Cinefex
| Frequency | Bimonthly |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1980 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Cinefex /ˈsɪnᵻfɛks/, launched in 1980 by author Don Shay, is a bimonthly journal covering visual effects in cinema. Each issue features lengthy, detailed articles that describe the creative and technical processes behind current film; the information is drawn from interviews with the effects artists and technicians involved. Each issue also features many behind-the-scenes photographs illustrating the progression of visual effects shots, from the previsualization stages to the final products, as well as the execution of miniatures, pyrotechnics, make-up work, and other related special effects.
A defining characteristic of Cinefex is its unusual 8"x9" configuration, a format Shay chose to enable him to reproduce film frames in a format similar to their original film aspect ratio. In 2011, Cinefex was made available for the iPad,[1] enabling users to purchase digital copies of back issues of the magazine.
Publication history
The magazine was founded by Don Shay, who alone wrote and produced the first issue, which covered the effects work in the films Alien and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Earlier, Shay had written extensively on the stop-motion effects work in the original 1933 film King Kong, published in the British publication Focus on Film, and had authored a definitive piece on the effects in Close Encounters of the Third Kind for the magazine Cinefantastique.
The magazine was entirely reader-supported for its first ten years. In 1990, advertising director Bill Lindsay launched an advertising program that enabled Shay to hire editor Jody Duncan, the publication’s head writer for several years, and later, associate editor Joe Fordham. In late 2015, as the quarterly magazine transitioned into bimonthly publication, Cinefex blog editor Graham Edwards joined the team as a full-time writer.
In 2004, Don Shay received the Board of Directors Award from the Visual Effects Society for "illuminating the field of visual effects through his role as publisher of Cinefex."
A 2014 event sponsored by the Visual Effects Society and held at UCLA celebrated "36 Years of Cinefex," and featured a panel discussion with Don Shay and Jody Duncan, moderated by Matte World Digital founder Craig Barron.
That event highlighted the magazine’s definitive coverage of the most explosive and innovative era in visual effects history, a period that saw the early use of motion control technology in The Empire Strikes Back, the development of computer animation (showcased in the groundbreaking 1993 film Jurassic Park), the pinnacle of performance capture techniques, as executed in 2009's Avatar, as well as advancements in hydraulics and robotics employed in practical, in-camera effects.
In 2014 Shay retired as publisher, handing the reins to his son, Gregg – who took over ownership in 2016 – and to Janine Pourroy, who currently serve as publisher and associate publisher, respectively.
As larger, better-funded magazines fold, Cinefex – once described in Hollywood Reporter as ‘a niche survivor’ – expanded from quarterly to bimonthly publication beginning in 2016.
Quotes about Cinefex
"The art of visual effects is to seamlessly combine what is real and what is created. Cinefex elegantly documents all the behind-the-scenes hard work that goes into making effects look effortless. For an intricate study of the science behind the 'magic,' there is no other source than Cinefex."— Stan Winston, visual effects creator
"Cinefex conveys to film enthusiasts a passion for special effects once limited only to its technical artisans. Detailed visual coverage and revealing insights into the cutting edge of technology make Cinefex required reading for anyone interested in the new era of filmmaking."— George Lucas, filmmaker
"We are moving toward a time when the only limitation on a filmmaker is his or her imagination. But that will only be true if we stay abreast of the skills and technology the visual effects industry has to offer. Cinefex is the one true source. Read it to expand your vision."— James Cameron, director and filmmaker
References
- ↑ "Cinefex iPad". Cinefex. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
External links
- Official website
- fxguide story and podcast interview with Don Shay
- Cinefex review by Variety
- Cinefex app on the iTunes App Store