12 Insanely Subtle CGI Movie Moments Nobody Noticed

8. 1970s San Francisco - Zodiac

Zodiac San Francisco
Warner Bros.

David Fincher has proven himself time and time again to be a master of employing extensive visual effects in stunningly subtle ways, and perhaps no better than in his masterful thriller Zodiac.

In order to present audiences with an authentic, era-appropriate 1970s San Francisco, Fincher had his VFX team create entirely digital shots of the city's skyline, yet to the naked eye they're totally photo-realistic.

You probably assumed the above shot of the Port of San Francisco was a modern shot "de-aged" with CGI, but in fact, it was created totally from scratch.

Fincher also used a surprising amount of blue screen for scenes set on the city's streets, especially those at night. While these sorts of exterior composite shots usually leave an ugly, noticeable blur, the chroma-keying was so spot-on you'd never have any idea.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.