Everyone has seen at least one black and white burlesque movie, right? But did you know that most of Hollywood’s famous stunts were just camera tricks? That’s right, they were just clever optical illusions – and you know how much we love a good old-fashioned puzzler here at Creative Bloq.

Instagram account Historyinmemes shared an animated behind-the-scenes look at how Hollywood shot stunts in front of green screens and digital effects. The clip shows how the films used bespoke sets, angles and optical illusions to create the stunts. If you’re creating your own movies, be sure to check out our roundup of the best video effects software.

the video reveals how three scenes were shot. First, the clock scene from the 1920s film, Safety Last! , which was shot using a custom set on the roof of a building. The angle made the actor, Harold Lloyd, appear to be hovering above the city below a clock face when in reality he was simply above a safety mat.

The second features a custom design drawn on glass that is positioned in front of the camera to make it look like Charlie Chaplin in the movie Modern Times was roller-skating dangerously close to a high edge. And finally, an early split-screen effect made it look like Colleen Moore had cunning eyes that could move in different directions.

It’s amazing how analog visual effects can be as effective as modern CGI. If you want to get into some more sleight of hand tricks, be sure to check out our list of our favorite optical illusions.

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