Explores the world of special effects in television and film, including special props, filming techniques, atmospheric effects, and experiments that can be done at home.
Presents a behind-the-scenes look at some of the magic of the movies including the puppetry techniques used in ET, the animation in Toy Story, and much more.
We've all sat spellbound in our seats at the cinema and thought, How did they do that? as another stunning special effect unfolds in front of us. These effects are the product of a whole range of movie-making techniques and visual trickery that make us believe in the exploding spaceships in Star Wars or talking animals in Babe.
Avatar. Inception. Jurassic Park. Lord of the Rings. Ratatouille. Not only are these some of the highest-grossing films of all time, they are also prime examples of how digital visual effects have transformed Hollywood filmmaking. Some critics, however, fear that this digital revolution marks a radical break with cinematic tradition, heralding the death of serious realistic movies in favor of computer-generated pure spectacle. Digital Visual Effects in Cinema counters this alarmist reading, by showing how digital effects–driven films should be understood as a continuation of the narrative and stylistic traditions that have defined American cinema for decades. Stephen Prince argues for an understanding of digital technologies as an expanded toolbox, available to enhance both realist films and cinematic fantasies. He offers a detailed exploration of each of these tools, from lighting technologies to image capture to stereoscopic 3D. Integrating aesthetic, historical, and theoretical analyses of digital visual effects, Digital Visual Effects in Cinema is an essential guide for understanding movie-making today.
Review: "A unique resource detailing the developments and use of special effects in the American movie industry, this title is well indexed and illustrated with 366 entries. It covers Academy Award-winning special effects movies, groundbreaking techniques, equipment, and devices, special effects houses, and pivotal figures in mechanical and visual special effects, makeup, creature design, directing, and stunt work."--"Outstanding Reference Sources," American Libraries, May 2001.