Forced perspective is an optical illusion employed in visual arts, particularly in filmmaking and photography, to create a perception of depth or scale. This technique manipulates the human visual perception through the use of scaled objects and the correlation between them and the vantage point of the spectator or camera. Forced perspective can make an object appear farther away, closer, larger or smaller than it actually is. It’s extensively used in cinema and theatrical productions for practical effects, as well as in architecture to give an impression of distance or size. The efficacy of forced perspective relies on the lack of stereoscopic vision from a single viewpoint – a characteristic that underpins its success in photography, film, and magic.