Special Effects Supervisor
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A special effects supervisor, also referred to as a special effects director, special effects coordinator or SFX supervisor, is an individual who works on a commercial,
theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
,
television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
or
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
set creating special effects. They are generally the department head who defers to the film's director and/or producers, and who is in charge of the entire special effects team. Special effects include anything that is manually or mechanically manipulated (also called " practical effects" or in camera effects).Media Match "TV and Film Job Descriptions"
/ref>IMDB Glossary letter "S": Special Effects Supervisor
/ref> This may include the use of mechanized props, special effects makeup, props, scenery, scale models,
pyrotechnics Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating fireworks, but also includes safety matches, oxygen candles, Pyrotechnic fastener, explosive bolts (and other fasteners), parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, q ...
and atmospheric effects: creating physical wind, rain, fog, snow, clouds etc. Special effects (SFX) or (SPFX) are produced on the set, as opposed to those created in post-production which are generally called "visual effects" (VFX). In recent years, physical special effects have been increasingly overshadowed by
computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is a specific-technology or application of computer graphics for creating or improving images in Digital art, art, Publishing, printed media, Training simulation, simulators, videos and video games. These images ...
(CGI) effects created in post-production." Examples of special effects are explosions, car crashes and chases, gunshots, earthquake effects, special makeup, prosthetics, special set construction, snow and rain. A special effects technician is a person working in the special effects department, under the special effects supervisor, who is responsible for creating and assisting special effects. Movies with many special effects may require many special effects technicians.


Skills

A special effects supervisor's primary responsibility ensuring the safety of their crew and everyone on set.Special Effects Supervisor
/ref> Knowledge of laws and safety protocols are essential when using explosives, firearms, or any other potentially dangerous devices or materials on a production. Local safety officials may also visit the set and perform inspections before cameras are allowed to roll. Specific health and safety education programs are recommended for special-effects workers, and specialized training is required for handling explosives, firearms, high voltage, and other hazardous equipment. On set, the supervisor is in charge of setting up and operating physical effects. Being an effective special-effects supervisor requires creativity, imagination and experience, as they enable the supervisor to determine how effects can be implemented to convincingly render the events in the script.
/ref> Strong communication, presentation and collaborative skills are also assets.
/ref> The head of the special effects team works closely with the production designer and
art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...
. The supervisor plans an effects scene and presents it to the director, hoping it meets the director's vision. Photography experience is also an advantage in a supervisor's work, as it helps them plan such things as camera angles and special filming requirements. Although some courses in special effects are available, the fine points of the craft are often learned by directly assisting and apprenticing to experienced professionals in the course of productions. Many people interested in entering effects work begin learning about it at a young age, and seek whatever opportunities they can to observe and learn from professionals.


Education

Entry into this career path is competitive. There are various paths that one can take in order to become a special effects supervisor. People with
animation Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...
,
computer science Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...
and
industrial design Industrial design is a process of design applied to physical Product (business), products that are to be manufactured by mass production. It is the creative act of determining and defining a product's form and features, which takes place in adva ...
backgrounds are often considered primary candidates for effects work. A formal education, particularly in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, is suggested. Some enter into this profession with degrees in film and television production. Students with
fine art In European academic traditions, fine art (or, fine arts) is made primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from popular art, decorative art or applied art, which also either serve some practical function (such as ...
or sculpting experience may be well-equipped for special effects careers in modeling,
illustration An illustration is a decoration, interpretation, or visual explanation of a text, concept, or process, designed for integration in print and digitally published media, such as posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, vi ...
,
animation Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...
, and other artistic aspects of effects. Experience with computer software and/or hardware (up to and including
robotics Robotics is the interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. Within mechanical engineering, robotics is the design and construction of the physical structures of robots, while in computer s ...
and
animatronics An animatronic is a puppet controlled electronically to move in a fluent way. Animatronics are the modern adaptation of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films, video games and in theme park attractions. Anim ...
) can also be a particular asset. Modern special effects tend to be computer generated nowadays, blending physical and digital techniques, so familiarity with computer graphics can also be advantageous for people who work primarily with physical effects. Special effects are a form of science, so courses in
chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
,
physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
and
biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
are recommended. Mathematics and finance skills are valuable for such things as effects department budgets, scheduling, and other administrative work. Several years of experience as an effects technician is necessary before one can be considered for senior-level effects roles, such as a supervisor.


Notable special effects directors

*
Eiji Tsuburaya was a Japanese special effects director, filmmaker, and cinematographer. A co-creator of the ''Godzilla (franchise), Godzilla'' and ''Ultraman'' franchises, he is considered one of the most important and influential figures in the history o ...
* Douglas Trumbull * Tom Howard * John Dykstra * Ken Pepiot


Sources


References

* * * {{Film crew Special effects Film and video technology Filmmaking occupations Film production Mass media occupations it:Supervisore agli effetti visivi