Role of VFX Artist in Creation of Horror Movies

Starblast Animation
3 min readDec 23, 2020

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Source: Google

The horror movie lovers will notice how the visual effects in the movies provide an understanding of what the scene is about. It can be the sound effects, the makeup, the props, or even just the dark, gloomy environment, all of these play an important role in the creation of a proper horror movie. VFX has come a long way and is an extremely essential part of movie-making, not only in horror movies but also in action movies and sometimes even romantic-comedies. But today we shall look into how a VFX artists creates the spooky feel in horror movies.

Exaggerated Environments

An avid horror movie viewer will understand the importance of the background in telling a spooky, haunting story. Take for example the movie IT Chapter 2, how they take an ordinary drainage system and turn it into the scariest location you will ever find yourself in. There is a lot of effort and work that goes into the making of a convincing horror film. From CGIs to Digital Matte Painting and other effects, these are some of the top techniques used by professionals. Often times, a green screen is used to create extraordinary backgrounds, also making it easier to shoot challenging scenes.

CGI Makeup

Although there is an extensive team of makeup artist that work tirelessly to create scary features on the actors’ face, there is always a need for some more, something extra that gives the characters a kick. This is done so that the performances of the actors can be enhanced a little more, sometimes also bring life into the prosthetics. Like we see in the movie A Cure for Wellness, where on top of an already intricate makeup on the character Dr. Volmer, there was an additional CG mask to create the illusion of a peeling face.

CGI Props

Many times horror movie plots revolve the use of some props that are created with the help of CGI. For example in the movie The Conjuring, the VFX artist used CGI to create birds, sheets, and other items. Or in some other case, a green screen is used to create special effects, like in the movie Hollow Man wherein actor Kevin Bacon was digitally removed and his body was removed with a “digital clone” that replicated Bacon’s body. To give the prop a life of its own, this is a creative way that most VFX adopt.

These are some of the common ways a VFX artist creates visual effects in horror movies. Do not get intimated by the high profile movies listed, or the complicated technology mentioned, these VFX artists are highly skilled in their profession but have started from the bottom. Which means you too can be one of these artists if you start your own VFX journey. Check out some VFX course in Kolkata that fit your budget, time, and interest. For reference, StarBlast is one of the best VFX Institute in Kolkata. They have a list of courses that you can choose from and they even have short term courses. So, select the one that suits you best and get started on the VFX journey.

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