Editing Science fiction on television (section)

===Special effects===
{{Main|Special effect}}
[[File:Magicam-patent.png|thumb|For the series ''[[The Starlost]]'', the Magicam, a servo controlled dolly along with a secondary periscope camera filming a model background, was designed by [[Douglas Trumbull]]. However, the system did not work reliably and [[Chroma key|blue screen]] effects were used.<ref name="sf">{{cite book|title=Science Fiction Television Series|author1=Mark Phillips |author2=Frank Garcia |publisher=McFarland}}</ref> ]]

Special effects (or "SPFX") have been an essential tool throughout the history of science fiction on television: small explosives to simulate the effects of various [[raygun]]s, [[bullet hit squib|squib]]s of blood and gruesome prosthetics to simulate the monsters and victims in horror series, and the [[wire-flying]] entrances and exits of [[George Reeves]] as [[Adventures of Superman (TV series)|Superman]].

The broad term "special effects" includes all the techniques here, but more commonly there are two categories of effects. [[Visual effects]] ("VFX") involve photographic or digital manipulation of the onscreen image, usually done in [[post-production]]. Mechanical or [[physical effects]] involve props, pyrotechnics, and other physical methods used during [[principal photography]] itself. Some effects involved a combination of techniques; a ray gun might require a pyrotechnic during filming, and then an optical glowing line added to the film image in post-production. [[Stunt]]s are another important category of physical effects. In general, all kinds of special effects must be carefully planned during [[pre-production]].