Creating cinematic scientific visualizations

This project is concerned with the cinematic form of scientific visualizations and the hyper-realistic style it utilizes. The research attempts to answer the question of what elements make up a hyper-realistic style, what are the techniques and software applications utilized in creating this style and what are the underlying concepts and theories that provide insight into why this style is so successful at attracting audience interest. The production requirement of this exegesis will be the development of hyper-realistic imagery formatted using rules of logic borrowed from postmodern teaser trailers. Current examples of scientific visualization will be examined to determine the elements that create the hyper-realistic style they employ and several 3D animation, fluid dynamic, compositing and rendering software will be explored to examine their implementation in this type of production. Elements of cognitive theory relating to cinema and perception were reviewed and considered as was an aesthetics based in current digital visual culture; relevant elements were used in the production process. The project is concerned with a complex subject that intersects science, digital technology and art and a methodology providing a systematic approach is explored. The practical production of this exegesis, the 3D animated vignettes, combine elements derived from the artistic and scientific approaches reviewed. The overall goal of these animations was to explore the application of various software's in creating and applying the elements of the hyper-realistic style