Maritime Innovation In Miniature
"Ship models are one of the most important but under-used and under-appreciated cultural resources in the heritage world. Thousands of the very highest quality models are kept in storage and never see the light of day; those that are on display in national and local museums are notoriously difficult to interpret and understand in a traditional heritage setting. The glass cases that house the finest models present not only a physical barrier to our getting close, but also create a psychological barrier which suggests closeness is neither acceptable nor desired.
And yet here is a resource of exceptional potential: ship models have the potential to entertain, educate and inspire. They are sailor-made, prisoner-of-war made, professionally made; they are made for businesses, governments, royalty, even Gods. They showcase changing techniques and innovation in the shipbuilding industry and changing techniques and innovation in the modelling world of miniature construction. They represent the manufacturing potential of violent and wealthy empires. They convey the refinement of societies that embrace luxury and respect artistic sensibility. They have inspired scientific thought, experimentation and technological breakthroughs. They have inspired changes in national strategy, operational tactics and diplomacy. They have been influential in the creation of global empires, and the imperial suppression of native cultures. Without any doubt they are themselves works of art of the highest cultural significance.
Some have guns or carvings coated in gold; some have parquet flooring in invisible internal cabins – finished just so for the sake of it, out of principle, not so that they can be seen; some have curtains with tasselled drapes and woven carpets. All of them represent a flash of imaginative genius that cannot be measured in hours, alongside minutely worked miniature masterpieces that can be measured in hours – sometimes in thousands of hours. A contemporary model maker once told me that he was unable to buy miniature carving tools of a sufficient strength or of an appropriate blade design for recreating the exquisite carvings of the seventeenth-century warship he was embarking on. So, before he even began to make his model, he first designed and ground miniature carving tools out of sewing needles.
Sometimes they exist alongside detailed ship plans and surveys, an invaluable 3D interpretation that can make the historic written and drawn record come alive. Sometimes they are the only surviving historical record of a ship at all. In every instance they are a physical manifestation of a moment in time that momentarily freezes the ever-changing human relationship with the sea.
Historians have barely begun to investigate let alone exploit the potential of these models as a source for understanding the past, but modern technology now opens a window. This project has been conceived to bring the public closer than ever before to this remarkable and untapped resource. Working closely alongside curatorial teams to gain unprecedented access to these models, our film crews use the very latest in lighting and camera technology and filming techniques to create videos of exceptional quality that respect, reflect and honour the models themselves as works of art. Each video also has a script which explains what is being shown and why it is important within a broad editorial remit of ‘Maritime Innovation’. It is an exceptionally exciting project to be part of. Every model will produce a unique video. Every video has the potential to educate, inform and inspire an unlimited number of people. And we hope that you, as one of those people, will gain something from watching this magnificent maritime architecture float by, in miniature."
Dr Sam Willis, Project Director and Producer
Institutions and Private Collections - How Does it Work?
If you have a world-class ship model or collection of models and would like to be featured in our project please fill out the form below.
Our experienced team will work with you towards identifying a suitable model and writing a script that focuses on the ship’s history and the themes of maritime innovation that the model and the ship’s history raise.
Our film crew will work closely with your curatorial team to identify a suitable filming location and if needed we will help offer advice over transportation and movement.
We will create one stand-alone five minute video in 4k for the Ship Model Project as well as multiple short edits for Social Media and a ‘Behind the Scenes’ short video. These will be published on our project webpage but the video will also be shared directly with the institution/collection to use was they wish.