Visual Effects You can’t believe everything you see!

Visual effects are special effects the audience sees that were NOT really there when the footage was shot. Visual effects can be done live, during production, or edited in during postproduction.

Visual Effects Equipment Some cameras have visual effects options. Video mixers create a wide variety of effects & can be used for live or taped shows.

Visual Effects Equipment Character generators create type on screen. Graphics generators create logos, graphics, maps, etc. on screen. Digital editing systems (using computers) offer nearly endless visual effects options.

Examples of Visual Effects Visual effects are used in live broadcasts (such as sports, election results, etc.) They’re also found in local & national newscasts. They’re used in nearly every film & ad campaign produced.

Transitions Visual effects placed between two clips. Can be used to make footage flow smoother or to add visual impact. Transitions take footage from each clip, so leave cushion footage at the start & end of each clip. Be sure to check audio levels once transitions are placed!

Matte Key Simultaneous overlay of two pictures on the same screen Can be used for fantasy, dream or memory scenes or to add titles or graphics.

Split Screen Two different video feeds are shown at the same time on the screen. Usually used for live news, when covering a story outside of the studio (the anchor talks with reporter or does an interview with someone at a different location)

Chromakey Replaces a base picture with a different source image, by selecting one color to remove from the footage. Usually use bright green or blue, as they aren’t naturally found in human skin or hair. Can be used for backgrounds or other special effects (examples: Lt. Dan’s legs or Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak)

Reminders Visual effects are now easy to do & so many people overuse them. Visual effects should improve your footage, not distract from it. Visual effects CAN’T save a bad script!