FEATURED GUESTS

FILM MAKERS

MODEL SUPERVISOR

GENE RIZZARDI

ART DIRECTION
MODELS * PROPS * SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
MUSEUM DIORAMAS * ARCHITECTURAL MODELS
PYROTECHNICS * PROTOTYPES

GENE RIZZARDI: An Award Winning Model Supervisor, known in the Film Industry as a top ranking, highly respected creator of complicated Models and Props, has film credits that are beyond impressive. Additional details about his Filmography are listed on the IMDB.

Behind the scenes gifted workers, like Gene Rizzardi are of course known to movie buffs, especially those movie buffs who are attracted to Visual and Special Effects. Unlike actors who are 'out front' and in the spotlight, these gifted people are rarely recognized by the general public. And then -- if they are 'good' at their jobs -- their work too will remain virtually unrecognized, as it is handicapped by the perfection of its 'reality' and so goes happily undetected.

No Film Production Company will ever build a full sized City Skyline, nor a full sized 'Titanic' along with its Nemesis ~ the iceberg. These Model Makers are indispensable and are very necessary not only to a film's success, but to the film being made at all.

*

Gene Rizzardi says: "I have often been asked how I got my start in the movie business and what caused me to build models for a living. I think the first movies I remember being influenced by were the “B” Science Fiction Movies, like Godzilla, Journey to the Center of the Earth, King Kong, and TV shows like Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, and Thunderbirds. These shows inspired me to dream and to believe anything was possible.

"My first model was in the TV movie the The French Atlantic Affair. I worked on a crew building a 25 ft long ocean liner that was supposed to sink. Well, it sank all right, but not the way it was planned, We were shooting at the Salton Sea on a calm morning getting ready for the finale, The Pyro technician was loading the charges to blow the ship, when the Santa Ana Winds came up, turning the Salton Sea into the 'Perfect Storm'. The Waves started as large swells that crashed against the jetty we were filming from, forcing us to evacuate.

"The ship began swaying with each successive wave and finally capsized and went under despite our best efforts. The model was scrubbed clean from the armature by the wave action and parts of the model and explosive charges started floating to shore. We had a major cleanup on our hands to make sure no stray explosives were left behind. The three hour return trip home, in the Boss's car, was spent in absolute silence. Two weeks later we went back and successfully got the shot we needed, with a newly built ship. And in record time.

"To all of you who wish to work in the film industry; you are choosing a career that will be challenging, frustrating, wondrous, boring, magical, dirty, amazing, and tedious at times. But never forgettable.

"You will find this business gets into your blood, on your clothes, in your hair and under your fingernails. There will be nothing like it in your life, it will become your life and you will enjoy every minute of it deep inside your self.

"You will never know your true potential unless you believe in yourself, so come to work with an open mind, and every chance you get encourage others to follow. Learn from the Masters, they have made all the mistakes already, there is no need to repeat them. You will never know where the path leads because it is an adventure like no other.

"Step Boldly!" ~ GENE RIZZARDI

Outstanding Visual Effects Award: HUGGA BUNCH 1985
Visual Effects Society Board Member (2001-2005)
Visual Effects Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

GENE RIZZARDI
Contact: gene@modelwerkes.com
Website: www.modelwerkes.com

JIM CAMERON'S TITANIC

The Titanic ~ Scale Model used in Film.

Titanic's Deck ~ Scale model used in film.

This image of the 1/20th scale model shows the realistic details James Cameron requested for his film: TITANIC. The Deck is laser scribed pine plywood aged to match the full size set in Mexico. The benches and the deck chairs are scaled versions of the Titanic's deck furniture. Light fixtures are cast in white metal. Smokestacks have 4000 rivets each!

TITANIC Images Courtesy Gene Rizzardi's Studio Archives (c) Modelwerkes

* * *


The Internet Movie Database
www.imdb.com
www.moviedatabase.com