The Mythology of &quot;Practical Effects&quot;

Registered User

11-19-23

Want to sell horror? Say that it's based on a true story.

Want to sell a love story? Promise steamy sex.

Want to sell action? Claim that all the effects are practical.

The demand for stunt and spectacle to have been shot "for real" in camera has taken filmmakers to interesting lengths of puffery, obfuscation, equivocation, and general bulls*ittery.

Stirchley

Registered User

11-20-23

Originally Posted by Corax

Want to sell action? Claim that all the effects are practical.

�Practical�? What does that mean?

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Balor

Msg

Registered User

11-20-23

Originally Posted by Stirchley

�Practical�? What does that mean?

As in, not CGI, I assume.

Citizen Rules

Noir Time

11-20-23

This is a practical stunt as opposed to a faked cg green screen stunt.

Citizen Rules

Noir Time

11-20-23

Then there's this

Corax

Registered User

11-20-23

Originally Posted by Stirchley

�Practical�? What does that mean?

Exactly. The embedded video discusses how the word has been carefully constructed and negotiated so as to offer the promise the "real stuff" to audiences even though a film like Top Gun: Maverick has a ton of CGI.

It is a God-term, a glimmering ambiguity, a feel-good phrase. The challenge for modern filmmakers is to firmly assure the audience that their effects are "practical" without directly lying to them about it.

Corax

Registered User

12-08-23

Mr Minio

Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right

12-08-23

CGI is for pussies!

Stunt doubles are for pussies too!

"The most precious and exciting shots ever on movie. At 7 pm on 19 May, 1989, Hu Wai Chung (Sibelle Hu), Li Sai Fung (Moon Lee) and Lu Liang Wai (Ray Lui) acted the explosion shots in person. They were challenging death with their lives. Unluckily, the gunpowder - -(illegilble) - - and the flames wrapped around them. Hu Wai Chung and Li Sai Fung were seriously injured. On behalf of our company, we are sending our best regards to Wu Wai Chung, Li Sai Fung and Lu Liang Wai"

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skizzerflake

Registered User

12-10-23

Huh? Assuming that it is said to be "practical" but in fact, is digital, wouldn't the digital animators still have to have a line in the credits? That seems like a union contract thing.

Corax