Miniatures ???

[starstriker]

Hello when I was younger I used to make 1:72 scale models (mostly WW2 stuff, tanks and things) I still have most of them and thought I might have ago at filming them in a realistic fashion and hopefully adding them to a live action scene I filmed with some mates.

Does anyone have any great tips and advice that I could use to do this ?, I don't really have any previous experience with miniatures .

I have a canon 60d camera with the 18-55mm kit lense only and a Sony z1 camera, and I use Sony Vegas pro 9 and after effects for editing.

Any advice would be great, thanks

Love starstriker

[cgbier]

Shoot them in front of a green screen. Use fishing line for their "animation". You just have to imagine your final picture to shoot from the correct angle.

You can composite your models into about any NLE beyond Movie Maker.

[Almohada]

Here's a great link... Very useful!!! http://bit.ly/PbDyiy

[drapeama]

Shoot them in front of a green screen.

That's what we did for charlie's last entry in the Antman Contest:
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Ended up not so bad at all:

[Khaver]

When compositing a model with an outdoor scene, be aware of the direction of the sun and light the model to match. Also use a wider lens for the model than your live scene. It will look more realistic that way.

[Janke]

Remember also that water cannot be miniaturized. Even the huge models for "Tora! Tora! Tora!" look ludicrous in "big" water...

[Khaver]

I think they used to use glycerin instead of water.

[Dr. Benway]

Use fishing line for their "animation".

Or magnets if you don't need to see their 'feet'. Modify figurine's 'stands' - glue some steel underneath and place them on thin surface using magnets beneath it.

[Janke]

I think they used to use glycerin instead of water.

That would be even worse, I think - never heard/read that. Maybe add something to the water to prevent large drops or foam from forming. (They are probably mutually exclusive...)

The trick is to shoot at a faster frame rate, the square root of the inverse scale size (i.e. 1/16 scale needs 4 times the frame rate).

Here's an example in 1/8 scale, shot at double speed. Note the too-large drops of water dripping from my little steam engine:

[cgbier]

Water? - Blender!

[Erik Bien]

Maybe add something to the water to prevent large drops or foam from forming. (They are probably mutually exclusive...)

I seem to recall reading pretty much exactly that: to help water look "to scale," add a small amount of clear detergent as a surfactant to make the water "wetter" or "thinner," along with an anti-foaming agent.

Not that I imagine you'd want to run such a concoction in your hand-built steam engine.

[Khaver]

Yeah, I got things mixed up. Glycerin for tears. Something thinner than water or some additive for miniature ships.