Glossary

special effect

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a technique used in photography and filmmaking to enhance the viewing experience. Special effects been used since the very first films were shown, but technology today allows for much more sophisticated special effects (abbreviation, FX) than the toy boats used to show the sinking of the Titanic in the 1912 film about the tragedy. Computer-generated imagery has revolutionised the field. There are various special effects. See freeze-frame, mask, montage, slow motion, speeded-up motion, split screen and telephoto lens.