In the modern day film industry, visual effects (VFX) and special effects (SFX) are used in

almost every film, especially in science fiction films (sci-fi films), to create a sense of
suspense, mystery, surrealism and sometimes humour. Some of the best known sci-fi films
today that uses a mass amount of visual effects and special effects are Doctor Who 50
th

Anniversary Special, Marvel: The Avengers, Marvel Thor: The Dark World and
Marvel: Iron Man 3. Special effects are either optical or mechanical illusions used to film
things that are surreal, using elements that are physically real and can be filmed with a
camera.

Many are misled to think that visual effects are the same as special effects, as they overlap
and are often used together. Visual effects are the techniques that were used in creating and
manipulating imagery that is outside of the context of the live action set. There are two
categories in special effects, optical special effects (Optical SFX) and mechanical special
effects (Mechanical SFX). Optical SFX are the optical photo-manipulation techniques that
are applied to a moving footage, whereas mechanical SFX are the making of on-set
elements that create a real and filmable scene such as wind fans, artificial rain, explosions
and fires. Some of the common are visual effects green screen, blue screen, computer-
generated imagery (CGI), digital animation and digital effects (Digital FX). Green screen
and blue screen are primarily the same thing. They are either green or blue background in
which moving subjects are filmed in front of. This allows a separately filmed background
to be added to the final image. CGI, digital animation, digital FX and three-dimensional
rendering (3D rendering) are almost the same; they are all creating surreal images through
using computer software. CGI is creating images in scenes, settings, characters, animation,
where as digital animation is creating characters, digital FX are effects, images and
projections, and 3D rendering is the process of creating an image based on three-
dimensional data stored.

The Doctor Who 50
th
Anniversary Special was mostly created by using SFX and VFX. In
this film, one of the important points is Gallifray in a painting during the time war. In the
beginning sequence, there is a scene where we see the painting is a 3D way in Claras point
of view. This was created through green screen, in a way different from normal shooting. It
was a green screen in a box so that it will give it an illusion that it is inside a painting. The
scene where audience seems to be flying through the Time War was completely done by
the use of CGI. Another significant use of CGI was the time vortex, Gallifray, and the
ending sequence of the flying T.A.R.D.I.S.s. The Doctors and some Daleks in the Gallifray
painting and Dalek spaceships were created through 3D Rendering. When scenes involve
the T.A.R.D.I.S., it seems as if it is short in a room, but the set is only half T.A.R.D.I.S.
This illusion is created through camera angles and multiple shots. Mechanical FX were also
used in creating this film such as the gust of wind from the arriving and departing
T.A.R.D.I.S. and the created by the time vortex.

Marvel: The Avengers is one of the films that use the most VFX and SFX. Many scenes
in film were filmed using green screen. One of the biggest scenes in this film, the battle of
New York was film using green screen and CGI. To prepare the background image of the
scene, they had their crew take pictures of various places in New York in various angles,
day and night and combined them together. Using CGI, some parts of New York was
changed to match The Marvel Universe. Though some may not know, in some parts of
this scene, the superheroes were CGI. For most part, they shot the actors in front of the
green screen so they could add in the New York background. The mechanical SFX that
were used were creating lightning, false wind, and other natural elements. Hulk would be
considered the most important and biggest CGI character, or thing in this entire film. By
taking the structure of Mark Ruffalos face and using the technology of CGI a character
with human features was created. Tonys house, in which some may not have realised, was
created using CGI. The land in which it is located is actually a nature-reserve park. Other
things like the helicarrier and the advanced technology of S.H.I.E.L.D. were created
through CGI. By shooting in a birds eye view and a close up following shots, a sense of
suspense and a feeling of heroes save the day was created. Many different angles were
used to add emphasis on a characters emotions or action, such as the close up shot on
Tonys hand when he secretly plugged in the thumb-drive to get information from
S.H.I.E.L.D., giving it a sense of secrecy, or the feeling of suspense given though full body
close up shot of Hulk chasing Black Widow and destroying everything in its way.

In Marvel: Thor The Dark World, majority of the film was created using SFX and VFX.
Many scenes in this film were short using green screen and sometimes blue screen. Two of
the most significant scenes, two battles in the desert were shot using green screen and
sometimes blue screen as it was a place that was not of Earth. This film uses a considerably
large of amount of CGI, as it has to incorporate elements that are not of this world to make
it seem God like, which creates a sense of surrealism and slight mystery. Other uses of CGI
were the monsters. Though the close up fighting scenes of the monsters were pre-filmed,
they were only to guide the editors of the moves that the monsters should have. Different
camera angles were used to create breath-taking emotion in fight scenes. Camera angles
such as over view, close up and filming from the ground to the head of the monsters create
a sense of power, important and suspense. To create more emotion, mechanical FX were
used such as adding in wind, the lighting and thunder of Thor and the gloomy sky.

Like its prequels, Marvel: Iron Man 3, uses a lot of VFX and SFX. Not a lot of scenes
were shot using green screen as this film had a lot of acting. Using green screen to shoot
this level of action is sometimes challenging. One of the scenes that did involve the use of
green screen was the effect of the attack of Tonys house on the inside. Some of the
important scenes that involved 3D rendering were the flying Iron Man suits in the ending
battle and other scenes. Mechanical FX were used a lot in this film. Some of the significant
scenes are the explosions of the live shot scenes in fighting scene in the ending sequence,
the explosion of the human specimens, and the attack of Tonys house. Some of the major
or significant scenes that use CGI are fighting scene in the ending sequence, Iron Man
jumping off the plane to fly down and save civilians, Tonys house through birds eye view,
and when the audience is able to see through the iron man suit in Tonys point of view with
holographic information.

Majority of the films in the modern day uses some form of either special effects or visual
effects, or both. As they overlap, they are often used together. Like the majority of the
modern day sci-fi films, Doctor Who 50
th
Anniversary Special, Marvel: The Avengers,
Marvel Thor: The Dark World and Marvel: Iron Man 3 uses a lot of special effects and
visual effects to create a sense of suspense, mystery, surrealism and sometimes humour.

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