Becoming a Special Effects Guru with "Soul"
From Stop-Motion Film Amateur to Special Effects Whiz
Dennis Muren got his animation training the old fashioned way—using stop motion animation techniques. Today, he leads the special effects team at George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic.
But you don’t have to invest in stop-motion film training to learn how to get some soul into your animations. Muren tells Wired that computer animation artists need to find ways to make computer animations more life-like. He says that he does this by imagining what his dailies (the first, unedited prints of a movie scene) would look like through the eyes of an eight-year-old kid.
Computer Animation Training
Finding ways to give computer animation a human feel is a challenge. It may be one of the issues you discuss during a computer animation program.
But during your training you’ll also learn a lot more. You’ll study the creative and the technical sides of putting together animated special effects. You may also learn about the business side of a production, getting a director, hiring animators and artists, and working with producers. You’ll also learn about the technical side of computer animation, including animation techniques and software and learning how to create special effects.
If you attend a computer animation school with a focus on filmmaking, you may also get an opportunity to take courses in script writing. There you could learn how to develop characters and use plot devices.
There are many people and skills that are needed in a successful animation production. You may decide to focus on one area, such as computer animation itself, or on a broader one, such as animation production. Whatever you decide, be sure to remember Muren’s advice to bring “soul” to your animated special effects work.
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About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer specializing in postsecondary education and career development.
