# The Art Of The Storyboard Diorama



## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi guys! I am working up a rough draft for an online book that I am planning on regarding the art of making storyboard dioramas.The rough outline will be:

Part 1-Early Aviation Storyboard Dioramas.

1-"Keepers Of The Flame 1918-1928".(Jenny Canuck ,1/16th scale)

2-"Some Say ,He Walked Away" (Albatros,1/16th scale)

3-"Out Of The Shadows" (Nieuport 28 1/16th scale)

4-"Loss of Innocence,Will It Ever Be The Same ?" (Backyard Flyer, 1/16th scale)


Part 2-HMS Victory Storyboard Diorama.

"Drumming Daybreak" (H.M.S. Victory, 1/72 scale)


Part 3-Old West Railroad Storyboard Diorama .

"Once Upon A Time" ( Movie Set 1/24 scale)


Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am sorry ,I forgot to explain what that post was really all about.I am working on an online book about storyboard dioramas which are relatively new to the world of modeling ,as we have known it.I just thought that I would give you guys a little preview of the rough draft for the online book.It will not be on any specific genre of modeling but more of a new type of modeling where the story is primary rather than what is being modeled.The early aviation dioramas,the HMS Victory diorama and my new railroad diorama will each have a chapter in this online book, not from a how to build.....perspective but from a how to tell a good story perspective.It is simply an out growth of what I have experienced in my own home over the past ten years that my Victory has been on display.I have found that the viewer is usually more interested in the storyline than the model ship, especially the kids.
It is my belief that the future of modeling is in the story being told not just the model itself.I have noticed that museums themselves have been slowly adapting to this new reality, this knew way of thinking.The modern viewer is no longer satisfied with just looking at objects but wants more than just visual interaction with the objects they are viewing.They are no longer satisfied with looking at just old artifacts without really understanding what they are looking at,very few even stop long enough to read the displays sign.
Natural history museums and their modelers have known this for a long time.Full scale models of animals going about even their daily routines can be very interesting if they tell a good story that the viewers imagination can get involved in.Just displaying a bunch of skins or bones are not enough in todays modern world where viewers are used to so much more visual stimulation.Let's face it objects in glass cases without some kind of story are boring in this modern world.This is where the visual storyboard diorama comes into the picture.It is easy to initially grab the viewers attention with the objects being displayed but to hold that attention for any length of time their must also be a visual storyline that they can relate to in their mind.
Storyboard dioramas are not easy to do and are a real challenge to any modeler .Trying to tell your story in a one frame movie with no dialogue,movement or music etc.. can be difficult but very rewarding if the modeler can pull it off well.It used to be thought that shadow boxes were the highest expression of our art form,that may be true but storyboard dioramas have to be right up there to.
Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi guys ! Right now I am writing about my aviation storyboard dioramas on the aviation forums that I belong to. When I get to the Sergio RR diorama I will pickup the story from there.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Introduction 1


I really appreciate feedback both good and bad.Yes,some of it has been negative and some downright hostile but in this new world of communication you can write what you want and publish it yourself and if you have something interesting to say it will get read.No more gatekeepers between the author and his potential audience.If you like it read it, if not don't bother, that is the new standard for what gets read.
Some say that I am claiming to have invented something new to the world of art and modeling .Nothing could be further from the truth.As I have explained dioramas have been around for a long time ,nothing new there.Storyboards are well known to the visual arts and movie making etc...But storyboard dioramas are relatively a new idea.
You can prove this to yourself,just Google Storyboard Dioramas nothing except what I have recently put up.Now Google The Art of the Storyboard Diorama again nothing.Now Google The Art of The Storyboard you will find a few references to movie making production but no mention of dioramas.
What I am trying to say is my book will be an attempt to see dioramas in a new context ,that of an artistic tool to tell a visual story using the diorama as the medium .
In a museum setting you are working with the general public that may or may not understand what they are seeing.They may have absolutely know idea or interest in airplanes,railroads, ships or whatever.It may only be a forced school trip that they are on and they really don't what to be there.But models and stories have been around forever it is almost in our genes I would say.It is this group of people that I am hoping will stop and give my stuff a second look and hopefully somehow be influenced by it.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Outline 4

Storyboarding, What is it ?

Storyboarding goes back to the 1920's and even earlier.Walt Disney developed it into an art using drawings posted in a logical sequence on a wall.Drawing could be added or deleted depending on the storylines development in what were called brain storming sessions.These brainstorming sessions allowed for everybodys creative input and could be quite lively with the animator/pitchman acting out the various roles of the characters.Evidently Walt was a genius at this and some of his best performances were never recorded.
Storyboarding for dioramas is a little different in that the brainstorming sessions are mostly mental sessions that the storyboard dioramist works out in his own mind ,before anything is actually put down on paper .What to leave in and what to leave out? that is the big question.These mental sketches are then translated into a 3D diorama sets by the dioramist.Using these sets, a series of storyboard pictures can be created that tell his story in a logical sequence.
This is different than anything that I have seen or heard of before and is why I had such a hard time answering Shep's question "of what is a storyboard diorama anyway." A storyboard diorama is something like a series of shadowbox dioramas linked together by what I hope is an interesting storyline.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Outline 5

Storyboard type dioramas are best suited to a museum type setting. It has been an accepted norm in the past that if it needs explanation then it is probably a poor diorama.Normally I would agree with this statement but rules are made to be broken.Isn't that what art is really all about anyway?
Ideally ,in this case ,it would be wise to have a guide or other knowledgeable person there to answer questions and point the viewer in the right direction.
Storyboard dioramas are specifically intended for a museum type of environment.They are meant to educate yes but in an entertaining way.Most of the general public have no idea what they are looking at, so some form of guidance is necessary.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What are Story Book Dioramas used for? Are they inserted in your Layout like Deloro does ? Got any Pictures? This sounds interesting


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi John J. Storyboard dioramas are basically an educational tool, that can be used in a museum setting ,to teach the public in an entertaining way how to read your story in a diorama form.Using a sequence of photographs I try to create mental images that tell a story.I haven't seen Deloro 's work myself.If you look in my photobucket I am presently attempting to arrange my pictures in the proper order.Cheers ! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Opening scene from "Once Upon A Time In The West" The cowboy standing in
the doorway.This scene has a lot of interesting things going 
on.Although in the movie we never get to see this row of passenger car 
windows.Their presence is implied by the shadows falling on the 
seats.The little room behind the brick wall is never really shown in any
detail so I just left it for the natural light.The door behind the 
cowboy is actually split in two but in this scene it should open to a 
desert scene which is not part of this closed set.I still have a lot of 
weathering to do but I think that you get the idea!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Storyboarding your diorama


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Want to create your own storyboard diorama ? Here are some things that I have learned along the way.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

A lot has been written about the art of building dioramas but there is little out there on the art of telling a good story using the diorama as a medium.Good storytelling is essential to the success or failure of a storyboard diorama.While travelogues and documentaries are nice and can be very interesting,well written novels are usually the spice of life.
Don't get me wrong I love writing and studying about history it helps us avoid the same mistakes in the future but a lot depends on who is writing that history,the winner or the loser ? How was it passed down through the generations ? word of mouth ? We all know of the problems there.We just tend to let our imaginations creep into our stories whether we like it or not.I kinda look at it this way.You are sitting in your car,lets call it "the now" you are looking out the front window,lets call that "the future".In your rear view mirror is "the past".You learn to avoid the potholes and other road hazards by not repeating the past.The trick is to avoid the potholes.Through our side windows life goes rushing by faster and faster with more and more distractions to attract out eyes from the road ahead.Take your eyes of the road for too long and damn your back to hitting those potholes again.It is all a matter of where you choose to put your attention.Artists tend to pay a lot of attention to "the now" it usually is the safest place for them to be.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Storyboardig is more than taking a series of nice pictures and posting them on a wall.Your different scenes must be believable and your viewer must be able to 
identify with at least one of the characters being depicted.Ordinary characters doing ordinary things that the viewer can identify with is most important.Giving your characters human emotions by the use of dramatic lighting,posing and setting the stage for each and every shot can really add some drama to your work and make the whole experience much more interesting for your viewer.
It is what I call keeping it in "the now".


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Upshots and downshots and point of view.

How to shoot it? angle of composition ,you get to choose the POV (point of view)
The camera really represents us and our attention and to where it is directed.It is the heart of our indentification with the character.So "he matters" to the emotional involvement of the viewer.
Upshots and downshots can also imply the relative size of the characters as well as the background.
A floor can represent a downshot where a ceiling, ceiling would do the opposite.By manipulating the background we can control the POV.Decorating elements such as pictures on a wall ,lighting fixtures will also convey the same message.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Walt Disney: " at our studios we don't write our stories.we draw them"
A storyboard artist is really a good storyteller.The drawings must have meaning and feelings behind them.They provide great way to begin to visualize the content of your story.The storyboard artist must be a great communicator of ideas and not necessarily a great illustrator or animator.Storyboards allow film makers to see a blueprint of their movie before even going into production.By tacking a sequence of images up on a wall you can visualize the entire story before eyes your eyes and study it for flow and continuity.It is a very effective and inexpensive way to develop a story.Boarding it up saves time and money.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Simple comic book style of storyboarding


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Storyboarding using pics


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Along the rear wall of the engine shop the Camel wings are being crated 
for the trip to Hollywood.Originally it was planned to load everything 
on one truck with the wings being lashed to the fuselage sides but it 
looks now like another truck will have to be sent to pickup the wings 
and flight surfaces.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Along the engine shop wall sits an old air show car that was used for car/airplane races and ground to air wing walker transfers for many years.Sitting there in the weeds it seems to be have been forgotten,its glory days long gone by.
The guys delivering the coal and wood would be glad to see it outta there to make their job easier.The boss however hates to throw anything away, so there it sits rusting away.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sorry folks I got a bit ahead of myself on this storyboard walk around.This is the view through the backdoor,with the WC on the left and coal bin on the right(not visible in this pic).The boss is in conservation with two pilots ,one in flying gear and the other in RFC uniform.
The boss in the fedora seems to be giving his best impression of Al Capone standing in the shadows of a early sunset on this November afternoon in Canada.(maybe a little rum across the border guys?)









Please note: there is a more understandable sequence to this story in my photobucket under the My Book album.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is an old OX5 engine that was removed from the military Jenny and 
is being packaged up and sent out for major overhaul.We are equipped to 
do minor repairs to engines and airframes here but the major stuff 
requires outside help.Right now the guys are on coffee break so the 
truck drivers are having a little game of checkers while they wait.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

(Click image to go to Photobucket album)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is a night view through the engine shop doors.The guys are working 
on an old water cooled Mercedes engine from a Fokker D7 racer of which 
there were a few around just after the war.Last one out has to turn off 
the lights and stumble around in the dark looking for his car keys.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

No mention of this era would be complete without the topic of air racing.Many of the guys here at Reid & Sons are avid fans.Our company is more concentrated on the airshow aspect but we do help on occasion with some of their research and development and the occasional pilot.Our worlds exist side by side but their emphasis is on speed and aviation technology where ours is more on entertainment.
(between 1913 and 1931 Schneider cup winners increased the speed from 45.71 mph and 340.08 mph)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

On some of the newer websites that I post to there seems to be a misunderstanding about what my posts are about. 

About ten years ago when I first started posting it was my intention to promote the building of dioramas on the web.The armor guys had been well into this for a long time but there is little communication between the two groups.I wanted to help change that situation at a time when a lot of modelers thought that a diorama was a nice wooden base to put your model on. 
I post to about 30 different websites.RR,auto,ship,figure and aircraft as well as some other art and photo sites and I am also writing an online book about storyboard dioramas.I have always been a teacher and I love to share whatever knowledge that I may have with others.This is more of a How to..... thread than anything else.I am also an active builder of dioramas for museums and at 70 years old this keeps me very busy.I just don't have time to socialize on the net.If you are expecting feedback on every post , you won't find it on this thread.Please try to understand.I know that there is a lot of interest out there as my photobucket averages thousands of hits a day and that is reward enough for me.Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

On this walkaround we are now rounding the L/H corner of the hangar .The sign on the hangar door shows just what a progressive company that we are.Our flying instructors are required to be on duty only 12 hours a day instead of the normal 24.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Along the L/H inside wall things are busy.One of our mechanics,Rod, is putting in a little overtime stripping the JN 4 fuselage cockpit of any usable parts as spares for the Canuck barnstormer.This is an era of very little regulation so you will sometimes find a real mixture of parts on any particular airplane.For example on the barnstormer they have used the wooden tail feathers from the JN4.Pilots will often ask us to change the wing stagger of their barnstormers to make them even more unstable for their aerobatic routines.
Because of the Veterans day commemorations we have hung some flags from the rafters,put up a few decorations and cleaned thing up a bit before the dignitaries arrive.Believe me the floors are never usually this clean.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The newly re-built Canuck barnstormer is just about ready for its fabric covering.She has been temporarily assembled for this occasion and has already undergone an engine run-up or two,hence the oil leaks.The propeller attachment bolts are being changed and are missing. Lawrence the crew chief is giving it a final inspection before the guests arrive.These guys are ex-military so a little extra effort was put in to itmake sure everything looks ship shape.







Billy Bishop is a friend of the boss and it was he who arranged for this special visit.
Our fighter pilot guests are very familiar with this airplane as most of their basic training was on the Jenny ,at different airfields, both here in Canada and in the U.S..Although under powered it was a very stable aircraft on which to learn how to fly with few bad habits and was lots of fun to train on.
Wouldn't you just love to be a fly on the wall to hear about their training adventures ?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Unaware that the other guests have just arrived ,the boss man Windy and 
Mike one of our airmail pilots ,who is just passing through,are in 
conversation with an earlier arriving RAF type.Because these fighter 
pilots have just returned from a city parade commemorating this special 
day, they are still in dressed in their various uniforms.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is the off season so the mobile advertising sign has been put away till next year.During the season we operate a mobile show going from town to town.When we arrive in a town or village to do an air show and give rides we will drag this sign down main street and have one of our pilot do a low pass or two over the town.This usually generates lots of business however the numbers have been dropping off recently and our pilots are being forced do riskier and riskier stuff to keep the crowds amused.
The going rates in the air circus business these days for large exhibitions or movie making usually runs around the following.
-crash airplane,fly into trees,houses etc.....$1,200
-Loop with man standing on each wing standing up $450
-airplane to airplane change $500
-upside down airplane change $500
-Change motorcycle or car to airplane $150
-Fight on upper wing,one man knocked off $225
-upside-down flying with man on landing gear $150
-Head-on collision with automobiles $250
-Blow up plane in mid-air,pilot chutes out $1,500


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Mike,one of our airmail pilots is here to pickup a pretty good load 
today.Airmail is becoming more an more popular these days .I hope it is 
just not a temporary novelty that will soon wear off with the public.A 
lot of guys around here are literally risking their necks on a daily 
basis to try to get this stuff through in all kinds of terrible 
conditions.Pilots are being lost all the time and at an increasing 
rate.Boy it sure would be nice to have some type of navigation equipment
other than dead reckoning railway tracks and rivers etc...


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

For those just tuning in to this thread,you may think that I have 
finally cracked up and am living in another world.Actually the museum 
asked me to come up with a storyline and caption some of the pics at the
same time.They plan to use some of this dialogue in their presentation 
for educational purposes.I have recently learned that these dioramas 
will not be going directly into classrooms for strictly educational 
purposes as I had originally expected but are to be exhibited instead on
the main museum floor,hence the need for an expanded storyline.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The spirit of our times is best reflected by this note left behind by one of our fellow airmail pilots down south and was recently posted to the company bulletin board.

"Beloved Brother Pilots and Pals".(to be opened in the event of my death)

"I go west,but with a cheerful heart.I hope what small sacrifice I have made may be of use to the cause.When we fly we are fools,they say.When we are dead we weren't half bad fellows.But everyone in this wonderful aviation service is doing the world far more good than the public can appreciate.We risk our necks,we give our lives,we perfect a service for the benefit of the world at large.
They, mind you, are the ones who call us fools.But stick to it,boys.I'm still very much with you all.See you all again."

Leonard Brooke Hyde-Pearson


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here at the dispatch office I like to keep a file for our pilots to refer to for airport information .Most of this has been compiled by the pilots themselves and sometimes through bitter experience.
Someone one day should put this all together into a proper manual of some kind.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Now that we have finished our initial walkaround of the hangar it is time to invite our guests inside.







Billy Bishop our host for this occasion is welcoming his fighter pilot friends at the door of the dispatch office.The old Model T has just pulled up to the door after a open air,bumpy ride to the airfield from the ceremonies in town.Luckily it is a warm day for November 11th and besides these guys are quite used to conditions like these,in fact they look like they rather enjoyed it.
Just to Billy's left is







Eddie Rickenbacker. The others are mutual friends of them both but I haven't got their names yet.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Canada Aviation Museum names new Director General
April 29, 2010, Ottawa - Denise Amyot, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Quick as Director General of the Canada Aviation Museum.

“Mr. Quick brings a heartfelt passion for aviation to his new position at the helm of Canada’s national aeronautical museum,” says Ms. Amyot. “With his extensive experience within the public and private sectors, and more than thirty years as a professional artist, Mr. Quick is uniquely qualified to guide the Museum in showcasing Canadian achievement and innovation.”

“As museums,” says Mr. Quick, “we should not only function as stewards and guardians of our collective past, but be proactive in introducing future generations to the tools that will help forge their future. We should act as extensions of established learning institutions, helping to shape the future and engender pride in Canadian endeavours by telling the stories of those who have dared follow their dreams, and by showcasing the next wave of exploration and innovation.”



Deeply involved in Canada’s arts and culture sector, Mr. Quick has been painting professionally since 1978, and has been a professional aircraft and military illustrator since 1984. He spent 27 years in the Canadian publishing industry, including senior positions with both McClelland & Stewart and Stoddart Publishing. He has also worked within the public sector, including positions at the Department of Canadian Heritage and the National Gallery of Canada, prior to becoming Associate Director General of the Canada Aviation Museum in 2008.

The Canada Aviation Museum is Canada’s finest aviation museum, with an internationally renowned aeronautical collection. The Museum, a component of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation, is located at the intersection of the Aviation and Rockcliffe Parkways, just ten minutes from Parliament Hill.

It is really nice to know that a fellow artist is finally running the show!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Meet Harley the company mascot.His bark is worse than his bite ! All the
guys love him ,in fact if you look closely through the engine shop 
window you will see a picture of him hanging on the wall.One of the 
pilots took it of him sitting in a mail plane cockpit usually however he
sits here on the chair just inside the dispatch office door and keeps 
it warm for the pilots.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is where Harley and I hang out most of the time here in the dispatch office.Today it is pretty quite but it can get busy in here at times especially in bad weather.
One of the pilots was just here and told me a pretty funny story that he had heard.It seems that these two guys were out practicing their wingwalking routine .The wingwalker began climbing a seven foot ladder atop the upper wing of the plane as the pilot prepared to execute a loop but he fell off in the process and landed in the cockpit on top of the pilot.One of his pant legs slipped over the control stick."There I was my flying controls up the wingwalkers leg wondering how the **** do things like this happen to me.I told him to hold on and I will try to land." They did with the pilot holding on to his leg and the stick too


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

This is the view through the dispatch office window.You can just see the
back of Harley's head and ears in the lower left corner.This inner door
looks out upon the main hangar floor.As you can see the boss allows me 
to park my motorcycle against the carpenters shop wall.The inner window 
on the right looks out upon the carpenters shop itself.During the winter
we leave this window open to provide heat for the office .The window 
does have shutters though when things get too noisy.Providing heat to 
the hangar floor can be a problem on very cold days.We have a removable
tarp on the carpenters shop ceiling and another coal stove in the 
engine shop which helps with the heating also.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

A friend asked so I thought that you guys would find this of interest also.

Hi Jason ! these dioramas were originally made for kids and were to be displayed in a classroom setting.The teacher of course would be there to answer questions and help tell the story.I was planning to do a small booklet with a lot of this stuff in it for the teachers reference purposes.

The museum has since changed its mind and they now plan to display them on the main museum floor,maybe even one in their new lobby.The plan now is to do some kind of audio/visual thing where you push a button to get pictures and some of the storyline.I don't know exactly how all that stuff works and it should be interesting to see what they come up with.

These dioramas were made for my own picture taking purposes as well and I lit them in such a way as to have a more dramatic effect.Unfortunately I think that a lot of this will be lost with only natural light.Also such areas as the carpenters shop,engine shop etc... have only somewhat restricted views.Therefore to really appreciate the dioramas there will have to be some kind of slide show and dialogue to accompany them.

Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a better view of the carpenters shop from the office window.You 
can just see the back of the bosses gray hat that I swear makes him 
look like a gangster.Along the right wall you can see some carving and 
lathe tools with the lathe positioned in the background.On the workbench
we are making a special prop for a racer pilot who is experimenting 
with a new design.The shop is not big but it is cosy and warm and 
besides most of the big stuff is done on the main hangar floor.A lot of 
the guys use it as a lunch/meeting room as well,you should hear some of 
the jokes and stories told when the ladies are not around !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

On the top R/H side of the pic you can see the dispatch office door that opens onto the hangar floor.The boss looks like he is discussing the next booze run .As you can see the carpenter's shop is a closed unit separate from the main shop floor.The door on the left leads to the WC/coal storage room which then leads to the backdoor.
As you can see part of the tail of the Canuck has been replaced with a JN4 wooden one.Interchanging of parts is a common practice around here depending upon what is available at the time.Pilots will often ask us to change the flying characteristics of their airplanes to suit themselves.Often the C of G will be modified to carry heavy loads or make the airplane a little more unstable for some of their aerobatic maneuvers.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Usually things are not so neat and clean around here.We have taken a little time to clean up some of the junk that was lying around.The prop designer has been hard at work trying to shape the prop to the proper specifications using mostly hand tools in the process.

Note: I included this pic in the storyboard line up mostly because I like it.Some of you guys may have noticed that the view from the carpenters shop windows looks out on to the hanger floor and not a wooden wall as depicted here. __________________


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Its been a long night for Chester chasing all those mice around the shop.Now he is flaked out near the stove ,in his favorite spot, sucking up the heat.

Note: I have put 4 animals in this diorama for the kids to try and find ,with various degrees of difficulty ,and Chester is the most difficult.I find that kids love this kind of thing and it really is a great way to get them more involved in the diorama.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi guys ! I had a little fun with this picture.If you look closely at 
the newspaper you will see pictures of the first men on the moon.I just 
couldn't resist making this prediction.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I built these two back porches by hand, piece by piece, as I wanted them to look like they were well.... back porches and not something like you would find out front.
As you will see I have borrowed heavily from Norman Rockwell's painting "Homecoming GI".This painting along with the original picture I have of the Curtiss Flyer sitting in the backyard of Mr. Mair in Chicago were the inspiration for this piece.
The Rockwell painting is of the WW2 era while my piece is post WW1.My building facade is late 1800's Victorian style but around 30 years older.Wear and tear has taken its toll on the Rockwell facade and it has basically become a tenement building over the years.The mood of course is a happy one of a returning hometown hero.
Our hero's porch however seems to be a little more dilapidated than the one next door and originally I thought of building mine the same because they are so different in their construction and are an interesting contrast in styles and condition.But looking at the Chicago picture I realized that at an earlier time they were probably about the same. If you read the wall just below the upstairs window of the L/H side you can see the remnants of the old wood siding(color change in the brick) below the window sill.
Funny but the laundry on the line is present in both the pic and the painting.It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to believe that he may have borrowed this idea himself.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Just outside the engine shop they are loading on some of the salvageable parts and pieces from the JN4 to put in storage.Hank the barnstormer is trying to make a little time with Cheryl our wingwalker who is probably wondering why do I put my life in the hands of this good old boy every season ? These wingwalkers are quite a bunch in fact just the other day I received a letter stating "when present wing walker is killed I want the job."


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sorry but due to my workload I haven't been able to keep this thread up to date on every website.However you will find the complete story over on :

Welcome to The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War I in the forums look under "How to Build Dioramas"


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## takevin (Apr 25, 2010)

Are you actually going to have a train layout at some point?


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Yes,but a static one !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Posted By JohnReid on 17 Dec 2011 07:38 AM


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

On this latest diorama that I have been working on,I have only now just completed the story.The rest of the story was already worked out but the backyard of the grandparents was only finally figured out yesterday. 
The time of year depicted is early spring .I thought of a Victorian gazebo of some kind but it was just too big and fancy and would have drawn too much attention away for the main storyline,the airman and his airplane.I then thought of a tool shed with a rake laying around ,a typical springtime chore in this part of the world.Then a few starter plants under a small glass box to add a little color.But I needed a little something extra for viewer interest.After much thinking about it I decided to use the gazebo roof that I had already underway before I changed my mind.I cut it in half and made two completely different things out of it ,a bird bath and a fishpond which I am working on now.The garden shed is also underway.Just these three items will take over a week to do working everyday but my personal guide has always been to put as much thought and work into the small everyday objects as the big fancy cars or airplanes.So here goes... Hope you enjoy watching these items take shape.This backyard has been one of the most difficult things to get right,to tell an interesting story but not distract from the main storyline. 
I work this way with only a basic plan at the beginning and just let the story develop over time.This gives me the maximum of opportunity to changed things and also keeps it interesting for me right up until the end of the project.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I have found a cheap source of scale plywood as well as some preformed shapes that could be used for modeling.The largest pieces of plywood that I have found so far is the size of a standard tissue box.It is first quality clear wood about the color and consistency of basswood and It is available from about 1/64 to 1/4",some is quite stiff and some really pliable .Some shapes such as small bird houses or boxes make good starting points for scratch building or can be torn down for sheet plywood.I have also found some pretty nice dowels but no actual scale lumber yet. Cheers!


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

"Storyboard dioramas are full-blown,highly detailed dioramas whose sole purpose is to tell a story ,with or without a vehicle as a focal point.This type of diorama uses any combination of structures,scenic techniques,vehicles,and other peripheral details to deliver the point.Overall composition and visual impact play a key role in the storyboard diorama.This is the Unlimited class of diorama building."

Ken Hamilton.

In my research I have found that this is the first use of the term Storyboard Dioramas .Ken coined it way back in 2001 in chapter one of his great book " How to Build Creative Dioramas."


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/ 

For jbwilcox Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Darn it ,it looks like I have forgotten how to post pics here,its been awhile and my memory ain't what it used to be.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Started back on the RR diorama again now that my other commitments are finished.Looking forward to get back at it.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Like with all of my dioramas I start out with a good base.Once I figure out the size required ,in this case it is 30"X40",I cut out the 1/4" panel and glue some strips around the perimeter.Do not use screws or nails only glue,saves on the drill bits later on.I then put on two coats of lacquer, especially on the edges,as the panel must be waterproof for the next step.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I kind of like this composition for now on a 30"X40" base but of course it is never written in stone.If later I want to expand it by adding more modules,I can simply butt them together by screwing them together using the perimeter wood strips.For ease of handling I want to keep it light in weight for now with the option of adding a more substantial base later on.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Theme update,I am planning to expand the storyline a bit to make it more appealing to a wider audience.The new idea is to do this diorama as a tribute to Leone and at the same time a tribute to old west movies in general.I plan to do this using old west movie posters arranged in such a way as too center on Leone' favorites ,while the same time tell the history of the old west movies in general.It will be an outdoor temporary exhibit set in Monument Valley ( yes red earth and all) there will be villans and heros corners,a movie history wall and very little rain to worry about.I also plan to light it with LEDS.Leone and I had the shared experience of the weekend movie house, showing mostly westerns.His experience was ten years ahead of mine but little had really changed over that period of time. Cowboys were always our heros.Should be fun !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is the basic layout.I am planning a walkway around the diorama 
right up against the fence.On the fence will be posted a whole series of
movie posters by the date the films were made,right up to the making 
of "Once Upon A Time.....I will have a hero's and villain's corner and 
anything else that I can think of.There will be room for future 
expansion if I want to, maybe a car parking lot.All the posters will be 
lit using LEDS.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I never knew that there were so many movies produced with an old west theme,so many to chose from.Every poster will require a lot of preparation before being displayed on the fence,spraying,cutting ,gluing etc..etc..It will be a history lesson for me too.
I am really looking forward to lighting this piece inside and out,should be interesting.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

If you would like me to add your favorite movie's poster to the rogue's gallery please advise.This is limited to movies prior to 1969 because I only want those that may have influenced Leone.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Man I sure love the creative process, with so many different options to explore, I keep changing my mind on the storyline.I could appeal to a wide audience by using the poster idea or I could narrow it down to my original idea.This decision has to be made fairly soon before I get too far into it.
All of my dioramas to this point have been aimed at a wide audience in a museum setting.My last diorama " The Homecoming" was originally to be titled "The Road Taken".The idea was quite simple a man returning from war, standing on a spot in the road and remembering making a decision that changed the rest of his life.Now he has returned from the war and is standing in the same spot looking at his "Backyard Flyer" and wondering that after all that he has seen at war could he ever go back to those innocent days and continue his life as before.
Any veteran would understand his dilemma but would a wider audience really get the point of the story.(Fortunately this original story still exists but now in pictures only that I took before I decided to make all of changes.)
The changes that I made came at the suggestion of many of my friends and family to open things up a bit to make it more of a celebration of his return home.
They made many good points,the subject matter is too heavy and most viewers would not get it.It is too stark in nature and does not have enough detail to keep a museum audience interested for very long.The colors are drab and not very appealing.Too depressing in general. These are all valid points but not my vision of what it should say or what I am trying to say in the diorama.And of course there is the money aspect.Originally the diorama was appraised by my appraisers at half the value of others that I had done mostly because of the reasons I have already mentioned.
Well in the end you could say I sold out artistically and went for the buck and pleasing the viewer which of course is true when looked at from this point of view.In the end I had to ask myself are you doing this for yourself or have you already promised the piece to a wider audience when it was finished.
Viewers usually love detail and enjoy searching for it.It has been said that a good diorama is one where you can always find new things to look at.Capturing the imagination of kids and holding it for awhile has always been my primary goal in doing this stuff. I think that I made the right decision.

The next diorama I am doing is for myself and it is promised to nobody.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

"Something To Do With Death" (The Wages Of Sin)
Heavy ? well I guess it is but it is something that I would like to explore.Once Upon A Time..... is a masterpiece on so many levels.
Storyline ? Haven't quite decided yet but movie posters will still be involved somehow.Actors pics and famous lines from the movie,probably.

Directors that influenced Leone ? Movies that inspired him ? His perfectionism and attention to detail,his cinematography.

Sounds like fun !


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Please limit posted photos to a maximum width of 800 pixels per the forum rules. Thanks.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Today I hope to finished boxing up the latest diorama and sending it off to its new home on Friday.It has been a long but interesting journey.
The new RR/Sergio diorama is now well underway but the storyline has yet to be finalized.I have mulled this over in my mind for some time now,mostly about how broad or narrow should I make it.The overall theme is a movie set and how old movies were made using a kind of theme park idea set in Hollywood or even as a Monument Valley tourist attraction.
Because I am doing it as an imaginary general public attraction,it should be made appealing to a wide audience just as any creative entrepreneur would do in real life.
The time era would be from the beginnings of the western genre to the present day taking in movies up to the present time.
I want to represent the best examples of each decade ,from silent films to the talkies to today.I will have a special corner for Sergio's work and a hero and villains section as well.
Later if I decide to I can open a parking lot with cars and motorcycles outside the main gates of the park and lots of other interesting things going on as well etc..etc.. Anyway that is the plan for now.Should be fun !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Sorry Dwight,I forgot ,I will sent thumbnails instead of re-sizing all my pictures.Cheers! John.

Larger pics are available on *my photobucket site* anyway.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Moving day has finally arrived.Three boxes are gone but the other two proved to be just too heavy for this guy.Gettin' old I guess.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well I think that I will go back to my original idea of an abandoned movie set.The poster idea was OK but when I put an example up I found that it was a little visually overwhelming with all those posters.
The grey fence around the property is however underwheming and boring and needs a little work too.I tried putting posters up on the outside of the fence too but it also looks like too much of a good thing.
So,I am thinking of expanding the movie set idea to include things like abandoned actors dressing rooms,equipment storage rooms etc...all weathered and a little rusty looking and only the odd old poster here and there for visual effect.
Well now its back to the drawing board.......


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The film portrays two conflicts that take place around Flagstone, a fictional town in the American Old West: a land battle related to construction of a railroad, and a mission of vengeance against a cold-blooded killer. The main storyline revolves around a struggle for Sweetwater, a piece of land near Flagstone containing the region's only water source. The land was bought by Brett McBain, who foresaw that the railroad would have to pass through that area to provide water for the steam locomotives. When railroad tycoon Morton learns of this, he sends his hired gun Frank to simply intimidate McBain to move off the land, but Frank instead kills McBain and his three children, planting evidence on the scene to frame the bandit Cheyenne and his gang. By the time McBain's new bride, Jill, arrives from New Orleans, the family is dead and she is the owner of the land.
 
Henry Fonda as Frank




Meanwhile, a mysterious harmonica-playing gunman, whom Cheyenne later dubs "Harmonica", pursues Frank. In the film's opening scene, Harmonica kills three men sent by Frank to kill him, and, in a roadhouse on the way to Sweetwater, he informs Cheyenne that the three gunfighters he killed appeared to be posing as Cheyenne's men. Sometime later, Harmonica kills two men sent by Frank to kill Jill.


Back at Sweetwater, construction materials are delivered to build a railroad station and a small town. Harmonica explains to Cheyenne that Jill will lose Sweetwater unless the station is built by the time the track's construction crews reach that point, and Cheyenne puts his men to work building it.
 
Claudia Cardinale as Jill McBain




Meanwhile, Frank turns against Morton, who wanted to make a deal with Jill. Frank's betrayal is made easy by the fact that Morton is crippled. After having his way with her, Frank forces Jill to sell the property in an auction. He tries to buy the farm cheaply by intimidating the other bidders, but Harmonica arrives, holding Cheyenne at gunpoint, and makes a much higher bid based on his reward money for delivering Cheyenne to the authorities. After rebuffing another intimidation attempt by Frank, Harmonica sells the farm back to Jill. At this point, some of Frank's men try to kill Frank, having been paid by Morton to turn against him, but Harmonica helps Frank kill them in order to save that privilege for himself.


After Morton and the rest of Frank's men are killed in a battle with Cheyenne's gang, Frank goes to Sweetwater to confront Harmonica. On two occasions, Frank has asked Harmonica who he is, but both times Harmonica refused to answer him. Instead, he mysteriously quoted names of men Frank has murdered. The two men position themselves for a duel, at which point Harmonica's motive for revenge is revealed in one last, clear flashback: When Harmonica was a boy, Frank forced the boy to kill his own brother by tying a noose to the top of an arch, placing it around the brother's neck, and forcing the struggling Harmonica to support his brother on his shoulders with a harmonica in his mouth while playing the song that's heard throughout the film.


Harmonica draws first and shoots Frank, and when Frank again asks who he is, he puts the harmonica in Frank's mouth. Frank nods weakly in recognition and dies. With Frank dead, Harmonica and Cheyenne say goodbye to Jill, who is supervising construction of the train station as the track-laying crews reach Sweetwater. Cheyenne collapses almost immediately, revealing that he was shot by Morton while he and his men were fighting Frank's gang. The work train arrives, signaling the arrival of 'civilization' and the end of the Epic age of cowboys and gunfighters; thus the film ends with Jill carrying water to the rail workers and Harmonica riding off with Cheyenne's body towards the horizon. A creature of the frontier, Harmonica can't "settle down" and decides to ride in search of a place where a man like him can still have a role and a reason to exist.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I finally gave old Morton his dream of a Atlantic to Pacific RR.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

People often ask me why do you love Sergio's work so much ? Here is just one of thousands of reasons why.
Sometimes I ask myself a simple question "How can a man take a child's life for no reason ?" Even a good looking man with beautiful blue eyes? But these are the eyes of a killer as depicted by Henry Fonda.Who would have believed it Henry Fonda a killer of children ? Who would believe that men such as this could be responsible for mass murder.Sergio wanted his audience to be shocked as the camera panned his face,(as Fonda himself said) "Jesus Christ its Henry Fonda !!!)


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am currently researching old west facades to add to the diorama.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a great old saloon with swinging doors and all !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Typical Hollywood back lot.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am planning for this diorama to be from the late 60's era when movies were made the old fashioned way.With all the animation of the modern era this is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.Sergio would be very familiar with this way of doing things.
Diorama wise it is also a good way of presenting a certain time frame.The back lot will be depicted as used but not yet completely abandoned.That way I have a lot more leeway with the weathering of the piece.Everything weathered the same way would be boring.
Then if I decide to go ahead with the old west building facades I can make them look as old or new as I like depending upon the movie being filmed at the time.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is a stationary backdrop that I made for filming,sometimes they were on rolls to simulate movement.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Models were often used for long shots which could have it's own backdrop as well.Here I have used an HO scale model.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Here is my idea of a dolly without seating or camera equipment.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

The dolly is made from old HO RR parts,now I will add some kind of a stand for the camera and a handle for pushing the dolly around.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)




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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Where you see the kleenex boxes is where I plan to put the saloon facade which will also become actors dressing rooms in the back.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Not sure what you are showing, but nothing RED X"s here and others I talk to...Maybe a differ browser than IE -8?


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree with Noel. Zero, zip, nada. Sometimes your pictures appear and other times not. Not far exceeds appear. If you want us to see you're work, upgrade to First Class and use MLS to post pictures. It has never failed me. No luck on either iPOD, or Firefox. FYI, the last pictures that show up on my screen are Henry Fonda and Claudia Cardinale. Chuck


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Deleted


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

[No message]


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I want to try something different with this diorama by adding some audio/visual stuff myself.This time the storyline will be presented in a little different way.Instead of step by step pictures accompanied by an audio text as planned by the museum ,this time I plan to do my own .
Just a few short years ago this option was not available to me but with all the miniaturization of electronics today and the relatively cheap price I think that it could quite easily be done.
These two saloon boxes will be used to house the electronics and diorama lighting equipment.Facing outwards I plan to install either slides or scenes from the movie itself with good quality miniature speakers,if I can get permission to do so from the copyright holders otherwise I will have to come up with a plan 'B'.It will be a donation to a museum for educational purposes or for my own private use so maybe I will get lucky.
Plan 'B' will probably be to contact a few individuals that I see on You Tube and get their permission to use their videos and music.
Sounds like fun,something different for a change.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am planning to add to the storyline a bit by adding a bit more history to the diorama.This once was an active movie set that was converted into a theme park that has since failed and has been abandoned.This will allow me more freedom for weathering the piece in my own style.For scale I may dress up one of the figures as a mannequin that has also fallen into disrepair.I am also thinking about doing a small scale model within this model for the props yard.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Well,I have changed my mind again.It is now back to the theme park idea.The props yard and no figures is just boring,especially for kids and after all this is why I do this stuff,for the kids and of course for the kid in all of us too.
Now I am planning at least 20 figures in this diorama,maybe more and a complete HO scale old west town with a few figures also.
Yesterday I built up my first HO structure in wood,an outhouse(well you gotta start somewhere and every old west town needs them).
1/87 is as small as I have ever gone and I kinda like it for a change of pace.
Miniature towns are very popular in Europe especially in England and Germany and the kids seem to love them.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am planning a small N scale RR layout.From what I understand 2'X4' is 
about minimum.Any ideas on where I could find some examples ? This is my
fist layout since I was 10 years old about 62 years ago.Need help ! 
thanks Cheers! John.


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

I am planning 3 different modules for this piece.The G scale part will be finished in detail and weathered like an old abandoned movie set or ghost town.The HO scale part will be a removable module of an old west town and modeled to look like a model,in other words not as detailed or lifelike.The N scale part will be an add on module, fastened to one side of the perimeter, but I haven't yet decided which one.It will be an operating ,shelf type, old west train layout made to look like a G scale train(in real life) with G scale figures wandering through it.There will also be a old west movie poster area and a G scale area for a couple of fake horses.The horses will be hollowed out to look like paper mache ones with a sign nearby saying "Don't feed the horses",fake horses were often used as props in old west movies.


This piece has now evolved into a theme park idea (circa 1960's) It is a fantasy piece using lots of artistic license.( but isn't that what movies and models are all about,a suspension of your own disbelief ?) The core story is still about the Italian director Sergio Leone and his love of the western genre and it is dedicated to his memory.



Once Upon a time.........


My photobucket:


http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/JohnReid/


I am a man of few words but lots of pics





I quit drinking beer because the download was taking longer than the upload !


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## JohnReid (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi everybody ! Great day today as my wife will soon be home after her second knee replacement surgery .Everything went well. I will be re-focusing my energy for awhile now to help to nurse her back to health.I am planning to spend the time I have now concentrating on storyboarding and a little research.
The "Once upon a time.... diorama is going well but I have changed my mind again and am going back to the original concept of a movie set.I think that it is better to tell one story well than get things too confusing for the viewer.I know that it seems that I can't make up my mind, and your right about that, but that is the fun of doing this in real time rather than presenting a competed piece and then pretending that I knew where I was going all the time.
Cheers ! John.


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