under a win-win situation.
Competitive strategy is a well-known concept vigorously pushed by the business schools around the world. We understand that in a profit-seeking business, participators have to be competitive in order to survive and competition has become the "baseline" for survival. However, competition is merely part of the basis keeping the business survive, and a successful business needs to go beyond competition. Edward De Bono has introduced us the concept of 'sur/petition', which means "seeking above" competition, or someone calls it 'hypercompetition'. Sur/petition is about creating "value monopolies" and instead of running in the same race among competitors, the company should create its own race with integrated values or added values (De Bono, 1992, pp. ix-xi ) towards purely CGI production. This idea has induced me a slightly different approach to maneuver competitive strategy for this original and dynamic industry in Hong Kong.
Performance Management for CG animators in Hong Kong
Introduction
The analysis of 'human resource cycle' under the human resources management (HRM) subject is centered around performance as the key element composed the concept illustrated in figure 1 underneath.
Peter Herriot considers recruitment and selection are aimed at employing workforce who is supposed to perform well. Appraisal is of performance, and leads to performance-related rewards and to career development. Rewards and training are designed to improve performance further in advance. Development prepares people for selection to new jobs and new tasks in which their performance will be appraised, and this process goes in loops (Herriot, 1992, pp. 88-89).
Since the computer graphics (CG) industry is a labour-intensive business, people are bearing more value than other resources in this business, it also has the connotation of ownership to the organization. Studios or production houses must use their human resource they own and develop them so that the organization can get the most benefit out of this capital. We understand that the current HRM strategy emphasize on individuals, and most organizations seek to reinforce performance policy in order to enhance their human resource to sustain the performance value of their human resources power.
The emphasis on performance is incentive in nowadays HRM studies. This paper aims at discovering the problematic of human resources management of local CG animation studios in Hong Kong, and aims to revise the performance management system (PMS) with association of appraisal model, rewards system, work motivation and job satisfaction stimulation tactics.
Perception of local CG animators' job performance:
Performance is defined as the extent to which an organization's member contributes to achieve the objectives of the organization. Once a person is employed, the organization will need some index of that person's job performance for 'person-job fitting' policy confronting the organization's future development. This human resource distribution task is held through making decisions regarding pay raises, job design, transfers, promotions, and training plans.
The most common practice of local CG studios is they make a great proportion of salary contingent upon individual animator's performance. Problems can be found as various aspects of job performance are rated mutually, hasty appraisal interviews, instrumental pay raise and tactless promotion is introduced. Some studios don't even have training or development programmes for their animators, they would only use monetary rewards to compensate overloaded works and excessive long working hours. Some animators would find promotion is used as an excuse for job enlargement, which means more work and less pay in matter of facts. Mike Wong from Centro, stated that most 3D animators are practically sharing the same hourly rate as those who work hourly-based in McDonald ("The 4th HKAWUG Meeting", 3D Master, Nov 1998, issue 6, p. 23). Animators feel that they are not respected as professional and the disregard induce low work moral and high turnover rate among this industry.
The "performance causes satisfaction" hypothesis is dignified among most local studio practice as performance is seen to lead to satisfaction while performance is followed by rewards. This can be presented as the following formula:
Performance ---> Rewards ---> Job Satisfaction
This theory could be understood as when an animator is working hard to produce good animation and is rewarded with extra pay in returns. This animator's performance could be related to his/her satisfaction because his/her performance is rewarded. A bonus could substitute pay raise for the rewarding model. In both cases, performance and satisfaction is noticed be fairly close related, but there are many studies indicated us there are a very low relationship between these two variables (Johns, Gary (1992), pp. 152-153). We have seen local CG business could not do good job of tying rewards to performance. High productivity and good quality animation is not followed by a reward or extra pay to animators. Instead, an assignment to a more interesting project might improve on job satisfaction to animators.
It is also important to realize that simply increasing an employee's satisfaction might not cause this person to perform better. Performance management is a value-added strategy holding far above other issues within a studio/production house to organize its human resource and to support animators to upgrade their organization in returns.
Can we improve the competence of Computer Graphic Animators/Designers in Hong Kong
Introduction
We are seeing computer graphic animation been broadly applied in the local broadcast and movies in Hong Kong. The so-called CGI (Computer Generated Images) in the United States is noticed as an advance industry, a booming business among broadcasting and movie making since the business structure reflects its uniqueness among other design business practice. There is a recognized profession known as CGI in the U.S. since there are well-known colleges, universities that offer distinctive degree and higher degree courses on this subject. The situation is very different in Hong Kong because most of the computer graphics animation (CG) is done by the in-house division under the graphics department or a special branch within a post-production house known as the 3D CG team to handle these jobs. i.e. the TVB, Asia TV, RTHK, Star TV, Cable TV, The Centro, and Digit Digit. There is seldom a production house like Menfond, specializing in 3D animation design.
Since the CG industry is not clearly defined locally, animators are trained for graphic design or other design disciplines before join in the industry. There is still no recognition for such a profession known as CG animation or CGI in Hong Kong at this moment. Most production houses and broadcast companies would introduce the alike apprenticeship for chosen designers and transfer them to CG animators. This situation could be seen as an issue of human resources allocation within an organization. It also raises the topic on how and who is qualified to become a professional CG animator. This paper is focused on the competencies for CG animators/designers in Hong Kong. I attempt to work out a model defining the competence of our animators through studying the different roles they performed at workplace and see if we could introduce a development program to raise the professionalism of this industry.
I See a puzzle - The mysteries behind Hong Kong's 3D Computer Animators
Preface
I have fast become a computer graphics enthusiast since 1988 when I first experienced the Macintosh in a graphic studio as a design artist. I have always been fascinated by the new forms of artistic expression made possible by computer graphics. I feel that the computer really has contributed to my design. A lot of people may not agree with me, but the computer tends to make me try more and provides me with the chance to do something I could not otherwise do, such as playing with images and types, creating images in Photoshop. And also, I can produce my own animation in the 3D virtual world. I find, as a designer, I can produce images with the computer that I could not or would not consider making with traditional media. During my work placement in a 3D computer graphics studio, I experienced using a sophisticated workstation and powerful animation systems. I find computer technology provides the potential to extend my abilities and creative sense. It gets me mesmerized into its amazing visual world and its capability just fascinates me.
A new technology is never new for too long. With every breakthrough, people usually admire this cutting edge but in doing so, I always ask myself how can this new technology be used to extend my work and where does this technology lead? My focus is on how the new technology can advance animation effects. One inventor's breakthrough is another inventor's stepping stone. And the question is how does an animator and designer cope with it?
The enormous impact of the computer is revolutionizing the animation industry just as it has changed the nature of publishing forever. Such revolutionary invention affects people in both positive and negative ways. Most people would admit that many computer applications offer definite advantages, but some are still disturbed by some aspect of computer usage. They fear that the human imagination is being limited by what is possible with currently available technology. The potential of computer graphics is undeniable but the problem is how do artists extend their creative talents to accommodate this tool?
In this essay, I will explore my interest in this issue through examining on the practice of computer graphics animators in Hong Kong who work with this new technology and identify the way their practice challenges animation design. I will also consider the environment in some American studios and do a comparison. My goal is to help artists define for themselves a theoretical stance toward their work with technology.
I shall outline the process by which 3D computer animations are made and consider the designer's relationship to the process. Chapter 1 is a quick introduction to computer animation, followed by an overview of its most significant application.
Chapter 2 summarizes the contrast of computer graphics environment and the animator's role between Hong Kong and the United States. I use interviews and observations to enter into the artist's view, to develop an overview of their experience. Then I will take the Hong Kong animators' experience and compare those elements and contrast between the two countries. In Chapter 3, I am going to pursue and define the problems most Hong Kong animators are faceing with.
In Chapter 4, I will smake some suggestions for the animators to go through the maze of computer graphics. And finally, Chapter 5 will look towards the future. It presents the ideas in current technology about the role of animators and computers, and its potential to change the animation industry in the next decade.
created by Ann/y@AnStudio, since 2001
