When filmmaker James Cameron needed someone to create an explosion aboard a ship he calls Wolf Stuntworks in Austin.

Steve Wolf, who did special effects or stunt work on "Castaway," "The Firm," "The Client," "A Time To Kill," "Do the Right Thing," "Three Men and A Baby," "Crocodile Dundee II," "America's Most Wanted," "James Cameron's Expedition: Bismark" and "The Jungle Book," captivated film festival attendees with a gunshot blast, by bending metal and other film tricks with the magic of Hollywood.

April 16, Wolf will show off his talents during a workshop at the Spindletop/Lamar University Film Festival near Lamar's University Theatre in Beaumont. April 15, the festival will screen short films and have music by Greyline as well as noted artists Templeton Thompson and Sam Gay during an opening party at the Art Studio Inc., 720 Franklin St., Beaumont, Texas, with screenings and workshops from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. April 16 at Lamar University and screenings again April 17 on campus.

Wolf started delving in special effects and stunt work in 1987 and has 40 movies and about 150 commercial and music videos under his belt. He recently did minor effects on Spike Lee's new film "The 25th Hour."

"I like doing pyrotechnics," he said. "Blowing things up is fun." For Cameron's "Expedition: Bismark," Wolf had to create an explosion effect aboard the U.S.S. Carolina, the vessel used for filming the project. The challenge was to make it appear the ship was being shelled and sinking.

"A lot of what I do is based on creative engineering," Wolf said. The trick is to create something that looks dangerous, but in reality is a controlled burn or explosion, he said. The goal is to have a visual impact instead of a physical impact on the set or location.

"Anybody can blow up a car. The question is can you blow up a car 30 feet from an actor and make the explosion look scary," he said.

It's Wolf's job to take something from the script that appears difficult and break it down into small, manageable steps that can be shot and edited together.

"I really have to understand the optics involved. I show the director of photography the best way to shoot an effect," he said. Wolf has worked with Tom Cruise, Holly Hunter, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook, Susan Sarandon, Amy Irving, Paul Hogan and Gene Hackman.

He also has done work on a Whitney Houston music video, blown up furniture on "The David Letterman Show" and created effects for "Comedy Central."

In While not working on films, Wolf goes into the classroom. About 40 times a year he uses movie magic to teach elementary school students about science. "Science in the Movies" is Wolf's way of showing students how special effects work while and what role science plays in that equation.

At the Spindletop/Lamar University Film Festival, Wolf will have a few surprises for attendees. This will be Wolf’s second appearance at Spindletop. His first demonstration was in 2003.

Wolf always stresses that filmmakers should leave effects and stunts to the experts.

A professional can blow up a car for a film for about $1,500. But it can get truly costly if an indie filmmaker does it on their own and someone gets injured, he said.

Wolf is a state certified firearms instructor and has a federal and state explosives license. A graduate of Columbia University, with a bachelor's in writing and literature and a minor in Shakespeare and physics, he is a stunt and safety instructor and the author of three books.

Learn more about Wolf by visiting www.wolfstuntworks.com, www.snowintexas.com and www.scienceinthemovies.com . Call Chris Castillo at (409) 880-8490 for more information.