In order to go big, sometimes filmmakers go small.
Miniatures in movies are way more common than you expect, and one of the most stylish filmmakers keeping them alive is Wes Anderson.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Filmmakers prepare the 1/8th scale train model for Wes Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Wes Anderson’s latest film, Asteroid City, uses miniature models, including a train, to create its look.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
A miniature spaceship model from Asteroid City.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Simon Weisse, prop and model maker, stands behind the crater model he worked on for Asteroid City.
A Trip to the Moon (1920)
A completely normal and not terrifying visualization of the man in the moon.
Miniature use dates back just about far as the movies do, with filmmakers like Georges Méliès using them in the 1920s.
Star Wars was revolutionary for visual effects, but the limited computer technology of the 1970s meant filmmakers had to get creative. To pull off their ambitious vision, the team at Industrial Light and Magic built intricate miniatures of ships, trenches, and more for the original Star Wars.
In the 2020s, our computer technology is better than ever. And yet, even today, miniatures still get used. Just look at The Mandalorian, Blade Runner 2049, Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, and more.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Filmmakers work on the hotel miniature for the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Filmmakers work on miniature sets for Asteroid City.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Filmmakers work on a miniature set for the Wes Anderson movie The French Dispatch.
Courtesy of Simon Weisse/Focus Features
Filmmakers work on The French Dispatch.
In order to go big, sometimes filmmakers go small. Check out Vox’s latest video to learn more about miniatures from one of Wes Anderson’s model makers, Simon Weisse.
You can find this video and the entire library of Vox’s videos on YouTube.