Outline for the Third Term Paper

Introduction

A. Visual Effects of Snow

B. Thesis: The techniques in making snow for films has significantly changed over the years with innovations of technology and shows how precise visual effects are in modern filmmaking.

Body Paragraphs

1. It’s A Wonderful Life

            -Description of film and present technique of using foamite—a material used in fire extinguishers—with sugar, water, and even soap flakes, that was sprayable version of artificial snow which could be quickly blasted over set pieces.

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas

            - Description of film and how for snowfall scenes, snowflakes were hand animated and designed and then duplicated in the computer.

3. Polar Express

            - Description of film and effect of simulated snowfall in computer animation/motion capture films. Snow can be manipulated in greater detail.

Conclusion

            Technology has pushed the limits of visual effects in films and taken stories to whole new places that audiences never thought possible. With this example of snow, it shows how film artists back in the 1940’s (It’s A Wonderful Life) were pushing the limits in creating new techniques just as much as the current artists who are a mouse click away from manipulating the tiniest snowflake in a feature film like the Polar Express.