Movies & Film

The film "The Perfect Storm" is one of the most ambitious projects Industrial Light & Magic has undertaken. The computer-generated effects in the film are absolutely amazing! Go behind the scenes and learn how ILM works!

By Jeff Tyson

Some pairs argue over where to sit when they go to the movies. Some people just don't care. In most theaters, however, there is indeed a best place to sit, and we’ll let you in on the secret.

When you watch a movie on your TV you're not always seeing the same movie that played in the theater. A lot of formatting goes into fitting a movie onto a TV screen. Learn about the changes a movie goes through so you can watch it at home.

By Tom Harris

You have probably seen advertisements in your local paper for movies playing at a theater near you. Sometimes the ad will say "Held over" or "Special engagement." What exactly does that mean? And why is popcorn so expensive?

By Jeff Tyson

Spielberg has said that sound is the major technological achievement of contemporary film. Indeed, much has changed since the first 'talkies,' when a musical score and a few bits of dialogue first made cinematic history.

By Jeff Tyson

When you see the THX logo splashed across a movie screen, and hear the trademark Deep Note, you know that you are in for an audio feast. But what does that logo mean? Find out what THX is and why it improves your movie experience.

By Jeff Tyson

On every movie package and shown on every screen are the ratings: G, PG, PG-13, R, and so on. What do these ratings mean for the viewer and how are they decided? Learn about the MPAA and the movie ratings system.

When you sit down in a movie theater the screen is the center of attention. But have you ever walked up close and looked at it? Discover the intricacies of a movie screen and learn how to find the best seat in the house.

By Jeff Tyson

When you see a movie in the theater, do you notice the projector? Without it, you'd be staring at a blank screen. Enter the projection booth and learn what it takes to show a movie.

By Jeff Tyson

A movie like "The Patriot" contains an amazing range of visual effects -- Centropolis FX created everything from new towns to virtual soldiers for this movie! Go behind the scenes and learn exactly how CFX makes the imaginary look completely real!

By Marshall Brain

When filming a movie, the sound and the images are recorded and stored separately with different devices. After filming the challenge is to synchronize those two recordings. Learn how a clapperboard is used in movie production.

The phrase "optical soundtrack" sounds like a contradiction in terms, but it's the secret to how sound is recorded on motion picture film.

A "Star Wars" lightsaber is a special effect that looks so real, it's easy to believe it really exists. How do the filmmakers create a lightsaber?

Love it or hate it, most of the classic black-and-white movies have been "colorized," mainly so that they can be shown on television in color. How does the colorization process work?

This effect is amazing to watch! "The Matrix" spawned both imitation and satirization of this special film technique, which was only used four times in the original film.

When an actor dangles over an incredibly deep river gorge, blue screen photography is the magic that makes it look so real to the gasping audience. Find out how the blue screen technique works and why it's so convincing on the big screen.

By Marshall Brain