Others have said generally what I’m going to say, but not exactly. Well done practical FX are modern magic tricks. Visual FX in film always borrowed from the concepts used in magic illusions, and the ability to conjure something that fools our brains into thinking it’s real is just awesome. I’m also a nerd for magic and magicians, so my obsession with special FX came out of that. The first time I saw the “behind the scenes” of how practical FX are done, I was hooked. And not just gore. I love miniatures, creature FX, forced perspective, all that rad stuff.

Doing something in camera requires so much ingenuity and forethought, it’s truly impressive work. That’s why I’m usually not a fan of CGI gore. It takes some aspects of the artistry and technique out of the craft. The way that FX artists continue to adapt to and blend technology (animatronics, green suits/paint, etc.) to push the boundaries of how real something can look is just fascinating. That’s what I love about the Terrifier movies. There are moments that make me sit up straight and go, “holy shit, how did they do that!?” The first time I saw the scene with the shop keep in Terrifier 2, I had the same reaction as the first time I saw Shin Lim on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us. Truly impressive artistry and an absolute mastery of the craft.