Episode 147: John Duncan

In this episode, I’m joined by model maker John Duncan, whose career spans nearly fifteen years at Industrial Light & Magic and includes work across Star Wars, Star Trek, Galaxy Quest, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Matrix and more.

John talks about his early fascination with building miniatures as a kid, making models out of paper and cardboard, and how that instinct to just try things eventually led him into the film industry. What started as architectural model work and a stint in television quickly turned into a career at ILM, beginning in 1993, where he arrived for what was meant to be a two-week job and stayed for over a decade .We get into the realities of model making for film, learning to build for the camera rather than for close inspection, working under tight deadlines, and letting go of work when it needs to be modified or destroyed for the shot.

John also discusses his time as a concept model maker on the Star Wars prequels, working with Doug Chiang to create what he describes as “3D blueprints” for the wider production. These models helped bridge the gap between design, practical builds and digital assets, ensuring consistency across departments.There’s plenty here on specific projects too, including building the Enterprise-E for Star Trek: First Contact, working on the ships for Galaxy Quest, and contributing to the large-scale pirate ships in Pirates of the Caribbean. He also shares stories about unusual materials, problem-solving on the fly, and the collaborative nature of the ILM model shop.

We also talk about the shift from practical models to digital effects, where miniatures still have a place today, and why physical builds continue to resonate with filmmakers and audiences alike.John is thoughtful, practical, and clearly still passionate about the craft. This is a great insight into a side of filmmaking that often goes unnoticed, but is absolutely fundamental to how these films were made.

Topics covered

• Growing up building models and early creative influences
• First steps into the film industry via architectural models
• Joining ILM in 1993 and working alongside industry legends
• Building models for camera vs building for display
• Working on Star Trek: First Contact and Galaxy Quest
• Concept model making on the Star Wars prequels
• Collaborating with Doug Chiang and George Lucas
• The idea of “3D blueprints” in film production
• Practical effects vs digital effects
• Working on Pirates of the Caribbean
• Materials, techniques and problem-solving in the model shop
• Replica prop community and fan research
• Why physical models still matter

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