Particles

After the screening of abstract animation, I couldn't help but think of the influence these experimental, explorative works had on special effects in filming. Abstractions are and integral part of reality, reality is after all an intricate pattern of abstraction. Layering these abstract techniques on top of film would make for infinite possibilities in the realms of both natural and super natural effects. Science Fiction films took total advantage of this application.

Of course animation had been playing a role in film effects for quite some time prior to this surge of abstract work. But this was a particularly important for particle effects, such as the ones seen in Forbidden Planet.

Inspired by the abstract landscape of music, these pioneers opened up a wide spectrum of possibilities for future animators to build upon, and the applications of these techniques continue to grow. Particle effects are used for a variety of media both video games and film employ the clever use of abstraction in combination with other elements including sound and other representational elements for a seamless illusion.

tim \( '<->' )/