10 Things Filmmakers Need To Stop Doing Immediately

This is not criticism of CGI, in general, of course. Computer graphics can be very useful and they are applied more than most people realise; obviously to excellent effect when it goes unnoticed. Also, it is often cheaper to go that route nowadays, so completely understandable in the context of Gareth Edwards’ breakout 2010 film Monsters. If he’d have had to use real octopi on small recreated sets and actual destroyed trains and planes, the film would simply not have been made.

While Dunkirk could have actually done with a bit of CGI to make it look like there were more than ten boats, three planes, and one hundred soldiers involved in the epic historical event, Christopher Nolan’s use of practical effects in his films is commendable in this day and age. Even more so for the fact that he seems to be the only filmmaker doing it on such a scale.

If there is enough money, skill, and patience to do as much of the effects as possible without CGI it will, more often than not, look more impressive and it will certainly date the film less as time goes on.