With the way Computer Graphics is getting more and more advanced for moviemaking, will models for filming become obsolete?
This is one question I thought about one time when I was extremely bored..
When you think 'models used in movies', the first thing you think of (or at least I do) is Star Wars. Every spaceship scene from the original trilogy was created by moving a computer controlled camera around a model in front of bluescreen.
Now, effects artists can create CG vehicle models for use in movies without ever having a physical miniature of it. For example, the first two movies of the Star Wars Prequels. (however, I do realize that most of these vehicles were built as models and scanned in 3D into a copmuter.)
Even though models are still being used in filmmaking (a Helm's Deep miniature was created in 1/4 scale), are models on the way out?
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Models in movies - obsolete?
YodaMan
Member Since: February 21, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 12:41 PM UTC
PorkChop
Member Since: September 11, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 12:46 PM UTC
Yoda:
Is this your return? A few peolpe were concered about your whereabouts.
Anyway I fear you are correct that models have gone the way of TriStar kits (under that name anyway). That's too bad becuase frankly I think all the computer generated special effects look like crap. I have seen none of the new Star Wars films simply for that reason (besides how entertaining is a fued in a trade federation... )
It's too bad really, I think plots will be less plot driven and be more depenadant on computers to tell the story. While Stars Wars (The REAL Star Wars) was taken from the great westerns and given a sci-fi spin, it was a truly fantastic movie done with MODELS!!!!
Is this your return? A few peolpe were concered about your whereabouts.
Anyway I fear you are correct that models have gone the way of TriStar kits (under that name anyway). That's too bad becuase frankly I think all the computer generated special effects look like crap. I have seen none of the new Star Wars films simply for that reason (besides how entertaining is a fued in a trade federation... )
It's too bad really, I think plots will be less plot driven and be more depenadant on computers to tell the story. While Stars Wars (The REAL Star Wars) was taken from the great westerns and given a sci-fi spin, it was a truly fantastic movie done with MODELS!!!!
Kencelot
Member Since: December 27, 2001
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 12:52 PM UTC
I don't that models will fully go to the wayside. Although CGG will take a larger part in movie roles, there's just some things that cannot be done with CGG that models can and still do. 
Plasticbattle
#003
Member Since: May 14, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 12:57 PM UTC
Not entirely. I watched a little "in the making" of the first part and they tried everything to represent the high waterfalls. No computer images could look the part. The white froth was very "computerish". In the end they used salt. It looked excellent and thats what they went with. This might not be the best example, but there will always be things that just cant be drawn!! Exploding buildings etc, will be another that would be hard to reproduce with graphics alone. There were some other things that only physical scale representations could look effective. I would have taken more notice if I had have known you were going to ask this question. Ha ha! Scale models will have some part to play, although I agree this will only get lesser with time.
On the positive side, with the improvements made in graphics maybe they might come up with some excellent ships and aliens that might tempt a revival of model building again! Cartoons (like Pokémon) have started an epidemic of trading cards. Maybe this might in turn start the 3-D revival. Who knows ... the truth is out there!!
On the positive side, with the improvements made in graphics maybe they might come up with some excellent ships and aliens that might tempt a revival of model building again! Cartoons (like Pokémon) have started an epidemic of trading cards. Maybe this might in turn start the 3-D revival. Who knows ... the truth is out there!!
shootER5
Member Since: March 05, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 01:33 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Even though models are still being used in filmmaking (a Helm's Deep miniature was created in 1/4 scale), are models on the way out?
I was surprised at the number of miniatures used for TFOTR and TTT. Many of the things I thought were CGI turned out to be models.
Halfyank
Member Since: February 01, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 01:43 PM UTC
Quoted Text
When you think 'models used in movies', the first thing you think of (or at least I do) is Star Wars
Gee Yoda, when I think of 'models used in movies' I think of Bond Girls. Oh... you mean PLASTIC models?
BTW, welcome back, where've you been?
AJLaFleche
Member Since: May 05, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 03:14 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Gee Yoda, when I think of 'models used in movies' I think of Bond Girls. Oh... you mean PLASTIC models?
The difference being the type of plastic? #:-)
SOW1
Member Since: January 31, 2003
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Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 06:07 PM UTC
I don't think that Models will go by the wayside in movies... 2 Reasons...
1: there are certain details that CGG will not be able to mimic.
2: Even if the CGG is used in the shot, they are usually formed from looking at a static model or sculpture and recreated in CGG Land to allow for motion, and additional tricks...
Look at The New Star Wars movies and even Disney Movies... Just from watching Treasure Planet (Special Features) I noticed how they made some of the CGG stuff from Clay and plastic models. Quite interesting to me....
1: there are certain details that CGG will not be able to mimic.
2: Even if the CGG is used in the shot, they are usually formed from looking at a static model or sculpture and recreated in CGG Land to allow for motion, and additional tricks...
Look at The New Star Wars movies and even Disney Movies... Just from watching Treasure Planet (Special Features) I noticed how they made some of the CGG stuff from Clay and plastic models. Quite interesting to me....
GunTruck
Member Since: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 02:54 AM UTC
YM - I live out here with guys who do seasonal work at ILM. We always swap "shop talk" - and Episode III is probably going to wind up more model-intensive than previous efforts. Model miniatures are making a comeback in movies - not the reverse. Episode II used some fantastic model work because it looked better than the CGI in Episode I. The Kamino Clone Factory was some wonderful, those expansive, model miniature work.
I don't forsee the model miniatures going the way of the dinosaurs.
Gunnie
I don't forsee the model miniatures going the way of the dinosaurs.
Gunnie
YodaMan
Member Since: February 21, 2002
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Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 03:52 AM UTC
Quoted Text
YM - I live out here with guys who do seasonal work at ILM. We always swap "shop talk" - and Episode III is probably going to wind up more model-intensive than previous efforts.
Hmm... Any chance they could pull some strings and get me hired for Ep III?
(I'm kidding, but I'm not really kidding... )
Quoted Text
Model miniatures are making a comeback in movies - not the reverse. Episode II used some fantastic model work because it looked better than the CGI in Episode I. The Kamino Clone Factory was some wonderful, those expansive, model miniature work.
I'd forgotten about Kamino!
It kind of stinks that we've seen so few of the studio models used in the prequels. Do you know how many fans are waiting for some walkaround shots of the vehicles and ships from Ep I and II? (Slave 1, Naboo fighter, Sith Infiltrator, Podracers, Anakin's Speeder, Republic gunships, AT-TE, and of course all of the Geonosian battle vehicles!)
*sorry for changing the focus to Star Wars...
*YodaMan
GunTruck
Member Since: December 01, 2001
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Posted: Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 05:43 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Hmm... Any chance they could pull some strings and get me hired for Ep III?
(I'm kidding, but I'm not really kidding... )
Not sure you'd really want to do that. I think that if you ever made the "permanent" staff then things might be pretty cool, but, coming on for 6 months of work for a movie and then suddenly becoming unemployed is most unsettling in California's economy. Can't see how one could do this and feed their family. Listening to the stories over the years is kinda sad...
Quoted Text
It kind of stinks that we've seen so few of the studio models used in the prequels. Do you know how many fans are waiting for some walkaround shots of the vehicles and ships from Ep I and II? (Slave 1, Naboo fighter, Sith Infiltrator, Podracers, Anakin's Speeder, Republic gunships, AT-TE, and of course all of the Geonosian battle vehicles!)
Perhaps it's an effort to save photos for another $+50 dollar coffee table book on the prequels...
Gunnie
blaster76
Member Since: September 15, 2002
entire network: 8,985 Posts
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Posted: Friday, July 25, 2003 - 07:49 PM UTC
I think there will always be a place for models in Hollywood. They just like to blow up too many things in movies, andnothing looks better than a real explosion
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