The Sandpit

A day in the life of New York City, in miniature.
Original Music: composed by Human, co-written by Rosi Golan and Alex Wong.
Please view in HD and full screen for best effect. For a description of the shoot, camera, lenses and workflow, please see here:
aerofilm.blogspot.com/2010/02/sandpit-short-film-by-aero-director-sam.html

[@RVC1510]

12 years later and this is still beautiful.

[@ArcanePath360]

As it is 13 years later

[@Pan_gregorian]

@@ArcanePath36014 :)

[@court12b]

It's bizarre how satisfying that effect is.

[@dorotheap.8356]

10 years pass, and yet still super iconic - love song the most!?!?!

[@DrTheRich]

12 years later, and this is still at the core of my being

[@billytoriko]

In 2024, revisiting this video again... Firs time i saw it was when it was freshly uploaded... I wonder how many hours of footage were stitched together for this...

[@reznor0079]

This is still so many years later one of my favorite videos and song ever.

[@SamuraiPie8111]

stuff like this really makes you realize how tiny we are in the grand scale of things

[@MikeDownes]

Christmas Kudos to The Sandpit for way passing a million views - I first shared it two years ago, but it never gets old..

[@minustaco42zero24]

This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I can't explain why but I just is very special to me. Thank you

[@MinistryofFlight]

Don't forget to: 5 - increase the colour saturation to make everything look more artificial 6 - apply a photo filter/increase the saturation of yellows in the scene 7 - (advanced): when blurring, make sure the area in focus corresponds to the ground plane of axes using tilted layer masking

[@Bark820]

Its been four years sam! come back with another beautiful creation! Four years and i watch it on every occasion and guess what i am never bored or tired of it!

[@Jogwheel]

It's the obnoxiously shallow depth of field, distorted wide-angle shots, and time-lapsed effects that really make this video really terrific. Great work! - Jon

[@DeePunter]

if we can have this kind of graphic for cities skyline or sim city it would be awesome.

[@SevenFootPelican]

+Chuck Wu I agree. Like little toys.

[@calebshade4991]

I don't think the problem would be the graphics, I think it would be hard because of all the little ai you'd need in every little person and every little car. You're right that it would be awesome though 😄

[@Popperonii]

Play cities skylines maxed, in 4k it looks very close

[@KeithApp]

Never get tired of seeing this video. I remember it being featured on BBC Click back in 2010 and it still remains one of the best videos on KZbin. Totally deserves more views.

[@AbigailNovella]

This is stunning!!!! From the footage, to the edit and the music! BRAVO!

[@VernonKun]

Just visited NY some weeks ago and watching this vid again after so many years

[@RevolutionaryMod]

I think I've found my new favourite style of photography, "Tilt-Shift" I first heard of it during a brief on architectural photography, where it's used to fix perspective with big buildings. You can use it for simulating a miniature scene though, which is what I'm gonna do for my new brief covering experimental photography! 📷

[@YTofficialAnonymous]

This is still the best timelapse ive seen over a decade

[@MrBigbordel]

Merci Bruce d'e-penser ;)

[@HeadMelterOfficial]

This vid is nostalgic

[@AncientAstronaut952]

Agreed. It takes me back to the early 2010s almost instantly.

[@rbreedon]

The tilt-shift effect is unreal. Fantastic!

[@izerpizer]

I can't wait until the. Day where video games look like this

[@SIP871]

Isaac Kirk There it is: Cities Skylines

[@achmadtheterror]

SIP871 what a coincidence. i was just playing it. If i could play it with better graphics it would probably look exactly like this

[@SevenFootPelican]

+Isaac Kirk Cities: Skylines.

[@Yutani_Crayven]

+Isaac Kirk Little did you know, we are all living in a simulation run by another civilization

[@APerson-lh3iw]

They look like this

[@samnky]

13 years later and this is still awesome and beautiful

[@Simple1DEA]

someone explain to me how the tilt shift lens makes everything look miniature

[@f.e.a.videos2406]

+Simple1DEA It's because it creates a really narrow depth of field. For foreground and back ground are both out of focus which is something you usually can't get except when taking images of really small objects. And then finding a high POV to take the images from helps sell the effect even more.

[@Simple1DEA]

F.E.A. Videos it still blows my mind

[@jdcesk360]

you also have to play with the saturation to certain levels per shot to give it the desired look that you would find in miniature setups

[@Simple1DEA]

I see why. Also the thickness of the air (depth fog) has to be taken into consideration.

[@fkmui03]

i want to see behind the scene for this video..

[@Mr.FastZombie]

There's an interview linked in the description about making this video. aerofilm.blogspot.com/2010/02/sandpit-short-film-by-aero-director-sam.html

[@stoobert1981]

By far the most impressive thing I have seen this year...

[@xpunpokerx]

I feel like I am watching a very well animated episode of Thomas the Tank engine

[@SerAbiotico]

Plot twist: you're _living_ on an episode of Thomas the Tank engine.

[@blackmennewstyle]

Colors grading is a real piece of art on this video

[@arielmadera283]

Like si vienes por un poco de todo ;v

[@jasongamercrafterprogamerp4989]

Ariel Madera quien es updt

[@explisitor.x864]

@@jasongamercrafterprogamerp4989 buscalo es un youtuber

[@santiagoperez6077]

Qué coincidencia ajja

[@benjadh7860]

Komo lo Zupö

[@emmanuelhenriquez9249]

XD SI

[@Art2.mp4]

All these years later this is still the best tilt-shift video in the interwebz. great work guys this is timeless!!!!

[@antoineantoine4381]

Qui est là à cause d'e-penser ^^?

[@lululaplap]

when you speed things up like this, the tiny imperfections disappear and everything looks so amazing.

[@scr34m1ng4]

we are bacteria

[@DavidJCherry]

Intriguing, it actually almost looks like it's a small scale model because of the way it's shot - incredible...

[@OmarGarcia-zx2yl]

Who came here from Vsauce's DONG? [PAUSE]

[@yaffytaffy12345]

That last shot of the whole city is INCREDIBLE

[@johnayres2303]

I come back here every two or three years.

[@Daniel-Munoz]

I cannot put into words how this made me feel.

[@candr]

Allways loved this type of photos, I had no idea anyone made films this way. This is excellent.

[@dripsnyc]

I just saw this on tv and i ran to the computer....I think this is awesome I love it. I can't believe how many shots it took to make. 35,000 ? thats crazy. Can't wait to see more !!!!! Great work!!!!!!

[@n3bb0r]

best miniature stopmotion i have ever seen. looks so real

[@baarni]

My god, this is the most effective tilt shift imagery I have ever seen....AWESOME.....

[@SimonLiddo]

Stunning and beautiful. A genuine work of art.

[@lordkelvin1]

Wow. I'm speachless. Absolutely the best use of minatures in a stop motion I've witnessed.

[@RPGflms]

Why have 14 people disliked this? Better question is "How?" This video was absolutely breathtaking and original. Brilliant. I'll be waiting for more.

[@CancunMimosa]

Just watched this on LiveLeak. Glad to find a higher quality version here. Fantastic work!!

[@joeyc923]

Here via reddit, this was great. a 2min cut of just the dock and construction site would be money.

[@jjluq]

Spectacular! it's like watching mini-human living in a sand box. And he song's so cool.

[@danfossard4537]

Fantastic video! I'd love to know how it's done. I've only ever done it using photos and the "tilt shift" effect added on afterwards. Looks even better in motion! Especially speeded up. Makes it look even smaller! Brilliant work!!!

[@Pan_gregorian]

Your description of the shoot, camera, lenses and workflow is deleted. Can you describe it here? What lens did u use?

[@EvanFSB]

It's a photography technique called tilt-shift. it focuses on certain areas and blurs the rest, making full-size objects appear miniature. If you google tilt shift photography I'm sure you could find many amazing scenes miniaturized.

[@jk651]

Love this video. I've watched dozens of times.

[@aHIGHasian]

watched this on vimeo first, and now again on youtube. great work!

[@AdamReyher]

@Imnotjarry11 The cool part about this was, according to the workflow description the author gives, this wasn't shot with any tilt-shift lenses. The effect was added in post production.

[@DarkwingScooter]

That's incredible! Literally and figuratively.

[@oxygon2850]

You know I still come back to this video as my favorite example of tilt shift done perfectly, I just wanted to let whoever made this know that Or just express it, either way :) well done

[@IvanTheTerrible86]

one of the best tilt shift video i've ever seen. great!

[@fdynamics]

Brilliant. A perfect example of relatively simple technical components that are executed with enough inspiration and creativity that at first, it's hard to believe what you're seeing. That's getting pretty tough to do these days. There's usually an assumption that amazing results require Peter-Jackson-Lord-Of-The-Rings style investment and time, but this is an excellent reminder that vision and attention to detail can trump cash and equipment.

[@MorrisUK]

I love this video its a glimpse into my childhood and a very emotional piece. Thank you for producing and sharing.

[@iceman168888]

i thought it was really a model setting till I saw the people moving. so neat. great job!

[@electrosphere]

magnificent work! this should win an award! respect!

[@M159KTTR]

Really love this

[@fizzlefist]

still one of my favorite films on youtube :) WHY DOESN'T THIS HAVE AT LEAST A MILLION VIEWS?!?!?!

[@Mr.FastZombie]

Now it has more than a million

[@joker420toker]

Wow. That took a lot of time. I just wanna say thanks to you for such an amazing piece of art. Definitely a new Favorite.Wow.

[@mangosa1410]

OMG!! Only 1,2 Mio view? THIS IS SUPER COOL AND I KEEP LOOKING AND LOOKING AND LOOKING AT THIS VIDEO!!

[@metro33777]

Outstanding video. Great music makes it a winner

[@dronebirdcinematics794]

Mindblowing! Just genius! Thanks for making this, it's inspiring!

[@luvmsiahatethegov]

The tilt-shift lens actually helps us think of ourselves in a less selfish way, and help us realise how small and insignificant we are in the big picture.

[@KaosInfedel]

WOW!!!! that's all i can say. I've never seen any other video like it. It's amazing how good you are at this.

[@memonk11]

This reminds me of when I was a kid. Anytime I would fly anywhere, as soon as the airplane got off the ground, everything looked like miniatures, toy-like. When I got to my teens, the effect just disappeared. Everything just looked small. i've always attributed it to my child like brain changing as I grew. But.. this video looks like my brain used to conceive the view outside an airplane window. I had forgotten until now.

[@dantyler2010]

I L-O-V-E this film! I know how much work goes into making this film, and it is a staggering achievement! Please keep making more! Dan Tyler, Los Angeles

[@Aesthir]

Seriously thought this was a claymation-type model animation at first. Very cool use of the frame timings.

[@vipranor]

omfg cant imagine how hard it was to record! epic! favorite!

[@xlambda]

this is freakishly out of this world

[@richiesvideo]

A very inspiring video - I am amazed that you did this post production and not with a physical tilt shift lens allowing the foreground buildings to be in focus. Amazing how smooth the shots without a tripod are when straightened too. Cheers

[@CardboardStories]

This is tilt-shift photography, go look it up guys! Not toys, just a special effects lens used in architecture/product photography. Awesome video by the way!

[@oliverandm]

very beautiful editing, with the music and everything!

[@Iurirx7]

I watch this every day.

[@badkenbad]

Outstanding. The music really adds to the atmosphere. You must do a feature length film! It should only take you five or six years...

[@cruzo1022]

This is beautiful! Love it! Great job!

[@vikystabio]

I find this video (so as the cochella 2010 one ) EXTREMELY AMAZING. I'm SO subscribing to this channel! I'm in love with the effect! and I can't believe it was made with a NIKON ♥♥ (huge nikon fan)

[@shanaboom]

my prof just showed us this vid in production class- super cool- basically filmed it and every other frame is basically cut- thats what makes it fast and jerky, and then applied a tilt lens effect that makes it look small...... soooo cool

[@rysavma]

Never seen anything more satysfying...really great job..:-)

[@RuggedBrotha]

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. YOU!!!! WIN THE BAD ASS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR MY MAN! Thank You

[@johanssonfilms]

Look at all those cute little creatures and their cute little vehicles. :)

[@Mahaney82]

Why does the world seem more beautiful from this point of view?

[@supportourtroops1]

This is just amazing! Fantastic job!!

[@Imnotjarry11]

@bcasts they are tilt-shift photography lenses, which are supposed to 'fool' you into thinking its a miniset

[@welfarestates8465]

This is freaking amazing Sam!

[@sunshine777888]

simply amazing to say the least.

[@Toastbongo]

This is just extraordinary. Awe-inspiring stuff.

[@alheeley]

finest tilt shift time lapse I've come across. Superb :)

[@spermbank1]

Makes me cry. It's simply beautiful.

[@rubikclockweights]

Absolutely beautiful...

[@jazmemyself]

What a beautiful miniature city. How much time did it take to build it? It looks so realistic! And God, the water! Animating water is so hard. And the trees! Someone had to do every single leaf! Amazing

[@joelgarman]

I love everything about this!!! The song is so perfeect!!!

[@wilbmoore]

So so Cool. I love this. great music to go with it as well.

[@SevenFootPelican]

This looks awesome... like a neat little toy world!

[@MisterZesd]

astounding, love the night time shots

[@evenaicantfigurethisout]

did you do this optically (using tilt-shift lens), or in post?