Farciot Edouart(1894-1980)
- Visual Effects
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Special Effects
Alexander Farciot Edouard was for many decades one of Hollywood's
foremost special effects technicians. Though of French descent, he was
born and raised in California, the son of a portrait photographer. He
joined the film industry early on, working in Hollywood for a
subsidiary of Paramount, Realart, as an assistant cameraman. At the
onset of World War I, Edouart enlisted in the Camouflage Division of
the Corps of Engineers, rose to the rank of major and patented a
technique for detecting camouflage through photographic means. He then
had a stint in the Signals Corps and worked as a war photographer for
the American Red Cross in Europe until 1921. In 1922, he joined the
Lasky Organisation as special effects photographer. When this company
was absorbed into Paramount, Edouart was made head of the Special
Effects Department. He remained at the studio until 1974, during his
career gathering a staggering ten major technical and scientific awards
from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (including two
outright Oscars). Other renowned FX technicians, who worked under his
auspices included
Gordon Jennings and
John P. Fulton.
In addition to being singularly adept at making back-projection look
realistic and exotic locales appear authentic (especially via his
engineering of the double frame, triple-headed background projector),
Edouart also perfected the 'glass shot', which cleverly melded small
models with full-sized sets. Among his most memorable work remains
Dr. Cyclops (1940), for which he
created a believable Peruvian jungle and used his back-projection to
depict a group of human explorers reduced to one-fifth of their size
(through the endeavours of the titular mad scientist), struggling
against non-miniaturised 'monsters', such as cats and chickens. The
formula has since been used numerous times (notably in the popular TV
series
Land of the Giants (1968)).
Edouart and Jennings also created the futuristic effects for
When Worlds Collide (1951),
complete with erupting volcanoes and a tidal wave sweeping over Times
Square. Other films which benefited from Edouart's expertise include
Reap the Wild Wind (1942) and
Vertigo (1958).
Farciot Edouart served on the Research Council of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences during the Second World War, producing
training films for the U.S. Signals Corps. He was a member of the
American Society of Cinematographers.
foremost special effects technicians. Though of French descent, he was
born and raised in California, the son of a portrait photographer. He
joined the film industry early on, working in Hollywood for a
subsidiary of Paramount, Realart, as an assistant cameraman. At the
onset of World War I, Edouart enlisted in the Camouflage Division of
the Corps of Engineers, rose to the rank of major and patented a
technique for detecting camouflage through photographic means. He then
had a stint in the Signals Corps and worked as a war photographer for
the American Red Cross in Europe until 1921. In 1922, he joined the
Lasky Organisation as special effects photographer. When this company
was absorbed into Paramount, Edouart was made head of the Special
Effects Department. He remained at the studio until 1974, during his
career gathering a staggering ten major technical and scientific awards
from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (including two
outright Oscars). Other renowned FX technicians, who worked under his
auspices included
Gordon Jennings and
John P. Fulton.
In addition to being singularly adept at making back-projection look
realistic and exotic locales appear authentic (especially via his
engineering of the double frame, triple-headed background projector),
Edouart also perfected the 'glass shot', which cleverly melded small
models with full-sized sets. Among his most memorable work remains
Dr. Cyclops (1940), for which he
created a believable Peruvian jungle and used his back-projection to
depict a group of human explorers reduced to one-fifth of their size
(through the endeavours of the titular mad scientist), struggling
against non-miniaturised 'monsters', such as cats and chickens. The
formula has since been used numerous times (notably in the popular TV
series
Land of the Giants (1968)).
Edouart and Jennings also created the futuristic effects for
When Worlds Collide (1951),
complete with erupting volcanoes and a tidal wave sweeping over Times
Square. Other films which benefited from Edouart's expertise include
Reap the Wild Wind (1942) and
Vertigo (1958).
Farciot Edouart served on the Research Council of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences during the Second World War, producing
training films for the U.S. Signals Corps. He was a member of the
American Society of Cinematographers.