| 'Special Effects' covers a wide range of
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| | the industry. However, they can be
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| disciplines and techniques, and for the
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| | startlingly low-tech too, depending on
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| beginner who wants to get into the
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| | budget. Cables attached to manually
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| industry it can be daunting to see the
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| | operated levers can be very versatile and
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| many areas of work that special effects
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| | useful for all kinds of creations, such
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| encompasses. We've broken down the main
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| | as Nimba Creations original T-rex head
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| areas to explain them in plain terms and
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| | and neck animatronic made for a live show
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| illustrate the main points.Special
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| | in 1997.Prosthetics
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| Effects
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| | Prosthetics and prosthetic makeup's are
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| Special Effects (also known as FX, F/X,
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| | a very popular area of the Special
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| Special FX and SFX) have been used in
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| | Effects industry, and requires skilled
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| films ever since film making began.
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| | sculptors, mould makers and artists to
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| Today, people generally apply the term to
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| | create appliances to transform people
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| anything seen on screen that is not as it
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| | into creatures and characters, as well as
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| would be in real life like animatronics,
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| | produce bruises, scars and mutilations on
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| props, prosthetics and models, and other
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| | actors. A vital process of prosthetics is
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| artificially generated elements such as
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| | life casting, where moulds are taken of
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| wind, rain and snow (when machines are
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| | the body to produce custom made
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| used to produce it). It is also often
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| | appliances to fit a specific actor or
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| applied to computer generated imagery (or
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| | even to produce fake limbs such as
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| CGI), although each of these areas have
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| | severed heads - these limbs can also be
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| there own terminology which is recognized
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| | classed under props. Nimba sells pre-made
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| within the industry to differentiate
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| | lifecast's for sculpting directly onto
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| between them. Here's a brief rundown of
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| | which eliminates the life casting
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| the elements:Physical Effects
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| | process.Props & models
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| Nimba Creations was hired to construct a
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| | Regular props such as chairs and books
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| 'fall apart car' for a TV commercial - a
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| | aren't classed as special effects unless
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| car which would drop to pieces, leak oil
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| | they do something out of the ordinary or
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| and let off steam on cue. This comes
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| | there is actually no such item in
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| under the heading of 'Physical Effects' -
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| | existence, such as a futuristic weaponry.
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| an item that is constructed that will
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| | A chair which breaks safely and easily on
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| carry out specific physical functions.
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| | impact is a classic prop used in movie
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| This can be a grey area as physical
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| | fight scenes which falls under the
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| effects can often be classed as
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| | heading of special effects, but of course
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| animatronics or props but if you imagine
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| | it also covers more exciting items. Props
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| rigs that will, for example, throw around
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| | can often cross with animatronics if the
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| large objects in a controlled way on cue
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| | item needs to also perform a certain
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| (such as the car falling through the tree
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| | function, like for example the puzzle box
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| in Jurassic Park) these will generally be
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| | from Hellraiser.Miniatures
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| classed as Physical Effects.Visual
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| | Miniature building entails creating
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| Effects / CGI / Digital effects
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| | scaled down versions of objects and
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| Any animation or effect that is created
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| | buildings to replace full size items in a
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| within a computer will fall under these
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| | shot. This can either be because there is
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| headings. These days, computers are used
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| | some sort of explosion or damage which
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| to great effect to draw together many
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| | has to occur which is not viable in real
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| elements of 'effects shots' in films
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| | life (or on full scale), or simply
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| (like many of the amazing scenes in the
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| | because a location doesn't exist and
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| Lord of the Rings trilogy) and so they
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| | building a miniature version is far more
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| often deal with props and models to
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| | cost effective (and easier to film) on a
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| complete the final effects seen on
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| | smaller scale. A recent example of
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| screen, but the digitisation and
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| | wonderful use of miniatures is in Peter
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| animation of all these real elements (and
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| | Jackson's Lord of the Rings. Beautiful
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| many that are fabricated within the
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| | miniatures like that of Rivendell are a
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| computer themselves) are commonly
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| | perfect example of the great skill needed
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| referred to as CGI or Computer Generated
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| | to create convincing miniature
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| Imagery.Atmospherics
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| | sets.Special Costumes
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| This is the name applied to artificial
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| | 'Special' costumes are anything that is
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| snow, wind and rain. Companies who deal
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| | worn by an actor which is more than a
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| in atmospherics supply specialised
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| | straight forward outfit. Tom Lauten
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| machinery to create these natural
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| | (Nimba's Projects Director) built many
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| elements when they are dictated by
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| | special costumes for Games Workshop.
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| scripts. Getting a scene in a film or TV
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| | Complex costumes had to portray Space
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| show requires many takes and applying
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| | Marine characters from the Warhammer and
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| these elements artificially insures that
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| | Warhammer 40,000 series, and had to be
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| the amount and direction of wind, rain
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| | made from foam, fibre glass and plastics.
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| and snow is consistent between takes and
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| | Elements of prop building and
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| different camera angles.Pyrotechnics
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| | animatronics are often part of producing
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| Pyrotechnics is perhaps the area of
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| | special costumes.Set Pieces
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| effects which leaves the least room for
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| | Regular sets aren't regarded as special
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| error, as it involves fire and
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| | effects, but many set pieces that are
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| explosions. Pyrotechnicians are highly
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| | created can fall into the category.
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| skilled, licensed professionals who
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| | Polystyrene sculpting is often used to
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| utilise explosives (and a range of other
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| | create oversize set pieces such as the
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| items such as primer cord) to create
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| | many large stone statues seen in Tomb
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| controlled fires on cue for films and TV
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| | Raider.That covers the basics of special
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| shows. While it's OK to create your own
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| | effects and the different skills and
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| props or prosthetics, never attempt to
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| | disciplines it encompasses. At our
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| become a pyrotechnician by experimenting
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| | website ( you can go Behind the Scenes to
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| in your own home - the consequences could
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| | see us creating some of our favourite
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| be fatal. The National Film & Television
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| | pieces including a full size
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| School do training courses to learn this
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| | Tyrannosaurus Rex, & you can also learn
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| and other disciplines.Special Effects
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| | how to begin a Special Effects career by
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| 'proper' and the areas that Nimba
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| | downloading our exclusive guide, 'How to
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| Creations Specialises in.Animatronics
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| | get into Special Effects'.Siobhan Hall is
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| In Special Effects, an animatronic is
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| | a Director of UK Special Effects company
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| any model, prop or prosthetic which moves
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| | Nimba Creations Ltd., which creates
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| using cables, servos and piston-driven
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| | props, animatronics, prosthetics and
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| mechanisms. The way animatronics are
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| | creatures for films and TV. She recently
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| created and animated is endless, and it's
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| | spent 5 months in New Zealand working on
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| seen as very high tech area of the
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| | two Academy Award winning films, King
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| special effects industry as a good
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| | Kong and The Lion the Witch and the
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| knowledge of pneumatics, hydraulics,
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| | Wardrobe at Weta Workshop (Lord of the
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| electronics, computers, motors and
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| | Rings) and this year her company goes
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| mechanisms are all important elements of
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| | into production on their own shows.
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