Hollywood Boulevard (US movie icons)

skywalkersaga wrote:Wowww, I love it, incredible set up, mood, and atmosphere. Also the poses are just excellent. The lighting effect from the fireplace is just so well done. Impressive all around.

Thank you Sky! Gotta say those lumecubes were a good investment, I recently bought some tripods to have them stand on their own, but thanks to their size you can really place them in the middle of your diorama without creating too much chaos (though they heat real fast if you put them on high intensity)

BTW got some dm, backdrops related my friend!

BAMComix wrote:So cool! I always enjoy seeing your work Blackpool!

Thanks a lot BAM! Still far from your amzingly detailed rooms, but I'm growing a solid collection of furniture and accessories lately, much more than figures I confess... I just received a lot of 1/6 wooden furniture, gotta paint and varnish but it's gonna be a game changer!

actionfiguremovies2 wrote:So cool Blackpool. Beautiful work. Can you show a picture of just how big that set is in all its Glory?

Thanks a lot AFM! It's not as large as it should to replicate the full living room of the mansion, but it was nearly 120cm long and 60cm deep.

There you go in normal daylight (with the diorama lights on the floor)

davidd wrote:  Impressive level of realism! It's the textures in the furnishings and details that bring the scene to another level of believability!

I'd love to understand the thought process and planning that goes in to doing something like this. It's "'Nother Level" stuff that I only dream of being able to do.

Thanks a lot David! Most of the time it starts with a scene I love in a movie, I work on photoshop to create some textures I will print and apply on simple cardboard models, I sometimes add paint or wood details, build some furniture and try to get some in miniature shops (living in the chinatown district of Paris helps a lot)
Sadly I can't keep my dioramas forever, I got a very small apartment, so I try to make all wall panels separately to storage them easily and re-use them... I start to have a decent collections of those big cardboard panels with wall decors printed on them, a few details real made stuck on them, it allows to create a little set up very quickly.

Ephiane wrote:Fantastic as ever. Thanks for the first class entertainment.
What a mean little Handpuppet.
Oh, Marty. Hoverboards are not for to relax the feet on it. Save the batteries for a flight.
Help me please with Doc´s Idols. Sir Isaac Newton....Edison...Benjamin Franklin.. is the third one Einstein ?

Thanks Eph! Always appreciate your support and enthusiasm! (yup you got them four horsemen of science lol)

Stryker2011 wrote:What a fantastic set and photos. The PS work blends really well. I never would have guessed you didn’t have the hoverboard. Great fireplace effect. Really neat photos. That diorama is incredible.

Thanks Mark! The hoverboard was an easy build, I will update the "A4 goodies" thread with the template!

GubernatorFan wrote:

blackpool wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:Is that a stand-in headsculpt for Damon Wayans? You give me too much credit about being able to identify headsculpts -- half the time I'm thinking "this looks familiar, but what on earth is it?"

For once you didn't find it, I'm surprised! It's an old will smith headsculpt from "I am legend" I believe... 

Well, I could tell it wasn't Damon Wayans (hence, "stand-in headsculpt"), but I don't remember if I thought of it as Will Smith at the time; now that you mentioned it, it is clearly him. But it does work reasonably well for Damon Wayans and very well in your scene.

blackpool wrote:Forgot to post my most recent diorama... Doc Emmett Brown's living room as in the beginning of the third movie! It's all real, the only photoshop tricks were to close their eyes, erase the little stand I used to make the hoverboard levitate, and erase a bit of the light cube I had placed in the fireplace.

BTW I built the hoverboard with cardboard, sticking a print for the top and bottom, and painting the section with acrylics, if anyone wants the template, just ask

Hope you'll like!

I like it. In fact, I love it. Looks and feels great, and knowing so much of it is all real, makes it even better. The lighting works perfectly. Impressive work on the hoverboard too!

Thanks a lot Ian! (sorry the multiquote failed me lol)
I gotta confess it's more of an achievement feeling when assembling a real diorama where you'll be able to move and pose your figures in various stances and interactions... The magic from photoshop is a time consuming work that only affects one shot, so it's even more work to have a serie of shots with persistent effects and atmosphere...

You are too kind Blackpool. That room set you built looks amazing! gotta love flat pack! You do of course have the one advantage over me, the witchcraft art of photoshop . Keep up the amazing work. In fact you have inspired me to put my Lara back together, but with my own spin, pics soon

Your diorama and pictures look incredible!
By chance I watched a rerun of Back to the future III on German television the other day and now instantly recognized the opening scene. Perfect work!

That 'set' looks out of this world!

Always love seeing the “behind the scenes” shots, so we can see how these awesome sets are put together.

Great shots my favorites are John Wick and Django and these two from back to the future they are really good, its nice to see figures relaxing.

actionfiguremovies2 wrote:So cool Blackpool. Beautiful work. Can you show a picture of just how big that set is in all its Glory?

Thanks a lot AFM! It's not as large as it should to replicate the full living room of the mansion, but it was nearly 120cm long and 60cm deep.

There you go in normal daylight (with the diorama lights on the floor)







Thanks for post my request. So nicely done and perfect. Thanks again. Love your work buddy.

I love your diorama, Alex, even when the edges are showing and the magic of low light photography is removed. Again, most impressive.

Thanks a lot friends!

my best diorama so far... Nature lol

blackpool wrote:

my best diorama so far... Nature lol

Oh, hi god


Pretty pic again, very real characters and the landscapes fits perfectly into this. It being a great movie also helps to make impressive scenes here

Ah... you get credit for being able to find an appropriate spot and setting up and shooting such perfect photos. But for all your godlike talent, Alex, you cannot take credit for nature.
Epic photography and striking realism!

Stunning!

Tom looks great!

I love the hands without seams. It really makes a big difference for the perceived realism of a scene.
Perfect photography and posing (as usual)!

Awesome figures, posing and location photography, Alex. Very cool!

Just beautiful, they seem like staring into each other eyes (<3) and those seamless wrist arms are just made to depict Samurai (well they literally are). Actually those arms are the stars of this shoot, so detailed! That subtle reddish tint rounds it up perfectly.

Gorgeous setting, gorgeous lighting, and gorgeous figures with gorgeous arms!

Valiarde wrote:
Oh, hi god
Pretty pic again, very real characters and the landscapes fits perfectly into this. It being a great movie also helps to make impressive scenes here

GubernatorFan wrote:Ah... you get credit for being able to find an appropriate spot and setting up and shooting such perfect photos. But for all your godlike talent, Alex, you cannot take credit for nature.
Epic photography and striking realism!

Well that' my best and favorite because my lazy hands didn't have to do anything on this one, in that location even the plants were naturally scaled for 1/6 lol
My only work was walk a long way, sit, and wait a few hours for the sun to turn (might have been the worst part, I got covered with mosquito/spider/fly bites)

BAMComix wrote:Stunning!

Thanks bud, those quite cheap poptoys figures are very very well done

ukshaun wrote:Tom looks great!

Thanks! Tom ages well even in plastic

Randam Hajile wrote:I love the hands without seams. It really makes a big difference for the perceived realism of a scene.
Perfect photography and posing (as usual)!

At that time they didn't provide extra ones with different hand gestures but yeah they are the biggest quality of these figures (though the body is sturdy and poses well, the outfit yet simple is perfectly tailored, sandals are nicely crafted, and headscultpures carry a good likeness)

Stryker2011 wrote:Awesome figures, posing and location photography, Alex. Very cool!

Thanks a lot Mark! Thinking about bringing some other figures there this summer, just not sure who

Ovy wrote:Just beautiful, they seem like staring into each other eyes (<3) and those seamless wrist arms are just made to depict Samurai (well they literally are). Actually those arms are the stars of this shoot, so detailed! That subtle reddish tint rounds it up perfectly.

Honestly I was super happily suprised when I unboxed these guys. They come very short on accessories, but the rest is very well executed, what we should always get lol

skywalkersaga wrote:Gorgeous setting, gorgeous lighting, and gorgeous figures with gorgeous arms!

Thank you Sky!
(adding the cushions on your background today btw )

At least the sun could have cooperated and been at the right spot to begin with! Sounds like you, and your hands and feet did a lot of work to get this right, and suffered for your art. But the results are still glorious. Was it worth it, is up to you.

blackpool wrote:
My only work was walk a long way, sit, and wait a few hours for the sun to turn (might have been the worst part, I got covered with mosquito/spider/fly bites)

Ah, a true artist....suffering for your craft.

blackpool wrote:
Thank you Sky!
(adding the cushions on your background today btw   )

Oooh, yay!  

update!

"Oh, look, it's 'Titanic' -- I love this movie!"

Love the pizza & beer set-up on the table! Impressively realistic setting! The curtains are nice!

very cool Alex! they look so natural sat there!

You did capture that meme perfectly imo!

What a beautiful setup with all the details and the leo position is just so good. I think that you lighted up the scene a bit brighter than the original is a good move.

I had to smile immedeately when I saw that one.

Haven’t seen the movie, but I can appreciate the set that you mad and of course the awesome photos. Nice work, Alex.

Ahh, fantastic! The diorama is convincing as a 'real' 1:1 room!

As soon as i looked at the first image i knew what i was looking at - Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Great work! ..such good posing skills.
I always hoped Hot Toys might have picked this license up, or another company.

I did consider working on a (Margot Robbie) Sharon Tate figure, based on the scene when see exits the cinema. The flat footed white Go-Go boots do not appear to exist.