--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't…" description: "\"I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't like it when it's there and obvious.\" — Neil Gaiman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg" --- # I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't like it when it's… ![“I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't like it when it's there and obvious.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg) > “I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't like it when it's there and obvious.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creator prefers visual effects that are seamless and unnoticed; obvious effects break immersion. **In simple terms:** Invisible effects work best. Key Takeaway Aim for seamless integration. Themes craftsmanship aesthetics immersion Mood thoughtful creative Type artistic practical When to use this quote - film production - game design - theatre staging Key Concepts visual subtlety design philosophy Questions to Reflect On - When should effects be visible? - How does invisibility affect audience perception? A Different Perspective Sometimes subtlety may be too understated to convey meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animation/) [Cgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cgi/) [Cgi Invisible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cgi-invisible-469628/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Invisible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible/) [Invisible Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible-don-469630/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Cgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-cgi-469629/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) ## Related quotes > [What's happened with computer technology is perfectly timed for someone with my set of skills. I tell stories with pictures. What I love about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-miller/what-s-happened-with-computer-technology-is-perfectly-timed-for/) [Frank Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-miller/) > [Comic-book pages are vertical, and movie screens are relentlessly horizontal. But it's all the same form. We use different tools, but we get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-miller/comic-book-pages-are-vertical-and-movie-screens-are-relentlessly/) [Frank Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-miller/) > [You're only invisible to those who don't deserve to see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/you-re-only-invisible-to-those-who-don-t-deserve-to-see-you/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [As a director I like to be very invisible. I don't like to be noticed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nutter/as-a-director-i-like-to-be-very-invisible-i-don-t-like-to-be-noticed/) [David Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nutter/) > [There’s fish in here that I’ve read about that are so see-through that they’re invisible. So I don’t even think they know they exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/there-s-fish-in-here-that-i-ve-read-about-that-are-so-see-through/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Everywhere I go, I find that writers are treated as if they are invisible, as if they don't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/everywhere-i-go-i-find-that-writers-are-treated-as-if-they-are/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [“All of us are only invisible to those who don't deserve to see us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cage-j-madison/all-of-us-are-only-invisible-to-those-who-don-t-deserve-to-see-us/) [Cage J. Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cage-j-madison/) > [I'm not a big fan of CGI. I'm not a fan at all, unless they use it in a way that doesn't call attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-campbell/i-m-not-a-big-fan-of-cgi-i-m-not-a-fan-at-all-unless-they-use-it-in-a/) [Billy Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-campbell/) > [Working with CGI is more like doing theater where your sort of imagining things. I didn't experience it as restrictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frain/working-with-cgi-is-more-like-doing-theater-where-your-sort-of/) [James Frain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frain/) > [I think sometimes big budget means explosions! CGI! CGI, the possibilities are so limitless that it begins to be impractical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-think-sometimes-big-budget-means-explosions-cgi-cgi-the/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [The quality of CGI, audiences are now so used to it. They don't know what is CGI and what is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-de-bont/the-quality-of-cgi-audiences-are-now-so-used-to-it-they-don-t-know/) [Jan de Bont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-de-bont/) > [CGI has a lot of backlash now. I think it's just because there are so many people doing it. It's a tool and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-baker/cgi-has-a-lot-of-backlash-now-i-think-it-s-just-because-there-are-so/) [Rick Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-baker/) > [ I feel like we are so used to CGI \[computer-generated imagery\] and thank god because it is a wonderful tool, but there is an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/i-feel-like-we-are-so-used-to-cgi-computer-generated-imagery-and/) [Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/) > [If you think about it, you can have the best CGI, but you can always tell that it is CGI. Your brain can spot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/if-you-think-about-it-you-can-have-the-best-cgi-but-you-can-always/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [CGI has fully ruined car crashes. Because how can you be impressed with them now? When you watch them in the '70s, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/cgi-has-fully-ruined-car-crashes-because-how-can-you-be-impressed/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Animation quotes > [If I'm doing a voice-over session, like animation or something, and I'm doing three different voices, you've gotta separate them. You've gotta find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-adlon/if-i-m-doing-a-voice-over-session-like-animation-or-something-and-i-m/) [Pamela Adlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-adlon/) > [I was always into cartoons and animation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nonito-donaire/i-was-always-into-cartoons-and-animation/) [Nonito Donaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nonito-donaire/) > [What's unique about Disney Animation, many of the films have this perennial quality about them. They don't seem like old films, they still seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-minkoff/what-s-unique-about-disney-animation-many-of-the-films-have-this/) [Rob Minkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-minkoff/) > [I was always tinkering around with stuff but nothing serious at the time. I was doing animations and drawing like crazy, but I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-vangaalen/i-was-always-tinkering-around-with-stuff-but-nothing-serious-at-the/) [Chad VanGaalen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-vangaalen/) > [In feature animation, cartoony or exaggerated animation is almost taboo. There is this precedent that if you do that kind of stuff people won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genndy-tartakovsky/in-feature-animation-cartoony-or-exaggerated-animation-is-almost/) [Genndy Tartakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genndy-tartakovsky/) > [CGI has fully ruined car crashes. Because how can you be impressed with them now? When you watch them in the '70s, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/cgi-has-fully-ruined-car-crashes-because-how-can-you-be-impressed/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [To this day I over prepare. I draw storyboards for every scene - chicken scratches so crude that they amuse and horrify the crew.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/to-this-day-i-over-prepare-i-draw-storyboards-for-every-scene-chicken/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [I was invited to join the MGM cartoon department. But if I'd started work in animation I'd have had to take a cut in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-was-invited-to-join-the-mgm-cartoon-department-but-if-i-d-started/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I took a lot of influences from Studio Ghibli, which is the Japanese animation studio that made 'Spirited Away' and 'Castle in the Sky.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hewlett/i-took-a-lot-of-influences-from-studio-ghibli-which-is-the-japanese/) [Jamie Hewlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hewlett/) > [I've worked in animation for a long time. I started in Spain and I wanted to make feature films. That desire to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/i-ve-worked-in-animation-for-a-long-time-i-started-in-spain-and-i/) [Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/) > [If you were to look at an old 'Betty Boop' cartoon or an 'Out of the Ink Well' animation, there are many things about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-seibert/if-you-were-to-look-at-an-old-betty-boop-cartoon-or-an-out-of-the-ink/) [Fred Seibert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-seibert/) > [Animation has always been about technology. You can't have animation without technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wedge/animation-has-always-been-about-technology-you-can-t-have-animation/) [Chris Wedge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-wedge/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Tigress is my alternate personality, especially with children. I love animation because you get to do things you don't normally get to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/tigress-is-my-alternate-personality-especially-with-children-i-love/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [With live-action I think we'd have lost the universal appeal of the Persepolis story. With live-action, it would have turned into a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/with-live-action-i-think-we-d-have-lost-the-universal-appeal-of-the/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) [Browse all 837 Animation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't like it when it's there and obvious.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-like-it-when-it-s-there-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-like-it-when-it-s-there-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/neil-gaiman-29_animation_i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-lik_820544.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I love CGI if it's invisible. I don't like it when it's there and obvious.” — Neil Gaiman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I love CGI if it's invisible....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-like-it-when-it-s-there-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-love-cgi-if-it-s-invisible-i-don-t-like-it-when-it-s-there-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```