Special Effects

Special effects might be best defined as the myriad ways still and moving images are enhanced, retouched, and otherwise manipulated—commonly understood in the late 2010s through the addition of computer-generated scenery, objects, and characters. While this entry discusses early forms of visual effects production, it primarily defines special effects through their 21st-century emphasis on realism. In special effects work, realism is often used as a synonym for photorealism or the capacity for a special effect to be seen as potentially real (i.e., an organic and original part of the image). This entry provides a brief history of special effects, explains how special effects are valued as part of a moving image spectacle, and discusses critiques of special effects production in mass media industries.