How Does an Animator Handle Forensic Computer Animation?

If you watched many television shows or movies, you may think police officers and lawyers do all the work between a crime happening and bringing the perpetrator to justice. Nothing could be further from the truth! It takes a large team of dedicated professionals to handle many types of cases, especially those that involve proving when, where, or how a crime occured.

One of these important experts is a forensic animator. These are the professionals who create forensic computer animation. If you’re wondering how this works and what exactly they do, we’re happy to tell you!

What is a Forensic Animator?

This isn’t someone sitting and drawing cartoons. Forensic animation is a unique specialization within the animation field. Instead of creating animations for video games, films, and cartoons, these animators recreate crime scenes or accidents. This is done in order to help investigators produce evidence and solve crimes.

They use full-motion computer graphics to recreate the scene. They create 3D models using advanced techniques for lighting, photo matching, and rendering. They also animate characters, composite animations, and design graphics and court exhibits. They are able to do so by working with eyewitnesses, police officers, forensic experts, or scientists.

These are very specialized professionals. In addition to a background in animation, many forensic animators have a science, legal, or criminal justice background.

What is Forensic Computer Animation?

Forensic animation is a widely used and successful method of solving crimes such as robbery, murder, and car accidents. These animations, which can be scene reconstruction and 3D animations, are fundamental pieces to be used in legal arguments. These presentations are especially important in personal injury, criminal defense, and civil rights cases. In cases like these, determining a verdict can be a very difficult task. Demonstrative evidence, including forensic computer animation, can become a powerful persuasion tool. 

Forensic computer animation allows the jury to see the evidence as it relates to the causation of the events, not just hear about it. For example, rather than simply viewing a map of the site of an automobile accident and the pictures of the resulting damage, jurors can watch a re-creation of the accident as described by witnesses, experts, and other key testimony.

Today’s best legal teams are finding this type of animation to be an essential part of their presentation, because of the value and impact that this animation can give to support the facts.

Trust Evidence Room for All of Your Legal Animation Needs

While this may be a fairly new concept for you, it certainly isn’t for us. At The Evidence Room, we have worked along with the best lawyers in America and collaborated on several hundred trials, over the course of more than 17 years. Our work has been featured on CBS News, CBS Crimesider, 48 Hours, and many others. Contact us soon and tell us what we can do to help you in your court case!