A practical effect is a special effect in which a prop appears to work in a situation where it obviously could not in real life (such as a ringing telephone on stage). They do not use trick photography or post-production techniques. This type of effect is normally found in live theatre.
In film, practical effect denotes an effect physically produced on-set, without computer-generated imagery or other post production techniques. Special effect is often synonymous with practical effect. In contrast, visual effects are created in post-production through photographic manipulation or computer generation.
Many of the staples of action movies are practical effects. Gunfire, bullet wounds, rain, wind, fire, and explosions can all be produced on a movie set by someone skilled in practical effects.
Christopher Nolan is a modern filmmaker noted for his preference of practical effects over computer-generated effects. Many of the effects used in his action films, including The Dark Knight and Inception, are practical.
Read more about Practical Effect: Practical Effect Techniques
Famous quotes containing the words practical and/or effect:
“Some minds are as little logical or argumentative as nature; they can offer no reason or “guess,” but they exhibit the solemn and incontrovertible fact. If a historical question arises, they cause the tombs to be opened. Their silent and practical logic convinces the reason and the understanding at the same time. Of such sort is always the only pertinent question and the only satisfactory reply.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Airplanes are invariably scheduled to depart at such times as 7:54, 9:21 or 11:37. This extreme specificity has the effect on the novice of instilling in him the twin beliefs that he will be arriving at 10:08, 1:43 or 4:22, and that he should get to the airport on time. These beliefs are not only erroneous but actually unhealthy.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950)