I was hanging around Main Film today and feasted my eyes upon the beast pictured above. The Oxberry is an optical printer of intimidating proportions for those like yours truly who has never dabbled with effects on film.
So what does the optical printer do you might ask? Pre-CGI baby! Take a look at this video featuring the ILM dudes piecing together flying objects and a background in Star Wars.
If you really want to geek out, here is an article of the making of the special effects from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
And a little closer to home, François Miron is a Montreal filmmaker who has mastered the art of the optical printer in experimental film, his process immortalized in this awesome Rick Trembles cartoon.
