Traditional and Computer Aided Design and Graphics
Los Angeles, California, USA, Terra, Solar System Sol, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Super Cluster, Local Universe
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Traditional and Computer Aided Design and Graphics Los Angeles, California, USA, Terra, Solar System Sol, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Super Cluster, Local Universe |
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Most of my two decades in the entertainment industry have been designing and building models for Visual Effects. My Visual Effects career began in June 1978. I had taken a class in Architectural Model Making at Cal Poly, Pomona where I was pursuing my Architecture Degree. The instructor was a Visual Effects fan who had sold a few models to Battlestar Galactica and he gave me four phone numbers. One of these numbers connected me to Wayne Smith, who unknown to me, was a Theme Park enthusiast. When I mentioned my 1/1200 scale Theme Park model that I had designed and built, he had to see it. Within a few days, I was working as a model maker on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Over the years, I expanded my skills and started doing Prop Shop and Special Effects. For health reasons, I wanted to get away from the chemicals and dust of model making. In 1990, I began working with CAD, starting with CAD-Key but quickly switched to the more popular AutoCAD ©. I returned to college in 1993 and completed my Design degree in 1994. I returned to Model Making for 15 months to replenish my savings. I spent these 15 months working as Visual Effects Model Maker on Batman Forever and Independence Day - both the box office winners of their respective summers of 1995 and 1996. Three weeks after wrapping on Independence Day, I began my new career of Visual Effects and Computer Specialist Set Designer on Batman and Robin and never looked back. I left Model Making voluntarily to pursue something I liked better and my last two Visual Effects Model Making jobs were top rated projects. I now have a number of Visual Effects Set Design credits to my name while also working on more conventional set Design. I no longer actively seek work in physical effects. I do still build study models as part of my regular duties as Set Designer. |
| Note: These photographs are presented here for portfolio purposes only. These photographs are not available for sale or to be given away in hard copy or digitally in any scale. I will be happy to show hard-copy during a legitimate job interview for Set Designer. |
| The film Independence Day has a special place in my heart. It was after this motion picture that I voluntarily retired from Visual Effects Model Making to pursue Set Design. It is a good feeling to know that I left voluntarily after working on the box office winner of that season. | |
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| Independence Day, 1996. Everyone asks if I built the White House model that blew up. No, I built the death ray that blew up the White House. | |
 Claw Island, Riddler's base, Batman Forever, Visual Effects model, 1995. |
 Luna One miniature. |
 Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman, 1993. Model town, 1/12 scale. - Video Clip 1 - Video Clip 2 |
 Aurthor Anderson Group commercial. Model Time Square, New Years Eve 2000,1988 |
 Lucy Goldstar, simulator ride. Managed laser cutting for Boss Film, 1992. |
 One of several roof top models for Batman Returns. 1991 |
 Spider Tug for Solar Crisis. Model for Boss Film, 1989-1990. |
 The Pod, another model for Solar Crisis. Model for Boss Film, 1989-1990. |
 Tales from the Crypt. Helped build house for Boss Film, 1989. - Video Clip |
 I was on the Special Effects crew for the pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation. I wired most of the Special Effects lights on several sets. 1988. |
 I build this model oil field for Murder She Wrote, to be in a rich oil man's office. 198? - Video Clip |
 A tale of two dashboards. For Knight Rider and Air Wolf , Universal Studios Prop Shop, 1985 I worked on Knight Rider along with other Universal Studio projects over a period of several years. Knight Rider had already been going for a few years and the second dashboard already existed. The insert dash was a complex piece of electronics to squeeze into a small space and I spent much time repairing and maintaining it. The final season, I was assigned to be in charge of maintaining the insert dash and operate it for inserts. During the Christmas Hiatus, I rebuilt the center section which made maintenance much easier. A few weeks later, I was laid off and a few months later, the show was canceled. I am often asked if I still have the Kit dash. Everything I built for Universal Studios belonged to Universal Studios (the same goes for other studios). I have no idea what happened after the show wrapped. For the first season of Air Wolf , an elaborate instrument panel was built for the aft cabin. I started working at the Universal Prop Shop about mid-season and had some involvement with Air Wolf . For the second season, a new front instrument panel was made. I helped to build this. |
 Wired four Soviet tanks for Red Dawn, 1983 |
 Child's Play. A house full of toys built 60% oversize. 1987 |
 Establishing shot for Tomy Toys commercial. 1981 |
 Bridge ornaments for Beast Master, 1981 |
 High Frontier Simulation, 1982 - Video Clip |
 Miniature Las Vegas for the feature One from the Heart, 1981.Video Clip |
 Art Deco lobby model for a Playtex commercial, 1981. |
 Sasson Jeans Commercial, 1981. |
 Miniature 747 jet for Safari Rally, 1981. |
 Cheach and Chong's Next Movie, 1979. |
 Battlestar Galactica, First season, 1979. |
 Full size flying motorcycle for Galactica 1980, Second season, 1980. |
 Draconia, Visual Effects model, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Feature, 1979. |
 Visual Effects models for Airport '79. |
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This site maintained by Kenneth A. Larson. Copyright © 2000 - 2023, Kenneth A. Larson. All Rights Reserved. Website content including photographic and graphic images may not be redistributed for use on another website or any other medium. |
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