Sergio Leone Movie Set Diorama (1 Viewer)

[JohnReid]

In the first of the 2 pics above, the first one gives you an idea of the closest I come with this piece to a front or primary viewing angle.The second pic of the locomotives side will actually will actually be a fake locomotive built for the sound stage.I plan to built only half of the locomotive with the half facing outwards showing the built up structure with all the wooden braces and scaffolding etc...Where you see the piece of tape will be approximately where the empty directors chair will be placed.
The boxcar will actually be the luxury coach belonging to the robber baron Morton, where a lot of the action takes place.On the outside of this car I plan to put a screen about half the cars length long with a phony backdrop of monument valley.
The caboose will actually be where the opening scene takes place and will consist of a passenger car cut in two with a shack built on one end.I also plan cutaways facing outwards, of the insides of the passenger cars.From the inside view everything will look normal as in a real sound stage.
There will be no tender as I want to maintain a good view of the cab with all that interesting stuff in there.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

The tender is back in ! Like I said this is still an evolving piece.
I figure that it will fit nicely within the 3 foot circle and I can expose the locomotives cab by simply leaving the outside sidewall off.
Remember that this piece is a model of a sound stage with everything on the perimeter showing a behind the scenes look at these models as representations of props used in the making of a film.From the inside where the directors chair is everything appears normal and ready for the actors to walk on stage.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

This is the instruction booklet from the 30 year old used kit that I will be building in G or 1/24 scale (officially 1/25).I will be using only one side of the model and improvising the rest to look like a movie set sound stage prop.The previous owner had it hanging around and offered it to me for the postage plus a small handling free.An offer I couldn't refuse! It looks like an early version of this kit ,so the detail is strong.As far as I know all the parts are there but I don't mind scratch building if I have to.At least it is a good starting point.The G scale passenger cars I should have by the end of the week ,they to are kits by Bachmann.I plan to do a lot of modifying on the cars and finish them inside and out.Like the locomotive they also will be props,with one side open to viewing.Here is where access to doll house parts and pieces will come in real handy for furniture and a Victorian type setting.I will be taking lots of pics from my DVD of the movie for reference,it can't get any better than that.
The 3 foot circular design is a nice size to work with and my wife is very happy to hear that once the four aircraft museum pieces are gone she can have a lot of our house back again.This old back of mine will also be relived to know that it is the end of the really big ones !

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

For the HO scale mock-up I like this arrangement the best so far,the white circle represents 3 feet in G scale.The plywood circle is the max base width which would bring the whole thing to over 4 ft in diameter,somewhere between these two circles will be the finished product including base.What looks OK in HO scale may not look so good in G,so I will put off the final decision for now.The loco will go on curved track and the other two on straight track.The final placement of the last element, the empty directors chair ,I will decided upon later.
The nice thing about this arrangement is as the diorama slowly turns you will constantly see a prop, as well as a finished image ,constantly changing.
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"Once upon a time......." Storyboard dioramas by JohnReid.
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[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

This is the locomotives cab.Lots of good detail to work with here. Although I don't recall any film scenes involving the cab I will build it anyway for interest sake. A lot of what you see here will be replaced with wood and brass fittings.What these models provide for me is a good starting point and reference .The model manufacturer went to a lot of trouble to research all this stuff so it saves me a lot of time.Any inaccuracies I chalk up to artistic license and let it go at that.In my world all things are possible !

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

This is the Bachmann 1/22 scale old west passenger coach.The figure is 1/24 scale.The interior will be completely removed and replaced with wood,only the shell will be used. The exterior will also be replaced with wood.
I think that I will first build the opening scene from the movie which consists of half a passenger car with a shack built on the end.It is very run down and heavily weathered.The other passenger car will be turned into a luxury coach with all the Victorian trimmings.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

The first step was to take it all apart and remove all the lighting fixtures.I have been very glad to find that this passenger car is built to 1/22.5 scale which is close enough for me to work with without having to change too much of the overall size.When I am finished very little of the plastic will be visible as I plan to use a lot of strip wood ,coffee stir stiks,tongue depressors and veneer and whatever else I can think off.I will next have to decide on just how much of this shell I will have to cut away.From one side it will look completely normal but from the movie set side it will be fake.
1/24scale also opens up a whole new world of furniture ,parts and fitting supplies that are adaptable from other genres of modeling.My motto when making dioramas is "buy what I can and built what I must".I like to put lots of detail in my stuff so this may take years to complete the whole diorama.In the ten years that I have been building dioramas for the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa in 1/16th scale,I have so far completed only three and a half dioramas(the half is the one that I am completing now) and I work at this stuff just about every day.
I am really looking forward to learning about railroading as it is completely new to me.

 

[JohnReid]