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| Cinefex | |
|---|---|
| Title | Cinefex |
| Frequency | Quarterly (later irregular) |
| Category | Film magazine |
| Firstdate | 1980 |
| Finaldate | 2014 (print); 2021 (online archive) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Issn | 0273-8527 |
Cinefex is a specialized periodical devoted to the art and technology of visual effects in motion pictures, noted for in-depth case studies, designer interviews, and extensive photographic documentation. The magazine served as a primary source on effects work for filmmakers, technicians, and historians, attracting readers from the studios of George Lucas, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson to post-production houses such as Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, Framestore, and Digital Domain. Its pages regularly featured craftspeople associated with films like Star Wars, Blade Runner, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Lord of the Rings, and Avatar.
Cinefex was founded in 1980 by editor and publisher Don Shay with the stated aim of chronicling effects breakthroughs emerging from projects like The Empire Strikes Back, Alien, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Early issues documented practical effects led by figures from Amalgamated Dynamics, Stan Winston Studio, and Carlo Rambaldi, while later decades chronicled the transition to digital work by innovators at PIXAR, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and The Mill. Over its lifespan the title covered milestone releases including Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Matrix, Titanic, and Inception, tracing developments in compositing pioneered at The Moving Picture Company, creature design advanced by Rick Baker, and motion-capture systems refined at Weta Digital. The publication weathered industry shifts, changes in distribution driven by companies like Condé Nast, evolving readership demographics centered in Los Angeles, London, and Auckland, and ultimately ceased regular print publication in 2014 before maintaining an online archive into the 2020s.
Each issue emphasized long-form, richly illustrated articles that assembled technical breakdowns, behind-the-scenes photography, storyboards, and interviews with supervisors and artists such as Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, John Dykstra, Joe Letteri, and Ken Ralston. Articles combined coverage of miniatures and motion control from studios like IBFX and Laplante Studios with digital pipelines employed at Double Negative and Rhythm & Hues Studios, and discussed tools originating at companies such as Alias Research and Autodesk. Regular departments included previews of upcoming releases from distributors like 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., and Paramount Pictures plus technical essays referencing standards from organizations like SMPTE and practices used on productions for franchises including James Bond, Batman, and Marvel Cinematic Universe. The magazine’s visual presentation relied on high-quality photographic reproduction and detailed captions documenting work by cinematographers, matte painters associated with Matte World Digital, and animatronics artisans from Puppetree.
Standout issues focused on singular achievements—such as special editions devoted to Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Jurassic Park, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Avatar, and Inception—featuring contributions from producers and supervisors including George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Gale Anne Hurd, Ian McCulloch and technicians from Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Workshop, Framestore CFC, and MPC Film. Regular contributors and editors included writers and photographers with deep industry ties like Don Shay, Jody Duncan, William Malone, Mike Seymour, and illustrators who worked for Illustration West and film studios. The magazine also showcased essays and portfolios by conceptual artists connected to projects for Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, and Tim Burton.
Cinefex influenced critical and trade discourse about visual effects, informing coverage in outlets such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Sight & Sound, and Cahiers du Cinéma and serving as a research source for scholars at institutions including UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and AFI Conservatory. Filmmakers and effects houses credited the magazine with preserving production knowledge that would otherwise be scattered across studios like Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and boutique vendors. Critics and practitioners praised its archival value in reviews in publications such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Empire, while academics cited Cinefex articles in studies referencing films like Blade Runner 2049, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Metropolis.
Cinefex circulated internationally through specialist bookshops and periodical distributors in markets including United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia, reaching professionals at studios in San Francisco, Vancouver, Wellington, London, and Mumbai. Its subscriber base included personnel at facilities such as Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital, Digital Domain, Framestore, MPC, Rodeo FX, and academic libraries at British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art, and national archives. The title transitioned from quarterly print schedules to an irregular publication rhythm as advertising shifts affected circulation alongside changes at media conglomerates like Hearst Communications and Bonnier.
The magazine and its contributors received recognition from industry and media organizations, with citations in award programs at Visual Effects Society ceremonies, and mentions in professional honors associated with Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Saturn Awards, and trade accreditations from Society of Illustrators. Contributors were frequently invited to participate in panels at festivals and conferences such as SIGGRAPH, San Diego Comic-Con, Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival, underscoring Cinefex’s status as an authoritative chronicler of cinematic visual effects.
Category:Film magazines Category:Visual effects