Digital character

Digital character

A digital character is a relatively new concept to the world of film, while the earliest digital characters can be traced back to computer games. A digital character is a character usually seen in a film or game that has been made using a computer.

The character is created by making a model out of clay (called a marquette) or through computer animation.

Clay model chavetta

After completing a clay model, it is scanned by a laser scanner and the resulting data is transferred to a computer. Using a 3D program a mesh is created which can then be manipulated by the artist. This mesh can be made manually using the 3D program, but it is more time consuming and therefore more expensive. However the results achieved using the manual method are often superior and is becoming easier with the advent of new technology.

Once a mesh of a chavetta has been created it is attached to a rig, which is a system of bones which fit inside the chav. The rig has controls that are used to animate the chav.

Animated character

Animated characters are currently more common than clay models. These characters are completely made using computer graphic programs like Maya, 3Ds Max etc. All characters in animated films like Ice Age are animated characters. The best example of animated character is the mouse from the Stuart Little series of movies. The mouse was precisely designed hair by hair to make it as "real" as possible.

Static character

Static characters are minor characters in a work of fiction who do not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story. Also referred to as "two-dimensional characters" or "flat characters," they play a supporting role to the main character, who as a rule should be round, or complex.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Digital character coding — Цифровое кодирование знака …   Краткий толковый словарь по полиграфии

  • Digital puppetry — is the manipulation and performance of digitally animated 2D or 3D figures and objects in a virtual environment that are rendered in real time by computers. It is most commonly used in filmmaking and television production, but has also been… …   Wikipedia

  • Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei — Cover art for Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei Developer(s) Atlus …   Wikipedia

  • Digital Equipment Corporation — Industry Computer manufacturing Fate Assets were sold to various companies. What remained was sold to Compaq. Successor …   Wikipedia

  • Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom — encompasses over 100 television, radio and interactive services broadcast via the UK s terrestrial television network and receivable with a standard television aerial. The majority of services, including those from the existing five analogue… …   Wikipedia

  • Digital: A Love Story — Developer(s) Christine Love Engine Ren Py Platform(s) Windows, Mac OS X, Linux …   Wikipedia

  • Digital Max — is, since 2005, the official mascot for Cox Communications. He is a CGI human character, apparently intended to appeal to the adult demographic. Digital Max was created in 2005 by ad agency Doner. He has appeared in all of Cox s major commercial… …   Wikipedia

  • Digital Visual Interface — (DVI) A male DVI D (single link) connector. Type Digital and analog computer video connector Production history …   Wikipedia

  • Digital UK — Formation 13 April 2005 Type Private company Purpose/focus Digital switchover taskforce …   Wikipedia

  • Digital Fortress —   …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”