In 1986, visual effects company Introvision International was developing a movie project - an outer space version of the classic novel Treasure Island entitled Treasure Planet. The company filmed a test sequence, most of which took place in a spaceship junkyard, to help attract financial backing for the project. The sequence utilized the "Introvision" process, a unique variation of the front-projection technique that allowed actors to be composited in-camera; accordingly, they were seamlessly integrated into an imaginary background without the need for post-processing.

I was part of a small crew of model makers who, under the direction of production designer Anton Tremblay, created the junkyard in miniature. We had a great time in the model shop, crafting spaceships out of various plastics and working to make them appear weathered and damaged. After the model work was completed, I stayed on for a few additional weeks to help Anton and cinematographer David Stump set up the junkyard scenes on stage. Later, after I left, the actors were composited into our junkyard scenes via the Introvision process, but I never saw the final result. Despite all their efforts, Introvision International never produced Treasure Planet. Such is Hollywood! Oddly enough, however, Disney Feature Animation made another movie with the same basic concept and title 16 years later.

Throughout the production of this little-known project, I photographed many on-stage setups as well as several behind-the-scenes events in the model shop. Here are some of them...