Movie Snow Effects: Then vs Now

1. Movie Snow Effects: Then vs Now

2. Snow has been a staple in winter movies for as long as they have been making movies. But a lot has changed in how snow effects are produced, and the results have evolved significantly from where they began; today, movie snow is indistinguishable from the real thing.

3. Movie Snow Effects: Then There was no shortage of creativity in creating believable snow effects in classic movies. Special effects crews used all types of everyday materials to achieve their desired snow effects, everything from salt, flour, cotton and even painted corn flakes. In 1949, special effects department head Russell Shearman won an Oscar for the snow effects in the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. To achieve the snow effects, Russell and his team formed a snow mixture from Foamite (a fire retardant), soap, sugar, and water, which was then blown across the set using large fans in what could be thought of as one of the first snow machines used in a movie. And not all classic snow effects were as safe. The artificial snow from the famous poppy scene in The Wizard of OZ was actually asbestos!

4. Movie Snow Effects: Now Today, set designers and special effects teams have no shortage of options for realistic artificial snow effects, with varieties available to perfectly set any scene: soft and fluffy, wet, big, small, light flurries or whiteout blizzard. Artificial snow comes in several varieties – snowflakes, snow fluids, and instant snow – and most are made from non-toxic, biodegradable, plant-based materials. Snow effects are made from paper products, biodegradable biodegradable fluids pushed through snow machines. Some types of artificial snow, life flurries from a snow machine, dissolve on contact, while other fake snow products last until they dissolve naturally or are removed. polymers, and odourless

5. Large white woven blankets are often used in combination with fake snow for fuller coverage and easy cleanup. When a film calls wraps, there will be no sign of snow left and no damage to property or the environment. Fake snow gives set designers and directors the freedom to bring their vision to life, no matter what scene they are trying to set. A lot of time and effort goes into creating a wintery backdrop, but without professional quality snow effects, many of our favourite movies and shows just wouldn’t be the same.

6. Contact Us: Address: 140 Riverside Drive West , North Vancouver British Columbia, V7H 1T9 Canada Phone No: 604.929.5455 Website: https://www.thomasfx.com/snow-machines.html