Shanks FX

We create Hollywood effects with simple household products... and so can you.

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Episode 64, Season 1
Jupiter in a Jar in HD

Create a realistic looking Jupiter with a jar, milk, dish soap, and food coloring.

4:19
Episode 63, Season 1
Ghostbusters "Surge Protector" Trap

Use some prop-building expertise to build this cool modified surge protector.

9:01
Episode 62, Season 1
Giant Bubble Reflections in HD

Get mesmerized with giant bubble reflections.

4:10
Episode 61, Season 1
DIY Game of Thrones "Ice Wall"

With styrofoam and the right lighting, this massive prop can be recreated anywhere.

5:24
Episode 60, Season 1
Close Encounters of the Drone Kind

Creating eerie sci-fi lighting with a new DJI Phantom drone.

4:44
Episode 59, Season 1
Hurricane Balls in HD

The wonders of angular momentum!

4:14
Episode 58, Season 1
How to use a Split Focus Diopter

A split focus diopter is an unique way to achieve the illusion of deep focus.

4:26
Episode 57, Season 1
How to create Water Illusions

With the right camera and perfect timing, these water illusions appear out of thin air.

6:42
Episode 56, Season 1
How to create Star Wars Lightsaber sound effects

We've done the lightsaber video, now let's tackle the sound.

4:35
Episode 55, Season 1
Creating the original Star Wars lightsaber effect

Go back in time to 1977 and learn how the lightsaber was first created.

5:35
Episode 54, Season 1
How to create a Mini Tornado

Learn how to create a water vortex.

2:54
Episode 53, Season 1
Creating the Stargate Portal

We recreate the classic effect from the 1994 film, Stargate.

3:44
Episode 52, Season 1
How to make Dry Ice Comets

Follow-up to our "Creating Dry Ice Comets" episode.

2:44
Episode 51, Season 1
Creating Dry Ice Comets in 4K

A main ingredient to a comets core is dry ice.

2:24
Episode 50, Season 1
How to Turn a Stroller Into a Dolly

If it has wheels, there's a pretty good chance I'm going try and make a dolly out of it.

5:12
Episode 49, Season 1
Recreating the Aurora Borealis

We attempt to create the Aurora Borealis with a sheet of fabric and a handful of fans.

2:43
Episode 48, Season 1
Petri Dish Planets

I attempt to make planets with food coloring , milk, and dish soap.

5:43
Episode 47, Season 1
Hologram Thriller

After finding this skeleton animation I had a few ideas...

2:20
Episode 46, Season 1
Stop-Motion Star Wars

Watch us try and recreate a shot of the Millennium Falcon.

4:04
Episode 45, Season 1
Creating the Cosmos: In-Depth Look

An in-depth look at Creating the Cosmos.

5:22
Episode 44, Season 1
Rebuilding the Interstellar Black Hole

Watch us rebuild the INTERSTELLAR black hole.

4:17
Episode 43, Season 1
Back to the Future: Compositing Techniques

Our third installment brings everything together in post-production.

9:27
Episode 42, Season 1
Back to the Future: Forced Perspective

In our second Back to the Future installment, we tackle Forced Perspective.

5:08
Episode 41, Season 1
Back to the Future: Stop Motion

I recreate effects from Back to the Future in this three-part series.

5:33
Episode 40, Season 1
DIY Slow-Motion

Why do the people with the high speed Phantom camera get to have all the fun?

3:19
Episode 39, Season 1
Flashlight Cinematography

I've always incorporated flashlights in my lighting arsenal.

7:41
Episode 38, Season 1
Thrift Shop Gold

The Thrift Shop can be a magical place.

3:00
Episode 37, Season 1
Sci-Fly: Creating a Short Film

SCI-FLY the sci-fi short film is the inspiration behind this web series.

6:05
Episode 36, Season 1
Creating Warp Speed with LED lights

I replace the burning steel wool with LED lights to create a similar warp speed effect.

1:48
Episode 26, Season 1
The Best of Shanks FX

Some highlights of the hit Webby Award winning series, Shanks FX.

3:03
Episode 25, Season 1
3D Print Your Own Oscar!

3D scanning & printing are used to emulate one of the most iconic statuettes of our time.

2:04
Episode 24, Season 1
Creating the Illusion of Space Flight

Joey Shanks recreates a spaceship flying through outer space via visual effects.

3:03
Episode 23, Season 1
Front Screen Projection Tutuorial

Before Green Screen, there was Front Screen Projection. Joey Shanks walks us through it.

3:41
Episode 22, Season 1
Film vs. Digital

Can you tell the difference between film and digital? Test yourself.

2:49
Episode 21, Season 1
Creating the Cosmos: Special Effects

Filmmaker Joey Shanks reveal one of his most effective techniques, The Sheet of Glass.

4:39
Episode 20, Season 1
Giant Bubble Explosions

Learn how to create your own giant bubble wand or just sit back and watch the magic.

4:11
Episode 19, Season 1
Spiders in HD

Experience a creepy, crawly look at spiders originally in High Definition.

2:28
Episode 18, Season 1
DRIVE Time-lapse Tribute

Joey Shanks shows off the time-lapse technique with a tribute to the 2011 movie, "Drive."

3:16
Episode 17, Season 1
Star Trek Transporter Effect

Joey recreates the classic Star Trek transport effect using Christmas lights!

2:37
Episode 16, Season 1
Ice Cream Time-lapse

Watch a magical time-lapse sequence perfect for summer and ice cream lovers!

3:00
Episode 15, Season 1
Magnetic Putty Magic (Original Cut)

Let yourself be mesmerized by magnificent magnetic putty.

2:39
Episode 14, Season 1
Light Painting Text & Titles

Create your own text and titles by using Joey Shanks' light painting technique.

5:45
Episode 13, Season 1
Reverse Motion Effects

Joey Shanks teaches one of the most basic special effects: reverse motion.

5:41
Episode 12, Season 1
Experience the SLAMDANCE Film Festival

Joey heads to the Slamdance Film Festival to premiere his short film, "Sci-Fly."

5:59
Episode 11, Season 1
How to... Rescue Your Camera From a Tree

Join filmmaker Joey Shanks on his heroic quest to save his camera from the treetops...

5:25
Episode 10, Season 1
Introduction to The GoPro

Filmmaker Joey Shanks tries out and reviews the new GoPro.

4:03
Episode 9, Season 1
Wiggle Room: A Stop-Motion Film

Follow a slug around a vacant kitchen in this award-winning short film by Joey Shanks.

7:51
Episode 8, Season 1
How to Create Stop-Motion Animation at Home

Joey teaches the popular stop-motion animation technique as seen in his film, Wiggle Room.

6:40
Episode 7, Season 1
Creating Star Fields with Fiber Optics

Filmmaker Joey Shanks shows the basic process of creating a Star Field background.

1:39
Episode 6, Season 1
Creating Hyperspace with Fiber Optic Lights

Filmmaker Joey Shanks uses Fiber Optic Lights to create the effect of hyperspace.

7:15
Episode 5, Season 1
Creating a Rocket Ship with a Propane Nozzle

Create the effect of a rocket ship jetting through outer space with a propane nozzle.

3:21
Episode 4, Season 1
How to Use a Blood Cannon

Turn an air compressor into a blood cannon for your gory horror film special effects!

1:34
Episode 3, Season 1
Creating Planets with Dry Ice Bubbles

See how transforming packaged dry ice into bubble form can represent celestial bodies!

4:22
Episode 2, Season 1
Creating Alien Atmospheres in a Fish Tank

Have you ever wondered how some of your favorite movies create alien atmospheres?

4:44
Episode 1, Season 1
Creating Warp Speed with Steel Wool

Joey creates the hypnotizing visual effect of warp speed by setting steel wool on fire.

4:07

Shanks FX

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