ESL Podcast 934 - Watching Special Effects
to blow up - to make something explode; to use an explosion to destroy something
Smokers aren't allowed near the tent where fireworks explode, because they might accidentally blow up everything.
pissed - very angry, mad, or upset
Karla's Dad was pissed when he found out that she had taken his car without his permission.
special effect - a technique used to make something appear to have happened when it actually did not, especially in movies and on stage
Those aliens looked so real! What great special effects!
scale model - a three-dimensional copy or representation of an object, but smaller than the actual object; a much smaller version of what something will look like when completed, especially a building
The architectural firms each brought a scale model of their proposed design for the city council to review and evaluate.
computer-generated - created by a computer, not drawn or made by hand
Can a computer-generated drawing be considered artwork?
image - picture; a drawing, graphic, or representation of something on paper or in one's mind
Let's design a new logo that incorporates an image of a tree.
pyrotechnics - fireworks; explosions that produce bright lights and colors and/or fire
Action films use a lot of pyrotechnics to make car chase scenes more exciting.
visual effects - images created with the help of computers and other devices, without actually filming the event that is being portrayed (shown)
The film used impressive visual effects to make it look like the astronauts were floating in outer space.
optical illusion - something that tricks one's eyes and makes one believe something that is not true; something that appears differently than it actually is
In this optical illusion, one line appears to be longer than the other, but if you measure them you can see that they are actually the same length.
monster - a large, scary, and ugly imaginary creature
When Kazuo was a little boy, he slept with the lights on because he believed there were monsters under the bed.
to mess with (one's) mind - to try to trick another person; to try to make another person believe something that is not true
Pedrito believed everything we told him, but we were just messing with his mind. None of it was true.
prosthetic - an artificial body part, used to change an actor's appearance or to help someone function normally
Beatriz lost her hand in a factory accident, and now she's learning how to use a prosthetic.
makeup - colored substances placed on the face to change one's appearance, especially to make a woman appear more beautiful
Lililana prefers to wear simple makeup: some foundation, mascara, and lipstick.
green screen - a colored wall that actors stand in front of so that their movements can be recorded and then shown over a different background
The weather reporter on the news appear to be standing in front of a map of the country, but they're really standing in front of a green screen.
post-production - the final stages in making a TV show or a movie, after the actors have been filmed
Post-production involves a lot of video editing and adding music to the film.
to hand it to (someone) - to compliment someone; to say that someone has done something well; to admire how well someone has done something
Many of the students at this school have gone to very good colleges over the past five years. You have to hand it to the principal and the teachers.