What's America's favorite form of movie escapism? The action flick, of course. And what makes an action flick great? That's easy -- great special effects.

So how do you create a truly fabulous special effect? That question goes to Diana Giorgiutti. Born and raised in Australia, Giorgiutti is a globe-trotting specialist in the field of digital special effects (FX). As digital FX producer at Manex in San Francisco, Giorgiutti was part of the team that created one of the most noteworthy and popular FX films to date- The Matrix, starring Keanu Reeves.

Giorgiutti worked closely with The Matrix's VFX Supervisor John Gaeta and the film's directors, Larry and Andy Wachowski. Her job: to make sure that the film's surreal feel would be consistent from start to finish. To insure that happened, Giorgiutti returned to the land down under, where she introduced Aussie crews to the details of digital production.

Why would male Australian film crews take orders from a woman? Attribute that feat to Giorgiutti's years of experience in television and film production, which taught her that good people skills are as important as knowing the equipment. Another skill she's found useful is the ability to stay cool, especially when working on a highly-heated, intensely-pressurized film set.

As to what distinguishes a good special effect from a great one, Giorgiutti has her theories. And she's more than happy to share some of the production magic behind The Matrix's most mind-blowing moments.

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