Page "Escape from New York" Paragraph 37

As Snake pilots the glider into the city, there are three screens on his control panel displaying wireframe animations of the landing target on the World Trade Center and surrounding buildings.

What appears on those screens was not computer generated.

Carpenter wanted hi-tech computer graphics which were very expensive at the time, even for such a simple animation.

To get the animation he wanted, the effects crew filmed the miniature model set of New York City they used for other scenes under black light with reflective tape placed along every edge of the model buildings.

Only the tape is visible and appears to be a 3D wireframe animation.