Special effects

Special effects, in cinema, technique developed to enhance visual illusion, especially important in “disaster movies” and ambitious science fiction films, such as Star Wars. Most effects are produced in special studios and are added to the film after it is shot. A great many techniques are employed, including animation, the use of miniature models, and slow-speed or fast-speed photography. An important and increasingly sophisticated technique is the creation of a composite picture—using several different images superimposed within a single frame—often with the aid of electronic memories and timers to match perspectives, light, and camera angles.