Zeitgeist '24 for November -- Visual Effects: Then and Now

There lies a misconception about visual effects in filmmaking that there is a rift between traditional (aka practical) effects and CG (aka digital effects). And for the last few years, some studios and directors have been fueling this beef, causing animosity between departments and confusion in the audiences.

We are going to examine a brief history of where we came from in visual effects (what used to be called Special Optical Effects) and look at how that evolved into digital effects. But most importantly, we’ll look at how there is a criss-crossing Venn diagram of special effects, make-up effects, miniatures, stop-motion animation, and digital effects that all contribute to what we in the industry call visual effects.

NOTE: This presentation will be recorded.

Todd Sheridan Perry is a member of the Motion Picture and Television Academies as well as the Visual Effects Society, of which he has served as a charter member and board member for the Seattle group. He has spoken on the subject at both SXSW and FMX. He has been in the VFX industry for nearly 30 years and is currently a VFX Supervisor on the AppleTV+ show, For All Mankind. His past projects include I’m A Virgo for Amazon Prime, Black Panther and Doctor Strange for Marvel, Chronicles of Riddick, and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.