Special effect facts for kids
Special effects are amazing tricks used in movies and TV shows. They help filmmakers create things that aren't real. This could be anything from tiny models to cool computer animation.
Action movies often use special effects. They help show things that would be too dangerous or expensive to do for real. Imagine a giant battleship blowing up in flames! Buying a real battleship and blowing it up would cost a lot. It would also be very unsafe. So, filmmakers use special effects instead. They might build a small model of the battleship. Then, they blow up the model while filming it with a motion picture camera. This is much cheaper and safer.
Science fiction movies also use many special effects. These movies often tell stories set in the future or on other planets. It's impossible to film a movie on a real alien planet. So, filmmakers use special effects to make places look like other worlds. For example, if a movie needs a world with three suns, computer experts can create that image. It would then appear in the background of the movie scenes.
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Types of Special Effects
Special effects can be made in different ways. Some are done right on the movie set. Others are added later using computers.
Mechanical Effects
Mechanical effects are also called practical or physical effects. These are usually done while the movie is being filmed. They use real-life objects and tricks. This includes special props that move on their own. It also involves using small scale models of buildings or vehicles.
Animatronics are moving robots that look like creatures. Pyrotechnics are used to create explosions or fire. Filmmakers can also make physical wind, rain, fog, or snow. They can even make a car look like it's driving by itself. Sometimes, special makeup is used. For example, prosthetic makeup can make an actor look like a monster or an alien.
Optical Effects
Optical effects are also known as photographic effects. These techniques create images using cameras or film. Some are done "in-camera" while filming. This means taking multiple pictures on the same film. Other effects are added after filming. They use special machines called optical printers.
An optical effect might be used to put actors or sets in front of a different background. For example, an actor filmed in a studio could appear to be standing on a mountain.
Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)
Since the 1990s, computer-generated imagery (CGI) has become very popular. CGI uses computers to create images and scenes. It gives filmmakers a lot of control over what they create. CGI can make effects look very real and safe. As computer technology gets better, CGI also becomes cheaper to use. Because of CGI, many older optical and mechanical effects are now done with computers instead.
Images for kids
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A special effect of a miniature person from the 1952 film The Seven Deadly Sins
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Publicity still for the 1933 film King Kong, which used stop-motion model special effects
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Rig & Gimbal Mechanical Special Effects
See also
In Spanish: Efectos especiales para niños
