ABSTRACT
The terms “special effects” and “visual effects” are often used interchangeably in the media and even by some professionals. Historically it made sense. In the pre-digital days and before visual effects were primarily computerized, most effects work was done in-camera and on location, using miniatures, practical techniques, and various camera and optical tricks. There really wasn't a clear line of separation between special and visual effects. But things are different today, and these two terms are used to describe two distinct and very different crafts. Special effects are practical, real-life effects performed on the set and captured by the camera. People use the term “CGI” to talk about visual effects in general, but in professional VFX discourse, CGI has a much more specific meaning. Movies are shot in a three-dimensional world. The environment, the actors, the set, and the props are all three-dimensional entities that have depth and are spatially positioned at varying distances from the camera.
