Scratchbuilt backyard flyer of my own design.It has elements of both the Wrights and Glen Curtiss in it.I built it using just the knowledge that they had back in the day.Most of these backyard flyers never flew as far as I know.

I want to try something different with this diorama by adding some audio/visual stuff myself.This time the storyline will be presented in a little different way.Instead of step by step pictures accompanied by an audio text as planned by the museum ,this time I plan to do my own .
Just a few short years ago this option was not available to me but with all the miniaturization of electronics today and the relatively cheap price I think that it could quite easily be done.
These two saloon boxes will be used to house the electronics and diorama lighting equipment.Facing outwards I plan to install either slides or scenes from the movie itself with good quality miniature speakers,if I can get permission to do so from the copyright holders otherwise I will have to come up with a plan 'B'.It will be a donation to a museum for educational purposes or for my own private use so maybe I will get lucky.
Plan 'B' will probably be to contact a few individuals that I see on You Tube and get their permission to use their videos and music.
Sounds like fun,something different for a change.

I have decided to make the saloon end of the diorama a kind of closed set,mostly by adding another building and a couple solid wood backdrops.

It is important at this stage, when the perimeter is mostly set up, to determine what can and what cannot be seen by the viewer or a camera.I check all the possible sight lines and determine what I will spend my time on finishing,no sense working on stuff that won't be seen.
The only car that I finished completely inside and out is the one that is converted into a station.I finished it mostly for picture taking and future storyboarding purposes.

Yes Jim ,I am interested.Did your get my PM ?

I am planning to add to the storyline a bit by adding a bit more history to the diorama.This once was an active movie set that was converted into a theme park that has since failed and has been abandoned.This will allow me more freedom for weathering the piece in my own style.For scale I may dress up one of the figures as a mannequin that has also fallen into disrepair.I am also thinking about doing a small scale model within this model for the props yard.

REALLY COOL!i like to use plaster for my structures but use your approach as well .great job! my personal philosophy on modeling is" scratch build it first then seek after market if necessary"it's what modeling is all about to me.
I would mention that i understand not all have the same view. for various reasons. and our hobby is all about having fun.
happy modeling !
Chris.

Hi Chris ! mine is "buy if you can,scratch if necessary" but at 1/16th scale that was not always possible. Cheers John.

Now where the hell do I start ?

I am planning 3 different modules for this piece.The G scale part will be finished in detail and weathered like an old abandoned movie set or ghost town.The HO scale part will be a removable module of an old west town and modeled to look like a model,in other words not as detailed or lifelike.The N scale part will be an add on module, fastened to one side of the perimeter, but I haven't yet decided which one.It will be an operating ,shelf type, old west train layout made to look like a G scale train(in real life) with G scale figures wandering through it.There will also be a old west movie poster area and a G scale area for a couple of fake horses.The horses will be hollowed out to look like paper mache ones with a sign nearby saying "Don't feed the horses",fake horses were often used as props in old west movies.

This piece has now evolved into a theme park idea (circa 1960's) It is a fantasy piece using lots of artistic license.( but isn't that what movies and models are all about,a suspension of your own disbelief ?) The core story is still about the Italian director Sergio Leone and his love of the western genre and it is dedicated to his memory.

Once Upon a time.........

My photobucket:

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/

I am a man of few words but lots of pics



I quit drinking beer because the download was taking longer than the upload !

Awsome idea and great work to follow here! I appreciate your attention to detail and it's originality. Very interesting subject.
Dave

Hi everybody ! Great day today as my wife will soon be home after her second knee replacement surgery .Everything went well. I will be re-focusing my energy for awhile now to help to nurse her back to health.I am planning to spend the time I have now concentrating on storyboarding and a little research.
The "Once upon a time.... diorama is going well but I have changed my mind again and am going back to the original concept of a movie set.I think that it is better to tell one story well than get things too confusing for the viewer.I know that it seems that I can't make up my mind, and your right about that, but that is the fun of doing this in real time rather than presenting a competed piece and then pretending that I knew where I was going all the time.
Cheers ! John.

Some scratch movie set lights.

Thanks Dave !

Well it is now back to the saloon.Only the front facade will be finished while the rear will accommodate the actors dressing rooms.

Movie set 2.I have expanded the props yard to include a car/wagon idea that actually existed on the Leone movie set.For some shots of the wagon scene thru Monument Valley,A car was used for filming where you would normally expect a horse.

I have joined the Clint Eastwood site and will be putting up the same pics over there too.
I have found a great website that de-constructes the opening scene of the movie.I will take some pics off the screen and compare the actual movie set scene with mine in 1/24 scale.Should be fun !

Starting the water tower.

Great build

Yesterday was a great day as I finally figured out the storyline for the "Once Upon A time.....storyboard diorama.Basically it is back to the theme park idea.I only want one figure in the piece for both storyline and scale purposes.The figure will be opening or closing the gated theme park with lock and key.This eliminates the need for any other figures and makes an empty theme park believable.I was worried about doing justice to the figures and making them look real, especially for Jill 's arrival scene.Instead of figures I will use posters of each actors important scenes that I like.Each scene(Vignette) will tell its own story,a kind of story within the story idea.I will create two more modules,one for Jill's arrival and the other for the security guard or park manager.(this scene will also contain a car ,truck or motorcycle etc... .These two modules I will try to place in such a way as to take away the look of too much squareness in the overall storyboard diorama.There will of course be more changes as I go along but this idea really appeals to me and I hope to the viewer as well.Cheers ! John.