Raiders Miniatures.
Above is a picture that is of the iconic adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, as it is being produced. The man in the picture is the production designer for the movie, Norman Reynolds.
Here he is taking photos of the miniature set that he created that was built to look like a camp in Egypt that the team would try to set up later in filming. Little known fact, this was a strategy that the team used quite a bit to help out with the shooting of the films. It was a common strategy of Reynolds to help with producing sets quickly and efficiently. You could figure out where you would need everything placed ahead of time, allowing them to set up very quickly and get to filming almost immediately. Considering Raiders of the Lost Ark had a smaller budget compared to other blockbusters at the time, so this strategy was instrumental in allowing them to do everything they wanted to with their limited resources.
It is estimated that the principal filming/photography of the movie only took about three months thanks to their miniature set building. The models also helped with establishing legitimacy to their routes as Raiders was meant to be a loving tribute to the classic adventure shows of the past. With their models giving them a good idea of set placement, they were able to quickly arrive and set up at their, which in turn allowed them to shoot immediately and work out the kinks as they went, just like those old shows did.
Writer / Quiz Creator
Andrew Nicholas is a passionate reader and writer on the subjects of history and mankind. He is a published author, critic, and poet who grew up in the friendly scenery of rural Ohio. He is a graduate of Wright State University and a regular student of historical curiosities.