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As technical barriers come down, filmmakers and animators are using computer animation as a true production studio in a box. No longer struggling to obscure a film's CG origins, artists are putting the medium and its many strengths front and center. The Computer Animation Festival at this year's Siggraph, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 12 — 17 showcased many beautiful examples of CG filmmaking at its finest.

During the Electronic Theater, Siggraph's best-of-the-best screening, audiences were treated to 47 pieces carefully chosen by an expert jury from the record-breaking 678 submissions. Perhaps to punctuate how far visual effects have come from the good old days of B-movie sci-fi, the show opened with an unintentionally comical Flash Gordon episode titled The Planet of Peril. The audience roared with delight as Flash used his wits, charm and physical prowess to escape the certain doom of badly composited "giant" iguanas (who frankly looked bored) and the crab-fisted, stop-motion horror known as Sharkman. Feeling the audience's pain, Flash's curvaceous love-interest provided the perfect segue: "Quick, we must get out of here."

"How?" said Flash.

"The secret door!" she exclaimed.

The secret door opened and, alas, the Electronic Theater began.

The show encompassed CG shorts ranging from scientific explanation to special effects, comic gags to dramatic storytelling. As studios continue to use CGI as a supplement to live-action filmmaking — such as the spectacular effects seen in Pearl Harbor and How The Grinch Stole Christmas — independent filmmakers and students are embracing the medium for its unique qualities. There were fact-based animations like Rule Based Dynamic Simulation for Wave of Death, the wave sequence from Cast Away and Body Story, a realistic ride through the microscopic workings of the human body. A surprisingly comic reaction was elicited by the presentation of Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project, a pre-visualization of the US$2.2billion construction and engineering project. Must have been the dry voice-over guy. However, the pieces that stood out were those that used CG animation unapologetically for its unique artistic strengths. The development of signature CG styles — much like Jeremy Engleman has in his still "paintings" — is exciting.

"As we enter the new century, we see that computer graphics has evolved and matured," said Sande Scoredos, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Siggraph 2001 Computer Animation Festival Chair. "We have advanced the technology to a state where anything is achievable and advancement is subtle. Computer graphics is now viewed as another tool in the larger sense of moviemaking for visual storytelling, entertainment and explanation. The work selected this year takes us on a remarkable journey showcasing the talent and brilliance of current and future trends in art and science, and blends it with the very best imagery depicting comedy, drama, action, adventure, fantasy, science-fiction and science fact. The technical and aesthetic perfection that artists reach today is evident throughout the show. Advancements in perfecting photo-realism, radiosity, motion-capture, and how-to explanations of advanced rendering techniques and seamless integration of computer graphic elements into live-action scenes, are just a few of the highlights in an extremely engaging and entertaining festival."