WHAT A FILM SCULPTURE DOES
In film, sculptors work in the art department creating special structures and props using techniques such as sculpting, cutting/sawing, chiseling, carving, molding, casting, and welding. Sculptors work closely with production designers, visual effects directors, and prop masters, depending on the production's needs. They are skilled at constructing both large and miniature objects for elaborate set designs, as well as crafting lifelike figures and replicating landmarks, such as recognizable statuary and monuments. Landscapes as well, including, for instance, trees and natural rock formations, in accordance with the designer’s specifications.
Their skills can be used to create a wide range of things, from giant rocks in a landscape or oversized stone blocks cladding the façade of a castle, to statuary and ornate paneling, to more specialized pieces, such as a vehicle hull for a fantasy film used in set construction. The material often used for large-scale rocks or columns is polystyrene because it is lightweight and can be carved easily with a hot wire. Polyurethane can also be used to sculpt mid-sized items that are difficult to build in wood and too large for clay - an item such as a molded chair can then be cast with plaster and reproduced in fiberglass. Clay modeling is still preferable for any item needing detail and is always used for smaller and finer work.
