I'd be very much interested in knowing your sources, for they are incorrect. Sorry.

I don't use Wikipedia. My sources - personal VFX industry work and VFX artists.
Practical effects are often called special effects and digital effects usually fall in the pot of visual effects. However, 'special effects' are visual, too. It's not like they're invisible or anything.

The whole being visible thing was a joke.

Yep, now we got to the center of it all.

I got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night that this is slowly getting off-topic...

But I'd be interested to see* who of you two is right. What I would say is that those terms just aren't that strictly defined!

*don't even think about it

Last edited by pacific (June 1, 2011 (05:47am))

Okay, let me clear this up once and for all. I looked it up on Wikepedia, and it says special effects are different from VFX. It says VFX are post production effects and special effects are on-set or in-camera effects. So budgetstudios is right. But then it means the title of this thread is wrong. This thread refers mostly to post-production effects, so this should be the " Video Effects Thread". Some people get the terms confused, but it's understandable. They're both effects, but have different ways of doing them. Special effects is the more commomly used term because it was used in films before VFX was created.

The point is the thread is titled special effects thread, when clearly the only thing the OP is offering are free VFX. Don't try and tell me that adding fake headlights, and simulating water (all in post, mind you) should be referred to as special effects.

I'd love to see your VFX reel, it's probably filled with practical effects

I feel like I should say this but visual effects are not necessary digital as you have been saying. They are effects that are added in post (which nowadays usually is digital) but you have to keep in mind that visual effects does not necessarily mean digital. For example the lightsabres and laser blast effects in the original Star Wars films were done by drawing onto the film itself.

I just watched 2001 a space odysey and was reading up on it, apparently it won an oscar for best VFX, even though most of it was practical effects, so Filipe maybe you are right