Special and Visual Effects Technicians

Employers

The top special effects technicians work for special effects houses. These companies contract with individual film productions; one film may have the effects created by more than one special effects company. Industrial Light & Magic is the top company, having done the effects for such films as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Terminator: Dark Fate, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Avengers: End Game, Us, and Captain Marvel, among numerous others. Other major companies include Digital Domain (Black Widow, Shazam!, Ready Player One, A Wrinkle in Time, The Legends of Monkey King, Aquaman), and Rhythm & Hues Studios (Hellboy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Skull Island, Aliens in the Attic, Night at the Museum, Life of Pi, and The Hunger Games). Some special and visual effects technicians own their own effects company or work on a freelance basis. Freelance technicians may work in several areas, doing theater work, film and television productions, and commercials.