I know how excited you all are when realizing that many scenes from your favorite movies have been shot in physical models (SS example : Coraline)

Lets take it back to oldskool references on this topic

1) Dolls Replace Drawings in Film Cartoon (Jun, 1938)

Dolls Replace Drawings in Film Cartoon

THOUSANDS of carved wooden dolls give a three-dimensional effect to a new type of animated-cartoon film developed by George Pal, Hungarian photographic expert. Instead of using pictures drawn and photographed in sequence to provide movement, the new cartoon-film technique employs numerous doll figures carved and painted to represent the various movements and facial expressions of a single cartoon character. As many as thirty different carvings of one figure may be photographed in sequence for one simple change in a facial expression.

2) Lilliputian’s-eye viewer puts you inside tiny model (Aug, 1964)

This makes those dorky 3D walk-throughs seem a lot more useful doesn’t it?

Lilliputian’s-eye viewer puts you inside tiny model

A slender optical tube fitted with 18 miniature lenses provides realistic views inside architects’, landscapers’, town planners’, and other scale models. With a camera and adapter on the eyepiece, you get photos like the circular ones at left.

The British-made Modelscope is a combination microscrope, periscope, and telescope with an aperture at one side .3 inch from the end. On the floor of a 1:200 model, this corresponds to eye level at the same scale. At other heights, it shows vistas from windows, balconies, and other points. Made by Optec Reactors, Ltd., of London, the unit is distributed in the U.S. by H. C. I. Sales Corp., NYC.

via ModernMechanix (+)