Film Craft: Miniature Mammoth Model for Shooting

Featuring a Mammoth in an Original Adventure Film

As part of my homage series to the classic Hiroshi Kawaguchi Exploration Team, which I’ve loved since childhood, I’m working on a project where the story takes us to Siberia in search of the legendary mammoth.

After a long pause in production, I’ve completed a miniature mammoth model. It’s a simple design, with movable joints only in the legs. For stability, I added piano wire springs to the knee and elbow joints to prevent them from bending the wrong way.

The skeleton is minimally sculpted with wood powder clay, and I’ve glued finely cut fabric pieces to serve as skin. Since the skin will be covered by fur later, the parts underneath are made roughly.

To replicate the mammoth’s fur, I bought polyester faux fur from a craft store, cut it finely, and carefully adhered it to the body. The fur is now fully attached. For the trunk, I used yarn typically used in crocheted cat toys, cut into fine pieces and glued on.

At this stage, the model still doesn’t resemble a mammoth because the fur is too long. Trimming the fur and styling it with hair spray has helped achieve the desired look, completing the main body.

The tusks are detachable. This allows for flexibility: by removing the tusks and shrinking the footage during compositing, the model can double as a “baby elephant.”

The actual shooting, which requires a two-person operation, is still unscheduled. When filming begins, I’ll share a report in another article.

Green-Screening Miniatures for Realistic Compositing

Some might assume that CGI is the go-to method for adding creatures like monsters to live-action backgrounds. CGI has its advantages: it allows changes to angles and lighting reflections during the editing phase, making it a highly versatile technique.

However, CGI can suffer from a significant issue—it often lacks the “fun” factor. For instance, while the CGI and practical effects in Jurassic Park were groundbreaking, achieving that level of quality is rare.

Low-budget CGI often appears overly clean or unnaturally animated, which can quickly lose its appeal. On the other hand, a well-crafted “miniature model” created through analog methods has an undeniable charm and enjoyment factor.

When depicting creatures or living beings, miniature models operated by human hands can produce movements far more vivid and lifelike than programmed CGI. Plus, since these models are physically present in front of the camera, their textures appear more realistic on screen.

For hobbyist filmmakers, the joy of shooting is paramount. Filming miniatures is an incredibly rewarding experience.

I enjoy making films for fun, with the hope that my work might even help fund my next project. I’d be thrilled if my journey inspires your creative endeavors.