I’ve made a few props, models, miniatures and physical versions of show logos over the years. These days, most of my time is focused on broadcast design and animation on the computer. I am often amazed and blown away by the level of realism that can be achieved in 3D. But there is still a certain charm and some advantages to shooting real elements also. For example, when shooting a real model you have the freedom of trying different camera angels and lighting techniques in real time rather than waiting hours for something to render before you see the final result. And maybe the best thing is that you have a cool piece of artwork that can displayed in your office, that will be around for years after anyone even remembers what the spot was about.
Some models that we have created over the past 12 years include:
A haunted house, sunken ship, Empire State Building, The Great Pyramids (twice), a crystal ball, hourglass and a King Tut mask.
One thing I find to be critical in building any model is good reference images of the front, side and top. Then I usually make an outline drawing of each angel in Illustrator, scale them to size on a grid and print them out. That way all of the proportions are exact.
The King Tut mask, was created using layers of wood, Skulpey clay and painted and covered with gold leaf.
Probably the most important thing when shooting a model or miniature is having an experienced crew and great lighting.
Jim Brisnehan