Abstract

Rather than duplicating a transhistorical notion of "perceptual realism" based on the phenomenal world, contemporary digital imaging imitates the look of photography - specifically, the look of 1970s cinematography. This is largely due to the historical dominance of one special effects company, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), which developed a photorealistic special effects aesthetic to match the live action photography of the originaol Star Wars trilogy. Over time, that particular aesthetic hardened into a powerfully convincing house style. Given the prominence of ILM in the film industry, denaturalizing the ILM aesthetic is crucial to understanding how digital images evoke "authenticity" or "veracity".

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