Digital character
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A digital character is a relatively new concept to the world of film, while the earliest digital characters can be traced back to computer games. A digital character is a character usually seen in a film or game that has been made using a computer.
The character is created by making a model out of clay (called a marquette.). It is then scanned by a laser scanner and the resulting data is transferred to a computer. Using a 3D program a mesh is created which can then be manipulated by the artist. This mesh can be made manually using the 3D program, but it is more time consuming and therefore more expensive. However the results achieved using the manual method are often superior and is becoming easier with the advent of new technology.
Once a mesh of a character has been created it is attached to a rig, which is a system of bones which fit inside the character. The rig has controls that are used to animate the character.