This document provides an overview of the Film Studies Week event focusing on special effects and bad movies. It includes summaries of the films being shown, FUBAR and Ed Wood, and biographies of their directors, Michael Dowse and Tim Burton. It also discusses concepts like production phase effects, CGI, and the uncanny valley. Special effects are defined as technology that creates images too dangerous, expensive or impossible to achieve otherwise, with the goal of achieving verisimilitude or realism. Bad movies are also discussed as cult classics.

1. Film Studies Week Lucky Thirteen Special Effects and Bad Movie Day. Features: FUBAR , Director: Michael Dowse and Ed Wood , Director: Tim Burton

2. Discussion about Spirited Away?

3. Special Effects We will be looking at examples of in-camera mechanical SPX (production-phase) and digital SPX (post production). The duties of SFX are fulfilled by the “special-effects unit” who is charged with preparing and executing process shots, miniatures, matte work, computer-generated images (CGI), and other technical shots. According to Barsam: Special Effects (SPX) is a term reserved for technology that creates images that would be too dangerous, too expenseive or impossible to achieve with ordinary cinematographic materials.

5. . “ Bad” (ie cheap) Movies as Cult Classics

6. Michael Dowse — FUBAR (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition) . What do we know about Dowse? Michael Dowse was born (1973) and raised in Calgary. He has worked as a film editor on John Hazlett's BAD MONEY (1999) and Matt Bissonnette and Steven Clark's LOOKING FOR LEONARD (2002). His short film 237 (2000) was followed by his feature debut, the cult hit FUBAR (2002), which premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG (2004) is his second feature, and has already garnered praise, winning the City Award at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival . As Dowse puts it, with his second film he really wanted to, “Rip cinema a new asshole.” Michael Dowse has listed some of his creative influences that have nuanced his work:• Franz Kafka “One of the most influential writers of this century. Virtually unknown during his lifetime, the works of Kafka have since been recognized as symbolizing modern man's anxiety-ridden and grotesque alienation in an unintelligible, hostile, or indifferent world.” Bad Movies as Cult Classics

7. FUBAR (Michael Dowse, 2002) Fubar ( 2002 ) Directed by Michael Dowse Writing credits Michael Dowse, David Lawrence Genre: Comedy Tagline: Just Give 'R Plot Outline: Headbangers Terry and Dean explore the depths of friendship, and the art and science of drinking beer like a man. Cast overview, first billed only: Paul Spence .... Dean Murdoch David Lawrence .... Terry Cahill Gordon Skilling .... Farrel Mitchener Tracey Lawrence .... Trixie Anderson

8. Tim Burton — Director of Ed Wood . What do we know about Tim Burton? After high school, he won a Disney scholarship to attend the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. He studied animation for three years. Burton's first job in animation was working as a cel painter on Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings. Discography: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) Big Fish (2003) Planet of the Apes (2001) Sleepy Hollow (1999) ... aka Sleepy Hollow (Germany) Ed Wood (1994) Batman Returns (1992) Edward Scissorhands (1990) Batman (1989) Beetle Juice (1988) Good Movies about Bad Movie-makers

9. Ed Wood (Tim Burton, 1994) Plot Outline: The mostly true story of the legendary director of awful movies and his strange group of friends and actors. Cast overview, Johnny Depp ... Ed Wood Martin Landau ... Bela Lugosi Sarah Jessica Parker ... Dolores Fuller Patricia Arquette ... Kathy O'Hara Jeffrey Jones ... Criswell Vincent D'Onofrio ... Orson Welles Bill Murray ... Bunny Breckinridge