VFX can be a bit of an overused phrase; do we always know what we mean by VFX? How does it differ from other terms, like SFX? If you’re new to the idea of visual effects, or you’d just like to learn more about it then here’s our beginner guide.
What is VFX?
VFX Meaning
VFX stands for visual effects and it means all of the stuff outside of traditional film-making, but combined with live-action footage. This might even be just an artificial enhancement of what was shot. Visual effects is everything that doesn’t physically exist in real life.
What are Visual Effects?
Sometimes VFX is called Visual FX or even VFX effects, which is a bit like saying DVD disc! As the FX is a shortcut for effects, there’s no need to also say effects.
What is Visual Effects vs SFX?
SFX can be a little puzzling as it’s been known to mean both sound effects and special effects. Confused yet? Us too. For our purposes let’s take SFX to mean special effects… so, what’s the difference between VFX and SFX? I’m glad you asked!
VFX vs. SFX
VFX |
SFX
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What is it?
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Manipulation of imagery, digitally.
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Creation of effects using practical techniques on set.
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Examples
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CGI creatures, environments, explosions, etc.
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Pyrotechnics, prosthetic makeup, animatronics, etc.
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Type of Creation
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Predominantly digital.
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Practical techniques involving physical elements.
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When is it done?
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Mostly post-production.
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During filming or live performance.
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Flexibility
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Only really limited by tech capabilities and imagination! (and maybe budget…)
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Limited by practical constraints and, well, physics. Additional safety concerns too.
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Realism
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Can achieve very realistic and spectacular visuals but if done poorly it’s very noticeable that it’s CGI.
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Relies on physicality, sometimes with limitations.
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Both VFX and SFX can be, and often are, used together in the same production. If something is entirely digitally created, with no traditional footage used, then it’s usually just referred to as Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). Of course, there’s also digital compositing… that’s where several ‘images’ are combined into one.
SFX to VFX – An Evolution
If we ignore mechanical special effects (makeup, pyrotechnics and so on) for the moment and think about optical effects (things like in-camera trickery or composites) then here’s a short history.
‘Special Effects’ first appeared in 1857, when photographer Oscar Rejlander combined 32 negatives together into one image. Later, in 1895, Alfred Clark, a sound and film pioneer who worked at the Edison Laboratory, created the first ‘motion picture special effects’ in a film depicting the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, stopping the filming, replacing the actor with a dummy, restarting the filming and then chopping off the dummy’s head! This, essentially, was the first instance of stop motion (or stop trick as it was then known).
Special effects and visual effects aren’t the same thing, and special effects were being created through modelling and animation long before VFX was possible. One notable SFX creator was Raymond Harryhausen whose famous stop-motion animations made films like Jason and the Argonauts (1963) impressive even by today’s standards. The battling skeletons in the video above, combined with live-action looks incredibly real for the time and still stands up as some exceptional film-making.
What is VFX in Film? Main Types of VFX
Visual effects can mean a wide range of techniques and processes, but here are some of the main types of VFX in film.
Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)
We mentioned CGI already; the creation of digital imagery or ‘assets’ using computer software. This could be to make lifelike characters, monsters or fantasy creatures, environments and landscapes, or special effects that would be impractical, expensive, or even just impossible to achieve with practical effects alone. CGI has become very common in modern film-making… with mixed results!
’Bad’ CGI
A recent technique as CGI has developed is to make existing actors look younger for flashback scenes rather than casting someone else. One of the first big films to do this was The Irishman (2019), by Martin Scorsese and the effect was… interesting. While no doubt innovative, some characters looked a little like they’d taken a break from The Polar Express.
Last year (2023), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny used this again to create some scenes from the past where Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) was supposed to look decades younger. Even in a few years the technique has improved, but given how much actual footage exists of a young Harrison Ford, it still wasn’t all that convincing.
’Good’ CGI
Dune (2021) – and Dune: Part Two (2024) – are being praised for effective use of CGI, with some very realistic world-building and a whole experience that doesn’t jar while watching.
Simulation
Simulation is another thing that can now be done digitally as part of VFX rather than physically creating something as it would have been done prior to CGI. Simulation is physics-based effects, so things like smoke, fire, water, or explosions, and so on.
Compositing
Compositing involves combining multiple visual elements, like live-action footage, CGI, and special effects, to create a seamless final image. The kind of compositing that we’re probably most familiar with is green screen (or blue screen). This is where action is filmed against a screen of a colour that isn’t often seen elsewhere, so that it’s easy to do chroma keying later. The idea of ‘keying’ is to remove that colour, so that the background can be replaced with something else. This technique means VFX artists can include digital elements into live-action scenes, blending them together. This is the digital version of what might have been done with models and early animation processes, like the Jason and the Argonauts example we mentioned earlier.
Superhero movies rely on this type of VFX creation to be able to do huge battle scenes, other worlds, and things like… flying! The video above shows some action sequences as they are, and how they were filmed. Again, results can be mixed, but it’s really impressive what can be done against a simple screen versus what we see in the finished film.
LED Walls
Even green screen has moved along, and LED walls are the hot new thing. It’s worth watching this short film above, which is a behind-the-scenes look at Netflix’s show 1899, which is a sci-fi production that was sadly cancelled after one season (come on Netflix, really?) but made fantastic use of new LED wall technology. Much of the scenery that looks very, very real, is in fact just on a big screen, which can replicate exact lighting and weather conditions required, making it far more flexible for filming.
What is the Meaning of VFX – Continued
Motion Capture (Mo-Cap)
Motion capture is where the movements of actors are recorded and then translated into digital animations. This allows for more realistic animations both in live-action and animated films. It’s not just film either, this is often used for video games. There’s a subset of this called performance capture, which is mostly just focused in on the facial expressions of the actors.
The character of Gollum (or Smeagol) from Lord of the Rings is a famously great example of motion capture. Andy Serkis, the actor who played him, was put into a MoCap suit that tracked his movements and expressions via sensors that are then mapped into computer software which animators use to rebuild a character that moves realistically.
Motion capture might sound like a new thing because of all the technology involved today, but it’s actually one of the oldest methods of animation in the form of ‘rotoscoping,’ where animators would draw over each frame of footage – by projecting the image onto a glass panel – to create realistic action. Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) used this technique, and that was the first US produced animated feature film.
Matte Painting
Matte painting is another traditional technique used to create realistic backgrounds for live-action scenes. In the days before digital, this meant hand painting intricate landscapes or scenes – often onto glass!
There are lots of examples of matte painting, but you can see it above in The Wizard of Oz (1939) where the main characters are looking at the Emerald City (the capital of the Land of Oz). As this was used with live action, it was of course also compositing! If this was used so long ago, how is it VFX and not SFX you might wonder. Well, although they’re the same technique, nowadays scenes would be created digitally, rather than physically made, and they’d use effects like masking, and 3D modelling to help create scenes.
Create Your Own VFX
If you fancy making your own visual effects then you don’t need to have a huge budget, or access to fancy Hollywood software, there’s plenty you can do on your own with some basic resources. Here are our tips.
1. Use Your Own Footage
Making use of your own shots is the easiest base to start with, and it doesn’t really matter if it’s from a phone or a professional movie camera; just make sure you get the highest quality you can.
- Try setting up and using your own green screen to key out backgrounds to replace later.
- Practical effects like smoke and fire can be replicated with some inexpensive props. Dry ice can apparently work well as smoke, and some people use flour for the dust created by an explosion. Only ever do this with the appropriate supervision, guidance, and safety.
2. Use Stock Footage
If you can’t film something yourself then there’s always stock video. As well as giving you access to scenes that you might not be able to get yourself without a lot of expense (or travel!) there’s also the option of pre-made footage with alpha channel, so you can super impose it over the top of your own imagery or background.
3. Give Editing Software a Try
There are tons of great pieces of software for video that will let you create anything from basic VFX to more in depth stuff. While Adobe suites like Premiere Pro and After Effects are popular and will let you create VFX effects (we know, we know), they’re fairly expensive to use with a monthly subscription cost. However, it does mean that there are tons of great video templates available made by professionals, that can help you get started with VFX. The same goes for DaVinci Resolve, which is free!
Blender is free and open source, and although it can be complicated to get to know the software, it’s incredibly powerful and will let you create some pretty awesome VFX through compositing and motion tracking tools.
For those already creating VFX but who want to up their game to Hollywood levels, there’s Nuke which is a whole family of different software to create 2D and 3D environments, composite with CG elements, and to work with really large projects without grinding to a halt.
Envato Elements
If you’re into film VFX and other aspects of filmmaking then check out Envato Elements where you’ll find thousands of assets that you can use, for one monthly subscription. There’s something for everyone but Elements includes video templates, overlays, backgrounds, music tracks, and more.
Every month, you’ll find free files too, so you might also be able to nab a bargain.
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About This Page
This page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a writer, author, and photographer. It was edited by Gonzalo Angulo. Gonzalo is an editor, writer and illustrator.