Cast Away Island

This microscale diorama features a range of memorable scenes from the epic movie, Cast Away. As one of my favorite movies of all time, Cast Away weaves together a survival story filled with powerful human emotion, invention and ingenuity, a stunning natural island setting, and even a bit of humor. It's a simple story of modern man, Chuck Noland, who finds himself alone on a remote island in the South Pacific after a plane crash leaves him as the only survivor. Stranded there over several years he must use his wits, determination, and resourcefulness in order to survive and eventually escape.

Key objects and mementos become extremely meaningful to him along the way and actually help him press on in hopes of returning to his loved ones. Many of these are woven into the set, including the pocket watch his girlfriend gave him right before his fateful flight, the FedEx boxes he recovered from the plane crash, and a quiet companion named Wilson he created from a volleyball and dried plants.

Besides the human aspect of the story, what really stands out in my mind is the island itself. It's the quintessential deserted island complete with beaches, coves, palm trees, and a cave. At the same time it's also a dangerous place with its rocky, wave-pounded shore and mountain summit whose steep profile is both intriguing and foreboding. The combination of all these elements make the island a perfect place for the drama that unfolds in the movie as well as the perfect setting for my diorama creation.