ABSTRACT
The days when visual effects belonged to the exclusive domain of big-budget sci-fi and superhero movies are long gone. VFX are now used extensively in almost any type of film and TV program in a wide variety of genres—not only to create spectacular visuals but also to support storytelling, overcome production limitations and reduce costs. Yet despite their widespread use as a filmmaking tool, visual effects remain a somewhat bewildering and often misunderstood part of the filmmaking process. Most film schools, for example, offer courses in scriptwriting, cinematography, editing, and sound, but few include visual effects in their curriculum. The vast majority of books, courses, and online tutorials are geared toward VFX artists, not the filmmakers who use their services. As such, most information sources are highly technical, software-oriented, and focus on a narrow specific craft rather than the process as a whole.
