Definition: SFX

(1) See self-extracting archive.

(2) (Special eFfECTS) Graphics techniques that are applied to images and movies in order to simulate a real or imaginary event. Also abbreviated "FX," "F/X," and "SPFX," special effects began in the mid-1800s when "trick photography" was used to combine parts of several photographs into one. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, special effects emerged in film, whereby the director would stop the camera, change some part of the set and start filming again. After the advent of computers, and especially desktop computers, it became much easier to create extraordinary special effects.

SFX vs. VFX
The terms "special effects" (SFX) and "visual effects" (VSX) are often used synonymously; however, SFX tends to refer to techniques used during film making, whereas VFX is entirely computer generated. See nonlinear video editing.

(3) (Sound eFfECTS) Real or artificial sounds that are added to a musical performance or movie in order to create a mood or simulate an event. Sound effects can be recordings of live events such as an ambulance siren or a dog barking, or they can be generated in the computer using sound effects creation software.

(4) (Special eFfECTS) The project name for the OpenURL identification system used in libraries. See OpenURL.