The history of special effects is a long and varied one and is much more than images of sleek starfighters or CG raptors. From the concealed wires on Douglas Fairbanks' flying carpet in The Thief of Baghdad to amazing scenes in Lord of the Rings, the special effects industry has been finding ways to fuel our imagination and enjoyment. This book is not only a beautifully illustrated history of the special effects industry, looking at the different types of audio and visual effects, but contains a technical look at how all of the effects are actually created. Packed with over 500 colour illustrations taken from great movies and the personal portfolios of the special effects experts, many of whom have been interviewed and feature in the book, this book is a treat for any movie fan and will be an essential book for anyone looking to build a career in this area of the movie industry.

Author Biography

Richard Rickitt teaches film making and film history at the British Film Institute. He is also a writer and film maker and a partner in a company that creates digital visual effects and animation for film and television.