Matt Corrigan's Special Effects Range from 3D Dogs to Fake Babies

By Melissa Unger -- 03/05/10
If you need a fake baby or a severed head, then Matt Corrigan is your man.

Corrigan is a practical special effects artist whose credits include such films as "Shutter Island" and "I Am Legend." He explained that practical special effects artists utilize molds and clays, while digital special effects artists use computers. In a world in which the special effects genre has been dominated by computers, Corrigan believes that his line of work will never disappear.

Corrigan acknowledged that more and more of his work is being combined or used to help computer-generated special effects. He said that he has spent hours working on a scary dog for "I Am Legend." It was used primarily to help a graphic artist build and know how to light a 3D scary dog that was eventually used in the film.

Corrigan also recalled spending months working on a wolf for a film that was later scrapped in place for a 3D wolf. His creations can be anything from a real looking baby that can wink to a out of this world alien. Even though they are sometimes replaced by computer generated creatures, Corrigan thinks both types of special effects serve a purpose.

Corrigan believes that both effects have different functions. He says if a director wants a real looking creature to be filmed close-up, practical special effects would be idea. However if a director wants that very same creature to scale a ten story building, then computer generated special effects would be the way to go. He points out that even though all of his creatures can move in some type of realistic fashion, sometimes computer generated graphics are just more cost effective.

Corrigan does acknowledge that his line of special effects work will most likely shrink as computer generated special effects become more sophisticated. He says it's only a matter of time until a computer-generated creature can look realistic even in high definition and close up. However, Corrigan does not fear the worst. He says whenever Hollywood needs a realistic looking baby he will be there. He knows that a real baby on a film set is just not feasible sometimes and computer generated cannot capture the realness of life, or at least not yet.