In focusing his singular sense of humor on the science fiction film genre, Mel Brooks realized the ease with which he could have milked a few extra laughs by employing deliberately poor special effects. But instead, he wanted his parody to work within the context of a high-gloss production. To this end, he enlisted visual effects supervisor Peter Donen. Working primarily with Apogee - but with outside input from Illusion Arts and Industrial Light & Magic - Donen was able to orchestrate a full and varied array of cinematic illusions.

Article by Mark Elliot

For director George Miller, The Witches of Eastwick was a formidable challenge - a supernatural comedy with a top-notch cast that required a deft touch to maintain its proper balance of humor and horror. Though effects would take a back seat in the production, it was necessary that they be brought to bear on such thorny problems as depicting a palatial mansion that did not exist, creating a tennis ball with a mind of its own and transforming actor Jack Nicholson into a fifty-foot demon. Engaged to accomplish these and other feats were Industrial Light & Magic and makeup effects artist Rob Bottin.

Article by Adam Eisenberg

Though derived from a phenomenally popular toy line, Masters of the Universe would prove to be anything but fun and games for production designer William Stout, visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund and makeup artist Michael Westmore. With high expectations but minimal time and resources, the design and effects teams had to translate plastic dolls into flesh-and-blood characters, create a faraway fantasy world from scratch and implant nonstop optical trickery into a sword-and-sorcery adventure of extravagant proportions.

Article by Ron Magid