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It comes as no surprise that science fiction films depend upon special effects for their existence. SF cinema voraciously consumes every kind of special-effects talent; it gobbles up model makers, matte painters, effects cameramen, makeup artists and so on – an entire menu of artists and engineers whose talents are required to make the fantasy live. Over on the a la carte side of the menu, however, is one of the most specialized of the SFX men-the effects animator. This is the artist who sits down after the live action has been shot and draws or paints on cels, cartoon-fashion, everything from laser blasts to enormous clouds of electrical energy to that special sparkle in the hero's smile.

The effects animator works in both full-animation and live-action films. Look, for example, at Josh Meador's work in Peter Pan (the pirate ship reflected in the rippling water of Mermaid Lagoon) or the Id Monster in Forbidden Planet.

Disney's The Black Hole has about 380 scenes that require effects animation. These effects were directed by Disney veteran Joe Hale and his team of effects animators and assistants.

Hale describes for us some of the effects his unit had worked on: ”Of course there are the laser-beam effects, but there are also all the engine exhaust shots which should look like hot gas blasting out and the smaller booster engines on the sides of the craft. Then there are electrical effects, such as when a crewman is killed and thrown onto the reactor. Or little animation effects, such as the ESP effect in the robot's eyes when he communicates with Kate McCrae. Or subtle effects, such as the effect of the reactor engine working, which we animated as a gentle, glowing red."
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