Idea #35 - Practical Effects in Films

Years of technological evolution have led us to the invention of CGI that can make absolutely anything at all that does not exist seem completely real. As a result of which, we see today films set in a time and space that does not exist but is utterly immersive nonetheless.

However, despite the availability of CGI many filmmakers continue to use practical effects, going as far as rotating an entire fake hallway and even driving a real train through downtown.

Today we watched Top 10 Best Practical Effects of the Decade where we saw a montage of some of the most inventive art directions in recent history. From a fighting sequence on top of a moving train to aircrafts crashing into each other, from extraterrestrial organisms to furniture floating underwater, we had a sneak peek into the BTS of the scenes and learned that it was all, in fact, real craftsmanship!

In a world of diminishing practical effects, there still remain directors who stand as few of the leading proponents of doing things the old fashion way. Sure, using practical effects multiplies the time and effort put into it significantly compared to simply using CGI, but its catharsis is unmatched, and if executed to perfection, is nothing less than an absolute visual delight.