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Special effects (often abbreviated as F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual world.
Mar 12, 2023 · Learn what special effects are in film, how they are created, and why they are important for movie-making. Explore the history of special effects from silent films to Star Wars, and see examples of practical and digital effects in action.
Learn the difference between special effects and visual effects, their history, and their future. Explore the art and science of creating magic and illusions with practical and digital methods, and discover the best apps for filmmakers.
Dec 22, 2021 · Learn about the different types of special effects and their long history in filmmaking. From practical effects to visual effects, discover how filmmakers create movie illusions without CGI.
- EW Staff
- Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Digital effects had only barely been invented when James Cameron decided to meld practical effects and the new tech, and made his sequel bad guy a CGI shape-changer.
- Jurassic Park (1993) Often regarded as the official beginning of the computer-effects era, Steven Spielberg's dino romp is actually the perfect Venn diagram merging of practical effects and CGI.
- The Matrix (1999) Devotees of Hong Kong action cinema and video game aesthetics, the Wachowskis merged their influences into bullet time, the slow-motion tracking shot created using elaborate multi-camera rigs.
- Tremors (1990) The last great creature feature of the predigital era, Tremors' underground Graboid monsters are grotesquely phallic gigantic worms. Only one life-size model was created—and in the grand tradition of Jaws, the monsters are most scary when they're off screen.
Special effects in film, often abbreviated as SFX, are techniques used to create illusions or visual tricks that enhance storytelling and bring the impossible to life on screen.
Learn about the history and techniques of special effects in movies and TV shows, from camera lenses and optical printers to computer animation and CGI. Explore the key people and topics related to special effects, such as Star Wars and Cinerama.
