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Miniature and CGI models in movies

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 4:59 PM

Well how many kids who built models in the 70s would not have loved to have gotten a job with ILM when they took off. Certainly some of the most famous model makers in this day and age.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Arkansas
Posted by K-dawg on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 4:54 PM

Models in movies and television is what drove my hobby as a young person and ultimately lead me to study CG animation in college. I have done a little of both in my working career. I built a couple of practical models for a film that were enhanced with CGI effects to blend them into the background. I did quite a bit of CGI stuff for a year or two after college for the television show I was working on. Both have their place. Some directors prefer one or the other. Models at one time were considerably cheaper but that gap is closing with the advance of technology. Personally I think they can help each other sell a scene. You are right though, either one done poorly will kill the shot for me.

 

Kenneth

Kenneth Childres, Central Arkansas Scale Modelers

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Miniature and CGI models in movies
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 4:08 PM

Since the discussion on this subject was locked in another thread, it was suggested we try it again, and stick to the subject at hand. So lets try to do that here.

As long as movies have been made, in many cases it was not possible or practical to film some scenes without using miniatures to get a scene made. The subject no longer or never did exist. So film makers used miniature modles or real or fantasy subjects. King Kong, Ray Harryhausen's Greek Mythology figures, and the original Star Wars Trilogy vehicles being examples of fantasy subjects. Actual subects have included Japans Self Defense forces fighting off various monsters, the Stukas used in the movie Battle of Britain, tanks of the Germans and US forces in Battle of the Bulge, ships and subs in Das Boot, and aircraft and targets in Bridges at Toko Ri. Then came the CGI revolution where miniatures were used in conjunction with computer generated imagery such as 13 Days or even replaced by CGI completely such as in Band of Brothers or Harts War. Results have been from laughable to superb, era notwithstanding. FSM magazine covered some of Hollywood's miniature model makers with articles on U-571's miniatures and 13 Days' U-2.

What does anyone here have to say? (and please lets not get this one locked)

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

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