30, 20, and 10 Years Ago in OPN

“The production of special effects has long been as much an art as science, involving a fairly healthy dose of smoke and mirrors to make a believable experience for the audience. A large array of equipment is required to create these effects, from animation and rotoscope cameras to optical printers, blue screen stages, and, more recently, to the realm of computerized digital special effects … A device known as an optical printer is generally considered the cornerstone of effects work, and was used heavily in films such as ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’”