# A question about special effects **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-special-effects/334297 "2005-12-06T04:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-special-effects/334297/1 "2005-12-06T04:22:12Z")
There was a blue jeans commercial. It featured a couple wearing blue-jeans dancing to promote the blue jeans. The commercial employed an interesting effect though. In the middle of the dance, the point of view would shift, and the viewer would view the couple dancing from a different position. What is this effect called? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-special-effects/334297/2 "2005-12-06T04:31:32Z")
Different camera? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-special-effects/334297/3 "2005-12-06T05:49:33Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Different camera? I haven’t seen the commercial in question, but I suspect the effect is the one made famous in The Matrix. If it is, and IIRC it’s done by setting up a series of cameras in a semi circle, have them all recording and then create the effect in the editing room. I don’t know _exactly_ how it’s done but my WAG would be… Show the first part of the scene from one of the end cameras then splice in the same fram from each of the other cameras (creating a sort of pan effect) and then finish the scene from the film on the last camera. Using the Matrix as a key word you could probably find it on google pretty redily, in fact I’d bet IMDB might have some mention of it, or even [HowStuffWorks.com](http://HowStuffWorks.com). ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-special-effects/334297/4 "2005-12-06T05:58:26Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > I haven’t seen the commercial in question, but I suspect the effect is the one made famous in The Matrix. If it is, and IIRC it’s done by setting up a series of cameras in a semi circle, have them all recording and then create the effect in the editing room. I don’t know _exactly_ how it’s done but my WAG would be… > Show the first part of the scene from one of the end cameras then splice in the same fram from each of the other cameras (creating a sort of pan effect) and then finish the scene from the film on the last camera. Using the Matrix as a key word you could probably find it on google pretty redily, in fact I’d bet IMDB might have some mention of it, or even [HowStuffWorks.com](http://HowStuffWorks.com). HowStuffWorks, [indeed](http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question295.htm). ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-special-effects/334297/5 "2005-12-06T14:38:05Z")
That effect was actually pioneered by the truly awful _Wing Commander_, released a few months before _The Matrix_.