A Changing Industry: Motion Picture Special Effects

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2, 1933. The same technique animated the figures in “James and the Giant Peach” (Work Cited).

After World War II there was a lull in the development and use of special effects. Technical advances in the design and manufacture of motion-picture cameras made it easier to film on actual locations, and the trend in cinematic storytelling tended toward realism, resulting in less call for fantastic illusions. Then in 1968 the film “2001: A Space Odyssey”, in which astronauts appear to float weightlessly in outer space, led to a renewed interest in special effects.

In his article published in Encarta in 2000 Nicholas Tanis said, “In making Star Wars, Lucas used computers to control camera movement. In this technique, called motion-control cinematograph, the computer’s precise control allows a camera shooting live action in one studio to move at the same speed as a camera shooting a model in a second studio that serves as background for the live action” (Work Cited). “Star Wars” revolutionized the way special effects were created and proved them t...