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,