7 Classic Movie Tricks That Led To Modern CGI | Movies Insider

Before the widespread use of CGI, filmmakers used surprising in-camera tricks and optical illusions to fool audiences. Early filmmakers like Georges Méliès could add a hidden cut to film a wide array of illusions. Creative composites allowed for an invisible character in 1933's “The Invisible Man” and for Moses to part the sea in “The Ten Commandments.” Artists literally painted on top of shots to extend sets in “Citizen Kane” and create fantasy worlds in “The Wizard of Oz.” While most of these methods are obsolete today, new technologies like the LED projection used in “The Mandalorian” and the motion-control cameras in 2020's “The Invisible Man” build off these past methods.

Check out more of Julie Turnock’s writing on cinematic effects:

Thank you to Karl Thiede for sharing “The Wizard of Oz” frames from his collection.

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7 Classic Movie Tricks That Led To Modern CGI | Movies Insider

[NelsonMontana]

Knowing how difficult it was to create these effects back then is what makes them so much more entertaining.

[ambad]

5:13 they really used this shot as a "bad" example when this is one of the most convincing painting shots I've ever seen. They even cut holes in the painting and flashed lights through them to simulate movement

[Drakin]

Although not touched on here, one thing I will always admire is the practical effects of the 80's right before CGI took off, when the practical effects were at their peak. I'm not a fan of horror, but it always boggles my mind the sorts of practical effects seen in in movies like The Thing or The Fly. CGI is getting better all the time and I'm all for that, but it has yet to replace the sensation of something physically there.

[chellymurphy]

I actually really love driving scenes with the obvious projector behind them 😅

[chrisaguilera]

They showed a lot of creativity in these early days. I think modern filmmakers become too dependent on CGI and it gets overused. I remember the early 2000's there was a ton of movies that used early CGI that looked terrible and now it looks completely dated. I think the best is when you don't notice the effects are there, this way it won't date the movie.

[oreopharaoh]

the paintings in the wizard oz adds to the fantasy and children storybook feel which adds charm to it

[kgonzales]

The gelatin dead sea parting looked really convincing, especially when I watched it in our tiny old TV. Now I can't unsee the gelatin after watching this video.

[LakeDistrictFilms]

Original matte paintings were not put in afterwards, as stated (although this did begin to happen with the introduction of digital effects); the original matte paintings were on glass, and the cameras filmed live performers on sets through the holes in the painting, meaning the complete shot was done in camera, matte and all. Sometimes, as possibly in the Citizen Kane clip, extra holes were left or cut in the painting, which could then allow for some movement to be made behind it, to disrupt what might otherwise look like a flat still picture. Absolute works of art, matte paintings!

[roddmatsui]

Kong was never “Claymation”, he had a mechanical armature too, and had muscles and skin built up in layers of foam rubber and liquid latex. Ray Harryhausen’s puppets were typically all sculpted and then cast in foam rubber, with the mechanical armature inside.

[petergivenbless]

Small correction: the shot of Tippi Hedren driving from 'The Birds' is referred to as an example of "rear projection", but the shot was actually achieved as a Sodium Vapour Process Composite (a Travelling Matte technique that took advantage of the narrow spectrum of light produced by Sodium Vapour lamps, which could be filtered out using a specially created dichroic prism without affecting the overall colour of the live action elements, unfortunately the process fell into disuse because only a few of the prisms used were ever successfully manufactured and the process required a purpose-built two-strip camera to film with).

[hwd]

The Ten Commandments SFX still amazes me. And Buster Keating's stunts are still mind boggling to this day.

[jessicawalton]

Some of those old effects are very convincing though

[writerinprogress]

It's a shame the Pepper's Ghost trick wasn't touched on here, since that was a pretty effective special effect that started off in theatres for stage plays before being utilised by movies. How they even came up with it in the first place is pretty mindblowing.

[BonitaHall]

I think it’s so cool how inventive they were. We improve on what we know.

[jmchez]

Sadly, the great special effects master, Douglas Trumbull, passed away early this month. He created the special effects and miniatures for 2001, A Space Odyssey (1968), and Blade Runner (1982). It's amazing how good they look even at this date. Foe Blade Runner, he used smoke to make his miniature city look realistic as the focus got hazier, the further you looked into his city.

Practical miniature effects can be amazing when done well. The Blue Danube scene from 2001 is still awe-inspiring and I even still like the opening shot of The Poseidon Adventure (1972) with its massive ship ( a copy of the Queen Mary) sailing through rough waters.

[THEEPICPUPPY]

If you enjoyed this you should check out captain disillusion, he goes in depth on many of these techniques in fun ways

[DonMachado]

5:14 - The crowds scene for Kane's speech was a poor selection for a static matte painting. Orson Wells poked small holes in the matte and shined light behind it to create the effect of movement in the crowd. Another example of Wells' brilliance.

[zerofucks]

This early stuff is much more impressive than anything today. They were damn geniuses.

[nand]

I wondered how them 40s hand-drawn animations had different planes moving at different speeds, just lifelike. Whoa that were physical layers attached to the camera

[freakazoid]

Not many of the modern examples mentioned in this clip were successes but I’ve heard of and seen almost all of the old ones. I wish more work was spent on scripts today, it is the most important part of a movie after all.