As the normal process of making visual media involves live action, the term itself is usually superfluous. However, it makes an important distinction in situations in which one might normally expect animation, such as when the work is adapted from a
video game, a
comic book, or an
animated cartoon. The phrase "live action" also occurs within an animation context to refer to non-animated characters. In a
live-action animated film such as
Space Jam,
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, or
Mary Poppins in which
humans and cartoons coexist. In this case, the "live-action" characters are the "real" actors, such as
Michael Jordan,
Bob Hoskins and
Julie Andrews, as opposed to the animated "actors", such as
Roger and
Jessica Rabbit. As use of
computer-generated imagery (CGI) in films has become a major trend, some critics, such as Mark Langer, have discussed the relationship between live action and animation. New films that use computer-generated
special effects can not be compared to live-action films using
cartoon characters because of the perceived realism of both styles combined. == Live action vs. animation ==