Culminating a gestation period which spanned nearly a quarter of a century, Ray Bradbury's chilling fantasy novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes, has at last materialized on the screen under the Disney banner. Ray Bradbury and director Jack Clayton discuss the origin and evolution of the project, while effects supervisor Lee Dyer - assisted by seven key department heads - details the  elaborate  mechanical and  optical effects,  makeup, miniatures, matte paintings and computer animation that transformed the film in postproduction.

Article by Brad Munson

After a short-lived resurgence in Clash of the Titans and Caveman, the venerable old art of stop-motion animation has slipped once again intothe role of supporting performer, struggling for a foothold among the superstar effects technologies of the day.  Animators David Allen, Randall William Cook and Steven Archer discuss their respective efforts - successful and otherwise - at adding stop-motion moments to such recent and forthcoming productions as The Howling, Q, The Thing, The Hunger and Krull.

Article by Paul Mandell

From humble beginnings in a residential garage, Dream Quest has grown - in three short years - into one of the most highly respected effects facilities  in the business.  A close partnership comprised of six predominantly young, but seasoned professionals, the Dream Quest principals  - Scott Squires, Rocco Gioffre,  Hoyt Yeatman,  Robert Hollister, Tom Hollister and Frederick Iguchi - recount their evolution as a company, their ancillary work on such projects as Escape from New York,  E.T. and One From the Heart,  their first solo outing on Blue Thunder, and their prospects for the future.

Article by Marc A. Richardson