AQUiLA MAGAZINE
SHOWSTOPPERS
SHOWSTOPPING SPECIAL EFFECTS
HARVEY ’ S MISSION
Special effects are vital in the movie industry , but they also tend to be very , very expensive ! Without CGI or Hollywood magic at your disposal , your mission is to recreate some classic special effects at home using household items / ingredients . These are super simple but so effective , your audience will be dazzled !
GET STARTED
EFFECT 1 : MAKE SOMEONE DISAPPEAR
This is a really easy special effect to start with , and it ’ s been used since the very beginning of film !
ACTIVITY SKILLS
1 HOUR +
DIFFICULTY
Set up your camera where it won ’ t wobble or move . If you ’ re using a smartphone , you can lean it against a wall and use the camera on the front . Then , position your actor in front of the camera and start filming . When it is time for them to vanish , pause the filming , remove the actor from sight , and then start recording again . When you play back the video , it will look like magic ! Can you add some razzle dazzle to make it
look slick ?
YOU WILL NEED
o A video camera for filming your tricks ( a smartphone will do )
o You will also need an actor and a cameraperson
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