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Unit 45, Examples of SFX in film and television

HARRY POTTER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFSWfGaKoac

These are prosthetics used to create the magical creatures featured in the Harry Potter franchise. Prosthetics are make up and latex. They created by the make up artists, who create face molds of the actor/actress and use clay to mold an initial design before using latex to make a light and realistic mask. Latex is used because it is lightweight and breathable, the edges are also thin so you can bland them together to make it seem more realistic. However, before the finished product is used, they use special paint to add a sense of realism by using skin tones and adding the smallest details. Hair is threaded individually, which can be a lengthy process that means the final finish is perfect. instead of using CGI, the people behind Harry Potter decided to use prosthetics for most characters in the early films. this is a better choice, since the CGI may have made the film seem even more unrealistic. This work looks convincing thanks to the SFX coordinator John Richardson, who has won an Oscar and has worked on three Harry Potter films, and Aliens. There is also thanks to the creature and makeup effects by Nick Dudman, who has worked on all Harry Potter films, Penny Dreadful, Batman and The Fifth Element. The SFX is convincing because they have taken an exact replica of the actor's/actresses' head so it fits perfectly and still maintains the main features. The team used is also professional and the materials are all good quality and used well, the hair is also painstakingly placed so there is less of a gap between reality and the fake. The prosthetics are being used in the first place to make the audience believe that the creatures are real and so the actors can act on scene rather than in a green screen studio or on location but talking to tennis balls on sticks. it makes the overall experience more life-like. The visual side of this special effect will appeal to the audience because the artistry is realistic and it is a material effect that is now displayed for the audience in the Warner Bros. Tour, it is obvious to the audience that they are real actors rather than CGI and it brings more audience in when there is more effort put into the appearance, which is shown through the use of prosthetics.

GAME OF THRONES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOyrpGRdEzg

Prosthetics are also used in game of thrones for main characters and monsters/creatures like the White Walkers and the character 'Hound'. Much like the use of prosthetics in Harry Potter, Game of Thrones uses real actors and layers of latex and paint to make a fantasy creator look real, though the prosthetics on Game of thrones involve a lot of wounds, along side the creature masks as the programme is more mature. The SFX coordinator is Tez Palmer, who has also worked on Stardust and X-Men: First Class. The prosthetics coordinator is Sarah Gower who has also worked on X-Men: First Class, Troy and Underworld, There is also the prosthetics supervisor and designer Barrie Gower who has worked on Harry Potter, Life of PI and Legend of Tarzan. There is a massive team working on prosthetics, seeing as the majority of the cast would need prosthetics at one point for wounds or because of being a White Walker. The overall SFX looks realistic because the prosthetics are hand painted and taken from exact moulds, the same way as Harry Potter. The wounds are placed in realistic places and the editing works alongside the SFX to make sure it look convincing.it is being used to make the wounds look real rather than just using a lot of fake blood, it allows the programme to show the gory aspects they would find harder to achieve without the use of SFX. They are also using Prosthetics to make the White Walker enemy more scary, daunting and makes the threat imminent, since they are played by actors and have the same mannerisms underneath the latex mask. The audience will be affected in the same way as the Harry Potter audience, they will see Game of Thrones as more appealing after seeing there are prosthetics used. the time put into the smallest of details will only capture their attention more than some badly placed/unnecessary CGI.

 THE HOBBIT (DESOLATION OF SMAUG)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytz0nyjNezQ

This is a big scale model used for a barrel escape scene, there was a mechanised chute that poured water over them and the set was created to act as a smaller location of the river. They used a wave machine to mimic the rough white water waves that whisk the actors down the river during an overhead fight. They created replica of the river so they could pull off the stunts they wanted with the waves and they could use the green screen for the rest of the location, it would make the location set seem larger with a proper background. They use this big scale model because they know the safety of the set and they can alter it in any way that can help make the overall scene seem bigger after the editing is down. Prosthetics were also used in The Hobbit, for small features on the dwarves like noses and fingers, and Bilbo has larger feet, whereas some of the orcs and goblins were actors in prosthetics but others were CGI since there are large crowds needed, that would just seem too difficult to produce in the case of actors in prosthetics, but close combat would most certainly call for prosthetics. There are a few SFX supervisors, but the first, Steve Ingram, has worked on the Lord of the Rings films and Avatar, with 2 awards for his work. The SFX is convincing because they use a green screen alongside the big scale model to make the location appear much larger, the use of professionals in the production process also helps to make the SFX seem more convincing on a whole. The big scale is being used to make the fight scene more intense as well as moving the story along as they are transported through into a new area of the world. the prosthetics are meant to scare the audience in the same way the characters are scared. The visual aspect of the big scale model should appeal to the audience because it is a realistic set piece that makes the film look larger, it improves the viewing experience.

SFX ANALYSIS

SFX sequence analysis

Film: Game of Thrones
Focus	Notes
Fitness for purpose – is the SFX suitable? Does the effect fit the sequence? Would it have been better done another way?	The SFX prosthetic is usually separated into individual pieces of the face and head so that actors can easily move and the silicone can be so thin that every facial movement can be easily picked up. Fake arms are poseable so that the hand can be held in particular positions that are realistic. I can't think of any other way except CGI for the prosthetic to have been done, since three dimensional things can be more realistic than things that aren't there, and are digitally placed.
Role of SFX co-ordinator – Who is the SFX co-ordinator? (use imdb) What was their role in making the SFX?	Barrie Gower SFX co - ordinator, make up designer, practical make up, designs looks and works with all departments. He reads through scripts and they decide what might be physical or might be digital. Decide on whether the SFX will be on camera or post editorial.
Function of SFX – what is the function of the SFX? What impact is it meant to have in the sequence? How do you think spectators are meant to respond?	The function of the SFX is make the audience believe that there are creatures that haven't been envisioned before and that they are a real threat rather than there digitally. They are supposed to scare the audience and it helps to make the other actors scared or look injured since the prosthetic pieces are so real that people could probably believe that their arm has been chopped off, which is why painstaking detail is added, like the hairs that are individually threaded.
Its aesthetic appeal to the audience – How does the SFX help to create meaning for the audience? Does it look effective? How does it fit within the wider sequence?	The SFX helps create the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. The SFX looks effective because there are so many dedicated departments working on making it look realistic and they make many versions of the prosthetics, which depend on the actors distance to the camera and their role in the sequence. It helps create meaning because the make up departments are the first to have envisioned the creature so they can put that image into their heads and make the story play out smoothly for the audience.
The realisation of SFX including the materials, processes & techniques used in its construction – How was the SFX designed? How was it made? What was its purpose?	There is an original 2D design which is made into a model. They get a plaster from a life mould which they send to sculptors which they do details on whilst another plaster is being made, they put a layer of clay over model and then steel and fibre glass is added, trimmed and the clay is removed, the space where that was is then filled with silicone. Breaking the silicone into different sections, means that it is easier for all departments to use and made so it is seamless and smooth but not too delicate and so it is sturdy enough. 3d sculptures, moulds are bespoke to actor.

Film: American Werewolf in London
Focus	Notes
Fitness for purpose – is the SFX suitable? Does the effect fit the sequence? Would it have been better done another way?	The SFX is the main object of the sequence – transformation into a werewolf. It fits the sequence as it shows the gradual change and progression rather than an instant and unrealistic change. Though it could have been improved if they made the overall prosthetics more realistic as there is a moment where it is especially obvious that it is fake.
Role of SFX co-ordinator – Who is the SFX co-ordinator? (use imdb) What was their role in making the SFX?	The special effects make-up artist is Rich Baker. He designed the werewolf prosthetics and appearance. Baker also designed the wound prosthetics (hanging flesh) for the main character David.
Function of SFX – what is the function of the SFX? What impact is it meant to have in the sequence? How do you think spectators are meant to respond?	The wound SFX was meant to give the appearance of the man’s throat torn out and of someone dead – haunting to cast members and the audience, meant to scare them. The werewolf is also supposed to scare the audience and imply that the transformation is painful.
Its aesthetic appeal to the audience – How does the SFX help to create meaning for the audience? Does it look effective? How does it fit within the wider sequence?	It helps create the meaning for the audience because they would then understand the drastic change the character goes through, yet it is still the same body and man. The werewolf prosthetic juxtaposes with the ordinary and comfortable setting.
The realisation of SFX including the materials, processes & techniques used in its construction – How was the SFX designed? How was it made? What was its purpose?	The wound prosthetic was designed and finalized after many sketches and finally made with latex and fake blood, made to look disgusting. The werewolf prosthetic probably used latex as the base since it was sustainable and well fitting; the hair was threaded individually for realism. For a full body werewolf they wanted him to be on two legs at first, but decided on four like a ‘hell hound’. They had a dancer lay on a plank, which would have the werewolf suit built around it. Crew members would then push it as the man inside would move his arms.

Film: Jason and The Argonaughts
Focus	Notes
Fitness for purpose – is the SFX suitable? Does the effect fit the sequence? Would it have been better done another way?	The SFX fits the sequence because the actors needed to fight mythical creatures, which would have been harder to achieve without the models as it would have been actors dressed up, which wouldn't have worked. They could have used CGI, if they had refined technology. They were following the advancements of cinema and experimenting with the many possibilities of creating moving creatures that never exist in the real world.
Role of SFX co-ordinator – Who is the SFX co-ordinator? (use imdb) What was their role in making the SFX?	The SFX co-coordinator is Ray Harryhausen. He worked with Arthur Hayward to sculpt the models/creatures for the film like the Hydra and skeletons. These initial designs were created by Harryhausen. It was important for the initial designs to be made, so that a team of designers/sculptors could carry out the task of making them come to life.
Function of SFX – what is the function of the SFX? What impact is it meant to have in the sequence? How do you think spectators are meant to respond?	The SFX is supposed to scare audiences and make them fear for Jason and others since they are fighting fantasy creatures. They are there to act as a threat and enemy, an obstacle for Jason to overcome – following the Todorov theory of a disruption.
Its aesthetic appeal to the audience – How does the SFX help to create meaning for the audience? Does it look effective? How does it fit within the wider sequence?	The SFX helps set the scene in Ancient Greece/ Rome and suggests the fantasy world is 'real'. It also makes the fights seem more believable rather than how fake it would have been without the SFX. It works with the genre. It does look effective since there wasn't as much developed technology and they managed to make it look like the spirits were against the protagonists, throughout the film.
The realisation of SFX including the materials, processes & techniques used in its construction – How was the SFX designed? How was it made? What was its purpose?	Harryhausen would have made initial sketches, testing multiple ways to make the creatures work. He would have worked alongside the head of the art department and director of the film to make sure the final designs were accurate, the artists would have then made sculptures to bring the drawings to life and advance the designs, more details would be added to the final pieces so it was ready for the shots, though if using stop-motion, the models would have been malleable to make their joints easily movable and realistic, there would have been multiple versions overall.