They are not the same so why does IMDB lump together....
Visual Effects (VFX) and Special Effects (SFX or SPFX)????????
Of course, I know that IMDB, (just like the plethora or 'behind the scenes' documentaries/DVD extras) is responsible for watering down the accuracies and technicalities of filmmaking into a variety of irritating and oft repeated vaguenesses and layman's term infested soundbites to make spoon-feeding the film-going masses easier (and in the process creating entire generations of youngsters who truly believe they 'know' how films are made).....
....but why on earth does IMDB feel the need to lump together these two very different departments when they are quite obviously not the same and are crewed by ENTIRELY different filmmakers, just because both have the word 'effects' in their titles?
I know of a film production company that on one project had a hand in advising on some VFX in post, and now IMDB incorrectly label them as a 'Special Effects Company' when they are absolutely NOT. Which isn't very useful for that company professionally is it IMDB.
And IMDB refuse to alter the listing.
Get it right IMDB!
Please fellow filmmakers, join the campaign to get IMDB to update and alter this policy before we find they have also decided to conjoin 'Make-Up' with 'Make-Believe', 'Key Gripping' with 'Key Cutting' and 'Film Production' with erm, er... 'Milk Production' (that's all I could think of right then)!
(And if any of the readers do not know the difference between VFX and SFX either.... go rent/download 'Murder by Illusion' and compare it to, jeez, I don't know, any recent film, 'Matrix' maybe)
(Another man's opinion)