In the 21st century, image creation and editing software such as computer-generated imagery (CGI) and Photoshop are highly visible in day to day life. Their relevance is evident on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook but is also very present in films and television. As the world has become accustomed to this technology, it has caused the perceptions of viewers to change. Prior to its introduction, films were solely reliant on entertaining character development and plot. Pictures were printed on photo paper and were presented almost exactly the same as they were taken; today, that narrative has changed.
Before CGI and Photoshop’s respective creations in 1973 and 1987, the world was a much different place than it is today. There were no cyber-bullies accusing Instagram models of editing their images to appear skinnier and there were no moviegoers criticizing graphic designer’s illustration of a particular setting: did a T-Rex really move that quickly? This is, in large part, because the technology of Photoshop and CGI did not yet exist, but also, because their negative effects had not yet corrupted society’s perception of media and the world.
When films first became popular in the early 20th century, they were black and white and often lacked audio, however, for the time they were the marvel of entertainment technology. In fact, it is debated that a film at that time that featured a train approaching viewers head-on was so realistic that it caused theatergoers to flee in fear of being run over. As time progressed, and the creation of CGI and Photoshop occurred, the two came to be used worldwide. Photoshop was originally created to add and enhance color on images as well as cropping and resizing, as often seen on billboards with vivid colors to grab the attention of passersby. CGI was created to add effects to films and television shows. Viewers paid attention, were entertained, and still trusted their sight, rather than questioning what they saw.
As films gained prominence throughout a global economy so did CGI. Movies like StarWars and Blade Runner utilized this technology, making it more normalized in filmmaking. Audiences enjoyed voyages to faraway places that looked realistic. Toy Story led the way in ingraining CGI into the minds of children and adults alike. The adaptation of this technology impacted the industry. Soon every studio was looking to develop using CGI. Disney, the king of animation, proclaimed in order to survive they must acquire Pixar. In 2006 Pixar was bought by Disney for over 7billion dollars. Many CGI films followed including Shrek, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, Inc. Photoshop followed suit with advertisements for food and drink companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Got Milk? all using the technology, creating entertaining campaigns. Each project outdid the next and in time came a normalization, which led to the expectation that films and billboard advertisements would be made by using some sort of editing or image creating technology.
Photoshop advanced its technology, allowing it to alter the physical features of individuals. Photoshop was utilized in virtually every advertisement from 1995 onwards, whether it be a light touchup or a total contortion of one’s bodily structure, it has been used to an extreme. As a result negative effects on mental health and body image have occurred: “Photoshop creates an unattainable image of beauty.” What was being created and marketed was unattainable, not real. This furthered, as social media gained popularity, more and more individuals began to feel insecure about themselves. Increased use in Photoshop (and similar photo editing software) has led individuals to constantly question the legitimacy of photographs taken of others. For example, Instagram users often speculate whether the physique of a model is legitimate, or Photoshopped. Within this backlash, those who post will often circumvent criticism and state no filter used, no CGI applied. There’s even ‘Photoshop reversal’ software to determine if an image has been altered or not. While some may find this ‘Photoshop reversal’ to be humorous, the idea that individuals feel the need to question their reality to such an extent because of technology is a little disheartening. After all, isn’t it all just entertainment meant to bolster endorphin creation?
The constant presentation of CGI in films, television, and advertisements have worsened the effects that such technology has on humans. As CGI gets better and more commonly used - not just in the creation of characters, but in backgrounds as well - viewers find themselves often doubting the legitimacy of the image portrayed to them. While CGI makes production easier and less expensive - as crews now rarely have to travel far and wide to reach locations - it strips viewers of their faith and causes them to doubt everything that they see. And the metaverse… don’t even get me started on the issues that seeks to bring to our population, our children, and the mental health of us all.
I completely agree. The development of image editing technology has been a nightmare for our collective mental health. In some Asian countries, young women make entire livings off of using extremely advanced imaging to completely transform themselves and sell videos to lonely patrons. CGI has been used as a tool to paint elaborate worlds and interesting concepts in film, but it's also increasingly being used as a crutch- quite a few Marvel movies lack depth in plot or character development but use their multi million dollar budget to make it so flashy that we forget we're supposed to be paying attention to the story.