Miniature effect

Scale models are often combined with high speed photography or matte shots to make gravitational and other effects appear convincing to the viewer.

The use of scale models in the creation of visual effects by the entertainment industry dates back to the earliest days of cinema.

[1] French director Georges Méliès incorporated special effects in his 1902 film Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon) — including double-exposure, split screens, miniatures and stop-action.

Iconic film sequences such as the tanker truck explosion from The Terminator (1984) and the bridge destruction in True Lies (1994) were achieved through the use of large-scale miniatures.

While the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) has largely overtaken their use since then, they are still often employed, especially for projects requiring physical interaction with fire, explosions, or water.