Abstract: Global illumination (GI) computation has been the subject of intense research in computer graphics for many years, but it has only recently been extensively used in practical applications. Major industries, such as videogame and film production, architecture, and design, now use GI to produce CG imagery with increased realism. However, trade-offs differ in these applications, so each uses a significantly different GI computation technique. This course provides an overview of GI computation in practical applications across and within industries. It focuses on juxtaposing the domain-specific decision processes that influence the choice of a particular solution. Each technique is presented in the context of the objectives and constraints set by the application. The course reviews the strong and weak points of each implementation and possibilities for further innovation.

One-line summary: Global illumination in movies and games.

Published in: SIGGRAPH 2010 Course Note. ACM, July 2010. (Los Angeles, USA, July 25-29.)

Course web page, course notes and presentation slides here: Global Illumination Across Industries.

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