【英语时差8，16】电影魔法

 Have you ever watched a movie and wondered, how'd they do that? From light saber battles to the sinking of the Titanic¹, some special effects seem almost magical. Most film makers² still use a relatively³ simple process called matte layering, which involves using a blue or green screen to create images that can be layered to create a composite image.   Let's say you're filming a tornado⁴ disaster movie and you need a scene where the hero--let's call him Lance--is holding onto a signpost for dear life as a tornado threatens to carry him away. Since there's no way Lance would agree to brave a real tornado, you'll use some special effects trickery.

First you'll need a background plate: a shot of a tornado swirling⁵ through the sky. Then you'll need an image of Lance holding on to the signpost to insert against the tornado backdrop. That's where the colored screen comes in. In the studio you'll film Lance hanging onto the signpost against a bright green backdrop. When run through a special filter the green parts of the film become transparent⁶. You then have footage of the struggling Lance against a clear background. Lay that footage over the tornado background image and voila: suddenly Lance struggles to hold on as the tornado looms⁷ in the background. Although the two scenes were filmed in different locations, the end result looks amazingly real. Next stop, the Oscars. 

1 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

4 tornado   

n.飓风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• A tornado whirled into the town last week.龙卷风上周袭击了这座城市。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

5 swirling   

v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句

6 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

7 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》