SPECIAL EFFECTS

20'S TO 50'S

Norman Dawn

• the main innovations in special effects were the improvements on the matte shot by Norman Dawn. With the original matte shot, pieces of cardboard were placed to block the exposure of the film, which would be exposed later.
• It became incredibly easy to paint an image with proper respect to scale and perspective.

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• During the 1920s and 1930s, special effects techniques were improved and refined by the motion picture industry. Many techniques—such as the Schüfftan process—were modifications of illusions from the theater (such as pepper's ghost) and still photography (such as double exposure and matte compositing).

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• "Stop trick", wholly original to motion pictures. Animation, creating the illusion of motion, was accomplished with drawings.
• The challenge of simulating spectacle in motion encouraged the development of the use of miniatures.
• An important innovation in special-effects photography was the development of the optical printer. Essentially, an optical printer is a projector aiming into a camera lens, and it was developed to make copies of films for distribution.

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• An important innovation in special-effects photography was the development of the optical printer. Essentially, an optical printer is a projector aiming into a camera lens, and it was developed to make copies of films for distribution.

40's to 60's

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• Special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, SPFX, or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the film, television, theatre, video game, and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual world.
• Special effects are traditionally divided into the categories of optical effects and mechanical.

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• Through the 1950s and 1960s numerous new special effects were developed which would dramatically increase the level of realism achievable in science fiction films.
• The shots of spaceships were combined through hand-drawn rotoscoping and careful motion-control work.

70'S to 90's

A (not so) long time ago in a galaxy (not so) far away...

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• The 1970s provided two profound changes in the special effects trade. The first was economic: during the industry's recession in the late 1960s and early 1970s, many studios closed down their in-house effects houses. Many technicians became freelancers or founded their own effects companies, sometimes specializing on particular techniques (opticals, animation, etc.).
• The second was precipitated by the blockbuster success of two science fiction and fantasy films in 1977. George Lucas's Star Wars ushered in an era of science-fiction films with expensive and impressive special-effects.

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• The second was precipitated by the blockbuster success of two science fiction and fantasy films in 1977. George Lucas's Star Wars ushered in an era of science-fiction films with expensive and impressive special-effects.

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• They developed a computer-controlled camera rig called the "Dykstraflex" that allowed precise repeatability of camera motion, greatly facilitating travelling-matte compositing. The effects crew assembled by Lucas and Dykstra was dubbed Industrial Light & Magic, and since 1977 has spearheaded most effects innovations.
• The effects crew assembled by Lucas and Dykstra was dubbed Industrial Light & Magic, and since 1977 has spearheaded most effects innovations.

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• That same year, Steven Spielberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind boasted a finale with impressive special effects by 2001 veteran Douglas Trumbull. In addition to developing his own motion-control system, Trumbull also developed techniques for creating intentional "lens flare".

2000's

PETER JACKSON

• "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy there are examples of practically every kind of special effect that exists.
• Highlights the use of the technique motion capture in the character Gollum.

James Cameron

• He got to a whole new level with his film "AVATAR".
• The movie recreated a whole new world through the special effects.
• He also used the motion capture technique.

GAME OF THRONES

• This t.v show uses a bunch of really great special effects on every single chapter.
• It recreates: Battles, Dragons and even entire cities.

Special and Visual effects

• Two types of special effects are visual and digital. Visual effects are characterized by affecting the image itself. They can be optical, that is to say, that the effect is achieved by optical trick or by mirrors, superpositions and multitude of forms with which this trick can be created, this is achieved at the same moment that it is rolled.

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• Another type of visual effects are those that are achieved with the creation of CGI (computer graphics) that complement or modify the real. We will quote and explain how some of the optical special effects are realized.