Lexington special effects company creates machines to spray sanitizer
WHNT 19 | Jeremy Jackson 04/29/2020
LEXINGTON, Ala. — A special effects company in Lexington has joined the fight against COVID-19.
Global Special Effects is owned by Francisco Guerra. It is the largest special effects company in the world, specializing in evaporative snow, foam, and fog machines. For years, the company has provided special weather effects that have appeared on television, in films, and at theme parks.
Lexington company modifies snow machines as disinfectants
Times Daily | Bernie Delinski 04/02/2020
LEXINGTON — A local industry renown for its snow-making machines has figured out a way to convert its snow and fog machines into large sanitizer sprays.
Lexington-based Global Special Effects CEO Francisco Guerra said the company did so in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in hopes the machines can be used to sanitize large indoor areas…
How do you make it Snow in Tampa bay? Big money, big machine and a guy with a dream
Tampa Bay Times | Christopher Spata 12/20/2018
Some snow is foam, blown through a filter so the “flakes” are authentically tiny and white, flurrying and floating on the way down. Francisco Guerra, a Cuban-born magician living in Florida, invented this “evaporative snow” for Santa’s Village in Miami in 1995. His snow patent blossomed into a portfolio of businesses ranging from drink coasters that test for date rape drugs to helicopters, and a net worth over $100 million…
Shoals town is the "capital" of fake snow!
WAFF48 | Lauren Scharf 12/01/2017
LEXINGTON, AL (WAFF) – A small town in the Shoals is the capital of making snow. Global Special Effects Inc. are the snow masters in Lexington. Anytime of year, they can let it snow.
“I figured out a way to make it snow without it making any residue so it totally evaporates, leaves nothing behind, and it’s biodegradable and it has no scent and odor and no moisture,” said creator Francisco Guerra.
Before Guerra was a snow master, he was a magician and met an orphan boy with leukemia who put the idea in his head.
A winter wonderland: 6 places to make the most of Alabama's (not so) frozen tundra
AL.com | Mia Watkins 12/02/2013
Interested in creating your own snow day at home? Global Special Effects in Lexington has everything needed to start creating snowmen in no time. Founded in 1990 by magician Francisco Guerra, Global Special Effect is the home of non-accumulating, biodegradable snow via Snowmasters products. From snow machines to faux icicles, the company has all…
Inventor makes machine to create custom-made 'clouds'
Daily Mail | Reporter 06/12/2008
If you thought cloud gazing was a good way to clear your mind of the pressures of modern life, then think again.
Pretty soon, when we’re lying staring at the sky, we’re likely to see Nike swooshes or Mercedes insignias floating above our heads thanks to a new cloud machine made by magician and Hollywood special effects entrepreneur Francisco Guerra.
Date Rape Drug Spotter Best Inventions of 2002
Time Magazine | Dennis Galante 2002
Singles bars have never been risk free, but so-called date-rape drugs give you one more reason to be cautious. After a friend was attacked by a man who may have spiked her drink, Francisco Guerra developed a cardboard drink coaster that can identify two of the most popular date-rape drugs: gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and ketamine. Just place a drop of liquid on the coaster, and rub it in with your finger. If the spot turns blue, toss that cocktail. Fifteen million of these coasters have already been distributed; look for them at 7-Elevens around Christmastime.