Behind-The-Scenes: Making The HBO Starship Intro

Many of us recall HBO's 1983 "Starship" intro before their movies, but few have seen the old-school effects used

A look behind-the-scenes at the insanely complex model city built by New York-based Liberty Studios for HBO's 1983 on-air look. 6 model makers worked for 3 months casting nearly 100 unique buildings, all with working light bulbs and meticulous exterior detailing. The model was made in 3 sections, a city, the suburbs and county side, with a 16ft high airbrushed skyline as the backdrop.

Shot entirely as stop-motion with a computer controlled camera, smoke was used on set to create an exaggerated sense of distance as the camera swoops through the city streets.

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