Inside Adam Savage's Cave: Model Making for Movies

[@tested]

One of the first things we learned from talking to Adam and other prop and model builders is that they are very realistic about the movies their work is used in. Just because the movie didn't turn out great doesn't mean that the work they did for it isn't good.

[@bradhouston4734]

Adam Savage’s Tested yes. They didn't carve Jarjar Binks!! Meanwhile I loved this. I am starting the process of bringing my childhood dreams to life and play to use as many models and puppets etc as I can! 😀🕺🏽🎥🏖🇦🇺

[@Captain_MonsterFart]

@@bradhouston4734 Jarjar Binks was a great design, it was just the voice acting that was irritating.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

The coolest thing about Adam Savage is he was a nerdy model building genius that through a twist of fate became a stunt performing test pilot for all the craziness that Mythbusters is now famous for, and he still gracefully retains the best part of his life and personality prior to becoming a celebrity. One hell of a life change and he handled it amazingly.

[@ThoTruck]

Mythbusters have given him the freedom to do exactly what he wants to do...

[@ceejayblacks1834]

Wow this is such a good point! I've never thought of it like that...

[@AceTheBathoundProductions]

I wish I had that quality...

[@adrianfirewalker4183]

Agreed

[@tstuff]

He also appeared in a music video many years ago.

[@1Robertwaterworth]

Adam goes into detail about the casting of the "Hammer" gun he had produced. He talks about how he received a file from Maya and reversed engineered it to build a practical version. What is cool, is I have stored in my archives the original Maya file he used. I was given it to use as a bash kit when working on a separate film. I find this so cool. He is holding onto the practical version as a keepsake, and I'm hanging onto the digital version as a keepsake.

[@The_Blog]

+Robert Waterworth That's pretty cool :)

[@scottgibson7534]

Robert Waterworth

[@tested]

You ask this on every single video. We will get to it eventually. It requires a little more preparation than the Cave videos do. You can stop asking though, we won't forget.

[@octane613]

The amount of heart and soul and effort that adam puts in these models and everything he makes is absolutely astonishing.

[@wittsullivan8130]

My favorite cheesy model effects scene is from Logan's Run. They had a scene where they shot the city from a distance. It was a model crisscrossed with the clear transportation tubes with the little maglev carts in them moving across. In a making of documentary, it showed the model and off to the side there were special effects guys blowing into the tubes, pushing the maglev carts across like spitballs.

[@MrCrapheadist]

I would love to be Adam Savages apprentice

[@sillybilly414]

brandon caleb one can dream

[@robsimmons6742]

i've been in that model shop that adam's talking about, at the old ilm building in san rafael. he's exactly right. there is a loft space where a lot of the detailed models are built, with a ton of boxed models in the corner for pulling greeblies from, and a huge wall of little drawers (like what you'd find in a tool shop holding screws, washers, etc), holding a shit ton of styrene and other model building parts. fascinating stuff. wish i could have stayed in that room for the next week to just build stuff. ;-)

[@nathanc777]

Without a doubt some of the best stuff on KZbin. Thanks so much Tested and Adam!

[@Benson7290]

hey tested could we get more videos of Adam talking about which projects he worked on at ILM.

[@williamcornell3599]

Kainoa Benson I second this, 2 years later

[@pierremetral6121]

I've one of your Y-wing standing on a shelf right behind me ! I've spent so much time playing with those toys when I was a child. Thank you so much Adam !

[@YouOnlyIiveTwice]

Adam seems like the coolest guy to be around. Not to sound creepy at all but I would love to just shadow him for a day just because I feel like he has a sort of meticulous OCD-type personality that I have. Getting fascinated by the seemingly most uninteresting objects to the average person and spending hours on projects that in the end you probably could have picked up at a store for less than $10 to do the job just as well. Everything has to be personalized for me and if I can make it, that makes the function of the device all the much more satisfying. It's like cooking your own food that tastes better than the exact same meal from take out.

[@Straswa]

Adam is awesome, so cool learning he made templates for Action Fleet ships.

[@Daehawk]

Adam is living such a cool damn life. You rock brother.

[@Zerepzerreitug]

it's always great to hear adam's anecdotes and insights on the special effects industry.

[@kimaboe]

He does have a vacuformer, he built it himself using kit-parts and plans that are available for purchase online, beefing up certain details to make it more powerful. I can't remember who is selling it, though. I hope the full tour of the shop should be coming soon, its been requested long enough :) but, it is another thing that probably takes a lot of planning to be able to do efficiently enough for Adam's schedule, unlike these shorter cave-vids.

[@kencoleman5007]

Oh, I remember that Micro Machines line. I had the C-3PO head that opened into Episode IV cantina scene. You could make Greedo fall out of his chair, and from behind the scenes make the stormtroopers burst through a pair of double doors. I remember seeing a set of droids, and as a Clone Wars fan, really wish I had gotten it.

[@QualityMasters]

Adams impersonation of George Lucas is BEAUTIFUL lmao

[@derfalschejunge]

I was searching for this comment. XD

[@patchesdf]

Yes! Adam! Please post a pic or something and show us the universal greebly, so we all can geek out over spotting it in our favourite films!

[@gogolapeter]

Dear patchesdf ... after some years, it has been shown: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp_Gg3t-bstpg6sm22s

[@youknoweverything7643]

I watch so much tested and i am a model builder and maker for a living i used his water temporary tattoos of his actual tattoo of the measuring scale on his arm tattooed on my arm in same wxact spot its so nice having it cause now i can get quick reference measurements of stuff like bolt lengths and length of pieces and ect most useful thing i could have done for my self and ppl love it and it got me this job i got now cause the manager of the modeling side said someone with a tattoo to measure with on thier arm is someone who is dedicated to making building fabercating and model making. I was a welder and favercator before becoming a model maker and used my arm tattoo alot in fab shops as well

[@YouTubsel]

I would really love to see Adam go over a small prject for beginners to start out how to do things. It's so cool listening to him because he has this enthusiasm for his work that's just so much fun to watch and listen to.

[@cemx86]

at 11:16 Adam mentions the movie "Silent Running". No, this is not a WWII submarine movie (you are thinking of "Run Silent, Run Deep"). This is a great, for its time, 1972 sci-fi movie staring Bruce Dern with a very strong environmental theme about saving the plants of a decimated earth. It has some wonderful space and spacecraft scenes in it. Love the robots Huey, Dewie and Louie which feel like early attempts at creating an R2-D2 like helpful soul. Worth seeing.

[@NeilPeelParanormalPeepShow]

+cemx86 With visual effects by Doug Trumbell who also directed it and went on to do the visual effects for Close Encounters and Star Trek.

[@jeric_synergy8581]

Worth seeing, but MAN did they punt on the science. Like the gravity? But it has that Trumbell magic.

[@jamesabell9494]

Love this video, I've been using CGI for years, now I am so into making 3D prints, painting them and then photographing them and will make short animations soon too. I just love the lighting, the freedom real life models give me, it feels more hands on and liberating! :)

[@MMODoubter]

The Y-Wing was Gold squadron. Porkins (the 'fat guy') flew an X-Wing in Red Squadron.

[@krqkan]

@DeathEatter107 and @MMODoubter He died in a X-Wing. But before that he flew a Y-Wing.

[@MMODoubter]

Evidence?

[@krqkan]

MMODoubter "Porkins found the transition from T-16 to BTL Y-wing and T-65 X-wing starfighter pilot easy." starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Jek_Tono_Porkins

[@MMODoubter]

krqkan That's not canon. I don't care about fan fiction.

[@krqkan]

MMODoubter not fan fiction. Probably from some book, licensed by LucasArt.

[@69mrsteveo]

Kit bashing. Have a look at the Borg Cube from Star Trek.

[@NathanWubs]

I did not mind the guy asking so many questions. Only thing I did mind which adam lucky did correct. Is him just insulting the whole matrix trilogy while talking about a wonderful model gun of it.

[@stevenb7319]

Adam! Thanks for all your hard work and sharing it with everyone. I had a Y wing from Micro Machines and it was probably my absolute favorite Micro Machine that I had. I spent hours appreciating all the details in between and on the engines. I collected what seemed like about 100 different Micro Machines and that one was still my favorite.

[@OptimusSkiver]

I played with that Y wing toy. That was probably my favorite star wars toy line, because you had all the doors open, you had droids that popped out, the pilots could move their arms and legs (in synchronous), and the detail work was immaculate. The only things that were that cool were the full sized ships from kenner and the xray versions of the mini ships, where you can see the internals. I recognized it immediately from the scale. That was a pretty cool ship to play with.

[@grantmillard8387]

Great to hear Adam's stories and descriptions of his techniques. Why is the other guy in the video?

[@simonRTJ]

i love this little show, so suited to youtube, entertaining and dare i say it educating, i often wonder how much adam would like my Ep 1 props and dark crystal props. i was in the fx field (still am) since '95. would work for adam any day of the week. good job guys. keep making the vids

[@kencoleman5007]

I loved the Micro Machines Star Wars sets. There's a VHS somewhere where my brother and I did some crude live action narrative with Micro Machines on the kitchen floor, but which of us here hasn't done something similar?

[@sclogse1]

It would be nice to be able to easily find the latest videos from the cave.

[@nomakym]

So now we know Adam Savage is a model citizen.

[@lewiswilliams1203]

Stop all this PUN-ishment

[@xXSythenXx]

stephen-du-fake-name lionheart BAH-PUN-TISH *walks away*

[@Doodlebugdude]

Very informative indeed. I've also noticed that in some films as mentioned in this video that some of the cgi involving puppetry movement of actors looked totally unconvincing in certain films such as Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter films, but here are people actually in the film business confirming what I saw with my own eyes.

[@PainfulSin2811170]

there are variants of the Y wing where there is no Ion cannon on the top section, some variants of the BTL-A4 and S3 dont have ion cannon turrets near the cockpit.

[@kevinkatz7027]

Right on - years ago I had asked Adam (through his website) to show some of his work from the Matrix - got to see it today, awesome...

[@SuperMEntertainment]

I think I had one of those Y wings when I was younger, don't know what happened to it but I remember that you could deploy the landing gear and the nacelle on the right came out slightly.

[@halthegreat]

amazing amazing amazing model and prototype work! And the shop..... OG GOD THE SHOP! Thanks for making this series!

[@RegurgitatedNews]

George Lucas in a nutshell: "Well, this reminds me of something cool and innovative that we did back in the day, which everyone loved. We better toss it out and replace it with CGI." "It's poetry."

[@Bakamatsu-GojiFanArchive]

guhh George ruined star wars

[@EthansTv]

Bakamatsu george hasnt had anything to do with starwars for a while

[@dasschadenfreude7333]

We can all agree that George's boner for retconning made Star Wars less than what it could have been. Although Disney has definitely challenged that position with its deletion of EU canon.

[@Captain_MonsterFart]

That was the fad at the time. Everyone was computer-nuts (now they are smart phone nuts). I'm extremely stoked to see the appreciation for practical FX coming back in style.

[@SomeHarbourBastard]

Objectively not true.

[@steelbluesleepR]

If I wasn't out building my skills by building stuff and filming, I could watch Adam all day

[@Joe___R]

I would assume that there is people making model parts specifically for kit bashing? I think Adam could design some great kit bashing kits so model makers would be using his parts for decades to come.

[@eligebrown8998]

I had no idea about the movies and stuff. Love these videos. Thanks Adam

[@WarbirdKid1940]

Wait... Adam designed the Galoob Action Fleet toy line?!?!!? I still have these in my attic! Easily one of my favorite childhood toys. I always knew those rear nacelles were too short! (Box size)

[@JMChladek]

I would be curious as to which Galoob ships other than the Y-Wing Adam did prototypes for as I still have a few of those. Those "Action Fleet" toys were rather nicely done. Granted they had to get bulked out a little in spots to accomodate the mini figures when they got to the toy stage, but they still looked pretty dang cool (although I wish Adam's original Y-wing head shape could have been maintained better through the design process).

[@RicardoJunqueira]

Was there someone taking pictures with the shutter bleep sound turned on behind the cameras?!

[@Sameji]

Y-wings weren't obsolete though, they were great for bombing star destroyers and were armed with ion cannons. I think the only other fighter that came close to fulfilling the same role (minus the bombs but greater torpedo capacity) was the B-wing. Unless they meant in the greater picture of the ships in use at the time... then sure.

[@sunlightsafari9198]

man, they're not even real...

[@Sameji]

stay mad

[@gustavurmi7894]

😆😱😡

[@richarddufault]

Sameji They were the Star Wars equivalent of the WW2 Hurricanes to the X-Wings/Spitfires.

[@bcrich792000]

Watching Episode IV right now. When i saw Porkins in an X-wing for some reason this episode of Tested popped in my head. "Wait, they said he was in a Y-wing." According to Canon back story for Porkins... he did fly a Y-wing at some point, but never within any of the films.

[@markmalasics8413]

Wow, these two guys must have set a new world's record for talking with their hands.

[@RodgMahal]

Excellent as always Adam and Will. Always very informative and interesting. keep it up!

[@loyseugene]

I hope Adam sees this question because I'd like to know if he has any knowledge about the design of the J-type 327 Nubian royal starship. When I saw the movie for the first time I immediately thought SR-71 but more like a chrome hood ornament from the 1950's version if that makes sense. It's a beautiful craft. Did Adam work on it?

[@Skorponok1977]

Also it was a T-16 Skyhopper not a T-11

[@rumblebellymooseknuckle6300]

I believe it was a t-16 skyhopper used in the original trilogy, as it had a similar cockpit layout to the z-95 and the x wing

[@Herman20649]

great job, Adam!!. practical special effects always looks better that CGI visual effects. i watching every single MITHBUSTERS episodes!!. greetings from Paraguay, South America!!.

[@vidskitkid]

So lovely (and inspiring) to watch the Master ruminate!

[@pratofundo]

I had a TIE ship from SW when I was little, I don't remember the model. Anyway… About model/casting, you could make a video with Harrison Krix! Yes, I know… I read the interview, but video! :D I though you couldn't keep the "model/cast", I don't know why I thought that. No, I don't work it. Or speak about the process. Then, the awkward moment arrives… ooops! Hahahahah

[@RunForestRuuuun]

I would have loved to see a cut from the movie where that boat crached into those doors! Anyway's, I love this, keep it up, I've been watching these for hours! Adam should make those ''Most interresting Man in the world'' adds ahah

[@jumpinjimflash]

Hey! I built up some of the CG version of the Mjölnir... err Hammer. And the Neb. And Novalis; Vishnu; Icharus; Novalis; Vigilant etc... They were built in Softimage initially but all ended up in Maya at some point. BTW, we were on set together the day the Dock Doors blew up. I was coming over from the CG dept to take some measurements. Good times!

[@cecilofchristmaspast4186]

Oh my god, I had the Galoob Y-Wing. I loved the ship itself and the toy was one of my favorites, I played with it the most and I wish I had it today solely to know I had something related to Adam.

[@Nico42ke]

Great video guys, but it would be really cool to see some of the things that Adam talks about... the UG, that Blade Runner scene, etc. Saludos

[@jiidee]

Holy crap Adam made the Action Fleet Y-Wing?! I loved that toy!

[@gilberteaz]

Adam can you give us links to "universal ghibli" and "German Flakvierling" model kit! That you talked about in the video? I was looking for model kits a few months ago for interesting pieces to add to a futuristic ray gun.

[@CurtisAlfeld]

Watching these videos makes me really want to start making these practical effects, and try and make a career out of it.

[@latdave85]

Thank you Adam when I was little I loved my y-wing with my little r2.

[@chadj.w.anderson5473]

Thank you for sharing all these cool experiences!

[@theherrdark4834]

Silent Running, a very underappreciated movie and the influence it had on moviemaking onward.

[@misstoscabi5520]

Talk about the grey color on them? Is that a standardized thing? Maybe a specific material?

[@CanyonWanderer]

Great episode. There was this series 'space 1999' in my youth, I still remember the "eagle transporter", I guess it was called, dangling on it's fishing wire suspension. I actually build that model from a kit that came out back then. When it comes to 'kit bashing' I remember those jet fighter kits with optional fuel tanks or rockets etc. that left you with some 'leftovers'. I used these as well to 'pimp' some other models :-)

[@DanielS2001]

I would love for the old-school model effects to come back into full swing again. Seriously, there's no school like old-school. :)

[@AshfordAH1Z]

I want a picture of the UG on the full size set. Wonder what it was

[@ShotgunAU]

Will needs to stop bashing on the Matrix, I'd rather watch the trilogy over and over again for eternity than listen to his opinions.

[@JohannesParra]

This.

[@user-ce2br4wn7f]

I rather not see your opinions either but here we are.

[@parrot0051]

The first kit bashing was for a sci fi TV series in the 1950's called Captain Video where the spaceship Galaxy 2 was built for filming take offs and landing by a 16 mm movie camera and being inserted into the show. The models used were two 1:48 scale Lockheed F-90 jet planes plastic styrene models unfortunately all of these movies are long gone stolen or destroyed but still shots can be found on the internet.

[@TorakActual]

Regarding the comment about the Independence Day White House effect: That explosion was filmed with a traditionally-oriented model (www.wired.com/magazine/wp-content/images/19-08/pl_miniatures_f.jpg). The effect that involved tilting the model was the fireball blasting out along the street (thewolfmancometh.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/independence-day-empire-state-building-explosion.jpg). OK, nitpicking a tiny throwaway comment, but are we geeks or aren't we? ;-)

[@QuantumLevelFilms]

What is the material used for the cockpit of the Y-Wing? I can't understand Adam

[@ingenierocristian]

You certainly have to teach us how to did those models!

[@Graehaus]

isn't the Skyhopper T-16? Still love the models.

[@UltimaCorvus]

It is, Luke played with a T-16 model too. Lego released that model two times.

[@MordeaniisChaos]

This is so damn cool. Man, I hope this art never dies out. I honestly believe that it is only because of the techniques they used to create all of those models that they looked so damn great. This is coming from someone who wants to get into 3D, both rendered and real time, but I think CG gives too much freedom, and makes for poor designs a lot of the time. CG is great for adding details, but starting from these models and putting them into Maya or what have you would be so much better.

[@qoaa]

that's pretty cool way of wrapping it up :P thanks for the info, think ill rewatch the movies anyhow, havent seen them in a long time

[@PHtoUSAwithlove]

Hey guys - check out the new book The Maker's Field Guide (on Amazon or the book's website) that was just released. It's extremely comprehensive, and covers many special effects , model making, and practical design techniques like the ones used here!

[@Wizardofgosz]

I thought it was a T-16, not a T-11.

[@fictionmyth]

"Some people still really like practical effects...Peter Jackson" Well that might have been true, once...

[@Solarstar10]

Christopher Nolan is the master of practical effects. Go watch Interstellar. When you see the ships such as the endurance, the ranger and the lander, the majority of the time they built large scale models for the ships. Even some full scale ships were built for the ranger and the lander. Nolan's use of practical effects is fantastic.

[@paydenduersch8566]

Solarstar10 although, that movie was crap.

[@Solarstar10]

+payden duersch I'd strongly but respectfully disagree.

[@paydenduersch5922]

+Solarstar10 here is how I would sum up interstellar. first hour: boring af. second hour:intense af, I thoroughly enjoyed the second hour. ending: stupid. the ending just made the movie weird, and stupid. overall I would give the movie 2 stars.

[@Solarstar10]

+Payden Duersch Well I'd disagree that the first hour was boring. But I agree the second hour is brilliant. As for the ending, yes it is different and a bit weird. But I personally loved it. Other things I loved were the practical effects which I loved. They were used so effectively, that the shots in space actually looked real. The visual effects are also flawless and just beautiful. The score by Hans Zimmer is also wonderful and majestic, and definitely one of my favourite film scores of all time. But of course to each their own. Film is very subjective and not everyone loves and hates the same films. Just enjoy the films you want to enjoy.

[@Ryten182]

Lol the Flackenflinger. I used that for my Warhammer 40k Hydras. I agree! It's an excellent model!

[@mikeupton5406]

It's a really cool that Adam made prototypes for Galoobs Micro Machines.

[@adamchannel2024]

My dad still does this. Such a cool job.

[@PinkThorn242]

4:43 ...I think I still have that Y-Wing toy somewhere.

[@biggles258]

@12:20 "Oh, God". It did look a little nose-up after the rod was reinserted. I hope nothing was broken.

[@crazy0000]

What are the moving red lights on the back wall?

[@drchunkybiscuit9973]

Fascinating!!! Really enjoyed that.

[@shidoin5398]

Adam savage! What material did you use to make the moulds? Fiberglass, epoxy ultracal, silicone???🤔

[@allluckyseven]

Could you guys talk more about the big tools that Adam has in his shop? Does he have a vacuforming machine there? And I'd really like to see him building some stuff... So please, whenever he's about to start a prop replica, put a camera in there!

[@poisondart]

Would it be possible to get a picture reference of the "Universal Greebly" ?

[@BernardManansala]

Adam channels Lucas at 9:50 Bahahaha!!!

[@GhostRider86]

cool i had that micro machines Y-Wing...still do come to think of it

[@evanalbert2896]

Loved this episode!!! Keep it up Tested!!

[@rebecamugwort862]

Can we get an episode on the unwritten rules of model-making?

[@codelicious6590]

I'm I remember using my mom's "LEGGS" eggs as a kid to make all sorts of stuff! I had forgotten all about them until Adam mentioned them!

[@steelbluesleepR]

Star Wars and prop/model making. LOVE!

[@upaulnight]

i swear someone is taking pictures with a DSLR the whole time this is being filmed. i can hear the familiar beeping

[@vidskitkid]

Absolutely fascinating.......I love building stuff and this interview with one of best makers was delicious. Great job Adam and Will, thank you!

[@TheHonkyface]

correct me if I am wrong but wasn't lukes "hot rod" a t-16 skyhopper? not a t-11

[@abomb1423]

mario pacelli I was thinking the same thing the whole time...

[@TheHonkyface]

It is further perplexing a uber nerd like Mr. Savage that has worked on Star Wars would make a flub like that lol.

[@headrockbeats]

Fat Porkins wasn't in a Y-Wing... Makes you think how much more quickly he would've died if he _was_ in one.

[@Aolian]

+Headrock TYL that Y-Wings in the original trilogy were as fast and maneuverable as X-Wings

[@headrockbeats]

Aolian I don't know what TYL means, but the rest of you sentence contradicts everything I've ever seen, read, and heard about X-Wings vs. Y-Wings, so I the burden of proof is on you.

[@Aolian]

Google "ILM speed reference chart". In the original trilogy Y-Wings were fighters and were retconned into bombers in the shitty EU novels and games like Rogue Squadron and Battlefront which did it for game balance reasons. Now there are about four different versions of what Y-Wings are supposed to be and it changes with every publisher. Some systems describe them as multirole fighters, others as assault fighters, others as fighter bombers etc etc

[@Aolian]

People seem to be settling on the Clone Wars BTL-B being a "bomber", the single-seat A4 from the original trilogy being the space superiority version that is shown killing TIEs and being as fast as the X-Wing and the two-seat S3 from the expanded universe being the slower assault fighter shown in the games and novels.

[@Daehawk]

+Headrock Lol...Porkins finds out he is flying a Y-Wing this time...he falls dead while in the hanger a Y-Wing explodes.