TORONTO, ON — Award-nominated special effects artist, director, and producer Dallas Harvey will bring over 15 years of film and television experience to Toronto's Blood in the Snow Film Festival, presenting an in-depth masterclass exploring the creative, technical, and financial decisions behind practical and digital effects in modern filmmaking.
Titled “Producers & Directors Working with Practical and CGI FX,” the two-hour masterclass takes place on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 1:45 PM to 3:45 PM, as part of the festival's Deadly Exposure Industry Conference.
Designed for emerging and independent filmmakers, the session will examine one of the most important decisions facing directors and producers working in genre cinema: when should an effect be created practically, digitally, or through a combination of both?
Drawing on his extensive background in prosthetic makeup, creature design, animatronics, practical gore, and visual effects supervision, Harvey will take attendees behind the scenes of effects-driven filmmaking, demonstrating how early creative decisions can influence everything from budgets and production schedules to camera placement, actor performances, and post-production.
“The most important FX decision is not how to build the effect. It's deciding what the audience actually needs to see,” says Harvey.
Rather than focusing solely on the technical process of creating effects, the masterclass approaches special effects from the perspective of the filmmakers responsible for planning, financing, shooting, and ultimately delivering them.
Topics will include breaking down effects-heavy scripts, comparing practical and CGI approaches, identifying hidden production costs, planning complex sequences, working with special effects departments, and understanding how practical and digital techniques can complement one another.
A major component of the presentation will feature real-world case studies, taking audiences through the planning, fabrication, filming, and post-production processes behind selected effects sequences. Through behind-the-scenes photography, production breakdowns, and completed film footage, attendees will see how individual effects are transformed into convincing cinematic moments.
Harvey brings a unique perspective to the discussion, having worked on both sides of the camera throughout his career. As the founder of DHFX Studio, he has created special effects for independent films, television productions, and commercial projects, while also working as a visual effects supervisor and consultant.
As a writer, director, and producer through Transfigure Films, Harvey applies that same technical knowledge to developing and directing original horror and science-fiction projects, including CUTS, The Archivists, and Metamorphose.
His latest short film, CUTS, will also make its Toronto premiere at Blood in the Snow as part of the festival's opening-night Dark Visions program. The brutal slasher showcases his commitment to practical, in-camera horror effects and serves as another example of the intersection between filmmaking and physical effects work.
Throughout the masterclass, Harvey will emphasize that successful special effects are not simply the responsibility of an FX artist or post-production team. They are the result of coordinated decisions involving directors, producers, cinematographers, production designers, performers, editors, and visual effects artists.
For independent filmmakers working within limited budgets, understanding those relationships can mean the difference between an ambitious sequence that works on screen and one that becomes unnecessarily expensive or difficult to complete.
The session aims to give attendees a practical framework for approaching effects-heavy filmmaking, helping them make better creative decisions, communicate more effectively with their departments, and maximize production value without sacrificing their vision.
“Producers & Directors Working with Practical and CGI FX” is presented as part of the Deadly Exposure Industry Conference at the 2026 Blood in the Snow Film Festival in Toronto.
Masterclass Information
Title: Producers & Directors Working with Practical and CGI FX
Presenter: Dallas Harvey — Special Effects Artist, Director & Producer
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Time: 1:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Event: Deadly Exposure Industry Conference
Festival: Blood in the Snow Film Festival
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Tickets and conference information: https://deadlyexposure.ca/
About Dallas Harvey
Dallas Harvey is a Vancouver-based, award-nominated special effects artist, writer, director, and producer with over 15 years of experience in the film and television industry. As the founder of DHFX Studio and Transfigure Films, his work bridges practical special effects, visual effects, and independent genre filmmaking. Specializing in prosthetic makeup, creature design, animatronics, and practical gore, Harvey combines technical expertise with a filmmaker's understanding of storytelling, production logistics, and cinematic execution.
