Special Effects: An Introduction to Movie Magic

Miller, Ron

ISBN 10: 0761329188 ISBN 13: 9780761329183

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books, 2006

Synopsis

Looks at the history of the special effects industry from silent films to the use of current technologies, providing insight into how various special effects are created and used.

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Reviews

Grade 5-9–The history and techniques of film, from the beginning of cinema to the current digital era, are explained. The first section gives a sense of how the movies have always depended on trick effects, and how imaginative people have found ways to create believable effects on screen. The book introduces the work of such pioneers as Georges Méliès and stop-motion animators Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen. The second section examines how various types of effects are actually created and does a reasonable job of communicating technical information through text and numerous diagrams. While the book is nicely designed, with black-and-white and color photos from well-known movies set against bright blue or green backgrounds, there are some glaring mistakes; e.g., Gromit of Wallace and Gromit fame is incorrectly spelled Grommet. The list of the winners of the Academy Award for Special Effects (through 2004) is a who's who of the last several decades, although one could quibble that the official name of the award is Achievement in Visual Effects. A color image from The Lord of the Rings on the cover is sure to attract attention.–Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gr. 7-10. From the ghosts of the nineteenth-century stage to the astonishing, galactic worlds of Star Wars, this title from veteran science writer Miller offers a fascinating overview of special effects. Miller points out that movies themselves are an illusion, and the first section covers the history and early technology of the field (ghosts were created by reflecting an actor's image onto an angled sheet of glass, for example). The second section focuses on specific contemporary techniques, from miniatures and matte art to "the digital revolution." Frequent inset boxes spotlight topics such as the pioneers of the field and provide tips for pursuing a career in special effects. An excellent mix of photographs, including stills of special-effects triumphs ranging from the original King Kong to The Matrix and close-ups of experts at work, will easily pull browsers and researchers alike to this comprehensive title. A list of films that have won Academy Awards for special effects, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading conclude. Consider multiple copies of this title, which is sure to draw wide interest. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761329188
• ISBN 13: 9780761329183
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 128