FX reels give us a great glimpse into the moviemaking process. From greenscreen to actors’ makeup tests, these videos show us many of the elements that make even the most astonishing effects appear real. And out of all of these “making of” segments I’ve seen, the FX reel for The Avengers tops them all.
Almost five minutes long, this ILM-produced video shows us the nuts and bolts (and other pieces of machinery), the ins and outs (and extreme zooms), and the black and white (in glorious color) of how The Avengers was put together. But instead of a boring narration, we get a narration-less drama, where the characters are interlaced with the special effects artists’ work.
In fact, ILM has created similar FX reels about Battleship, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, for their YouTube channel. So why is The Avengers the best one of all? Compared to Battleship and Transformers, do you have to ask?
Note: If you happen to like behind-the-scenes looks at the moviemaking process, I urge you to watch the hour-long documentary, “Within A Minute: The Making of Episode III” which can be found on the DVD for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. It’s incredibly detailed and engaging.
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Via NewYorkMagazine.