Meg Gibson
What is a spell effect? (This is games only I guess). What do you see on screen and what should you hear?

Charles Deenen:
Actually, "spell" is not games only. Any fantasy "magic" type movie has them as well. For example, on TV, you've got Xena, Hercules, Buffy, Charmed etc. Some characters on those shows cast spells on other people (i.e. they turn them into a rock with their magic, or make them dissappear). A "spell" is a sustained magical state of body or mind. i.e "casting a spell on somebody". Hope that makes sense.

What you see on the screen is mainly special effect type lighting or visual effects (see TV shows above for other cheezy visuals). The sound associated with it is most of the time just whooshy stuff with magical gliss bells, or can be nice, complex and descriptive of what the magical effect does.

Excerpt from thread "Spell " Mar 18, 2000 at Sound Design discussion list

Film Sound Question & Answers