147 John Duncan - Model Maker Extraordinaire

Episode 147: John DuncanIn this episode, I’m joined by model maker John Duncan, whose career spans nearly fifteen years at Industrial Light & Magic and includes work across Star Wars, Star Trek, Galaxy Quest, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Matrix and more.John talks about his early fascination with building miniatures as a kid, making models out of paper and cardboard, and how that instinct to just try things eventually led him into the film industry. What started as architectural model work and a stint in television quickly turned into a career at ILM, beginning in 1993, where he arrived for what was meant to be a two-week job and stayed for over a decade .We get into the realities of model making for film, learning to build for the camera rather than for close inspection, working under tight deadlines, and letting go of work when it needs to be modified or destroyed for the shot.John also discusses his time as a concept model maker on the Star Wars prequels, working with Doug Chiang to create what he describes as “3D blueprints” for the wider production. These models helped bridge the gap between design, practical builds and digital assets, ensuring consistency across departments.There’s plenty here on specific projects too, including building the Enterprise-E for Star Trek: First Contact, working on the ships for Galaxy Quest, and contributing to the large-scale pirate ships in Pirates of the Caribbean. He also shares stories about unusual materials, problem-solving on the fly, and the collaborative nature of the ILM model shop.We also talk about the shift from practical models to digital effects, where miniatures still have a place today, and why physical builds continue to resonate with filmmakers and audiences alike.John is thoughtful, practical, and clearly still passionate about the craft. This is a great insight into a side of filmmaking that often goes unnoticed, but is absolutely fundamental to how these films were made.Topics coveredGrowing up building models and early creative influencesFirst steps into the film industry via architectural modelsJoining ILM in 1993 and working alongside industry legendsBuilding models for camera vs building for displayWorking on Star Trek: First Contact and Galaxy QuestConcept model making on the Star Wars prequelsCollaborating with Doug Chiang and George LucasThe idea of “3D blueprints” in film productionPractical effects vs digital effectsWorking on Pirates of the CaribbeanMaterials, techniques and problem-solving in the model shopReplica prop community and fan researchWhy physical models still matterThis podcast is completely independent and made possible by listener support. If you’d like to help me keep making these episodes, you can join my Patreon community here: https://patreon.com/jamiebenning Watch more on YouTube:Check out the Filmumentaries YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes clips and extra content: https://youtube.com/filmumentariesAll my links