A Glaring Movie

[StarBase 118 Staff]

Ah, the wonders of Photoshop. It and other programs like it (thank goodness for GIMP!) have heralded an age where the average layperson can do everything from turning a colour photograph to black and white to editing out unwanted captures (what is that dog doing with the fire hydrant in the background?) in an otherwise ‘perfect’ shot. Of course, additions, subtractions, and other special effects aren’t just limited to pictures.

Hollywood has always made use of special effects, everything from time stop photography to computer programs – like Photoshop! The use of such additions has helped to wow audiences since its inception way back in 1856. That’s right, that was when Oscar Rejlander create the world’s first ‘trick photograph’. He achieved the effect by combining thirty sections of negatives into one.

Special effects have come a long way since then, as evidenced by a simple screening of videos over the past thirty years – or even just the past ten. Star Trek, of course, always made use of special effects. After all, how else were they going to depict everything from explosions to an enormous ship exploring through space?

Despite that, one of the latest Star Trek films included an abundance of a particular special effect known as the ‘lens flare’. JJ Abrams, who directed the first two ‘reboot’ movies, was obsessed with the use of this effect – to the point that it’s become a running joke and has spawned a drinking game.

Abram’s use of the lens flare was so overwhelming that he issued an apology for the overuse of the effect. I’m sure many fans appreciate the apology, but would prefer to have an apology for “Into Darkness” as a whole.

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