It is undeniable that movie sequences which use special effects deeply engross audiences. Whether it is the plot twists, the magnificent visuals, or even real-life monsters. The explosive effects in a classic dramatic arc however do not just occur instantaneously. They are rather created through a lengthy timeline of technological advancement, artistic talents, and imagination.
This is what the special effects history of movies is telling us. Be it the days of old with their crude theatre props or today’s advanced CGI capabilities. The development of special effects film techniques added value and creativity to the motion picture industry. That too in such a way it changed the nature of the industry and movies.
Let us take a trip down history lane and see how these amazing special effects film techniques began from basic practical effects to what they are now.
A Brief History of Special Effects in Movies
Credits: Canva
In the early 20th century special effects in films were produced through innovative and unique techniques. A French illusionist and director Georges Méliès was a trailblazer in the special effects film history.
For the first time in history, with the use of stop-motion, double exposure and painted backdrops. Georges Méliès in his A Trip to the Moon (1902) delighted audiences with the images of the moon’s surface. These simple tricks would serve as the foundation for an entire world of special effects that no one could have imagined.
By the 1940s and 30s, the history of special effects in Hollywood experienced an important turning point. The film King Kong (1933) was among the first movies to present stop-motion animation and the combination of miniature set pieces towards outstanding filmmaking.
Some directors experimented with rear projection creating the illusion of difficult scenes. Since a little bit of ingenious imagination was enough to create movie magic, special effects were used in every movie.
Over the years, there have been major improvements in special effects and their influence in media has only increased. Anyone could properly achieve a desired special effect as they look so real.
Modern tools and technology have progressed from the silent movies of the 1920s, effectively giving filmmakers exactly what they need to see in their visions in reality.
Primarily the most important progress took place in the previous fifty years when CGI became established as it did in 1980 which gave birth to such creations as Star Wars.
With its release in 1977, Star Wars gave special effects that were way above the ones available at the time, and it put forward a new way of imagination in making sci-fi as well as other genre creations. With miniature shots combined with paintings and motion control cameras, a new era for visual effects was born.
Blockbusters Movies That Used Special Effects
Undoubtedly, the CGI graphics have improved from the 1990s to the present day, with a wide array of creatures, including goblins, dragons, and the three-headed dog from Harry Potter. Motion caption technology is one of the 21st century’s most prized techniques, as seen in the creation of alien species in the film Avatar.
Avatar
Credits: Avatar.com
While filming the movie, the creators of Avatar used 3 types of cameras for the highest quality; namely, CGI performance capture, live action, and hybrid shooting.
Motion capture employs a computerised technique wherein people wear specially designed suits with markers that reflect infrared light to the cameras, allowing them to animate characters with the data points captured, thanks to real movement – making the characters more realistic than ever.
Director James Cameron advanced the technology of motion capture by placing cameras on the heads of actors that recorded facial movements, thus providing realistic facial expressions to the avatars that had previously been impossible to achieve with CGI. That introduced yet another level of emotional performances as actors could easily relocate their moving performances to the field of computer graphics.
All the scenes that Cameron had to shoot were performed by him with the help of a virtual action camera, as it were, placed in any position and shot the desired scene at once. This is how Cameron directed virtual computer-generated stories while the performers were acting: he panicked with a swing camera to capture the best angles during the performance.
There were also jets made in CGI, which were just ordinary jets but had been turned into 3D versions with the help of motion capture. Once again, this brought out another dimension of creativity apart from creating the images purely from CGI.
It’s hard to believe, but Avatar was released more than 10 years ago, and despite the emergence of new technologies, these techniques have not sunk into oblivion but rather inspired the developments of the last century to experiment even more with VFX.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
Credits: IMDb
To give credit where credit is due, let us start this homage with Iron Man (2008) which is considered one of the best among Marvel movies and would launch the renaissance for the MCU and VFX in general.
The first task was how to construct a believable looking and more importantly, a moving Iron Man suit which is consistent with the portrayal of the character by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and artist Don Heck in 1963.
Jon Favreau as it was well known did not have a great appreciation for CGI and wanted the Iron Man armor to possess its own life as if Tony Stark was actually inside of it. In addition to that, he mentioned that he would use some shots of Robert Downey Jr. in the suit to make it more believable. It soon became clear that CGI, even with motion capture technology, simply wouldn’t be sufficient.
Now this was where things got fascinating. An Iron Man suit was made up and this time with a smooth shiny covering that now looked familiar. Most of the time, Downey used to put on parts of the suit, which we made sooner or later on the set, and the other parts were created in post-production. The difficult stage was the tracking where they started to integrate fully camera-captured parts into CGI such as parts of the suit that were not visibly on the count of a sitting on Downey.
At other points, it was necessary to show Downey in the whole suit and make him move as realistically as possible in motion. Another struggle they had to deal with was creating CG metal for the suit, especially the one that started to frost on the outer layer of the atmosphere. In the totality of the movie around 800 effects were applied but the most vivid effect of them all was that for the first time was convinced about the effectiveness of CGI!
Inception
Credits: IMDb
It was Christopher Nolan’s in-house philosophy that was as endearing as ever, explained most effectively through the character’s journey into the depths of the human mind in 2010’s Inception, which has become synonymous with the most lucid representation of the master’s mission, the zenith of the film industry. As one could expect, there are some mediums or backing that would prove effective for producing powerful imagery or animation, however, one could never utilize it unless what had been completed in the shot already required embellishing.
In the realm of visual effects for film, fantasy becomes a reality. Such is the everyday work of Paul Franklin, who served as a visual effects supervisor for three major films, Trilogy, and, most recently, Inception. This is where he assists directors such as Nolan in animating particular images into the frame that appear to be more fantasy or sci-fi-like.
However, despite Inception’s lush, physics-bending effects, the blockbuster’s work on the British intelligent science fiction heist thriller film was considerably more conservative than one would have expected. Nolan’s film, which was released approximately a decade ago, explores somewhat dystopian and psychological themes and stands apart from traditional heist stories.
“Some of the more spectacular imagery of the film – the street folding over in Paris, characters creating architecture out of thin air – are VFX shots that we created from a combination of live action and copious amounts of digital animation,” Franklin told Wired.com in an interview.
Conclusion
In the long history of cinema, one could say that the evolution of visual effects in films is nothing short of remarkable. These incredible special effects highlights are not only milestones in motion picture capabilities but have also set the standard for the industry. They underscore the creativity, technical skill, and innovation that define the world of visual effects, shaping the imaginations of future filmmakers and VFX artists.
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The internet is burning misogynistic podcast hosts yet again after an episode of The Reality Check Show featuring OnlyFans creator Rebecca Goodwin went viral for making her cry during the recording. The incident has drawn so much anger from people for the show’s hosts appearing to insult and mock Rebecca for their amusement.
What Happened?
A well-known American Creator and businesswoman Rebecca Goodwin was guessed to be a part of The Reality Check show which is a podcast hosted by three virtually unknown men having a history of controversial statements and aggressive interviewing style. This podcast, which has its monetization removed on YouTube, has built a following on the back of inviting female Onlyfans Creators to the show, sometimes under dubious conditions, and interrogating them in the worst possible manner.
Goodwin Heywood journeyed from her home in Reading for approximately 3.5 hours in order to record the show at Croydon’s studio. Later, she told me that the only outfit offered to her was, “something sexy,” and that she did not receive any payment for her time. The interview took a nasty turn when the presenters began talking over her, making mockery, and a slew of dismissive comments. When she finally stepped off the set in a miserable state, the presenters labelled her as “psychotic” for leaving so suddenly.
The Internet Reacts
Credits: beckymil1_, Instagram
There was a swift online public outrage when her clips of the podcast were posted on Twitter and TikTok but for a wholly different reason. Numerous netizens expressed their anger towards the hosts of the show mocking Goodwin for her appearance while other users highlighted the fact that it wasn’t the first time that The Reality Check Show had exploited female OnlyFans creators by purposefully editing videos to demonize them.
Helen and I had a productive session of filming examples for the sketch and, to my surprise, I was greeted by one of the most shocking and hateful comments of the interview when the host interfered and drilled Goodwin on her relations. They inquired if she had a boyfriend and if he was supportive of her choices. Would he be angry if she decided to quit? The audience showed their displeasure towards that part of the interview as misogynistic by suggesting that a woman’s career is as one-dimensional as being controlled by her partner’s approval.
“This is a question that is so tiresome and sexist at the same time,” commented a user on Twitter. “Why do men always presume that they have a say on how women use their bodies?”
“What Do You Contribute to Society?”
The hosts were stating that Goodwin does not contribute anything to society and that was shocking in itself. He was contested by a lot of people who pointed out the fact that he’s a tax paying philanthropist.
Goodwin said that she pays more than 200k pounds a year in taxes, has created an affordable housing scheme for low income earners and gives money to charitable organizations frequently.
“But these three men will never do it,” said one of the viewers. “That’s what happens when angry men realize that a wonderful woman is successful and rich on her own terms.”
Double Standards in Sex Work
Credits: beckymil1_, Instagram
Goodwin mentioned the incident has resurfaced the conversation of the portrayal of female sex workers in the media. She noted that one of the hosts of Reality Check is also an OnlyFans, but there is no sensationalism or scrutiny of his job.
As one social media user opined: “This is a classic case of double standards. When you do it, it’s a business, but when a woman does it, it’s undignified.”
Goodwin also took care of a strange moment during the interview when one of the female co-hosts went off on a tangent about women in the industry not bothering to shave. She criticized the scrutiny men place regarding women’s grooming, pointing out that the standards of beauty have been set by men for so long.
“Women’s bodies are not here for men’s approval,” Goodwin said. “A woman’s decision to shave or not is none of anyone’s business.”
Rebecca Goodwin’s Response
After this incident, Goodwin went on her social media accounts to tell her story and thank supporters who stood by her. She seemed to be angry about how she had been treated, but made it clear that the situation would not control her.
“I knew these were problematic individuals going in, but I genuinely thought I could reason with them,” she said. “I refuse to be disrespected, so I chose to walk away.”
The Bigger Picture
This controversy regarding The Reality Check Show exposes a larger problem; the persistent misogyny and abuse of women in the online media space. The business model of the show is predicated on the disgraceful treatment of female participants while monetizing their shame.
Credits: beckymil1_, Instagram
Goodwin’s decision to walk away, as many have noted, was a bold action. She could have opted to engage in an unsavory conversation, but instead, decided to physically remove herself from the place where she was unwanted.
One TikTok user noted, “She left and still has her dignity. They ‘podcast bros’ remain prancing around like little insecure boys.”
Conclusion
The outrage directed at The Reality Check Show is indicative of a much larger problem: viewers are fed up with seeing misogynistic content paraded around as “debate.” The internet has made their voice heard, and it’s apparent that the real concern is not about Rebecca Goodwin’s career, rather, the men whom she has every right to be upset with for judging her.
Concerning Goodwin, she has already transitioned to bigger and better opportunities, showcasing again that she is not an easy mark.
Rumors regarding the pregnancy of Bonnie Blue, a twenty-five year old content creator from Nottinghamshire, started to circulate after she posted an ambiguous statement on her social media. The social media post on “Tia Bellinger” aka Bonny Blue’s Instagram featured the quote “cravings” where she showed off an interesting food combination of dry noodles, pickles with chocolate sauce, and chicken nuggets.
This plate went viral within a short timeframe raising questions in everyone’s mind regarding if the famous OnlyFans model is going to be a mother.
Is Bonnie Blue Pregnant?
The post immediately started a discussion on the internet wondering if their speculation was true. Many users from the comment section said she hinted at being pregnant. Some third party laughed about the very known subject and Daddy mystery. A person made the remark about “impossible paternity test”. Another had asked, “She’s pregnant, but WHO TO, CHRIS KAMARA?”, who is famously known for being a sports commentator.
Bonnie Blue however remains quiet on the concern and had neither confirmed nor denied the speculation. Currently she seems to be ignoring the situation altogether and hoping not to draw attention from the public, which then would leave many guessing and questioning her.
Who is Bonnie Blue?
Credits: bonnie_blue_xox, Instagram
Bonnie Blue became notorious in the adult entertainment industry due to her controversial statements and actions. One of her headline-making actions was participating in a record-breaking challenge where she allegedly had sexual relations with 1,057 men in a span of 12 hours. This action single-handedly helped her gain fame as she shattered the previous record of 919 men, which was set by Lisa Sparks in 2004.
Beyond her work in the industry, Blue has been at the center of multiple controversies. Bonnie’s interviews with the media reveal her discussing relationships, fidelity, and personal happenings. She certainly adds spiciness to her statements.
Last year, Bonnie Blue claimed to have intimate relations with 157 university Freshers, which stirred outrage over the ethical implications. While on ‘The Kyle and Jackie O Show’, she had another controversial statement in which she said “all men should cheat on their wives.”
Social Media and Public Reactions
Along with her previous controversies, Blue’s latest rumored pregnancy has sparked conversations around her personal life. Given her previous actions and statements in the media, the reactions to her current rumors have been mixed. While some have openly expressed their curiosity, others remain cynical and overly critical.
Many social media users have wondered if the post was a true pregnancy clue or just an attempt at engagement. Others noted that strange cravings by themselves do not mean that someone might be pregnant.
Still, this is not the first time Blue’s private life has attracted public attention. She has talked about her relationships before, including her ex-husband Oliver Davidson. While the two were in a relationship for a few years, earlier this month, Blue shared how the couple had been separated for quite some time before officially splitting.
Earnings and Career
Credits: bonnie_blue_xox, Instagram
Bonnie Blue’s profile continues to attract mixed reactions, but they have not interfered with her highly successful career on OnlyFans, where her revenue is said to exceed £600,000 a month. This level of earnings has positioned her as one of the top creators on the platform, granting her the ability to live extravagantly.
Blue has also been clear that all the content she produces is fully consensual. It is claimed that to appear in her videos, participants must prove their identity and consent, though the ethics of the issue remain contentious.
What Happens Next?
Bonnie Blue hasn’t commented on the pregnancy rumors as of now. If she is pregnant or just eating strange snacks is uncertain at this moment. Given her track record of attention-seeking behavior, it would not be surprising if she chooses to address the speculation in her own unique way in the upcoming days.
Only time will tell if fans and critics will get a discernable answer from Bonnie Blue about the speculation regarding her most recent viral post.
Now, one would be astounded to know that a mother, previously criticized for her online career, managed to make an empire out of her life, earning six figures a month. After facing constant judgement due to her online career, she was compelled to move out of her hometown, but now not only has she found success, but security for her future, which is hard to come by.
From Judgment to Triumph
Marie Dee, aged 29 and a mother of two residing in Texas, attracts over $150,000 every month on the popular subscription-based platform, OnlyFans. Although she was received with hate and lefted her community, she has found tremendous success in this adult content industry.
Dee shared her journey on this UK ITV Show, Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich whose concept pertains the life of people who became financially free from the adult industry. Her story exemplifies strong and fierce determination while also serving as a reminder that harsh criticism does not define the future.
The Rise of a Social Media Sensation
Credits: mariedee.co, Instagram
As a new subscriber to OnlyFans, Dee has already surpassed the top 0.03% of earners within just two years of using the platform. Her niche? With over the top subgenre titles like “Marie Dee Office Crush,” which focuses on subtle, everyday tasks from an office setting, Dee’s content seems to truly have it all.
“It’s really just little moments of me in a cute work dress, doing things around the office that, for some reason, men love,” Dee explains. “One video that went viral the other day was me walking down the hallway in heels – they like the sound of the heels.”
Using a more calculated angle with a focus on growth, Dee records as many as 200 videos per day. This ensures that she has material ready for the over 70 social media accounts that she owns. Dee’s massive following of 4 million on TikTok and Instagram alone serves as a marketing funnel, redirecting users to her OnlyFans account.
Success Amidst Controversy
Dee has also had her fair share of controversy. As her business continued to flourish, the stigma surrounding adult content creators has served as a heavy burden, especially in her former town.
Dee shares, ‘I do feel like I can’t live in that town anymore because of the judgment and what I post online, ‘I feel safer living in another town, so I do.’
Despite the harsh comments, Dee remains firm in her stance that the content she is putting out makes sense with her belief systems. ‘I consider myself a wholesome porn star; I’d never sleep with another man, ’she said. ‘I basically just do content with my husband and maybe one or two of my girl friends.’
The fact that she is able to set personal boundaries in the face of building a multimillion-dollar empire speaks to her business and strategic mind.
The Business of Viral Content
Credits: mariedee.co, Instagram
Put simply, Dee knows how to use social media to increase her income from OnlyFans. She has figured out the number one rule of content creation, posting bait videos on TikTok and Instagram to draw potential subscribers to her page. Viral moments are capable of bringing in thousands of dollars, and Dee estimates that she could gain 1,000 new subscribers a day with these methods.
Dee’s work ethic is unparalleled. Active on multiple platforms means constantly churning out new material, which is no easy task. With four employees to help support her brand, Dee has been able to turn her phenomenal success on OnlyFans into a business.
Defying the Critics
Starting out as a simple career change for Dee, it has become a full blown empire. Two years into her journey, Dee says proudly, “I have a small dynasty of everything I’ve made these last two years.” The journey of being judged and kicked out of town to being financially independent is extraordinary, to say the least.
The most exciting part about using OnlyFans for Dee, is not only being able to achieve success, but also break social constructs and rules that define success. What sets Dee apart in the adult entertainment industry is her ability to integrate integrity and smart business in the industry filled with chaos.
A Lesson in Resilience
Dee’s journey is a step by step guide on how adversity can be transformed into an opportunity. Even with the relocation and judgement that she faced, Dee was able to grow and scale a business. Contrary to popular belief, success is served on a platter to those who are not afraid of what others think.
Her story goes on to prove that no matter what the odds are, with self-determination and a little bit of planning, one can turn even the harshest circumstances into triumphant stories.