American Cinematographer - May 1988 - 82

SPECIAL EFFECTS

sional

project, they were far beyond

the range of a normal student pro¬
duction. The effects included creat¬

Wire, Tape and Rubber Band Style

ing a huge fireball to simulate an
exploding car, and rigging an ac¬
tress with squibs for a scene in
which she gets shot.
Viskocil, special effects
veteran of The Empire Strikes Back,
Ghostbusters, The Terminator, and
others, recalls his decision to do¬
nate time and

expertise: "I was a
time myself, so 1
could relate. 1 remember that point
in my life when I would work on
any film for free. 1 learned more in
my first two weeks on a movie set
than in two years of junior college. I
appreciated the help that people
gave me when I was a rookie, so I
wanted to help provide that oppor¬
tunity to some students myself. On
State of Fear, I found dedicated peo¬
ple with a high vision for their
movie. Helping them out was a
pleasure."
State of Fear was a produc¬
film student at

(Photo is of Kenworthy Snorkel Camera in
...

a

use on

"Logan's Run")

book about MOVIE MAGIC

tion that refused to conform to the
usual limitations of student film-

The late L. B. "Bill" Abbott, ASC,

originated many
special effects
plausible. He began when the movie business was
young, was long-time chief of special effects at
20th Century-Fox, and completed a brilliant career
in the '80s. His legacy is this book, which tells
how a flying saucer was landed in the heart of
Washington, D.C.; Paul Newman and Robert
Redford leapt 80 feet into a rocky creek; the
world's tallest building was destroyed; Raquel
Welch took an odyssey through a man's
of the illusions that made movie

making. By operating on a "can
do" basis, the crew stretched the
boundaries of student production.
This
a

project discovered and tapped

tremendous

a giant lizard; the
turned upside down;
moth to the

moon;

The ASC Press

Please send

P.0. Box 2230

Rubber Band Style

ness

to lend

serious

"I

student

am

pleased and grate¬

community, USC, and the ambi¬

more.

copies Special Effects-Wire, Tape and

I

tious individuals who made up our
cast and crew. In union, their ef¬
forts created a rare environment in

which

learning was unimpeded by
problems that typically plague
formalized education. Together, we
learned technical and political
process, we learned to be patient
under pressure, and we deliberately
the

Address

City
□

Payment enclosed

State

Zip

□ Charge by VISA

□ Mastercard

and

handling per copy USA: $5 per
copy foreign. Calif, residents add
$1.95 state tax. U.S. funds only.

a

committed

ful for the commitment that State of
Fear received from the professional

Name

Add $2.50 postage

and

quality
willing¬
helping hand to

filmmakers.

Hollywood, CA 90078

$29.95

the film

concern for
cinema education and its

luxury liner Poseidon was
Rex Harrison rode a giant
and much, much

resource:

community's

bloodstream; James Mason almost was devoured

by

one

worked

ters

Card #

Exp. Date

Signed
Allow 6-8 weeks for

delivery

to the limit

of

our means

-

proving to ourselves that with hard
work and the right attitude, almost
anything is possible," producer Pe¬
concludes.

A
American Cinematographer - May 1988

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - May 1988
