On the Rejection and Substitution of Reality (special and visual effects)

Flay

Here we talk about this:



And this:



And also this:




I don't claim to be particularly knowledgable in this area, though I do know that there is a distinction between special and visual effects. So to prevent confusion, I will shamelessly quote wikipedia:

Wikipedia wrote:

Special effects are traditionally divided into the categories of optical effects and mechanical effects. With the emergence of digital film-making tools a greater distinction between special effects and visual effects has been recognized, with "visual effects" referring to digital post-production and "special effects" referring to on-set mechanical effects and in-camera optical effects.

Optical effects (also called photographic effects), are techniques in which images or film frames are created photographically, either "in-camera" using multiple exposure, mattes, or the Schüfftan process, or in post-production processes using an optical printer. An optical effect might be used to place actors or sets against a different background.

Mechanical effects (also called practical or physical effects), are usually accomplished during the live-action shooting. This includes the use of mechanized props, scenery, scale models, pyrotechnics and Atmospheric Effects: creating physical wind, rain, fog, snow, clouds etc. Making a car appear to drive by itself, or blowing up a building are examples of mechanical effects. Mechanical effects are often incorporated into set design and makeup. For example, a set may be built with break-away doors or walls, or prosthetic makeup can be used to make an actor look like a monster.

Since the 1990s, computer generated imagery (CGI) has come to the forefront of special effects technologies. CGI gives film-makers greater control, and allows many effects to be accomplished more safely and convincingly – and even, as technology marches on, at lower costs. As a result, many optical and mechanical effects techniques have been superseded by CGI.

So, I'd like to know more about this. The effects in question don't have to be movie-related either; they don't even have to be filmed if you're talking about props and makeup and the like. It just so happens I'm particularly interested in the latter, but really anything effects-related goes.

I mean seriously, who wouldn't want to be able to do this (gore)?

Talleyrand

So what are you asking exactly? If you want to learn more I'd sign up for a class in film or something rather than expecting random people on the internet to teach you everything.

This could be an interesting thread though sooo....you know what movie has the best visual effects?



Oh yeah, and that last image posted was pretty boss.

mere_immortal

Starship Troopers and Jurassic Park still have fucking amazing cg/special effects for their time.

Adrien

Don't forget that even the simplest shot in a film has had tons of color correction and sound editing in order to make it look "real".

Or even straight-out special effects, since the technology has come along to the point where it's sometimes easier to insert a prop digitally than to reshoot it the right way.

Nocren

I remember reading/hearing that ID4 set a record because the majority of all the effects were done in miniature/practical/puppets, and the dogfights/alien mothership scenes were the only thing done in CGI. Pretty much after that movie the CGI stuff just exploded, so they don't expect the record to be broken any time soon.


Also, a while back there was a movie that won best cinematography or best special effects or something (it was a WW2 in poland if that narrows it down). I couldn't tell what was changed since it looked like every other WW2 bombed out cityscape. Then I found out that they actually filmed on location, and the post production stuff was to make all the buildings destroyed and blasted.

Then again I could be just totally off base and inhaling too many bad fumes.

Flay

Jurassic park spoiler (does this even count?):

Remember this?

Anyway, in order to make the tyrannosaurus' roar, they combined the sounds from an elephant, a tiger and an alligator, which I always thought was pretty clever.

On a similar note (hur hur), I don't suppose there's a similar story behind the making of godzilla's roar (1998): www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkM5r5SEk_E?[/url]

Talleyrand wrote: »

So what are you asking exactly? If you want to learn more I'd sign up for a class in film or something rather than expecting random people on the internet to teach you everything.

I'm not asking to be taught anything; it's just a topic I'm interested in.

Lanz

This kinda reminds me how, in the Japanese tokusatsu television and film industry especially these days*, there's a trend of replacing a lot of the traditional physical special effects with CGI (which, oftentimes, does not blend well with the actual live action portions). Kind of sad, since real stunts by real stunt actors and physical effects have been a tradition and cornerstone of the genre (right into the name, which basically translates to "Special Effects")

*more often the case in television, I believe.

Shadowfire

We are a forum of nerds. Lightsabers are our porn. A couple of nerds out there are also special effects nerds, and film making nerds. So here:

RvD
RvD2

Neeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrds

Edit: A couple more are in my sig line (watch them in order). Not as much fast moving work, more comedy stuff, but they're still lightsaber rotoscoping goodness.

Nocren

Yes, Foley work is also interesting to me (those does it count here?)
Like the Star Wars blaster shot. The sound guy was hiking up in the mountains and came upon a radio tower. He accidentally hits one of the support wires with his wedding band creating that distinctive *pew*.

Or the Shotgun from T2. It's a layered effect from like 5 different gunshots.

Ponge

I'm going back to university in September to study Digital Visual Effects :-D I do 3D architectural visualisation at the moment and I've always wanted to move into the film industry, so I'm making the jump! I currently use 3ds Max, FumeFX, Afterburn, and Digital Fusion, however my course is based on Houdini which is an incredibly complex beast so I'm looking forward to getting really stuck into that.

Does anyone have any books or histories of the special effects industry that they'd recomend? There's one based on ILM that came out recently but I can't remember the name of it.