Rendering is the computer conversion of a 3D model into a 2D image or animation into video. A special program works with volumetric models and scenes and creates a video sequence with the help of various visual effects, which we can observe on our screens.
Rendering in 3d animation is a labor-intensive process that depends on the complexity of the scene and can last more than a month. Professional specialists who perform rendering in studios, use several powerful computers connected to each other, and well-known video production companies create entire render farms.
For editing and rendering movies, it is necessary not only to know the definition, but also to use special programs such as, for example, Adobe Premiere Pro, Redshift, Octane, Arnold.
As for the techniques of 3d animation rendering, the following stand out:
- rasterization;
- ray tracing;
- physically correct rendering.
Depending on what the final result should be, there are types of rendering in animation: final and real-time. The first one is used where the speed of execution is not important. For example, in cinematography, where it is necessary for the viewer to believe in the realism of what is happening on the screen. The second is used in interactive graphics and games, where images must be created at a fast pace.
Examples and applications of rendering
Let’s consider what does rendering mean in animation on real examples. Games like “The Witcher 3” and Atomic Heart, a project of exclusive interior design of a villa on the seashore, a new part of the movie “Avatar” – all these products apply technology of animation rendering, or creating a three-dimensional image and scene based on images loaded into the computer.
The most popular applications of rendering are:
- 3D design and visualization projects;
- video games;
- video editing;
- movie production.
Modern blockbusters are impossible without computer graphics. With the help of rendering process, it is also possible to remove unwanted backgrounds, build an entire city and even add tears to enhance the play of actors. For example, in Baz Luhrmann’s box-office movie “The Great Gatsby,” much of Gatsby’s American dream was drawn and recreated using a computer.
