Special Effects Crew

Members of a Special Effects Crew (SFX Crew) are responsible for physically constructing any mechanical effects, set dressing, or props needed for a film or theater productions. Special effects, also called physical effects, include anything manually or mechanically manipulated. Special effects do not include computer-generated images – those are visual effects.

As a Special Effects Crew member you work in what is called the Prop Shop where you build and rig the equipment needed to pull off stunts and gags. This may include mechanized props, scale models, pyrotechnics, make-up prosthetics, or simulated weather conditions like fog, rain, and wind. If you spent your childhood building things just to knock them down, the Prop Shop will seem like the ultimate adult playground.

Over the past few decades, the use of special effects has been declining in favor of computer technology. As a member of a Special Effects Crew you will have a hand in reviving what will hopefully not become a lost art.