Building the First Android in Science Fiction Film!

We assemble, paint, and build a custom LED display for this beautiful 1/8 scale model of Futura, the humanoid robot seen in the 1927 science fiction film Metropolis! This kit from X-Plus recreates the first android ever depicted in cinema--an art deco design that's the clear inspiration for many cinematic androids in years to come. Follow along the build of the figure and our custom display using flexible LED filament!
X-Plus Metropolis 1/8 Scale Kit: www.culttvmans...
Rub n Buff gold pack: amzn.to/45Aclkl
Tamiya cement: amzn.to/3WyJCIR
nOOds Flexible LED filament: www.adafruit.c...
Shot by Josh Self and edited by Norman Chan
Music by Jinglepunks
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!

[@tested]

X-Plus Metropolis 1/8 Scale Kit: www.culttvmanshop.com/NEW-Silver-Screen-Metropolis-Robot-18-scale-from-X-Plus_p_7318.html Rub n Buff gold pack: amzn.to/45Aclkl Tamiya cement: amzn.to/3WyJCIR nOOds Flexible LED filament: www.adafruit.com/product/5509

[@Lethgar_Smith]

Every model kit, every statue and maquette never captures the face quite right but this one nails it. It's the single most important feature of the robot, in my opinion, so this is the first one I have a real interest in buying.

[@Pygar2]

Per the sculptor, he painted it silver bronze. It was plastic wood, then newfangled, rolled onto hessian!

[@The-Story-Assassin]

You are awesome! Thank you.

[@kulyokul1]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@CultTVman]

Thanks for the video!

[@_guillermo]

The rings would look way better if you used a clear filament instead of black.

[@Lumibear.]

Yep, I agree, or maybe a semi transparent yellow. I personally didn’t like them sticking out the top neither, just two in the centre would work better for me, if it were my build. I would love to give them a candle style flicker for a bit of added life, too.

[@burpreynolds4632]

Exactly what I was thinking, it would disperse the light evenly from top and bottom and wouldn't shade out the lower legs.

[@penfold7800]

Yes!! or at least White.

[@coffeedudeguy]

That rub and buff gold looks like a good colour replacement for a lot of Gundam yellow parts, especially v fins

[@steveschritz1823]

I was blown away when I saw this movie. It was way ahead of it’s time and is still worth a watch.

[@brettsalter3300]

When you ran the lit silicon led over the body I thought 'Oh, you're going to do the 'ring' effect! What a great idea!

[@moreach13]

You do know Rub N' Buff can create a real metallic effect if you rub and buff it? Maybe you wanted that matte look, but it's very much like shoe polish. In fact it used to come in little shoe-polish-like jars, and can be thinned exactly like dried-out shoe polish. Try polishing it!

[@paulleemathes]

In the year 2525, I just watched the film and the video last week. Great Timing! Great content as per usual, thanks again to the entire Savage Team!

[@NAPalm2112]

Is man still alive?

[@madddog7]

For its time, still one of the best sciFi movies ever

[@j.robertsergertson4513]

The model paint is perfect , could you use a clear 3D printed ring instead of the black rings and maybe add a sequencing to the lights to give it a strobing effect ?

[@mmcc2852]

prove that you cant teach style. Despite the wealth of material choice and tools at norm's disposal, he went with black

[@jdub1392]

It’s a cool idea and I like what you did with the brass rods but why wouldn’t you print the rings in clear?

[@winterlighthome]

Spooky timing! I was just watching Metropolis 3 nights ago for the first time in years, and now this has turned up on Tested.

[@joshuaparsons1377]

Thanks for linking to Culttvman for the kit. Steve is the best in the business. I need to get one of these models.

[@mechachrist]

They have a fantastic Harryhausen cyclops diorama, too.

[@GCJACK83]

There's actually an anime based on this movie. It's fairly good but also an oldie going back to the early 2000s.

[@kevinconnery1974]

Very nice! I particularly liked how you incorporated the brass support as conductor-slick.

[@SevenDeMagnus]

It was ahead of its time. That android design stood the test of time. God bless.

[@sonicase]

looks pretty good, yeah i used those flexible leds as a 'monowire' in my cyberpunk Halloween costume.....had a regular wire running through the sleeves and back of a jacket and a battery pack in my hand, so it looked like i was holding the flexible leds on like in cyberpunk

[@VincentGroenewold]

Oeh now this one is special!

[@Hellbentmedia]

Awesome!!

[@user-tc7ht6fe6b]

What if you printed your rings with clear/translucent material? Excellent upgrade, nonetheless.

[@sbcinema]

Someone from my family was a actor in this film, so lucky that it has survived the test of time/ the war.

[@tho2ea]

This is so sick.

[@starhawke380]

Looks amazing. I remember decades ago when I still had the patience to do this type of work...

[@gfdia35]

So wait you're much older and you have less patience , how'd that happen 😂

[@starhawke380]

@@gfdia35 I blame young people...

[@nerdingforfunprops4487]

Nice to see another variation of this build. I went down a different route with mine, particularly with the base, which I found to be a bit lacking in the kit.

[@mechachrist]

I’m working on mine now. Once I start on the base, I plan to add the floor and the back wall with the pentagram. I’m also going with a silver tone for her since it looks closer to the black and white look.

[@jean-marcgruninger9019]

i liked the lighting, nice idea.

[@tondelouw]

I wasn’t familiar with the Rub’n buff, so that is a lesson learned. I like the way the assembling of the kit was filmed 👌🏼

[@DrVenture45]

Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you design the channels so that the light filament wrapped on the front of the rings as opposed to on top? Even if it had to be secured using clear nylon thread, it seems like the rings would have had a more free-floating appearance.

[@DoaTheJackalope]

The lighting kit really made that pop, wow!

[@Matthew-h4n8g]

Stellar! 💫👍

[@mrphotomanseattle]

C3=PO's great, great, great grandmother. Metropolis is such a great and important film.

[@daveco1270]

Nicely done, Norm. That 3d printing is a game changer. I feel like the bottom ring should come down a little. My brain wants the rings to be evenly spaced, but maybe that's just me. From the knee down doesn't get any of the LED light. If you brought that ring closer to the floor, that would solve the problem...and evenly space them.

[@keithhanssen7413]

Yes, from the knees down isn’t well-lit. Could use some adjustment.

[@Vincentflagg]

Clear resin, or filament will be great, make it round. Or if using those black rings. Just make some cutsouts to the bottom so light pass through it.

[@keithhanssen7413]

@@Vincentflagg I was thinking the printed rings should be grooved to run the filaments on the inside. This way all of the light would be aimed towards the figure.

[@Vincentflagg]

@@keithhanssen7413 I was thinking to use a Co2 and make the acrylic rings close looking to the one in the movie with the inner rings engraves. I have to watch again. Because I think those rings only where there when the robot was sitting. But then again I can be wrong.

[@zoinomiko]

omg everything about this is so fantastic!!

[@punishedprops]

Excellent work Norm!

[@ThatVideoGuyTom]

Love how excited you get when a project comes out awesome!

[@DGgraphicsNY]

If you had 3D printed the lights channel on the outside would look much better

[@vkarmanskiy]

The first gynoid technically

[@human_cube]

Cool

[@jeromethiel4323]

Dangit i was gonna post that! ^-^

[@persuasivebarrier2419]

Lal, Data’s daughter from Star Trek, was definitely inspired by Metropolis. She started as all gold, after all.

[@richh5038]

fantastic job, i love it. i get so much inspiration watching you and adam

[@olsonspeed]

Nice display upgrade to an iconic figure, Fritz Lang would be pleased.

[@kjc1012]

Great music selection for the video, very fitting

[@PlayerSalt]

i may have gone with a silver under suit but i do like the two tone , rub and buff def does look good, NORM rub and buff the black rings gold !

[@ubserrano8180]

It looks great! Just like she jumped out from the screen.

[@aserta]

13:50 you can use some horse hair to tie them up to structures. That includes gluing the horse hair to surfaces to keep it in place. You can either keep the horse hair natural dark or bleach it.

[@gpckoleco]

As always Norm is blowing us away with his talent, ingenuity and knowledge of what he does best. ell done once again 👏👏👏

[@Dsschuh]

NORM-excellent job!

[@GreyDevil]

Can't say i love how the rub and buff looks, i think Norm could've hit it with a dry brush to even out the clumpyness because the gunk is really obvious in certain areas with a lot of details. Still i love the model and would like to put one together in the future :)

[@marco5911]

Awesome! Nicely done.

[@eliotbrown4506]

Well done. Happy accident that one of those noodle dimensions just wraps around the figure!

[@Strangewerks]

Great job Norm!

[@epic5945]

Excellent and creative work.

[@DannyIO]

brilliant

[@zimmy1958]

Norm you nailed it, so cool.

[@randallyons8745]

exceptional

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Crispin's struggling, squirming, creeping demeanor is been fantastic to watch over the years. He's one of the best ❤

[@fustigate314159]

Crispin?? This is Norm.

[@kentbrockman8837]

I've heard it called Ultima as well.

[@AlanRorrison]

NORM switch the bands out for clear filament .

[@marccxxshammer6643]

Wow. Great work. 👍🏼

[@VincentGuastini]

WOW GREAT JOB!

[@Gator-fp6sz]

I added 0603 SMD LEDs in the clear feet and a microcontroller to alternately brighten and dim the LEDs. I think it enhances the overall look.

[@aserta]

Norm, you need a better pair of flush cutters. I can see from here that it mostly pinches the plastic, rather than snipping it. Not gonna name brands, but dropping money will result in a life time tool (if, of course, kept for model work).

[@aperturemaker]

Great work !

[@none167]

Incredible! ❤

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

That looks fantastic

[@The-Story-Assassin]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Where can you get the LED silicone wire?

[@GHILLIESARCADEANDMORE]

Cool

[@Anticleric]

That's rad Norm. Love it.

[@samphillips4925]

Metropolis is so cool

[@marcpaters0n]

Maybe another iteration of the rings could be more like the wheel of a bike, with a gutter around the circumference, so the lights would wrap around the outside.

[@pumirya]

Cool video. Thanks for the contact.

[@funkyhomosapien1]

Good job Norm 🤟🏼

[@crispy9566]

I feelclike maker communitu is really sleeping on these LED filaments, they are amazing looking!

[@nicolasbonini]

I was thinking, why not print the rings in clear resin?

[@petermerz2704]

Looks great! 😎🇨🇦

[@DarkAltairx]

thats soooo cool. wouldnt it be nice if the 3d printed material would be slightly transparent?

[@MrPleers]

I have the HCG statue of Maria standing in our living room. Love that art deco design.

[@laucaminhaaguiar6925]

Great!

[@MorrisonManor]

Rub n buff tends to be "gloppy" A toothbrush helps clean up the excess product.

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

Norm, what happened to that talk podcast?

[@zyxwvut4740]

They cancelled it.

[@yuliza_mc_8i8_ASMR]

Wow que lindo 💗💗💗

[@MurderinkAustralia]

Nice Model, but in my opinion you should have printed the rings in clear resin Norm especially considering you have access to one..

[@woeshaling6421]

great job, looks impressive. the next step, which might be near improbable, is animate it. the micro motorization seem a nightmare to achieve

[@renosummers7910]

Would love a model of Chronopolis. A film from 1982. I can't find it on DVD , KZbin is good enough. Look it up

[@mechachrist]

The Rub and Buff was a good idea but the results were a little rough.

[@karstenjackson-lange5516]

Shame it's not in clear plastic for the light to shine through

[@DrNothing23]

"Camera 1, go to Hel." ~Fritz Lang

[@DecanFrost]

Hey norm, that nipper is brutal. i can highly recommend the Tamiya Fine cutter model NO.123 item number: 74123 Its pricy but worth it and if you pre cut the sprues from the frame with your rough cutter first, the Tamiya will last a lifetime. its an extra step i know, but on the positive side it won't damage your model kit.

[@Agrajag72]

Where are the 3d files? I do not have a printer, is there somewhere I can get the files printed?

[@viswanathanpather6849]

Excellent build. I don't see the files to print the rings in the discription. Am I missing anything?

[@grimblade09]

Great video. The lighting turned out nice. Where did you get the power supply for the portable battery pack?

[@m.maclellan7147]

Nice build, Norm. The lights definitely added to it.

[@majstor76]

i think i would do rings with grooves for wire on outer side

[@jorgejnr7902]

Very cool work of ART model led light.

[@clearymc]

Norm I miss getting your weekly opinions in podcast form. This is nice too though

[@celticarchie]

I think we need to see more videos of Norm building kits. :D

[@firescale8912]

How is that glue working with the Rub-n-Buff? Does the wax not inhibit the bonding?

[@50caliber29]

Don't understand why you didn't print the ring supports in clear resin. You would achieve a much more accurate representation & not have obvious supports. Also, the lower ring is not straight & would drive me nuts 😂. Final point, the scene from the film has more than three rings & they are different sizes. I think using clear resin ring supports & four rings of two different diameters would be much more effective & true to the film.

[@winterlighthome]

Agreed! At the end, I couldn't stop being distracted by the wonky bottom ring! I also disagreed with using black for the rings. Your idea to use clear is great.

[@stephenstott4970]

Hi, you can use silicone to glue silicone to thing's. Steve. UK.

[@guybuddy1]

That is so fuckn cool...

[@guybuddy1]

Just one thing, the rings aren't parallel with each other and my OCD is killing me😂

[@DenkyManner]

RoboCop's design takes heavy queues from Futura.

[@Robgumby]

Is the a file for the filament holder ring available?

[@metalheartmachine]

Piston rings might be a good choice.

[@cloudydaycauldron]

If only you could make it walk around like in the movie on your desk lol