Beyond the obvious – Instilling fundamental CG knowledge and workflows through VFX camera acquisition
Authors: Zia, R.
Publication Date: 30/01/2026
Publisher: ACM/SIGGRAPH Education Committee
Abstract:Understanding of light, camera and lenses is fundamental to computer graphics (CG) film and games production. The medium that computer graphics professionals work with is light itself. Therefore, it is imperative that CG artists have an in-depth understanding of light behavior and properties alongside the knowledge of how cameras and lenses work. This BoF starts with a short presentation exploring two units(courses) as case studies followed by a participant discussion to explore how the art, craft, technical and storytelling aspects of camera and lighting could be fused in academic courses to be delivered in a way that not only engages students but also encourages them to experiment and explore these areas further on their own. The discussion will focus on the sharing of best practices used by participants teaching real-world and virtual camera-based curriculum and, what value and benefits that this has had for students.
The first year undergraduate Visual Storytelling and Previsualization unit uses digital photography, lighting and previsualization tools to combine the technical aspects of color spaces, bit depth, file formats and image manipulation with the craft practice of camera setups and lighting in the studio to create visual narratives. This fusion of art, design, craft, technical and storytelling knowledge allows students to be able to see all aspect in context to one another and, as such the student engagement and learning value gained is more than the sum of the parts.
The second year undergraduate Visual Studies unit equips students on the Technical Arts course with the traditional art skills and practice of drawing, sketching and photography to observe, deconstruct and explore a self-chosen real-world object or phenomena to replicate it in the CG world. The student knowledge and insights gained from these units equip students to add great value to a vast array of CG production roles from lighting, look-dev, compositing, matte painting, blocking and layout, digital cinematography, virtual production, shader-writing to matchmove, photogrammetry and motion capture.
https://education.siggraph.org/wp/soiree/soiree-2026/
Source: Manual