StageCraft [Visual Effects Technology]

Many films use CGI in places, but this one interests me to think about because (as far as I am aware) it is completely real-time, rather than post-processed, letting physics itself do some of the heavy work.

It also is probably a breath of fresh air for actors. Anecdotally (I'm heavily paraphrasing) I remember Ian McKellen, while returning for The Hobbit, to have complained that it is rather hard to emotionally put yourself into a character amidst a hall of green screens. This makes sense -- in Lord of the Rings, even forced perspective with a moving camera [0] was practical effects!

It was interesting to see that this bit of trivia I remembered from a Star Wars show has appeared in a few other bits of media since (without me realising as I watched them!); I wonder in three more years if it will be yet more prevalent.

[0] https://youtu.be/QWMFpxkGO_s "How Lord of the Rings used forced perspective shots with a moving camera"