The Knight Rider models

Andela · Post by **Andela** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:36 am

Does anyone know anyting about the models they started to use in Knight Rider? Sometimes they used the models in scenes they didn't have to. Was the turbo boost scenes getting to expensive? One example is when Goliath comes out of the garage, why use a model? Or another scene of KITT in Goliath when he drives in the desert. Why?

knightendo · Post by **knightendo** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:15 pm

those models really begun to bug me, especially when used in scenes when there was no need for them. did you know that the scene where Goliath actually struck KITT was done for real! then they replaced it with models. however, the models in Goliath are fine i feel, its Goliath Returns (where like you say "why use a model" for that shot of Goliath leaving a garage!!???) that's bloomin' awful!! there are two many models in there and they all look stupid!! nothing like KITT at all!! some of the hour long episodes got out of hand too, thankfully they started to calm down after a while lol!!

Army_F_Body · Post by **Army_F_Body** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:41 pm

What I want to know is why didn't they put the effort into making the models actually look more like KITT. I know they used an 82 Camaro model as the base and modified it, but why not make it look all the way like a T/A. It bugs that in one seen you see the real KITT then the next it looks like he sprouted ground effects and Camaro extractor less-fenders when the model rolls by. Don't even get me started on Junk Yard Dog....

imranbecks · Post by **imranbecks** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:33 pm

Army_F_Body wrote:What I want to know is why didn't they put the effort into making the models actually look more like KITT. I know they used an 82 Camaro model as the base and modified it, but why not make it look all the way like a T/A. It bugs that in one seen you see the real KITT then the next it looks like he sprouted ground effects and Camaro extractor less-fenders when the model rolls by. Don't even get me started on Junk Yard Dog....

Why? What was wrong with Junk Yard Dog?

Army_F_Body · Post by **Army_F_Body** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:38 pm

The part where KITT sinks into the sludge. It's so blatently obvious that they are using a model. They use a real car in the scene were they are pulling KITT out of the sludge. To pull it out, it had to have gotten in right? Why not just kill 2 birds with one stone.

Don't get me wrong, I love JYD (it's one of my favorite episodes). Just that one model part I think was the worst in the entire series.

imranbecks · Post by **imranbecks** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:44 pm

Oh yeah!!!! That scene!!! I have it on tape and I actually just saw it 2 days ago... It was obvious that it was a model especially if u look at the scanner... It looked so fake..

But still, a great episode!!!!

HondaSiR · Post by **HondaSiR** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:50 pm

imranbecks wrote:Oh yeah!!!! That scene!!! I have it on tape and I actually just saw it 2 days ago... It was obvious that it was a model especially if u look at the scanner... It looked so fake..

Yep, even our ERTL KITT has a better scanner than the model used in that episode.

imranbecks · Post by **imranbecks** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:52 pm

HondaSiR wrote:
imranbecks wrote:Oh yeah!!!! That scene!!! I have it on tape and I actually just saw it 2 days ago... It was obvious that it was a model especially if u look at the scanner... It looked so fake..
Yep, even our ERTL KITT has a better scanner than the model used in that episode.

Yeah.... Simply amazing!!!

TurbomanKnight · Post by **TurbomanKnight** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 12:16 am

Anyone remember the part in "Knight Flight To Freedom"? So a volcano is about to erupt. They have to drive through lava to get to the city. The model that was used to go through the lava looked so fake. The wheels looked like cardboard. I was dying on that part for like 5 minutes.

Andela · Post by **Andela** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:47 am

How big are the models then? And the most of the scenes are shot from a very low camera position like it was directly on the ground.

knightdriver · Post by **knightdriver** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 10:08 am

Andela wrote:How big are the models then? And the most of the scenes are shot from a very low camera position like it was directly on the ground.

The camaro models they used where about 2 feet long. 1:8th scale.

I have built my own based on the same model except I put a full
interior in mine as well. Here are some pictures.

My model next to a show used KITT:

http://www.knightfoundation.net/news/fo ... v2_jpg.htm

Interior shot:

http://www.knightfoundation.net/news/fo ... or_jpg.htm

For my step by step pictures visit the link below:

http://www.knightdriver.com/current8thkitt.html

CB2001 · Post by **CB2001** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 2:05 pm

knightdriver- Lovely model.

Now, to answer the overall question: Why use models for simple scenes? Rather simple to explain.

When it comes to productions of any kind (movie, TV, TV-movie, etc), there are two overall factors: budget and time. Studios are always pressing production companies because of time and budget.

For time wise, maybe the production crew didn't have enough time to go back and reshoot scenes that could have been done with the real truck, because when it comes to shows, they often shoot three episodes at the same time (and this restricts the amount of time for second unit to do coverage). Another thing is that if they did have time, it would take a lot of money to take the truck out on location, set up the equiptment and shoot the truck coming out of the garage. Film is also expensive too.

However, there have been a couple of movies released that I know that had dealt quite well with these two problems. The first is "Duel", Spielberg's first movie. He wanted to shoot the film out on location, but the studio said that, "a film of this size cannot be shot out on location with the timeframe we have" (basically, they gave him 11 days to work on it) and that he should go out, shoot plates and then use rear-screen projection. Spielberg was against the rear screen projection because it looked fake. He wanted it to look real. The studio then said, "Okay, look. If you go out and shoot plates for the first two days, if you are under budget and on schedule, then you can film the whole movie on location." He did, and he was on time and on schedule, the studio allowed him to shoot the film on location. However, towards the end, he went over schedule by two days. But he created one of the best TV-movies ever made.

Another was the movie "Underworld". The studio told the director that they didn't have enough time for him to shoot a "memory glitch" scene that was set in the far past, but that if the director was on schedule, they'd be willing to give him the time. He was, and now we have the "memory glitch" scene of Lucian watching his beloved Sonja die.

Time and money. That's what it's all about. Studios are saying "make it faster! Cheaper!". When they get the final product, they ask, "Why does it look like crap?"

Lost Knight · Post by **Lost Knight** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 3:25 pm

OK, knightdriver I'm impressed. I think your model looks more accurate than the 1/18th scale ones! It's too bad Ertl didn't pay as close attention to detail as you did, epsecially with the nose.

kitt-x · Post by **kitt-x** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 4:03 pm

That's the difference between a fan building a model as opposed to a big company making something to mass market.

Good job with the model, Brian. I have always liked that one.

-Mike

knightdriver · Post by **knightdriver** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 4:59 pm

Thanks gang,

The model is actually finsihed now. I haven't been able to gain
access to my site since I moved to update it. I will be getting
some pictures taken of it soon and posted up for everyone to
see.

TurbomanKnight · Post by **TurbomanKnight** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:15 pm

Hey, Knight Driver!

Those wheels are killer. Dude, do you have the model numbers for those wheels? I have a 1/10 scale Nitro Powered Sedan. Im going to buy the 2002 Trans Am WS6 body. So I would need a set of those wheels for it. Im going to cut a scanner opening in the front and stick a Varad Alarm Led Scanner it in. So it would be like a Knight Inspired 4th gen Trans Am. Then theres a guy that sells Led Headlights on ebay So that would bring out the luck even better. Too bad they dont sell 3rd Gen Trans Am body.

imranbecks · Post by **imranbecks** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 1:49 am

Lets give the producers credit for the destruction of KITT in Knight of the Juggernaut... What a scene! That was no model.... They used a real screen used KITT!!!! Anyone have any pics from that destruction scene?

TurbomanKnight · Post by **TurbomanKnight** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 4:31 am

Someone posted a pic of the car. What was funny it was a Hard top Trans Am. Was it really a Prop Car they used?

Army_F_Body · Post by **Army_F_Body** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 4:44 am

I think structurally it was safer to use a hardtop for that particular scene (can't rememeber if a stunt guy was in the car flailing around or if that was cut in later with David).

Say what you will about a hardtop, but they are structurally stronger cars...even though I can't understand why my V-6 causes stress fractures in the paint where the sail panel meets the roof on the drivers side! Powerfull is my 3.1 liter!!!!

imranbecks · Post by **imranbecks** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 11:08 am

I just read in the KR Legacy book that they used both a stunt man and a dummy for that KITT destruction scene in KOTJ.. And the car was a screen used KITT....

TurbomanKnight · Post by **TurbomanKnight** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:31 pm

If it was screen used. Why was it a hardtop??

imranbecks · Post by **imranbecks** » Sun Dec 12, 2004 9:30 am

I want a screenshot of that scene... Anyone?

KITT Rules · Post by **KITT Rules** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 1:44 pm

imranbecks wrote:I want a screenshot of that scene... Anyone?

I second that

KNIGHTBOY · Post by **KNIGHTBOY** » Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:53 pm

While I agree they overused the models towards the end of the series, the one shot that still impresses me is in Brother's Keeper, when KITT turboboosts over the prison wall. It's obviously a model and doesn't have the weight of a real car, but it's still cool as hell.

That is one of the best action sequences of the series, I think, from when the music starts up to that high-pitched squeel at the end as KITT flies by the camera.

knightendo · Post by **knightendo** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 7:50 pm

god i LOVED the end of that sequence!!!! when KITT zooms past the camera, the long end to the boost, the speed, sound... it all comes together to an enhilirating end!!! brilliantly done!

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