Miniatures and Models for Motion Pictures
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Miniature effect. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2007. |
Use of scale models in the creation of visual effects by the entertainment industry dates back to the earliest days of cinema. Models and miniatures are copies of people, animals, buildings, settings and objects. They can be smaller than real life, life-size or larger than the objects they represent, depending on the way they will be used. Miniatures or models are used to represent things that do not really exist, or that are too expensive or difficult to film in reality, such as explosions, floods or fires.[1]
Early History (1900-1976)
French director Georges Méliès incorporated special effects in his 1902 film "Le Voyage dans la Lune" (A Trip to the Moon) — including double-exposure, split screens, miniatures and stop-action.[2]
Some of the most influential visual effects films of these early years such as Metropolis, The Ten Commandments[3], Citizen Kane, and 2001: A Space Odyssey utilized miniatures.[4]
In the early 1970s, miniatures were often used to depict disasters in such films as The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake and The Towering Inferno.
The Golden Years (1977 - 1993)
In the days before widespread use of computer generated imagery was practical, miniaures were a common tool in the visual effects artist's arsenal.
The resurgence of the science fiction genre in film in the late 1970s saw miniature fabrication rise to new heights in such films as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Blade Runner, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Iconic film sequences such as the tanker truck explosion from The Terminator and the bridge destruction in True Lies were achieved through the use of large-scale miniatures.
1993 saw the release of Jurassic Park which for many marked the turning point in the use of computers to create illusions, for which models and miniatures would have previously been employed.
Modern Use
While the use of computer generated imagery has largely overtaken physical models and miniatures in recent years, they are still often employed, especially for projects requiring physical interaction with fire, explosions or water.[5]
Independence Day, Titanic, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Casino Royal each represent highly successful films that have utilized miniatures for a large component of their visual effects work.
Techniques
- Kit-Bashing
- Carpentry
- Vacuum Forming
- Molding and Casting
- Fiberglass
- Welding
- Rapid Prototyping
- Motion Control Photography
Notable Model-Makers
- Greg Jein - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek: The Next Generation
- David Jones - Star Wars, The Hunt for Red October
- Michael Joyce - The Terminator, Independence Day
- Patrick McClung - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, The Abyss, True Lies
- Lorne Peterson - Star Wars[6], War of the Worlds
- Brick Price - The Abyss
- Mark Stetson - Blade Runner, Die Hard
- Richard Taylor - Lord of the Rings, Master and Commander
Miniature Effects Companies
- Cinema Production Services
- Digital Domain
- Fantasy II Film Effects
- Grant McCune Design
- Industrial Light and Magic
- New Deal Studios
- Surreal World
- Stetson Visual Services
- Vision Crew Unlimited
- Weta Workshop
- WonderWorks
- Magicon GmbH
External links
- ^ http://www.oscars.org/teachersguide/visualeffects/activity1.html
- ^ http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/cl-ca-125filmtech21may21,0,6395197.story
- ^ http://www.cinemaweb.com/silentfilm/bookshelf/10_cbd_4.htm
- ^ http://www.animated-news.com/2007/ves-unveils-“50-most-influential-visual-effects-films-of-all-time”/
- ^ http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_miniatures_digital_world/
- ^ http://www.starwars.com/bio/lornepeterson.html