special effect
Cinematic visual trickery
A special effect is a technique used in film, television, or theater to create illusions impossible or impractical to achieve naturally—explosions, monsters, space travel, or magical transformations.
The term covers both practical effects (physical props, pyrotechnics, makeup) and visual effects created digitally in post-production.
The movie's special effects were groundbreaking for their time.
Digital movie imagery
- green screenSolid backdrop for compositing
- motion captureRecording movement for animation
- compositingCombining visual elements digitally
- rotoscopingTracing filmed motion frame-by-frame
chroma key · matte painting · animatronics · wirework · prosthetics · digital doubles · miniatures · forced perspective
Violent burst of energy
- stuntDangerous feat for spectacle
- pyrotechnicsArt of explosive displays
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
crash · gunshot · weather · flood · earthquake · spaceship · monster · creature
Digital film effects
- SFXAudiovisual production enhancements
- post-productionAfter-the-shoot work phase
- renderingInterpretive depiction or performance
- 3D modelingCreating digital three-dimensional objects
texture mapping · rigging · simulations · software · pipeline · supervisor · artist · studio
Deliberate deception or fraud
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- optical illusionMisleading visual perception
- sleight of handSkillful manual deception
- suspension of disbeliefTolerating fiction's implausibilities
seamless · invisible · convincing · realistic · fake · simulated · artificial · staged
CGI
Digital movie imagery
- green screenSolid backdrop for compositing
- motion captureRecording movement for animation
- compositingCombining visual elements digitally
rotoscoping · chroma key · matte painting · animatronics · wirework · prosthetics · digital doubles · miniatures · forced perspective · rear projection
explosion
Violent burst of energy
- stuntDangerous feat for spectacle
- pyrotechnicsArt of explosive displays
- destructionAct of completely ruining
fireball · crash · gunshot · weather · flood · earthquake · spaceship · monster · creature · transformation
VFX
Digital film effects
- SFXAudiovisual production enhancements
- post-productionAfter-the-shoot work phase
- renderingInterpretive depiction or performance
3D modeling · texture mapping · rigging · simulations · software · pipeline · supervisor · artist · studio · budget
trickery
Deliberate deception or fraud
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- optical illusionMisleading visual perception
- sleight of handSkillful manual deception
suspension of disbelief · seamless · invisible · convincing · realistic · fake · simulated · artificial · staged · enhancement
- effectsconsequence, result, outcome, aftereffect, vignette
special effectraw footage
Unprocessed recorded material
documentary footage · live action · reality · authenticity · found footage
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