I'm looking for a spaceship designer.

Aspiring Mogul · Mar 11, 2012

I have no artistic sense, so I would like to know if there are any professional designers who can help me create a handful of space ships. They will be workhorses like the Galactica, not elegant like the Enterprise. And, while I'm at it, I would also like to know if there's someone who can work with clay or whatever to create an asteroid, which will have a built-in space station.

Can anyone help me? I can pay something, but not a whole lot, because I'm just an aspiring mogul, not a real one.

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC · Mar 12, 2012

You are charged per square foot per month when you rent space. Like a PO Box, the larger the size the greater the cost.

Dreadylocks · Mar 12, 2012

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC · Mar 12, 2012

As I originally recommmended, look for an industrial designer student to both draw the plans and build the model for you.

I keep some props in storage. I have to pay the bill every month. All of that money adds up to something you can spend somewhere else too.

When I designed model buildings, I built the models for class too. Taking them to school with all of the plans using public transportation in those days was a chore. At first, I was able to store the models in my father's garage. But, the more I built for class, the less storage space became available. I had to end up throwing the models in the garbage after a while.

The smaller the better if you want to keep it.

GuerrillaAngel · Mar 12, 2012

able to enter the thick atmospheres of Jupiter and Venus

I like filmmakers who try to keep the physics right!

For this, you're looking at something like the space shuttle but with a shorter wingspan (and thicker tiles!).

The other option is a craft with a LOT of reverse braking to slow it down enough so that parachutes can gently bring it down through most of the atmosphere without looking like a big ball of fire.

Aspiring Mogul · Mar 12, 2012

I'm talking to a concept artist now - thanks for the suggestion, Modern Myth.

That artist lives near me, so I'll probably be hiring him. But I now have two concerns:

1) To show on TV or Youtube, how big should the models be? I don't think they have to be a quarter scale, because I've seen good ones that are just a few feet long.

2) I was at the hardware and plumbing store yesterday, and I saw a lot of components that can be used to make good spacecraft. In fact, some valves look exactly like the thrusters on advanced jet fighters, including one I have in mind for my magnum opus. I would like to know if the audience would consider that cheesy - I ask because I simply don't know, though I would say the components do look really, really good.

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC · Mar 12, 2012

It's all skills.

1. The designer / model builder
2. DP - lighting and camera work.
3. Greenscreen techniques
4. Postproduction treatment with cgi and effects.

It's not 100% the model.

Question, why again does it have to be a few feet long?

How close does the camera have to get to it?

It's like an explosion. It can be done live as a on screen special effect and touched up in post with stock footage and CGI. The best fire you see in movies and TV is part actual live footage and part CGI.

Cracker Funk · Mar 13, 2012

Be wary of the blind leading the blind. I think much of the advice you've received in this thread is suspect.

You're basically in uncharted territory (because the maps are lost). Miniatures haven't been a thing for more than a couple decades. I think it'd be a lot of fun to see you bring them back, but you're not going to find any youtube tutorials. Just make it happen, using the best of your wits. My instincts tell me bigger-is-better.

Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC · Mar 13, 2012

I used to be a big collector of white metal sculpture miniatures. I've seen 4 inch sculptures carved with more exact detail of the Starship Enterprise or a good dragon sculpture that a model that is 18" to 24" because of the skills of the craftsman.

Aspiring Mogul · Mar 13, 2012

Cracker Funk said:
Be wary of the blind leading the blind. I think much of the advice you've received in this thread is suspect.

You're basically in uncharted territory (because the maps are lost). Miniatures haven't been a thing for more than a couple decades. I think it'd be a lot of fun to see you bring them back, but you're not going to find any youtube tutorials. Just make it happen, using the best of your wits. My instincts tell me bigger-is-better.

I've been thinking that, but there are still many shops who apparently do miniatures, though they seem to focus more on landscapes than spaceships.