Visual Effects

It's interesting to see all of the different ways that visual effects have been used throughout the years, first as they try to do things that no one has ever done before, and then as the industry learns from the mistakes, gets better technology, and creates amazing effects that you can't even tell are there. That was emphasised a lot by Nathan Ortiz of Double Negative when he spoke to us at Bradford Animation Festival. We watched how the film Rush - not the sort of film I would have thought about when talking about special effects - was made, using a mix of 3D and film footage to create a film that looked so realistic that you couldn't even tell the effects were there. Even the rain was fake, but I would never have even thought about that if it wasn't pointed out.

Visual Effects have become so important to our films these days that the industry can only grow larger. Despite that, there have been two protests before Oscar awards in regards to pay and the way that vfx artists are treated. Many vfx workers have even moved just so that they can keep their jobs. Vfx companies from inside the U.S have higher taxes than those from outside, meaning that many films turn to foreign companies to save money, costing American visual effects artists a lot of jobs and money.

While the companies dealing in special effects in other countries seem to be doing fine, America is definitely an important place for the film industry, and this can only be harmful for them in the long run. Protesters want imported visual effects to be taxes as well, meaning that their American companies will no longer be passed up on for something cheaper.