I am planning for this diorama to be from the late 60’s era when movies were made the old fashioned way.With all the animation of the modern era this is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.Sergio would be very familiar with this way of doing things.
Diorama wise it is also a good way of presenting a certain time frame.The back lot will be depicted as used but not yet completely abandoned.That way I have a lot more leeway with the weathering of the piece.Everything weathered the same way would be boring.
Then if I decide to go ahead with the old west building facades I can make them look as old or new as I like depending upon the movie being filmed at the time.
Here is a stationary backdrop that I made for filming,sometimes they were on rolls to simulate movement.
Models were often used for long shots which could have it’s own backdrop as well.Here I have used an HO scale model.
Here is my idea of a dolly without seating or camera equipment.
The dolly is made from old HO RR parts,now I will add some kind of a stand for the camera and a handle for pushing the dolly around.
Where you see the kleenex boxes is where I plan to put the saloon facade which will also become actors dressing rooms in the back.
In the movies smaller scale models were often build (and still are witness “Titanic” as a example) and used for forced perspective purposes.This module will contain an HO RR model which I will modify and put in a corner with a backdrop from Monument Valley.
I get these at the dollar store.They are made of high quality plywood and are only 2 bucks.To make the same thing with hobby store wood it would cost very much more.
I am getting a little tired of making fences so I have started to do some serious research on old west facades and buildings and their construction techniques.
I will for the first two make the whole building as it will serve two purposes that of a facade and an actual dressing rooms for the actors.I first plan just to do the exteriors and use a sign to indicate what they are “Actors Dressing Rooms.”
I will light them behind curtains and shades only but leave access to the interiors if I later want to add furnishings.I am already planning a second module, to be screwed to this one, containing the facades only.(next winter’s project)Old west stuff seems to be pretty simple construction with few exterior decorations but lots of doors and windows, which is actually a plus for storyboarding using signs and stuff in the windows and doors for example.
I am beginning to see some progress on my saloon facade/dressing rooms building.
Still following with interest, John… I love the roof of that passenger car. Extremely well done! Well, the whole car is well done, actually… Do keep posting those pix!
John Le Forestier said:Thank you John for your kind words.
Still following with interest, John... I love the roof of that passenger car. Extremely well done! Well, the whole car is well done, actually.. Do keep posting those pix!
I want to try something different with this diorama by adding some audio/visual stuff myself.This time the storyline will be presented in a little different way.Instead of step by step pictures accompanied by an audio text as planned by the museum ,this time I plan to do my own . Just a few short years ago this option was not available to me but with all the miniaturization of electronics today and the relatively cheap price I think that it could quite easily be done. These two saloon boxes will be used to house the electronics and diorama lighting equipment.Facing outwards I plan to install either slides or scenes from the movie itself with good quality miniature speakers,if I can get permission to do so from the copyright holders otherwise I will have to come up with a plan ‘B’.It will be a donation to a museum for educational purposes or for my own private use so maybe I will get lucky. Plan ‘B’ will probably be to contact a few individuals that I see on You Tube and get their permission to use their videos and music. Sounds like fun,something different for a change.
I don’t remember where I got this totem (or house post because it has a flat back)but as you can see from the chip on the base it is real black soapstone.It is not signed so I don’t know who or what made it.It can’t be very valuable so I plan to include it somewhere in the diorama/layout. I haven’t quite decided how to finish it.It has a polished surface so the only thing that I can think of is that in real life that would be a shiny paint surface.Old totem poles are usually grey(ceder turns grey with time)totally or sometimes with remnants of paint.I don’t want to paint it as a modern totem as the bright colors would be too distracting for the viewer. I want to include it because the native people were a big part of the old west theme though not in this particular movie .I am planning an old prop yard at the rear of the diorama with fake horses etc…so I will probably put it there.
The flat back makes it a house post.
I have decided to make the saloon end of the diorama a kind of closed set,mostly by adding another building and a couple solid wood backdrops.
