Inside Adam Savage's Cave: Model Making for Movies

In this visit to Adam Savage's Cave, we revisit Adam's past life as a model maker for movies like Star Wars: Episode I. Adam and Will discuss the decline of practical special effects and examine three models that Adam made, some of which never got a chance to be seen on screen.

#AdamSavage #Cave

[tested]

One of the first things we learned from talking to Adam and other prop and model builders is that they are very realistic about the movies their work is used in. Just because the movie didn't turn out great doesn't mean that the work they did for it isn't good.

[ScoutSniper]

The coolest thing about Adam Savage is he was a nerdy model building genius that through a twist of fate became a stunt performing test pilot for all the craziness that Mythbusters is now famous for, and he still gracefully retains the best part of his life and personality prior to becoming a celebrity. One hell of a life change and he handled it amazingly.

[Robertwaterworth]

Adam goes into detail about the casting of the "Hammer" gun he had produced. He talks about how he received a file from Maya and reversed engineered it to build a practical version. What is cool, is I have stored in my archives the original Maya file he used. I was given it to use as a bash kit when working on a separate film. I find this so cool. He is holding onto the practical version as a keepsake, and I'm hanging onto the digital version as a keepsake.

[octane]

The amount of heart and soul and effort that adam puts in these models and everything he makes is absolutely astonishing. 

[tested]

You ask this on every single video. We will get to it eventually. It requires a little more preparation than the Cave videos do. You can stop asking though, we won't forget.

[MrCrapheadist]

I would love to be Adam Savages apprentice

[nathanc]

Without a doubt some of the best stuff on YouTube. Thanks so much Tested and Adam!

[Daehawk]

Adam is living such a cool damn life. You rock brother.

[Benson]

hey tested could we get more videos of Adam talking about which projects he worked on at ILM.

[robsimmons]

i've been in that model shop that adam's talking about, at the old ilm building in san rafael. he's exactly right. there is a loft space where a lot of the detailed models are built, with a ton of boxed models in the corner for pulling greeblies from, and a huge wall of little drawers (like what you'd find in a tool shop holding screws, washers, etc), holding a shit ton of styrene and other model building parts. fascinating stuff. wish i could have stayed in that room for the next week to just build stuff. ;-)

[stevenb]

Adam! Thanks for all your hard work and sharing it with everyone. I had a Y wing from Micro Machines and it was probably my absolute favorite Micro Machine that I had. I spent hours appreciating all the details in between and on the engines. I collected what seemed like about 100 different Micro Machines and that one was still my favorite.

[wittsullivan]

My favorite cheesy model effects scene is from Logan's Run. They had a scene where they shot the city from a distance. It was a model crisscrossed with the clear transportation tubes with the little maglev carts in them moving across. In a making of documentary, it showed the model and off to the side there were special effects guys blowing into the tubes, pushing the maglev carts across like spitballs.

[pierremetral]

I've one of your Y-wing standing on a shelf right behind me ! 
I've spent so much time playing with those toys when I was a child. Thank you so much Adam !

[YouOnlyIiveTwice]

Adam seems like the coolest guy to be around. Not to sound creepy at all but I would love to just shadow him for a day just because I feel like he has a sort of meticulous OCD-type personality that I have. Getting fascinated by the seemingly most uninteresting objects to the average person and spending hours on projects that in the end you probably could have picked up at a store for less than $10 to do the job just as well. Everything has to be personalized for me and if I can make it, that makes the function of the device all the much more satisfying. It's like cooking your own food that tastes better than the exact same meal from take out.

[QualityMasters]

Adams impersonation of George Lucas is BEAUTIFUL lmao

[jamesabell]

Love this video, I've been using CGI for years, now I am so into making 3D prints, painting them and then photographing them and will make short animations soon too. I just love the lighting, the freedom real life models give me, it feels more hands on and liberating! :)

[patchesdf]

Yes! Adam! Please post a pic or something and show us the universal greebly, so we all can geek out over spotting it in our favourite films!

[Zerepzerreitug]

it's always great to hear adam's anecdotes and insights on the special effects industry.

[mrsteveo]

Kit bashing. Have a look at the Borg Cube from Star Trek.

[Straswa]

Adam is awesome, so cool learning he made templates for Action Fleet ships.