How to Film Realistic Looking Miniature Cars

[@cg_spiritedensemble]

I find it fascinating how when you're a kid watching whatever you love (in this case, miniature models) you grow attached to the look & want to follow in their footsteps. Fast forward to that day & it's a grueling process to get the right shot every single time from start to finish, testing both patience & faith, & in the process, potentially losing love with the process you fell in love with. A very interesting phenomenon amongst all types of filmmakers. Work be work I guess.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

That sounds like life in general to me 😂❤

[@j.b.7133]

Yeah that can be applied to anyone that found work in their interests. lol OR life...

[@Jim.Foster]

I LOVE it when creativity surpasses the equipment. This is how geniuses work.

[@PeterAnthonyHolder-StuphFile]

I couldn't agree with you more. I look back in my career when I didn't have the equipment for what I wanted to do and found a creative way to complete a task. Those earlier achievements I still have greater pride in.

[@welchworks]

The fact that you guys make these superbly done BTS videos as a bonus to the MASTERPIECES you're creating cannot be overlooked.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot! 😉

[@HyperspeedMedia]

"My ego was hurt because of the grass" THE MOST FUNNIEST LINES IN HISTORY !!!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Well it was true! 😂

[@HyperspeedMedia]

@@sliceoflifefilm 🤣😂

[@donniefleming9914]

5:41..."everything is shit"🤣

[@MichaelKlimenko]

@@sliceoflifefilm kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZiueqyll5xqhqc

[@TestPilotWally]

It looks so easy until you see how much work goes on behind the scenes. What you managed to accomplish with a few miniatures, green screens, and lots of clever compositing is so amazing! I love your work! Thanks for giving us a glimpse.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks for watching! 😉

[@fryoung1]

I think you hit the nail on the head, when you said 'its a part of the charm of these techniques'. I was always fascinated with miniatures, and knowing that a miniature is used just ignites my imagination to create.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

YES! Even if it's imperfect it's somehow cool and inspirational!

[@deastman2]

A static grass applicator is the way to go to get a realistic effect. Model railroad builders use that technique all the time.

[@shiroumxm2052]

exactly, and you can build it very cheap just buying a negative ions generator

[@sliceoflifefilm]

I agree! I've seen a lot of people on YT use it. I'll definitely give it a go next time!

[@HenryLoenwind]

@@sliceoflifefilm Or simply start with a model railroad grass sheet instead of green paint and build up on that.

[@oddplanetstudios6172]

You can build your own static grass applicator. Luke Towan has videos on how to do it.

[@fredoster9993]

Après deux jours de visionnage de toutes vos vidéos, j'attendais avec impatience la nouvelle. Et aujourd'hui je suis comblé. Merci pour ces petits moments de joie, de bonne humeur et d'humour. Toujours aussi admiratif de votre travail. Vivement le prochain numéro. Encore merci.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Much appreciated! Thanks for watching! ❤😉

[@dougrobinson5706]

Je suis tout a fait d'accord avec vous!

[@MauricioJara]

That section with the setbacks was so relatable for me. Sometimes, everything just starts going wrong out of nowhere while filming. 😭

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Yea! 😂

[@SANFRANCISCO49ERS_PYRO]

I love the fact that you guys give up your trix to make my movies and videos so much better. Thank you. 🎥🎬📽🎞🎥🎬📽

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Glad to hear you are finding it useful! 😉

[@SebastianCastro]

I understand funds can be limiting. Whenever you have the opportunity to budget for equipment, I'd recommend looking into a lens like the Laowa 24mm f/14-40. It's supposed to be ideal for shooting miniatures because it comes in a very skinny design that allows you to get close to your subject while also maintaining that wide angle. Just an option. I don't know if the lens mount would pair with any of your current camera equipment.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Yea! We haven't had a chance to try the probe lens yet but we'd like to one day!

[@stevemuzak8526]

Compositing real life people to dioramas makes things instant lifelike. Just like they did in on Titanic movie or on The Lord of The Rings. Fantastic work!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Oh yes! Great examples! ❤

[@JRRobeck]

You guys are so much fun! Love your humor and love seeing all this behind the scenes content. Inspirational!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

💕

[@goawayinternet]

I only recently discovered this channel. Love these miniature behind the scenes videos. I'm a 3D artist and gamedev and while the craft here is different I can really appreciate how you're sharing each step of your process and there's a lot of relatable overlap. Ingenuity, passion + hard work! Love what you guys are doing.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot! And I agree, there is a lot of overlap in these techniques, interestingly.

[@stephenpep.mp4]

Just wanted to say that I saw the video you did on miniatures and absolutely loved it! So I went back and I’m now watching all of the behind the scenes for Splashback in order. The style of these behind the scenes videos is fantastic! It reminds me a lot of the behind these scenes for the Star Wars Prequels. Your personalities shine through and I love seeing how you guys work on the film. I can’t wait to watch the final film and the rest of the BTS videos. Keep it up guys!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to watch it! 😉

[@onscreenonlineproductions1467]

Loved the Wilhelm scream...lol. great touch.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

It's mandatory! 😂😉

[@JWS1968]

I really appreciate it when behind the scenes videos tell us how long things took to film and the effort that actually went into the whole process. Sometimes when artists don't give you that information you try yourself and when things don't go to plan after a couple of hours you give up thinking you're just a hopeless cause.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Glad to hear that! Yes it's a very hard work and a lot of trial and error!

[@DafterThings]

Excellent stuff. Love the detail and the compositing.

[@TheEnderBand]

I love that you guys keep the tradition alive in your work

[@sliceoflifefilm]

We're trying!

[@Jack_Wolfe]

The trick is to make rigs that do it right the first time. A lot of trainset makers will modularise overlapping parts, using things the correct colour for your film was seldom useful, since it was gonna be greyscale, next time it might be easier to make grass from sand, and just spray the top with coloured water mist on set, that was you just have to place the props. To clear roads you use a damp paint roller or a tiny broom. One trick with cars is to have a magnet rig under the road and use a tape measure to pull the rig and the car. The magnets should pull the car to the road. Some old tricks involved actual fishing rods for pulling cars etc

[@SANFRANCISCO49ERS_PYRO]

FRICKEN FANTASTIC!!!! LOVE YOU GUYS . HAPPY FILM MAKING.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank youuuuuuu!

[@Sean-nv6zk]

"Holiday spirit running high." Lol, you mean high hopes of not catching hypothermia? Thank you again for the BTS of your process. Very insightful!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Haha exactly 🤣

[@fauland_photography]

Your love for detail, your professionalism ("this shot has to be 'perfect' no matter how long it takes), and your creativity makes this what makes your work stand out in a million! I can't stress how much I love, admire and salute your videos here on this channel. A life without SoL is possible - but would be meaningless :-)

[@sliceoflifefilm]

That's a lovely thing to say! Thanks a lot! ❤

[@fauland_photography]

@@sliceoflifefilm I have never been to Croatia, but if you guys host a a little filmmaking masterclass, a get-together or why not a 'Happy Pig' Barbecue ... I am on my way. I am serious here. PS.: You will publish a list of venues where the film will be shown, I hope !?

[@ChaosCanyon]

I’m glad you said how long it actually took you to film the miniature scenes cause it did always look fast. Any of my filming seems to take forever and I was trying to work out how I could be faster, but it looks like that’s is just normal. Another great episode. Thanks team. Just loving this series.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Oh yea.. It's months of work. It's a slow process... Thanks for watching! 😉

[@ZetaPrime77]

My favorite Croatian filmmakers do cool things with little cars yet again

[@sliceoflifefilm]

😉❤

[@tripodcatz5532]

"A tasteless goulash of failure and disappointment" - this is golden. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@sammirza9841]

When you are talking and explaining the troubles. Almost sounds like a poem from Pushkin and your passion and dedication for the films brought me here and I’m glued. Well done guys.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Hahaha, very interesting comparison! Thanks a lot! 😂♥️

[@ElDarren]

That was so cool! I love all of the attention to detail you guys put into this. Bravo!

[@jackromashoff4419]

Amazing work guys! Learning so much about miniatures from your videos! I love that people like you exist and not everything is CGI nowadays!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Much appreciated!

[@m0les]

Those first three road shots - I LOL-ed *SO* hard!

[@davebrainvfx]

I really love how much effort you put in to things that my brain would just say “We’ll fix that in post”. The grass, the seams, etc… Great stuff!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

When you're the one who has to fix it in post you totally try to fix it on set! 🤣🤣

[@davebrainvfx]

@@sliceoflifefilm There is that, haha

[@skylarking12]

A trick you can use is to place the car at the place you want it to stop, then pull it backwards, away from the lens, and reverse the playback in post. This may give you better control and more believable motion as well.

[@yingle6027]

Practical effects are 100% better than CGI.

[@erictzogas2580]

Filmmakers have access to many tools. It’s about how those tools are used and with what purpose.

[@yingle6027]

​@@erictzogas2580 Well modern CGI is some of the worst I've seen. SFX peaked in 2004 with Peter Jacksons King Kong and went down hill from there.

[@brick72]

You are masters of filmmaking. That's how I like movies are shooting. Heroes 🎉❤

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot!

[@bilalabouyaniskenshiro8713]

Votre travail est incroyable,voir le résultat prendre vie sous nos yeux est vraiment impressionnant...

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Much appreciated!

[@DiecastMediaNetwork]

As someone who's dedicated to finding all sorts of ways for people to enjoy the tiny cars in their collection, I find this a wonderful way to do just that. Thanks for sharing your experience and frustrations. Grass is hard. I feel your pain.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot! Well said!

[@Bravada]

Awesome effort and result and the banter and dialogue between you both is what put the icing on the cake. Awesome Work. It needs to be seen by many more people and appreciated.

[@nestorchikoti]

You make it look easy and the patience guys just wow, I still see you guys smiling when you failed to get the right shot. So impressive

[@davidspiers6638]

It's crazy how much the final B&W look unifies all the elements, great work!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot!

[@DouglasJohnson.]

I spent my childhood studying old school practical fx and miniature work, and I have to say, your work is ingenious and an absolute pleasure to witness.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you very much for the lovely comment! ♥️

[@daleanderson1727]

I value your videos because I always learn something new when I watch them. Bravo!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

thanks a lot!!! glad to hear that!

[@onuq3r4y478]

why didn't you just pull the cars back from the intended final position and then just play the shot in reverse?

[@sliceoflifefilm]

I don't know.

[@MidwestFarmToys]

Why didn't they just travel back in time and film the real thing

[@felipe5horas]

What a fun channel, guys. I've watched the dojo video a couple of times but it's my first time watching this one. Precious

[@galovicmedia]

Kao fotograf iz Hrvatske kojeg zanima fotografija akcijskih figura i modela/minijatura, drago mi je da postoje ljudi koji su vole slične stvari kao i ja! Pozdrav iz Zagreba btw!!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Hvala lijepa i veliki pozdrav!

[@rhino202]

Love this. All the movie work and BTS stuff keeps you fellas busy. Really great to see how you work

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Yea it's a lot of work. But it's nice to see you guys enjoy it and find it helpful. ❤😉

[@AllanGildea]

Nice work fellas, very 'Gerry Anderson'. High praise.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you!

[@richarddelgaudio4600]

Thanks, very nice to watch you build your dioramas.

[@PeterAnthonyHolder-StuphFile]

This is amazing. It shows the creative juices flowing. Thanks for sharing! 😀

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@gnpuppet]

Love it. Like how when i was kid imagine my little car entering office or some place that only exist on my mind. Great!!!

[@mrssombody]

I have been binging these! Loving being able to see this come together! Can't wait to see the film!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks for watching it all!

[@scottievee330]

Amazing. That's how you get things done. Improvise. Great work guys.

[@IrieVibration]

creativity and resourcefulness behind the scenes, and the output is captivated and has a charm of its own.=]

[@KnapfordMaster98]

These videos are so inspiring. I grew up on the old Thomas the Tank Engine with models and its my dream to one day do something large scale with lots of miniatures.

[@jean-pierrejoubert2438]

Amazing video again. Love how you guys pull off these tricky miniature shots.

[@boneratstudio]

Thanks guys,,, I’ve been having problems getting my next project to come together , but after seeing you guys stick it out through all your issues, with a good sense of humor, made me laugh and cheered me up…I guess it happens to the best of us..Thanks again and keep up the great work.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

yes, shit happens! best to laugh it off. Thanks! 😉😉❤

[@thingswelike]

Merry Christmas to you too! 🎁🎉

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Haha! Merry Christmas!!!!

[@matsnilson7727]

Excellent work, as always, and the narration is always charming and funny. Makes me smile from ear to ear. Keep it up! 👍

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Happy to hear that! 😉

[@valsir4942]

In the famous Hitchcock film Young and Innocent of 1937, an entire miniature railway station was built with passing trains, and a small car with the main characters of the film stood near the tracks. A second later they were already in the frame live. It was a great shot.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

So cool!

[@michi-eke]

this video deserves a million likes, you guys are amazing

[@diggingwithmartin]

WOW!!! this is very intricate to say the least.... GREAT JOB!!! that is crazy attention to details..... beautiful video!!!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Glad you liked it!

[@clifftonicstudios7469]

Gerry and Silvia Anderson were masters of this

[@icreateworlds]

You guys are an inspiration. Outstanding work.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you very much!

[@bryanspindle4455]

I love miniatures and scale models. Before CGI l always thought working with them in movies would be my dream job.

[@TheModelingHermit]

I am so glad that I found you guys. You are truly inspiring, educational, and entertaining.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot and welcome!

[@stevemuzak8526]

15:17 Wes Anderson would say : That's the shot!

[@davidknight6981]

This is real cool. Reminds me of a TV program I watched as a kid called Supercar; created by Gerry Anderson. Again, very nice.

[@MrTaco-ei5hl]

I remember many years back watching the making of " Raiders of the Lost Ark". When it was first released. You guys captured all that magic and more. ( what did your neighbors think - seeing two grown men playing with toy cars outside at Christmas time ) Another fantastic episode.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Haha, the neighbors are pretty used to our shenanigans. Thanks for watching!

[@KarlScaleModeling]

That's awesome! 😳 Always interesting to learn about how we can make our little cars look more realistic and this definitely helps 👍🏼 Thanks for sharing and well done for all your hard work ☺️👍🏼

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you for watching! 😉

[@juna61]

As the time gets us deeper in AI-age... I find it more and more amazing and appreciate the work people do with their own mind and hands.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Totally agree!

[@r.a.mpictures]

Wow guys, you are a massive inspiration with your creativity and doing things in an unconventional way.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks so much!

[@Krasniysharigg]

The poetry is simply magnificent. This is not only an interesting video, but also very funny 🙃

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😉😉♥️

[@HappyDude1]

I allready made some small videos with my model cars from movies on my channel But its always nice to learn more tricks 😁 When you pull the car with a string also pull on the back with a second string or a weight so the car looks more heavy and for a controlled stop

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks for the tip!

[@HappyDude1]

@sliceoflifefilm Your welcome i enjoy your videos im watching them now 😁 and it works better if you use a wheel or pulley to pull the car on a string so you dont have to run or go in front of the camera

[@polarcatweo]

Amazing filming skills, these are the things I want to learn. It took lots of time to prepare for some scenes, great job, I love this video so much.

[@ROUSEVIDEO]

Congratulations on a stellar effort and amazing results. As a television producer with years of experience, I am now experimenting with miniatures. I can relate to your wins and getting your ego crushed. Excellent video and you guys are so entertaining!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot and good luck with your projects! 😉😉

[@paulburket]

These guys always make me laugh 😂

[@ALSPEHEIR]

This is precisely how they film the flying cars in Fifth Element. Pretty cool technique.

[@michaeld7409]

As to the President’s arrival - Nice to see Kennedy‘s Lincoln Continental accompanied by Russian GAZ 13 „Tschaika“ as Security vehicles :) 😀

[@danpalooza]

For what it's worth, there is a formula to calculate what FPS you should be shooting for how small the model is. If you're shooting 1/18th scale then find the square root of 18 (the denominator of the fraction) which is 4.24, then multiply that by what your playback frame rate (24fps usually), so you should be shooting at around 100fps. As for the speed, the formula would be 1/18 (scale fraction) x 50mph (your portrayed speed of the model) x 100fps (your shooting frame rate) / 24fps (your playback frame rate). So you would be pulling the car at 11.57mph while shoot at 100fps and that would be the equivalent to how it should look at full scale. Albeit there's a bunch of other problems that arise like the weight of the car not looking right and all of that but for what it's worth maybe this can help in the future. Love your videos!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Oh yes!!! I know about the formula but I never really went to the trouble of actually figuring it out. Thanks a lot for laying it down so clearly, I would totally get lost! We just did it by eye and by what felt right, but I'll keep it in mind for the next time! Thanks! 😉❤

[@thedadtris]

I have a hard time making a bowl of cereal without error, and you have people with this skill set.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

🤣🤣

[@MikesTechandToys]

5:36 😭🤣🤣🤣 Brilliant!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Sometimes everything is shit!

[@oddplanetstudios6172]

Just so brilliant! Love all the details.

[@MarkBTomlinson]

KZbin randomly reccomended this video to me, and it was one of the most entertaining things I have seen on here in years. Well done and thanks for the laughs.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks a lot! There's plenty more where that came from 😉

[@seansweetman]

This channel is making me feel anxiety, I cant stop thinking about learning these techniques for my productions.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Yea! DO IT! ❤

[@seansweetman]

@@sliceoflifefilm Is there a 3D printer you recommend?

[@jayanthonyolson]

I love this channel so much. You guys are amazing and inspiring.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you so much!

[@robvegart]

I really believe that the minatures are more about 75% of the shot, but the camera filters and atmospherics brings it into near perfection to give the illusion of actual height depth and realism. Lighting is all part of that as well.

[@wordmusicpicture6575]

This video made me so happy 😁 It was very intriguing seeing you make this film using miniatures! Very creative & funny! Thank you and well done! By the way, someone pls give Suki an Oscar! 😅👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@mrtrek2117]

Great techniques and great fun, I did some similar stuff for the opening scene filming my Starship Enterprise model. A lot to learn from these guys!

[@RenegadeADV]

What I would try is taking a 2x4 and driving nails into it about 1cm apart then numbering them, set weights on the ends of the board, run your fishing line around a nail and pull in the opposite direction, this will make the car run in more of a straight line and you can change it up by switching which nail you are pulling on. I feel like this would save a lot of time.

[@jogmas12]

I like your work, that model car in the thumbnail looks real

[@Emtbtoday]

Design something to print thats like a tape measure that will roll in the fishing wire itself so your not walking up the side with it all the time pulling it off course? Love this though i want a shot haha

[@Krasniysharigg]

0:30 Laughed out loud from that moment :) As always, the time for creative thinking comes when you don't have enough money.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Haha indeed it does!

[@MediaDivision]

Amazing... the results look Wes Anderson good.... just better ;-)

[@Crickettoon-vl2jh]

This is a very creative idea. You guys are doing great job with the miniature cars. Very creative mind blowing.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you 🤗

[@marcincudo5116]

I love your work guys! Such a treat to watch :) Regards from Poland!

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Thank you very much! Cheers from Croatia!

[@G-ro4is]

You guys are AWESOME!!!!

[@designgraphique]

Excellent video, as usual.

[@MarkoMarcello]

Awesome. PS If you shoot the parking car with 60 or 120fps and slow it down in post, also with some led on the bottom, it would probably add some weight and smoothness to the shot. Pozz.

[@sliceoflifefilm]

Good point!!

[@MarkoMarcello]

@@sliceoflifefilm Sjajni ste. Sjajni. Keep up the great work.

[@montanawardog]

Genius, and wicked cool looking as well!

[@barter5]

"Vegetarian hamburgers" Hehe you have my vote! 😂

[@myownprivateglasgow280]

Artifice... the worshipping of the false.... and the Professional Child. Now that's a great title ;)