The Ultimate Recovered Artifact: The Serenity Filming Miniature

POSTED BY: HAKEN
UPDATED: Monday, December 20, 2021 22:49
VIEWED: 35718
PAGE 1 of 1

HAKEN

Sunday, January 1, 2012 6:18 PM

From Quantum Mechanix

http://www.facebook.com/QuantumMechanix

About three months ago, while getting a very rare tour of the Universal archives, we came across something tucked into a corner and covered in plastic that made our hearts skip a beat: a highly-detailed 12-foot-long filming model of the Reaverized Serenity. We could hardly believe what we were seeing!

As many Browncoats know, there has been a rumor around for years that a filming miniature used for the crash scene on Mr. Universe's planet. But that rumor was either denied as either being totally false, or that the miniature used was a simple styrofoam model. As you can see from the picture below, it does exist and is about as far from a "simple" model as you could imagine.

The archivists were generous enough to let us come back last month with a camera and crew to fully document the model – ALL 12 FEET OF HER! So, to start off the New Year right, we wanted to introduce you to the biggest, most impressive Serenity ever made (QMx designer Hawk included for scale).

Later this week we will be publishing a full gallery of images on qmxonline.com. But we couldn't wait to at least give you a taste of what's to come :-)

Visit QMX Online at http://www.qmxonline.com/

SISTER

Sunday, January 1, 2012 6:27 PM

...drooling.

FLORALBUNNY

Sunday, January 1, 2012 6:55 PM

Aha. Never thought that crashing Serenity was styrofoam. Glad they thought to put a little plastic over it. But why not on display?

bun

CHRISISALL

Sunday, January 1, 2012 6:55 PM

Oh my oh my oh my oh my........

The laughing Chrisisall

YT

Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by HAKEN:
From Quantum Mechanix
...snip...
, we wanted to introduce you to the biggest, most impressive Serenity ever made
Visit QMX Online at http://www.qmxonline.com/

Sorry QMX, but the Serenity that impressed me most was the two-part set @20th Century Fox; it was also much bigger

Keep the Shiny Side Up,

YT

YTonTw1tt3r

KAREL

Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:40 PM

SCORE!!!

TWO

Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:48 PM

Video of Serenity model crashing in front of a greenscreen.

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

CHRISISALL

Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:59 PM

Thanks Two, ain't never seen that before!

The laughing Chrisisall

PENGUIN

Sunday, January 1, 2012 8:39 PM

Let's see...

If I put a two story addition on the house, it just might fit!

King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

RIVERTAM1

Sunday, January 1, 2012 8:53 PM

Ohmygawd! That has got to be the shiniest thing I've seen in quite a while. That will be what I want to see if I ever get a tour!

The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6 seconds, given adequate vacuuming systems.

OPPYH

Sunday, January 1, 2012 9:07 PM

Dear heavens....If that ever goes up for auction, I will make room in my house and find a way to purchase it.

----------------------------------------------------------------

70's TV FOREVER

CYBERSNARK

Sunday, January 1, 2012 11:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by FloralBunny:
But why not on display?

Sadly, such is the fate of all leftover studio models. Once they've served their purpose, they're really not kept around for much.

The only exceptions are things deemed to be "culturally significant" (like an Enterprise or a Millennium Falcon), which end up at a museum, or things that get snapped up by private collectors who have inside contacts (who can grab them direct from the studio --most of them simply never pass a public auction block 'cause it wouldn't be cost-effective).

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

TWO

Monday, January 2, 2012 4:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cybersnark:
Sadly, such is the fate of all leftover studio models. Once they've served their purpose, they're really not kept around for much.

The only exceptions are things deemed to be "culturally significant" (like an Enterprise or a Millennium Falcon), which end up at a museum, or things that get snapped up by private collectors who have inside contacts (who can grab them direct from the studio --most of them simply never pass a public auction block 'cause it wouldn't be cost-effective).

The model for Nostromo, the spaceship from the culturally significant Alien (1979), was stored outdoors for decades. The model for Serenity is being much better treated by Universal than the Nostromo model was treated by 20th Century Fox. But what else would you expect from FOX?

The restoration of the spaceship from Alien - www.propstore.com/nostromocomp.htm

The Joss Whedon script for "Serenity," where Wash lives, is
Serenity-190pages.pdf at www.mediafire.com/two

CHRISISALL

Monday, January 2, 2012 5:51 AM

Excellent Alien resto vid!

THESOMNAMBULIST

Monday, January 2, 2012 2:15 PM

What I don't understand though is that from the point of view of the model makers themselves wouldn't they want to display it within their studio? I mean it's an example of past work that potential new clients might gaze upon to understand what the model maker/s is/are capable of... No? I realise much would have been documented photographically, but when I used a model maker I was thrilled to bits that they had examples of their work around the place. Made me hire them. Much more informative than photos.

I don't get how this is just lying around with a cover over it? Clearly business is so good they can just discard past work!

Incredible!

Nice video of the Serenity Crash :D

Cartoons - http://cirqusartsandmusic.blogspot.com

CYBERSNARK

Monday, January 2, 2012 4:41 PM

Not all model-makers have the studio space to dedicate to "tourist" displays --especially in this day and age of doing everything virtually.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

FLORALBUNNY

Monday, January 2, 2012 8:00 PM

Well, it seems to me that if they can have the Mule sitting around the studio tour area they could manage to have the Reaverized Serenity doing the same.
Or sell it to someone with a motel out in the desert where they can have it out front...

bun

ECGORDON

Monday, January 2, 2012 8:07 PM

As long as it doesn't end up in that same junk yard where they found the Ariel ambulance.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

WHOZIT

Monday, January 2, 2012 9:04 PM

Joss should see if he can get it before it ends up in a dumpster, it could be put on display at Comic Con.

GREENKA61

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:37 AM

That is so damn cool and.......I wish I was rich. Really, really rich. Rich enough to buy it.

CHRISISALL

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 1:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
As long as it doesn't end up in that same junk yard where they found the Ariel ambulance.

I'd patch up her hurt, & de-Reaverize her...

The laughing Chrisisall

STEGASAURUS

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 4:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
As long as it doesn't end up in that same junk yard where they found the Ariel ambulance.
I'd patch up her hurt, & de-Reaverize her...

The laughing Chrisisall

If anyone could do it well, you'd have my vote.

-Steg

PENNAUSAMIKE

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 5:37 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
As long as it doesn't end up in that same junk yard where they found the Ariel ambulance.

Actually, the Ariel Ambulance WAS rescued by a fan group:
http://www.arielambulance.org/
who also have a yahoo page
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArielAmbulance/

As of right now, the Ariel Ambulance is languishing in a parking lot out behind the Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum
961 West Alondra Blvd.
Compton, CA 90220
http://www.tamuseum.org/

Far as I know, while the AA is relatively safe for now, interest and money has kind of dried up.
There was an attempt awhile back to organize a restoration work day,
and no one was able to participate.

SOOOO, it isn't always the BEST scenario for the fans to get a hold of a LARGE Hollywood prop vehicle because of the expense and difficulty of restoring and storing such LARGE artifacts.

Also, rather than pining over the relics we don't have,
I'm suggesting folks get involved in saving and restoring a prop that IS in the hands of Browncoat fans.
Even $10 or $20 is still a little help towards preserving the AA.

Mike

CLJOHNSTON108

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 12:47 PM

Yeah, it's wonderful that Serenity & Nostromo didn't end up the way of Station 5 from 2001...
http://www.therpf.com/f10/will-make-you-want-cry-91627/
...or Valley Forge from Silent Running. (Doug Trumbull kept it in his garage and eventually had to take a chainsaw to it!)
http://www.lunadude.com/pet_proj/valley_forge/
http://shipofdreams.me.uk/sfmovies/silent.htm

VERASAMUELS

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 3:32 PM

WANT!!!

Devout Keeper of Jayne's Lunchbox

CHRISISALL

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 5:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by cljohnston108:

http://www.therpf.com/f10/will-make-you-want-cry-91627/

Oh that is just so wrong.

The laughing Chrisisall

JEANDUPONTEL

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 7:24 AM

Nice story, Universal has probably other treasures in their archive.

Government Warehouse in "Raiders ot the Lost Ark" :

BROWNCOAT1

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 4:11 PM

Very shiny that is still out there and QMX was able to get footage of it. Guess we can expect to see a QMX model of the Reaverized Serenity down the road.

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

X.O. / Battalion O.I.C.

http://76thbattalion.homestead.com/index.html

http://76thbattalion.proboards.com

CYBERSNARK

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 11:59 PM

Y'know, this would make an awesome Warehouse 13 crossover.

So what would the Reaverized Serenity model do to people?

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

PENGUIN

Thursday, January 5, 2012 12:35 AM

Pics

http://www.qmxonline.com/news/gallery-12-foot-serenity-filming-miniatu
re/

King of the Mythical Land that is Iowa

CHRISISALL

Thursday, January 5, 2012 12:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Penguin:
Pics

http://www.qmxonline.com/news/gallery-12-foot-serenity-filming-miniatu
re/

Awesome....

PHOENIXSHIP

Thursday, January 5, 2012 5:46 AM

You two find an old ambulance, and I'll practice my cortical stimulator speech. We'll be in and out in 8 minutes.

"Why're you arguin' what's already been decided?"
Mal to Jayne, "Jaynestown"

PEULSAR5

Friday, January 6, 2012 2:12 AM

OH. MY.

INARANYA

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 11:31 PM

I was just thinking the same thing. Maybe it could be an episode about props from shows that shouldn't have been cancelled causing the "powers that be" to be fired.

"Forgive my rudeness, I just can't stand useless people"

FLORALBUNNY

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 6:51 PM

Originally posted by Cybersnark:
Y'know, this would make an awesome Warehouse 13 crossover.

So what would the Reaverized Serenity model do to people?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ultimate awesomeness. Maybe the victim would be skewered. Skinning and raping would be harder to work into a script, though I am certain some of our resident ficcers would be up for it. Victim could be roped out across the front, perhaps, thus being restrained while not exactly deceased.

bun

FIREFLYPASSENGER

Saturday, January 21, 2012 7:18 PM

Whoa!
*breathtaking*
*aweinspiring*

So beautiful and I don't even like the Reaverized version.

Firefly forever!

USULPAULMUADIB

Friday, February 17, 2012 12:10 PM

Great piece to start the New Movie, Right Joss?????

Visions of a Reaver Spear through Wash,

River Flying with Some Aptitude,

you take a boat in the air that you don't Love,
she'll shake you off just as sure as the turnin' of worlds...

if only.

MISSTRESSAHARA

Monday, February 20, 2012 12:26 AM

Very very shiny.

Just wanted to make mention Inarayna, the quote is "I cannot abide useless people."

I have a thing with getting quotes right. Specially when it comes to FF.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
~~~~If I'm a bitch, life just got interesting.~~~~~

IWANTTOMARRYWASH

Friday, February 24, 2012 3:10 AM

I feel like Runt (the pig with the two paper bags hyperventalating) from chicken little,IM'A DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can't stop the signal

THG

Saturday, December 18, 2021 10:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by HAKEN:
From Quantum Mechanix

http://www.facebook.com/QuantumMechanix

About three months ago, while getting a very rare tour of the Universal archives, we came across something tucked into a corner and covered in plastic that made our hearts skip a beat: a highly-detailed 12-foot-long filming model of the Reaverized Serenity. We could hardly believe what we were seeing!

As many Browncoats know, there has been a rumor around for years that a filming miniature used for the crash scene on Mr. Universe's planet. But that rumor was either denied as either being totally false, or that the miniature used was a simple styrofoam model. As you can see from the picture below, it does exist and is about as far from a "simple" model as you could imagine.

The archivists were generous enough to let us come back last month with a camera and crew to fully document the model – ALL 12 FEET OF HER! So, to start off the New Year right, we wanted to introduce you to the biggest, most impressive Serenity ever made (QMx designer Hawk included for scale).

Later this week we will be publishing a full gallery of images on qmxonline.com. But we couldn't wait to at least give you a taste of what's to come :-)

Visit QMX Online at http://www.qmxonline.com/

T

ANONYMOUS1

Sunday, December 19, 2021 10:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by pennausamike:
Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
As long as it doesn't end up in that same junk yard where they found the Ariel ambulance.

Actually, the Ariel Ambulance WAS rescued by a fan group:
http://www.arielambulance.org/
who also have a yahoo page
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArielAmbulance/

...

Also, rather than pining over the relics we don't have,
I'm suggesting folks get involved in saving and restoring a prop that IS in the hands of Browncoat fans.
Even $10 or $20 is still a little help towards preserving the AA.

Mike

I think yahoo got rid of all groups awhile ago.

I have a donation subscription that goes every quarter to arielambulance.org

ANONYMOUS1

Sunday, December 19, 2021 1:01 PM

If you click the search qmx near the top of their website http://www.qmxonline.com/ and type serenity 12 foot. ... It goes to their blog post with pictures.

Gallery:

https://qmxonline.com/blogs/news/13844173-gallery-12-foot-serenity-fil
ming-miniature

THG

Sunday, December 19, 2021 9:14 PM

Good post ANONYMOUS1...

T

https://www.facebook.com/ArielAmbulance/videos/1801145286593611/

ANONYMOUS1

Monday, December 20, 2021 11:02 AM

https://qmxonline.com/blogs/news/13844173-gallery-12-foot-serenity-fil
ming-miniature

Ah, galley picture number 17.

THG

Monday, December 20, 2021 10:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ANONYMOUS1:
https://qmxonline.com/blogs/news/13844173-gallery-12-foot-serenity-fil
ming-miniature

Ah, galley picture number 17.

Love it

T