movie magic modus?

August 28, 2007 8:27 AM

Is there a website that details how movie technical effects were done? I'd enjoy seeing photos, illustrations, descriptions of how special effects were created. Bonus question: what day of the week is best to ask metafilter in order to reach the highest number of potential answerers?
posted by bbranden1 to media & arts (8 comments total)

It's not a website, but Cinefex produces monthly magazines many cool SFX for recent movies. Their magazine is full color with awesome pictures, very much worth the price.
posted by Meagan at 8:34 AM on August 28, 2007

Oops, that was meant to be, "produces monthly magazines that explain and show how they made many cool SFX for recent movies."
posted by Meagan at 8:43 AM on August 28, 2007

Your second question has been discussed numerous times on Metatalk.
posted by CunningLinguist at 8:43 AM on August 28, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Seconding Cinefex, it's been going on for decades and is without doubt the thing you're looking for.
The pictures are great and they have interviews with the whole staff. They sometime do whole issues on a single movie, detailing every step of the sfx production, from what the director wanted to what they did in the end.
The special issue they made on Blade Runner is amazing.
posted by SageLeVoid at 10:04 AM on August 28, 2007

CGTalk will post an overview of how an effects house works on a certain movie, and will usually even breakdown certain shots at times.
posted by Large Marge at 10:14 AM on August 28, 2007

Cinefex looks terrific. Too bad they don't sell their archives on DVD.

Who would have thought the middle of the night (PST) would be prime time for MeFi answers?
posted by bbranden1 at 10:21 AM on August 28, 2007

Blogs that I read about such:
Prolost
Effects Corner
FX Guide
posted by filmgeek at 10:29 AM on August 28, 2007

Can I third Cinefex? A relative of mine bought me a subscription when I was in highschool and it was one of the things that got me seriously interested in film production. Also CGTalk. Good stuff.
posted by Alterscape at 12:11 AM on August 29, 2007