Editing Miniature effect

{{Short description|Special effect created for motion pictures and television programs using scale models}}
{{For|making large things look small|Miniature faking}}
[[Image:Le Voyage dans la lune.jpg|thumb|right|Early model use from "[[A Trip to the Moon]]"]]
A '''miniature effect''' is a [[special effect]] created for motion pictures and television programs using [[scale model]]s. Scale models are often combined with [[high speed photography]] or [[Matte (filmmaking)|matte shots]] to make gravitational and other effects appear convincing to the viewer. The use of miniatures has largely been superseded by [[computer-generated imagery]] in contemporary cinema.

Where a miniature appears in the foreground of a shot, this is often very close to the camera lens — for example when matte-painted backgrounds are used. Since the exposure is set to the object being filmed so the actors appear well-lit, the miniature must be over-lit in order to balance the exposure and eliminate any [[depth of field]] differences that would otherwise be visible. This foreground miniature usage is referred to as [[forced perspective]]. Another form of miniature effect uses [[stop motion]] [[animation]].

The 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. 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.<ref>[http://www.oscars.org/teachersguide/visualeffects/activity1.html Visual Effects | Activity 1 | Teacher's Resource Guide | YMI, Ltd./AMPAS] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905085905/http://www.oscars.org/teachersguide/visualeffects/activity1.html |date=September 5, 2008 }}</ref>

== From 1900 to the mid-1960s ==
French director [[Georges Méliès]] incorporated special effects in his 1902 film ''[[A Trip to the Moon|Le Voyage dans la Lune]]'' (''A Trip to the Moon'') — including double-exposure, split screens, miniatures and stop-action.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chmielewski|first=Dawn|title=A medium in motion|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/cl-ca-125filmtech21may21,0,6395197.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818123422/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/cl-ca-125filmtech21may21,0,6395197.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 18, 2006|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 21, 2006}}</ref>

Some of the most influential visual effects films of these early years such as ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' (1927), ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1941), ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954) ''[[The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'' (1956).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemaweb.com/silentfilm/bookshelf/10_cbd_4.htm|title=Motion Picture Directing<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref> The 1933 film ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'' made extensive use of miniature effects including scale models and stop-motion animation of miniature elements.

== From the mid-1960s ==
[[File:Discovery One from trailer of 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968).png|thumb|right|Miniature-based special effects shot from ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'': USSC ''[[Discovery One]]'' deploys an EVA Pod.]]

The use of miniatures in ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]''<ref>[http://www.animated-news.com/2007/ves-unveils-“50-most-influential-visual-effects-films-of-all-time” VES Unveils “50 Most Influential Visual Effects Films of All Time”]</ref> was a major development. In production for three years, the film was a significant advancement in creating convincing models.

In the early 1970s, miniatures were often used to depict disasters in such films as ''[[The Poseidon Adventure (1972 film)|The Poseidon Adventure]]'' (1972), ''[[Earthquake (1974 film)|Earthquake]]'' (1974) and ''[[The Towering Inferno (film)|The Towering Inferno]]'' (1974).

The resurgence of the science fiction genre in film in the late 1970s saw miniature fabrication rise to new heights in such films as  ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'', (1977), ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (also 1977), ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' (1979), ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'' (1979) and ''[[Blade Runner]]'' (1982). Iconic film sequences such as the tanker truck explosion from ''[[The Terminator]]'' (1984) and the bridge destruction in ''[[True Lies]]'' (1994) were achieved through the use of large-scale miniatures.

== Largely replaced by CGI ==
The release of ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]'' (1993) was a turning point in the use of computers to create effects for which physical miniatures would have previously been employed.

While the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) has largely overtaken their use since then, they are still often employed, especially for projects requiring physical interaction with fire, explosions, or water.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_miniatures_digital_world/ |title=Miniatures In a Digital World |publisher=Digitalcontentproducer.com |access-date=2013-02-03}}</ref>
<!--  Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Mummy10.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Miniature building Explosion from The Mummy]] -->

''[[Independence Day (1996 film)|Independence Day]]'' (1996), ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'' (1997), ''[[Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1998), the [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-prequels-miniatures/|title=The Incredible Invisible Star Wars Prequels Miniatures|date=2 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://boards.theforce.net/threads/practical-effects-in-the-prequels-sets-pictures-models-etc.50017310/|title=PT - Practical Effects in the Prequels- Sets, Pictures, Models, etc.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kastrenakes|first=Jacob|date=2014-06-03|title=See the intricate miniatures that brought the 'Star Wars' prequels to life|url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/6/3/5775976/star-wars-prequels-miniatures-photos|access-date=2021-10-24|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref> (1999–2005), [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy]] (2001–2003), ''[[Casino Royale (2006 film)|Casino Royale]]'' (2006), ''[[The Dark Knight]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://vfxplanet.vox.com/library/post/miniature-dark-knight-physics-50-coraline-boxes-the-digital-pitts.html |title=Miniature Dark Knight Physics, 50 Coraline Boxes, & The Digital Pitts... |publisher=Vfxplanet.vox.com |access-date=2013-02-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206134824/http://vfxplanet.vox.com/library/post/miniature-dark-knight-physics-50-coraline-boxes-the-digital-pitts.html |archive-date=2010-02-06 }}</ref> (2008), ''[[Inception]]'' (2010), and ''[[Interstellar (film)|Interstellar]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/interstellar-miniature-models/|title=See the Incredible Interstellar Miniature Models - /Film|date=12 December 2014}}</ref> (2014) are examples of highly successful films that have utilized miniatures for a significant component of their visual effects work.

== Techniques ==
* Acid-etching metal
* [[Carpentry]]
* [[Fiberglass]]
* [[Kit-bash]]ing
* [[Laser cutting]]
* [[Machining]]
* Miniature lighting and electronics
* [[Molding (process)|Mold Making]] and [[Casting]]
* [[Motion control photography]]
* [[Painting]]
* Plastic fabrication
* [[Rapid prototyping]]
* [[Vacuum forming]]
* [[Welding]]

== Notable model-makers ==

* Brick Price: ''[[The Abyss]]''
* David Jones: ''[[Star Wars]]'', ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]''
* [[Grant McCune]]: ''[[Star Wars]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''.
* [[Greg Jein]]: ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'', ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''
* [[Ian Hunter (visual effects supervisor)|Ian Hunter]]: ''[[The Dark Knight]]'', ''[[Live Free or Die Hard]]'', ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]]''
* Leigh Took: ''[[The Da Vinci Code (film)|The Da Vinci Code]]'', ''[[The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus]]''
* [[Lorne Peterson]]: ''[[Star Wars]]'' Episodes 1 - 6,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/bio/lornepeterson.html |title=Biography &#124; Lorne Peterson |publisher=Star Wars |access-date=2013-02-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605005118/http://www.starwars.com/bio/lornepeterson.html |archive-date=2008-06-05 }}</ref> ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', ''[[War of the Worlds (2005 film)|War of the Worlds]]''
* [[Mark Stetson]]: ''[[Blade Runner]]'', ''[[Die Hard]]'', ''[[The Fifth Element]]'', ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|The Lord of the Rings]]''
* Matthew Gratzner: ''[[The Aviator (2004 film)|The Aviator]]'', ''[[The Good Shepherd (film)|The Good Shepherd]]'', ''[[Pitch Black (film)|Pitch Black]]'', ''[[Alien Resurrection]]''.
* Michael Joyce: ''[[The Terminator]]'', ''[[Independence Day (1996 film)|Independence Day]]''
* [[Patrick McClung]]: ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'', ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'', ''[[The Abyss]]'', ''[[True Lies]]''
* [[Richard Taylor (filmmaker)|Richard Taylor]]: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World]]''
* [[Steve Gawley]]: ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/bio/stevegawley.html |title=Biography &#124; Steve Gawley |publisher=Star Wars |access-date=2013-02-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620100249/http://www.starwars.com/bio/stevegawley.html |archive-date=2008-06-20 }}</ref> ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''

== Miniature effects companies ==
* [[Vision Crew Unlimited]]
* [[Weta Workshop]]
* [[WonderWorks]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.vttbots.com/page20.html Howard & Theodore Lydecker, miniature effects pioneers]

{{Special Effects}}

[[Category:Scale modeling]]
[[Category:Visual effects]]
[[Category:Cinematic techniques]]
[[Category:Film and video technology]]
[[Category:Special effects]]