Thursday, October 21, 2021
The real star of Wes Anderson's films? The model maker who meticulousl
www.fastcompany.com: In one of the opening scenes of Wes Anderson’s latest movie, capital letters poke off the top of a mid-rise building advertising a magazine and its office below. The French Dispatch, about the foreign bureau of a New Yorker-ish American publication, is set in a made-up French town, and much of its action takes place within the rooms of this sign-topped building.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
While I’ve always loved the hand-crafted elements of Wes Anderson’s films, I didn’t know much about the people making the tiny models and props. Simon Weisse’s work is so intricate and beautiful, and I loved the photos in this article showing the process of creation in his studio. While technically these elements could be created through CGI, I don’t think a computer can ever truly recreate the human hand, or the way physical models interact with light and other objects. Combining the model of the large sign with the building itself is a great way to utilize existing spaces, and when building film sets can be so wasteful it is a more sustainable way to make scenery and buildings. The subway tunnel was also very impressive, and it’s great they didn’t take over an existing subway station. The miniature elements contribute to the storybook-like quality that a lot of Anderson’s films have.
Model making is a hallmark of the Hollywood landscape despite how it's fallen off in popularity since the advent of CGI, and it's gratifying to see the careful srt still being used in films today. Some of the biggest movies in the world rely on their miniatures quite heavily, most famously the original Star Wars trilogy and The Lord of the Rings. The miniatures in those films are often combined with CGI and make for landscapes of incredible scope and size in an overtly physical sense that simply can’t be replicated by CGI except by the films with budgets like the Marvel movies. I think model-sets ought to be commonplace for many films to incorporate cheaper and more visceral physical effects. Beyond that, they ought to come back in fashion to give more work to model makers who have created an incredible film making craft that too often goes unused in the industry today.
I have always been a fan of Wes Anderson's films! What I appreciated most about them was the attention to detail in terms of visual aesthetic. When displaying large exteriors of locations, Anderson chooses to purpose models as his form of representation. Models were frequently used in old cinema, but with the creation of CGI, it has lessened. I think both have their place in film, but models are often underused. I had no idea what the industry looked like, or who still worked in it. So, I loved getting to read about Simon Weisse and his studio in Berlin! I have been trying to expose myself to new artists lately, which is why I clicked on this article. What I found most interesting about this story was how the use of set models has almost become its own genre in film. I find it so interested that as technology increases in ability, older and traditionally widely used methods of creating films are becoming seen as not normal, and are viewed as their own category. Despite the fact that they used to be how movies were commonly made, they are now viewed as separate, and moving in the opposite direction.
I was comparing the work of these artists to my own work, and I found that they are simultaneously doing the exact same thing and the exact different thing to my work as a scenic designer. These miniature artists are creating worlds, just like we do, but they are doing it on an infinitely small scale and usually we are doing ours on an actual size or larger scale. They are playing for the eye of the camera and we are playing for the eyes of audience members who are sometimes 300 feet away. But, maybe in switching our saws and drills out for hot glue guns we can find a new valuable perspective that can go towards bettering our own work. The innovation of the miniature models as artistic facilitation to the story, is incredibly inspiring. Also the ability to access the craft from any sort of skill set is really interesting. I am sure this helps to create a diverse lively workshop that has an emphasis on tolerance and learning, something that everyone can benefit from keeping in the back of their minds.
Wes Anderson and Tim Burton are two of my favourite directors and both of them started by working with stop-motion animation. With the advance of technology, CGI has replaced lots of set building and SFX in the entertainment industry. To see that Weisse’s studio continues to craft sets and props for screen is admirable and insightful. To learn about the methods of making miniature sets has reminded me how sometimes old techniques can out-perform computers and that those techniques are a result of many years of practice. The attitude Weisse holds toward his work is also inspiring — whilst being aware of how technology shifts the industry and revolutionises how things are made, he still embraces computers and tools such as 3D printers to help him make better products. I think this is an attitude that we, as ones living in a world that evolves faster than ever before, must learn. It is the only way to keep from being replaced.
I absolutely love these miniature models. Wes Anderson’s films have such a specific vibe and aesthetic which is very visually pleasing, and these models are a major part of them. It was so interesting reading this article and learning that a team of only a small handful of people are responsible for pretty much every miniature model in Wes Anderson’s films. I would love to take a tour of their workshop and just watch them create – there is something so gratifying and satisfying about seeing miniature models like this, and to be able to see not just to model, but the process behind the model as well would be an unforgettable experience. It makes me wonder if they have an internship or apprenticeship program or offering, or even just classes and workshops. I would absolutely love to learn about the process of such miniature making, as it just intrigues me to no end. I wonder if any of their miniatures are in a museum somewhere nearby, in Los Angeles or New York, perhaps. Whether or not that is the case, I would love to get the opportunity to even just see the models in person some day,
I cannot even begin to express my love and excitement for models, props, and signage. I am a huge fan of Wes Anderson's movies (temporarily setting aside the way his movies are Very White and can be very white savior-y, like with Isle of Dogs) and his aesthetic. Miniatures make my heart go wild because the artists are so meticulous with their craft and tiny versions of things just bring me so much joy. When I saw this article, the first thing I thought of was actually the model of the Pink Palace from Henry Selick's Coraline. That movie was entirely stop motion with built sets and a million facial expressions for each character. The color scheme of a lot of Wes Anderson films is very reminiscent of the pastels of the Pink Palace, especially the Grand Budapest Hotel. I will say, my favorite Anderson film is probably Moonrise Kingdom, which also has a very distinct color scheme.
I really enjoyed reading this article. It made me happy to learn that there's still at least one studio that's thriving in the business of movie model making. There's nothing quite like the charm of a model, and it's been sad to see the practice fade into obscurity. Besides, the work they do is really incredible. Wes Anderson's films are some of my favorites, and a huge part of the unique aesthetic he's known for is due to this studio. It was also interesting to learn about the ways in which low tech and high tech special effects are being combined in order to create an even more realistic feel. The ways in which a model can be taken and digitally superimposed over existing footage was really fascinating to learn. I hope they continue to get lots of good work so I can see it in the theaters for myself, and really appreciate all the dedication and handiwork that went into it!
Model-making is the absolute coolest. There is such an intense degree of skill and talent that must be utilized to make these seem realistic in the manner in which they're used. In theatre we look at scale models, but these pieces by Simon Weisse have to be zoomed in on and blown up by a professional camera. I would love to see a piece like this in a museum too. Looking at the making of this reminds me of my beloved doll house I had when I was a kid. I loved the tiny versions of everything, and would try to build and repair pieces I wanted to add in the house. One aspect I loved hearing from this article is the intensely collaborative nature of Weisse's shop. The company culture seems really supportive and creative, and I'm certain this contributes to the super high level of work that they produce. I'm definitely going to play close attention when I see these pieces in Wes Anderson movies (if I can even identify what's not real).
Post a Comment