Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models

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Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models was a British magazine that started out as a specialized magazine on model kits and models in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. Aimed at the hobby market, it originally consisted of review and "how-to" articles of commercially-available kits and models of those specific genres, covering licensed and unlicensed ("garage" kits) products alike. A bi-monthly magazine, publication started in January 1994 with two test issues, then titled SF & F: The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Model Review. The regular run, now called Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models, began in July with a re-started numbering. From the beginning the magazine was printed on high-gloss paper, and while color content was low at the start, that increased considerably in the years to come.

Beginning publication at a time when interest in, and production of Star Trek, was at its height, it came as no surprise that coverage of Trek-related merchandise in the form of model kits and models was extensive. Illustrative of that was the multi-part article on the history of the Star Trek model kits that ran through the very first (test) issue to issue two of the regular publication run (four issues in total), written by Simon Roykirk.

Though initially a hobby market model kit magazine, from issue five onward it was beefed out with behind-the-scenes articles and interviews with visual effects (VFX) staffers, most notably the props and studio model builders, of the actual genre productions of both television and motion pictures. A large number of those articles were submitted by the staffers themselves. Originally intended to be illustrative of how professionals went about their business, the proportion of these article rose over the years to an extend that half-way through its run the original formula of the magazine was increasingly relegated to the fringes. The change was reflected in that the magazine changed its title twice during its lifetime, first to Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models International from issue 35 to issue 47, and secondly to Sci-Fi & Fantasy FX from issue 48 until the end of the run. The last name change was intended to reflect the advent of CGI, which by that time had become an ever more important technique in producing VFX.

Star Trek, as one of the genre franchises very much viable at the time, has been also well represented in that respect. Trek VFX staffers that have submitted or contributed to articles on their work were, among others, Rick Sternbach, Ed Miarecki, David Merriman, Jr., Ron Thornton, Robert Bonchune, Adam Lebowitz, Brandon MacDougall, Bill George, and John Goodson. Many of them also submitted articles on work they had done on genre productions other than Star Trek. The amount of submitted articles was such that chief editor Mike Reccia started an intended biannual spin-off magazine Effects Special in 1998 that only ran for two issues due the unexpected ceasing of publication of the main magazine in 2000.

The reasons why the magazine ceased publishing with the number 53 issue of March 2000 have remained undisclosed.

In 2006, editors Reccia and Openshaw opted to start over with the quarterly magazine (though in style they more resemble paperback books and as such are endowed with ISBN numbers), Sci-fi & fantasy modeller, which is currently still running. Though having returned to its original formula of a specialized genre (model) kit review and "how-to" magazine, it does contain some behind-the-scenes articles, though care is taken that their proportion is subordinated to the primary content.

Notable issues

(This list is currently incomplete.)

Discounting the merchandise, of particular relevance to Star Trek where coverage of VFX materials used in the actual productions was concerned, are the following issues:

Issue	Cover	Contents
#6, May/June 1995		"Star Trek: The Exhibition: The Models", Mike Reccia & Bob Smith, pp. 24-27
#7, July/August 1995		"Star Trek: The Exhibition II: The Return", Mike Reccia & Bob Smith, pp. 42-45
#14, September 1996		"1701: Ultimate Refit", Roger Sides, pp. 26-28
#16, December 1996		"The Making of the Cardassian Warship.", Ed Miarecki, pp. 24-27
#24, November 1997		"Applying Magic: Alan McFarland in conversation with Mike Reccia", Mike Reccia, pp. 28-33
#25, January 1998		"Smithonian Trek Photo-Feature", Peter Hardy, pp. 53-55
#29, June 1998		"So, you want to build effects miniatures?!, Part One", David Merriman, Jr., pp. 51-57
#30, July 1998		"So, you want to build effects miniatures?!, Part Two", David Merriman, Jr., pp. 36-42
#1.1, 1998 (as Effects Special)		"Species 8472–design concept", Steve Burg & John Teska, pp. 60-66
#32, September 1998		Foundation Imaging special: "The Year at a Glance", Ron Thornton, p. 50 "A Month in Hell", Mojo, pp. 51-52 "Aliens aboard the Voyager", John Teska, p. 52 "Deep Space Nine: 'Sacrifice of Allardice'", John Allardice, p. 53 "Building and Refiiting Starships", Rob Bonchune, p. 54 "Foundation Imaging: Dream Job for Spaceship Modelers", Brandon MacDougall, pp. 54-55
#34, January 1999		"Star Trek: Insurrection-The "Next Generation" of Miniature Effects, Part One", Jim Key, pp. 24-31
#35, March 1999 (as Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models International)		"Star Trek: Insurrection-The "Next Generation" of Miniature Effects, Part Two", Jim Key, pp. 18-23
#36, April 1999		"Anatomy of a Shuttle", Rick Sternbach, pp. 29-34
#37, June 1999		"The Intergalactic Arsenal of Star Trek: Making classic TV and Film props", Jim Key, pp. 26-30
#41, October 1999		"What's Going Down in MojoWorld?", Adam Lebowitz, pp. 24-25 "Creating fifth season FX for Star Trek: Voyager", Robert Bonchune, pp. 25-26
Volume 12, 20 January 2009 (as Sci-fi & fantasy modeller)	ISBN 9780955878138	"Restoring Star Trek: The Next Generation's Earth Station McKinley", Jason Eaton, pp. 66-73
Volume 20, 17 January 2011	ISBN 9780956430663	"Bill George: Modelling Memories and Movie Magic", pp. 73-84
Volume 26, 9 July 2012	ISBN 9780956905352	note: The first printing was sold out in a matter of weeks, and this issue gained the rare distinction of becoming the first issue to see a limited reprint run in late 2013 "The Enterprise and Me: The long road to Polar Lights' 1:350 TOS Enterprise – Part One", Gary Kerr, pp. 34-50

External link

• Current website