Special effect

Special Effects (or SPFX) are used in the film, televsion, and entertainment
industry to create effects that cannot be achieved by normal means, such as
depicting travel to other star systems. They are also used when creating the
effect by normal means is prohibitibly expensive, such as an enormous
explosion. They are also used to enhance previously filmed elements, by
adding, removing or enhancing objects within the scene.

Many different visual special effects techniques exist, ranging from
traditional theatre effects, through classic film techniques invented in the
early 20th century, to modern computer graphics techniques (CGI). Often
several different techniques are used together in a single scene or shot to
achieve the desired effect.

Special effects are often "invisible." That is to say that the audience is
unaware that what they are seeing is a special effect. This is often the
case in historical movies, where the architecture and other surroundings of
previous eras is created using special effects.

Visual special effects techniques (in rough order of invention):

   * practical effects
   * in-camera effects
   * miniature effects
   * matte paintings
   * Hitchcock zoom
   * optical effects
   * travelling matte
   * bluescreen
   * prosthetic makeup effects
   * motion control photography
   * animatronic models
   * digital compositing
   * wire removal
   * morphing
   * Computer Generated Imagery

Notable special effects artists:

   * Richard Edlund
   * Ray Harryhausen
   * Derek Meddings
   * Ken Ralston
   * Douglas Trumbull
   * please add others to this alphabetical list...

Notable special effects companies:

   * Cinesite
   * Computer Film Company
   * Digital Domain
   * Industrial Light and Magic
   * SGI
   * Weta Digital

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