Digital Illumination
Graphics technique allows movie-scene lighting after filming

Results: Researchers led by Paul Debevec at the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies have developed computer graphics tools that let filmmakers simulate the live-action lighting conditions of settings that their actors were never in, or add new lighting effects to film they've already shot. The researchers previously showed that they could change lighting effects in still images.

Why it Matters: Movie directors use computers to adjust and create visual effects, but for the most part, they can't tinker with lighting. That means they have to get the lighting just right during filming -- a time-consuming and expensive process. The ability to change or re-create lighting after a performance can give filmmakers more flexibility in making the movies they want, while potentially saving time and money on the set.