Overview

This standard is about creating miniature effects.

It will require an understanding of camera equipment, including lenses, formats and mounts, and close liaison with the Director of Photography to understand how miniatures will be filmed.

It will also require you to understand construction, digital manipulation and visual effects.

It assumes you have an understanding of pyrotechnics and are able to work closely with members of the pyrotechnics team to deliver the effect safely and efficiently. 

It will require you to liaise with the appropriate manufacturers and in some instances use Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) or 3D printers to produce required models.

This standard is for those who create miniature special effects.

Performance Criteria

You must be able to:

  1. create miniature effects that meet the brief, budget and production requirements
  2. consult with appropriate heads of department to confirm completed miniature effects meet requirements
  3. liaise with relevant production personnel and enforcing authorities to ensure effects are safe and legally compliant
  4. provide documentation detailing how miniature effects will be designed and achieved
  5. confirm that miniatures are manufactured and scaled to meet production requirements
  6. ensure that any necessary documentation is created and kept in accordance with regulations
  7. source materials required for the miniatures being produced
  8. maintain the health and safety of cast and crew
  9. collaborate with pyrotechnic technicians to create pyrotechnic effects that meet production and safety requirements
  10. liaise with CAD, CAM or 3D printing technicians to produce any required models in line with production requirements
  11. document all aspects of risk assessment and management
  12. provide alternative solutions within budget and schedule if effects cannot be produced to original designs or budget


Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. script breakdown, budget, and production requirements for the miniature effects
  2. health and safety legislation and industry standards for creating miniature effects
  3. how to conduct and record a risk assessment
  4. film speeds, frame formats and ratios
  5. the differences between cameras and their advantages and disadvantages
  6. how to use cameras and their auxiliary equipment
  7. lens angles and the basic principles associated with these
  8. camera mounts and how they differ
  9. the importance of scale and perspective and how these are used to achieve different effects
  10. how to read computer generated images, digital manipulation and technical drawings
  11. suitable materials and how to source them, for use on miniature effects
  12. how digital prop models can be created and output to the manufacturing process, whether in-house or external
  13. pyrotechnics, water and fire and how they are scaled for use in miniatures
  14. what can be achieved by post production and visual effects for the effect