Showing posts with label Exhibition Reports. Show all posts

I visited The Jurassic World - Waterloo Takeover

I visited The Jurassic World - Waterloo Takeover Velociraptor Installation in 2015
I visited The Jurassic World - Waterloo Takeover Velociraptor Installation

This is one from the archive. Last week to celebrate the release of Jurassic World Dominion I had the opportunity to visit the Dinosaur Tracking Base installation, part of the Jurassic World Dominion Experience in Trafalgar Square. I got to see some Jurassic World paraphernalia, some of the props used in the film as well as via ground breaking VFX & film technology come face to face with one of the largest predators to ever walk the earth and the star of the upcoming Jurassic World Dominion - a Giganotosaurus.

Too be honest I only discovered that Giganotosaurus were real at the event, up until then I had thought they were a fictional creature invented for the film. Nope turns out they roamed the earth 97 million years ago. What next? We have secretly been mining Unobtainium for years!!?

Anyway, as Jurassic World Dominion will bring to an end the Jurassic era I got thinking about the other Jurassic World films and where it all started - back in 2015 I went along to a Jurassic World - Waterloo Takeover installation celebrating the release of Jurassic World.

I visit the BT Tower for the riveting Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 pre-premiere launch - EVENT REPORT

The Establishing Shot visits the BT Tower for the riveting Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 pre-premiere launch - EVENT REPORT Last week I went out for an absolutely ace evening, but first some preamble - sometime last year we were fortunate to crack an invite and go along to the Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Premiere hosted by AMC and BT at Millbank Tower and I have to say it was an absolutely stunning night and evening to remember, certainly one of our best industry nights out for that year - but that is a story for another time.

     In anticipation of the evenings events we caught up with Season 1 of Fear the Walking Dead, as well as the Walking Dead: Flight 462 mini web series - which leads into and crosses over with Season 2  and we were hooked.

Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 Poster Artwork
Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 Poster Artwork [+]

For Sale 1 Unique motorcycle-ATV hybrid aka BatPod **Like New** - Prop Store Auction Preview Exhibition

FOR SALE 1 UNIQUE MOTORCYCLE-ATV HYBRID AKA BATPOD **LIKE NEW** ABSOLUTELY STUNNING (CHICKS DIG THIS BIKE), METALLIC GREY CUSTOM WAYNE TECH. 750CC. VERY GOOD CONDITION. ONE CAREFUL OWNER. 12 MONTHS GOTHAM CITY MOT

Prop Store Auction Preview Exhibition

     This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a unique and stunning looking (chicks really dig it!) bike. Ready to ride. Starts first time every time on electric start or kick. Power and robustness is what this bike is all about with a custom-made Gotham steel chassis, carbon-fiber and kevlar body. Single seat, Brand new 31" front and rear Hoosier racing tyres,

     High performance liquid cooled single-cylinder engine. Registered as a 750cc ;;). With a top speed of 120 Mph / 193 Kmh ;;), 5 Speed chain driven.

     Excellent condition, some slight wear to the body, with very little cosmetic work could be made into an absolute beauty. Night time inspired. Metallic Grey as dark as Ra's al Ghul soul. But this is not just a stylized piece - every element has a practical function.

The Establishing Shot: BATMAN'S BAT-POD (THE DARK KNIGHT & THE DARK KNIGHT RISES) - PROP STORE ENTERTAINMENT LIVE AUCTION PREVIEW EXHIBITION - ODEON BFI IMAX, LONDON

We check out the Batmobile from Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in London - FILM EXHIBITION

Batman v Superman Batmobile A couple of weeks ago I received a Bat alert in my inbox that the Batmobile from Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had just arrived at the Odeon Leicester Square and could be viewed.

I should mention that for guys my age that grew up having their comic book world broadened by Frank Miller's dark interpretation of the Batman with his The Dark Knight Returns. The tale of an older Bruce Wayne - hard boiled by years of crime fighting and having his world implode in on itself as it slides further into dystopia. That is until The Batman we know uncomfortably shifts from vigilante to revolutionary activist as his chosen path turns him against the world and - makes him the most dangerous man alive as he almost single handedly rages against the machine, the tide and the dying of light. His the end justifies the means and he becomes maybe not the hero the future world wanted but the one it needed.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ben Afflecks Batman Returns fire up the Bat-Signal
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ben Affleck's Batman Returns fire up the Bat-Signal (ZOOM)

      In Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent or Two Face perfectly captures this when he says:

DENT
Well, I guess you either die a hero
or you live long enough to see
yourself become the villain.

    This has become de rigueur in our culture - but back then it was like nothing before, well certainly in the mainstream comic world. It changed everything - suddenly the the future our heroes have been fighting for in every comic ever written was stolen. Miller proposed that the future we all believed in  does not pan out and is rather just a part of a slow slide into further dystopia and our heroes have to evolve or adapt to survive in this new world.

And whilst Zack Snyder' seems to have turned the whole thing on its head with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice promising to be the start or dawn of something great, rather than the swansong of The Dark Knight - it may be the film I have been waiting 30 years for.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman Poster
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman Poster (ZOOM)

I visit George Lucas' Star Wars: Visions Exhibition in Tokyo

Star Wars: Visions Exhibition Report
Star Wars: Visions Exhibition Report


I have been quietly anticipating the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. To that end I have been avoiding the marketing and hype as much as I can - a couple of evenings ago I saw a snippet of Daisy Ridley and John Boyega chatting on the news and thought I would finish this piece on my visit to George Lucas' Star Wars: Visions Exhibition in Tokyo.

Earlier this year I was fortunate to fulfil a lifelong dream and visit a land far, far away. And I have to say - Japan, the land of the rising sun, far exceeded my expectations on every level. I hasten to add that whilst Japan might be famed for its rising sun, its sunsets are absolutely spectacular. While I didn't manage to team up with a travelling troupe of Ninjas and defend beleaguered farmers against an out of control warlord's hordes or find a Hattori Hanzō sword (or even an ancient Masamune Katana folded 200 times) I did however manage to wander the land, meet people... get into adventures and stuff.

When planning my Japan itinerary I was stoked to see that an exhibition dedicated to Star Wars called Star Wars: Visions would take place in Tokyo while I was there. This was fortuitous as a little while back I had made tentative plans to visit the Star Wars: Identities Exhibition in Paris, my plans fell through and the exhibition moved on to its next international destination. London doesn't seem to be getting any Star Wars Exhibition love of late, in comparison to The London Film Museum's exceptional 2007 Star Wars: The Exhibition at least, so Star Wars: Visions was something I was keen to visit. However, my itinerary was fairly loose to say the least, as I intended to do a lot of travelling around Japan and as much as I intended to “plan the dive then dive the plan. I had no idea where I would end up from one day to the next or how long I might be there. If I may digress? My experience is that when it comes to travel you can plan for your expectations but if you can be flexible - some of the best experiences are the unexpected ones and you never know what new adventure or taste lies around the corner in wait. So there was a good chance I might not see the exhibition but it was on my radar.

Star Wars: Visions Exhibition Roppongi Hills Tokyo City View
Star Wars: Visions Exhibition Roppongi Hills Tokyo City View

SalonQP 2015 Highlights I - Jaime Hayon, Marc Newson's Hour Glass & MB&F's Arachnophobia, Objectif Horlogerie & Jean Rousseau

amazon prime the man in the high castle This post was originally intended to be a “Must see things at SalonQP 2015”. You know the type of post I'm referring to - low on content and high on hyperbole - but after spending some time at SalonQP absorbing the atmosphere and chatting with some of the talented and clearly determined watchmakers. I thought I really would be doing them a disservice if I didn't at least try to capture some of the innovative essence and elegance that SalonQP and their watchmakers bring to London - once a year for their annual luxury exhibition dedicated to fine watches.

...the name? It’s from the abbreviation for Quantième Perpétuel, the French term for “perpetual calendar”. QP is all about the long view and the highest standards.”
                                                                  - excerpt from the SalonQP website

How could I not take some time and try cobble together something a little more substantial? Initially I had thought I may be overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of time pieces and objects of desire on display from the 80 exhibiting brands at SalonQP 2015. Also the large number of people that typically attend these kind of events was a factor in my concern that I might not get a chance to see  everything I hoped. Last year over 7,000 people visited and as SalonQP is growing from strength to strength - this year even more were expected.

The Establishing Shot: SALONQP 2015 SAATCHI GALLERY QUEUE AT NIGHT , LONDON

Thankfully this was not the case at all as the exhibition is spaciously laid out over all three floors of giant The Saatchi Gallery. I was able to make my way around the entire exhibition in a couple of hours but more time was needed for visits, demonstrations and browsing pieces as there is more than enough to keep you occupied for days if needed.

After a visit it is easy to see why SalonQP is the UK (if not Europe's) premier fine watch exhibition. I hasten to add that although the focus of SalonQP is time pieces - it is very much a lifestyle exhibition - with high end luxury houses from other areas like; Lotus (because cars & watches), Linn Audio, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Creed Fragrance, Harrods, et al, showcasing their goods to meet the needs of people who enjoy, nay celebrate life.  I would be surprised if SalonQP did not grow into a complete luxury lifestyle exhibition in the future.

The Establishing Shot: SALONQP 2015 - HARRODS LOUNGE & BAR - SAATCHI GALLERY, LONDON

SalonQP is an extraordinary opportunity to research your next purchase, meet some of the most talented crafts people in the watch business, see early watch samples before public release as well as view limited and rare examples of some of the finest watches ever made, listen and discuss aspects of the art & science of Horology (there are talks and seminars from leading watchmakers), view specially curated exhibitions as well as have a jolly good time which seems core to the SalonQP experience.

The Establishing Shot: SALONQP 2015 - OBJECTIF HORLOGERIE EXPERT WATCHMAKER - SAATCHI GALLERY, LONDON

But for me, if there is one overriding take away from my visit SalonQP 2015 it is that I may never look at a watch the same way again - for most of us watches arrive as fully formed objects of function and beauty an almost abstracted thing distant from its origins, so understandably it is easy to forget that they are the composite of a long road and meticulous hard work. Nowhere was this more pertinent for me than when I stopped by Objectif Horlogerie to watch one of their craftsmen busy constructing a time piece.

I visit Arkham Asylum for The Rogues Gallery - Creation of a Super-Villain book launch & tick off riding in the Batmobile bucket list item - EVENT REPORT

Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition London A couple of weeks ago we had one of the best nights out in ages, in fact it was possibly the best Halloween night I will ever have. We had an absolutely ace evening of immersive fourth wall crossing, Gothic shocks, surprises and dreams coming true. It all started when I received a creepy email inviting me to a Halloween get together at The Crypt Gallery, Kings Cross to view  “The Rogues Gallery - Creation of a Super-Villain”.

The Rogues Gallery - Creation of a Super-Villain
The Rogues Gallery - Creation of a Super-Villain

What was this all about? I wondered. But as I was very keen to visit The Crypt Gallery an underground venue that had piqued my interest over the years –  we were in. The invite was accompanied by a rather disturbing and edgy recording purporting to come from the inside of Arkham Asylum and the voice sounded a lot like Mr Long Green, the Laughing Man, The Ace of Knaves, Joe Kerr, Dr. J Reko, the Harlequin of Hate or the Clown Prince of chaos himself The Joker.

Of course this was all pointing to one thing - The Rogues Gallery may be a super villain team synonymous with Central City's Flash but since the 80s The Rogues Gallery has slowly shifted to also mean a super group of foes based around Gotham. Had the Crypt been turned into Arkham Asylum?

Sponsored Video: O2 Priority - Star Wars

On the evening as I looked out across the river it was almost as if a signal was shooting up and lighting the sky alerting me to start our journey north to Kings Cross.

The Establishing Shot: SPECTRE WORLD PREMIERE SPOTLIGHTS LIGHT UP THE SKY FROM THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL ACROSS THE THAMES

I pay a short visit to Marvel UK's tiny Ant-Man Micro Art Exhibition & have a small chat with artist Willard Wigan aka What is this? An exhibition for Ants? Oh! - EXHIBITION VISIT

Willard Wigan Ant-Man Micro Art Exhibition Earlier this week I headed back to Old Street to see the launch of the marvellous Marvel UK The Antsibition or Willard Wigan's micro art Ant-Man Exhibition.

A little while back I received a little invitation to a pop up gallery in Old Street Tube Station, where to celebrate the release of Marvel’s Ant-Man into UK cinemas on the 17th July 2015 Marvel presents The Antsibition in partnership with IMAX 3D.

Marvel UK have teamed up with IMAX and renowned micro-artist Willard Wigan to host a small exhibition or Antsibition of Willard Wigan's micro-sculptures and unveil a specially made Ant-Man sculpture.

The “Ant” sized gallery will be open to the public from 14th to 17th 20th July 2015 at Old Street Station in London, and will give visitors a unique chance to experience the tiny world of Ant-Man up close as miniature magic is bought to the gallery which measures just 4.5m by 3.2m.

I had actually heard of Willard Wigan's sculptures but did not connect the dots till I was actually at the exhibition and realised Willard Wigan was the same micro-artist who has created a buzz with his tiny sculptures, is the same Willard Wigan of the nine camels through an eye of the needle fame and actually holds the Guinness Records title of the worlds smallest sculptures.

All photos from my visit can be viewed on our Flickr Channel.

The Establishing Shot: MARVEL UK PRESENTS ‘THE ANTSIBITION’ WILLARD WIGAN MICRO ART ANT-MAN EXHIBITION - MAGNIFIED CLOSE UP VIEW OF MICRO ANT-MAN SCULPTURE IN THE EYE OF A NEEDLE @ OLD STREET TUBE STATION POP UP GALLERY, LONDON

Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition Review - EXHIBITION VISIT

Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition London Last Sunday I headed to East London, more specifically to the creative hub of Shoreditch, which constantly surprises me with its wealth of inventiveness. But I wasn't just there to enjoy freshly baked pastries and artisan coffee whilst perusing body modifications and 3D printed Objet d'art (and sometimes a mix of the two).

Rather I found myself under the Gotham'eske train bridges outside the Old Street entrance to Kachette, a contemporary event space which was hosting a Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition. A similar envy inducing event that was held for San Diego Comic Con 2014. Sadly I only heard about the exhibition the Friday before and after a week long run it ended on Sunday, so I didn't get a chance to fire up the bat signal But I did manage to squeeze in a quick visit and was really stoked that I did. All photos from my visit can be viewed on our Flickr Channel.
The Establishing Shot: BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT CAPE & COWL EXHIBITION - GOTHAM CITY HOLDING CELLS & HAYDEN CAVE BY HAYDEN KAYS - KACHETTE, LONDON
The Establishing Shot: BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT CAPE & COWL EXHIBITION - GOTHAM CITY HOLDING CELLS & HAYDEN CAVE BY HAYDEN KAYS -   KACHETTE, LONDON
To celebrate the console game release of Rocksteady Studios' Batman: Arkham Knight Warner Bros Games UK and Moniker Projects commissioned 20 artists and celebrities to turn a Batman Cape & Cowl as a blank canvas and create their own unique work of art, which was then exhibited for the public in a dark and moody Arkham Asylum like gallery.

Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl London Exhibition
Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl London Exhibition

Bond Legends gather to launch the Bond in Motion Exhibition at The London Film Museum, we bring you an inside look & Bond Producers drop some Bond 24 updates Part 3 - EVENT REPORT

Bond in Motion London Film MuseumT he third and final part of my write up from my brilliant day at the Bond in Motion exhibition at the London Film Museum. There are many more pictures from the day over here! and part 1 of my write up can be found here! and part 2 here!

Moving past the Tomorrow Never Dies display I find the The World Is Not Enough display with a model BMW Z8 driven by a Pierce Brosnan Bond doll and the King Industries Buzzsaw helicopter as well as the BMW Z8 from the film. I've never been a particular fan of BMW's car design but being up close to the BMW Z8 I was reminded of its retro stylings and beautiful curves all very reminiscent of the gorgeous 50s 507 BMW, it is possibly the most beautiful production car to come out of BMW from the last couple of decades.

BOND PRODUCTION DESIGNER PETER LAMONT & BMW Z8 FROM THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH @ LONDON FILM MUSEUM COVENT GARDEN
Bond Production Designer Peter Lamont & BMW Z8 from The World Is Not Enough @ London Film Museum Covent Garden


The Establishing Shot: BOND IN MOTION - BMW Z8 FROM THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH @ LONDON FILM MUSEUM COVENT GARDEN

Bond Legends gather to launch the Bond in Motion Exhibition at The London Film Museum, we bring you an inside look & chat with Museum Founder Jonathan Sands Part 2 - EVENT REPORT

Bond in Motion London Film MuseumC continuing my adventures at the Bond in Motion exhibition at the London Film Museum. Beyond the first room in the cavernous underground level - the museum has been expanded and walls have been put in to divide the underground into displays areas by Bond film. But two distinct grouped display areas have also been created - one for marine vehicles and the other housing mainly non car vehicles, with the large remainder of the exhibition spread out along the sides of a walkway categorised by film. There are many more pictures from the day over here! and part 1 of my write up can be found here! and part 3 here!

Further still, a restaurant area with smaller models on display, a museum shop and still being constructed on the day I visited a dedicated games room.


The Establishing Shot: BOND IN MOTION - BOND PRODUCERS MICHAEL G. WILSON AND BARBARA BROCCOLI AT THE LONDON FILM MUSEUM

I'm guessing when the exhibition is open to the public it would make sense to walk along the right side along the walkway the entire way round as the car & model displays are on either side, or navigate via the audio guide I stick to the right side to check out the Die Another Day vehicles; James Bond's Aston Martin V12 Vanquish or Vanish as Q calls it, Zao's Jaguar XKR and the Bombardier MX Z-REV Ski-Doo.


The Establishing Shot: BOND IN MOTION - ASTON MARTIN V12 VANQUISH OR VANISH FROM DIE ANOTHER DAY @ LONDON FILM MUSEUM COVENT GARDEN

Bond Legends gather to launch the Bond in Motion Exhibition at The London Film Museum, we bring you an inside look Part 1 - FILM EXHIBITION

Bond in Motion London Film MuseumA couple of weeks back I was privileged to attend an absolutely brilliant preview of the outstanding Bond in Motion Exhibition right in the heart of London at the London Film Museum. I'm trying not to lay it on too thick but as a Bond fan - the day was a definite Bond milestone for me personally and the Bond in Motion exhibition is absolutely magnificent! As much as I dislike it I have had to split my write up over 3 posts, sorry, I hate it when other people do it so I know how it feels but I wanted to fit as much in as possible. There are many more pictures from the day over here! and part 2 of my write up can be found here! and part 3 here!

Earlier that morning full of anticipation I headed out into the sunny but crisp morning crossed the bridge, swerving out of a little Chelsea square into King's Road, pushing fast up Sloane Street pointed in the direction of Covent Garden. As usual I passed 22b Ebury Street, today this had extra significance, as I made my way into Central London - the space between Covent Garden and Strand to be exact. Once I located the fairly discrete (by London standards) London Film Museum at 45 Wellington Street - I paused to savour the moment.

The Establishing Shot: BOND IN MOTION - BOND PRODUCTION DESIGNERS PETER LAMONT & SIMON LAMONT ARRIVE AT THE LONDON FILM MUSEUM

I have a long relationship with the London Film Museum, I was a regular visitor at their previous Waterloo location and for a few hours I could be lost in the magical world of film that I love, find inspiration, be blown away by the varied and incredible props on display or just relax with a coffee next to a piece of film history next to me as well as on occasion bump into one of my heroes browsing the museum. For any film fan it is a must visit. Seriously I don't want to bang on about it but, the guys behind the London Film Museum deserve serious kudos and thanks for turning a film lovers fantasy world into a reality everyday. When I heard that Bond in Motion was coming to the London Film Museum I was over the moon finally I could immerse myself in  the world of Bond at an accessible location.

I knew it was being billed as the largest (and most up to date) official collection of original James Bond vehicles (cars, bikes, sleds and boats), miniature models, action sequence boards, vehicle concept art and props from all of the James Bond films on display for the first time in London - but I had not looked into too much detail of what delights the Bond in Motion exhibition had in store for me - so as not to ruin all the surprises. But I did have chats lined up with four Bond luminaries that would be visiting to support the launch of the Bond in Motion exhibition. You can read my chat with Bond stunt precision driver Ben Collins here!, my chat with special effects master Chris Corbould here! and my chat with legendary stuntman Vic Armstrong here!. During the chats whenever a Bond film scene is referenced any I try show pieces from the Bond in Motion collection so you'll get an idea of what to expect.

But wait Craig that's only 3/4 chats I hear you say. Yea I also had a chat lined up with Ms. Caterina Murino the first Bond lady of the Daniel Craig era - or Solange Dimitrios, from Casino Royale. But as the day wore on I finalised a decision that pained me and may well haunt me moving forward. I decided not to chat with Ms. Murino, the reason is simple I am a huge Bond fan, I love delving into the elements behind the magic. The craftsmen & women that turn fantasy into screen reality but I now draw the line at ruining the mystique of the Bond Ladies, for me they are for the most part still rare, exotic, complicated creatures, that add depth and weave to the story, throw wrenches in the works, or sometimes sadly just devices to move the narrative along, or break hearts or have their hearts broken. And for now that is how Caterina Murino / Solange Dimitrios will stay for me - forever etched as an ethereal fantasy. But you can catch more of Caterina Murino in XIII: The Series currently on Sky 2.

The Establishing Shot: BOND IN MOTION - CATERINA MURINO OR SOLANGE FROM CASINO ROYALE AND HER HUSBAND'S ASTON MARTIN DB5 WHICH HE LOST TO JAMES BOND PLAYING TEXAS HOLD 'EM

I meet stunt legend Vic Armstrong, briefly chat about his extensive career, favourite stunts and upcoming projects, Left Behind, The Sunday Horse, Penny Dreadful with Sam Mendes & John Logan and his inspirational take on his evolving career before racing DB5s against each other at The London Film Museum - In Conversation

Vic Armstrong in conversation Bond in Motion London Film MuseumFor my third and final interview with the legends behind James Bond I chat with Mr. Vic Armstrong. Pretty much every film geek knows his name. But even if you aren't familiar with his name you have most certainly seen his work, as Vic Armstrong is possibly the world's greatest stuntman (if you don't believe look at the title of his autobiography . If you have ever seen Blade Runner, Return of the Jedi, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Live and Let Die, Raiders of the Lost Ark or Temple of Doom. You have seen Vic Armstrong in action as he was the guy doubling for the lead actor when the going got tough or the insurance premiums became too high.

As his name would indicate - of course there is a lot more to a legend like Vic Armstrong, his name is synonymous with Bond stunt work as well as high quality productions that require a man to do the impossible and creatively find away to defy death, not only does he double for A-listers but he has planned and over seen the stunt work for 100s of films - too many to list but you have seen them.  He received an Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema BAFTA in 2002 and a Taurus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 (which is the Oscars of the stunt world). He is known for creating customised stunt devices & equipment that changes the way stunts are done.


As well as directing his own films; he is also assistant director or second location director on many films including; Gangs of New York, Mission Impossible 3, I Am Legend, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Blade: Trinity, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, The World is Not Enough, Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day. Armstrong is now a full fledged director with 2 upcoming films scheduled for released. Also he still says bloody in casual conversation – the man is a living legend!

We chat with Special Effects Wizard Chris Corbould about James Bond, Mendes, Nolan, his favourite Bond effects scenes, get to the bottom of the Skyfall helicopter emblem & tease Bond 24 at the Bond in Motion Exhibition, London Film Museum – In Conversation

Chris Corbould in conversation Bond in Motion London Film MuseumHis first listed production credit on IMDB is "Special Effects Assistant" on Ken Russell's Tommy, Chris Corbould has since then he has added 52 more credits with the most recent being "Special Effects Supervisor" on J.J. Abrams's Star Wars: Episode VII. 

In between he has worked with almost every major talent in the film industry, he has worked on almost every film worth mentioning and most definitely the ones we rate, we aren't the only ones who think so as he (and his team) have been nominated for many awards and he went home with an Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects on Christopher Nolan's Inception. He has worked on 13 Bond films, overseeing the special effects from GoldenEye onwards, he has worked on the Superman series, The Dark Knight Trilogy, a Highlander film, Willow, Nightbreed, Alien3, Lara Croft, Shadowlands, John Carter, X-Men: First Class to give some depth to the breadth of Chris Corbould's work. He is very well known for pulling off impossible effects in camera, that is without the use of computer generated imagery. So you will understand if I was daunted going in to chat with man himself.

I could talk and probe Corbould's mind for a whole day discussing just one of the films he has worked on, how on Earth was I going to fit a salient conversation, with one of my heroes into a couple of minutes, with the world's press breathing down my neck surrounded by legends from across the Bond films?

Ben Collins aka the original Stig aka the Bond stunt driver tells us his favourite 4 Bond chases of all time & the influence Bond had on him at the Bond in Motion Exhibition, London Film Museum – In Conversation

Ben Collins Bond in Motion London Film MuseumSome say he has precision skills that can only come from being cast from a mould made from melted parts of an Autobot (that was immediately broken afterwards), some say he is half human half machine, some say he was rebuilt from the parts left after the original T-800 was decommissioned but we say Ben Collins is as dapper as they come and possibly one of the few people on earth that understands vehicles like they are people.

Earlier today I went along to a preview of the Bond in Motion exhibition at the London Film Museum Covent Garden, it's going to take a little while for me to process all of the raw awesomeness of the day but thought I would start by getting this post up first. I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with Ben Collins Stunt driver on Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. Of course for any lover of cars, particularly film cars or  advance driving skills will know that Ben Collins is much more than the Stunt Driver on Bond films.

Long before he became celebrated as the anonymous and helmeted Top Gear driver known only as The Stig, he was a notable and legitimate racing car driver that competed across the board from Formula Three, Nascar, GT racing and stock car racing. Since Top Gear he has commandeered the cars for their stars on 10 blockbusters including; Quantum of Solace, The Dark Knight Rises, Fast & Furious 6,  Skyfall, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit , John Carter of Mars (what now? I hear you say, I come back to this later) as well as upcoming features The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Matthew Vaughn's The Secret Service.

We visit the Behind the Mask: Andy Gotts MBE portraits for BAFTA exhibition at Somerset House - EVENT REPORT

Andy Gotts Behind The Mask exhibition Last week the lady and I were delighted to go along to a private viewing of renowned portrait photographer Andy Gotts's new exhibition in collaboration with BAFTA at Somerset House entitled Behind the Mask: Andy Gotts MBE portraits for BAFTA. 

There is a line of dialogue in Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho spoken by Mike Waters, the character played by River Phoenix that has stuck with me since my first viewing of the film -

RELATED
007 Project Bond Exhibition - Event Report 007 Project Bond Exhibition - Event Report
Photos: EE Baftas 2013 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos: EE Baftas 2013 Red Carpet Arrivals Behind The Scenes
Film4 Summer Screen Somerset House Tips Film4 Summer Screen At Somerset House 2012 & My Tips For A Better Film4 Summer Screen Experience
Mike Figgis Kate & Other Women Exhibition Mike Figgis Kate & Other Women Exhibition - Event Report
“There's not another road anywhere that looks like this road - I mean, exactly like this road. It's one kind of place. One of a kind... like someone's face...”

River Phoenix's character is not only speaking of the uniqueness and individuality of faces as well as  something much larger - how he relates to the world and his place in it. But also a very human trait that we have, the ability to project mood and emotion onto something.

It takes talent to paint something with light bringing its inner personality and character to the fore or allowing previously hidden or surprising qualities to be revealed and allowing others to see the same thing. Some would argue that that is the goal of any artistic endeavour and this is something photographer Andy Gotts excels at.

In my mind evoking mood, character, atmosphere, meaning or narrative with a still photograph is indelibly tied into the ideal that the composition of each scene or frame of motion picture says something. And for me is just as important as narrative, plot or performances. Andy Gotts is internationally recognised as the man able to capture the essence or personality behind the face he photographs and if you are familiar with any of my photography you may appreciate that I am a fan of Gotts's work.
If you are an avid reader you may remember I mentioned Gotts in a post last year as some of his rousing work was on display at the Mount Street Gallery when I visited artist Tony Dykes's 007 Project Bond Exhibition. So you can probably guage my delight at cracking an invite to go along and see Andy Gotts's work up close.

Andy Gotts BAFTA Behind The Mask
Andy Gotts BAFTA Behind The Mask

Lord Puttnam talks film poster design at the FDA State Of The Art Cinema Poster Exhibition - EVENT REPORT

FDA State of the artYesterday during lunch I had the pleasure of going along to the FDA State of the Art Cinema Poster Exhibition in Soho. To be honest the draw for me was the opportunity to hear ex - Producer Lord Puttnam talk about his experiences of film advertising over his vast career.

Coming from an advertising background, an original British Mad Man if you will, before producing  some of the best films to come out of Britain (Bugsy Malone, The Duellists, Midnight Express, Chariots of Fire, The Killing Fields to name a few) before eventually turning his hand to a top level career in public policy as well as sitting on many boards including Presidency of the Film Distributors Association.

James Bond 048 of 50 things to do before seeing Skyfall – Visit The Mount Street Galleries to see The 007 Project Bond Exhibition – UPCOMING BOND EXHIBITION

MOUNT STREET GALLERIES JAMES BOND 007To honour the 50 anniversary of James Bond and the release of Sam Mendes’s rather good Skyfall in cinemas this Friday 26 October we have decided to create the ultimate James Bond guide to London showing you things to see and do before settling in to see Skyfall. Our review of Skyfall can be found here!

048 or 3 of 50 on The Establishing Shot’s ULTIMATE JAMES BOND GUIDE TO LONDON OR 50 PLACES TO VISIT BEFORE SEEING SKYFALL is is visiting The Mount Street Galleries to see The 007 Project Bond Exhibition and possibly purchase a piece of James Bond history.

048. Leaving Scott’s after a late lunch across the road, by sheer serendipity I managed to get an exclusive preview and personal tour of The 007 Project Bond Exhibition from Mount Street Galleries owner and damn decent chap Damian Delahunty ahead of it’s secret star studded preview later that evening.

Damian took me through the genesis of The 007 Project as well as showed me some of the rather catching pieces created by Artist James Hart Dyke that would grace any James Bond fans collection, a set of original James Bond posters, Bond photography by Andy Gotts, as well as two absolutely stunning pieces (so much so that one of them actually sparkled as an object of desire) by legendary Bond artist and illustrator Robert McGinnis.

To mark their Centenary Artist James Hart Dyke was invited by the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, to create a record of their work in a series of paintings and sketches. This unique project saw James working closely with MI6 for a year, both in the UK and embedded with military abroad. The resulting exhibition A Year with MI6 was exhibited at Mount Street Galleries in 2011. To view Dyke's MI6 collection online visit his site here: http://www.jameshartdyke.com/James_Hart_Dyke_official_website/A_year_with_MI6.html

A Year with MI6 was very successful and received both critical acclaim and wide spread international coverage which resulted in Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson at EON hearing about James, we gave them a private viewing of a few select pieces from James’s show about 2 or 3 months ago.

The idea was that James looked back at the older Bond films poster and we really loved them - they are works of art like Dr No and You Only Live Twice and we felt that there was a lack of art in James Bond movie posters. James proposed to a similar design to this -

James Bond 047 of 50 things to do before seeing Skyfall – Visit the Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style Exhibition at the Barbican

DESIGNING 007 FIFTY YEARS OF BOND STYLEIf you read The Establishing Shot you will know that I have been looking forward to seeing the Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style exhibit for months now - last week I shot up to the Barbican to view the collection in the very first session.

Bear in mind that I have visited almost every James Bond related exhibition that has taken place over the last couple of years in London (not BOND IN MOTION as yet) and I may have been spoilt. I wasn't sure what to expect as intentionally avoided any bits prior to my visit to enjoy any surprises if you wish to do the same stop reading now and head over to the Barbican. The Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style is exactly what is says on the tin -an exhibition dedicated to the elements of Bondology that have made James Bond such an enduring legacy (& longest running franchise) - the iconic look and style of Bond.

Designing 007 – Fifty Years Of Bond Style goes behind the curtains and looks at some Bond’s most iconic elements and the work and creative processes that goes into making them as memorable as they are. The exhibit looks at the design of the sets, outfits, characters, gadgets, look and feel of James Bond.

The Dark Knight Rises Costumes Exhibition - FILM EXHIBITION

Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition London H ot on the heels of the interesting little hint we received from Oscar winning Costume Designer Lindy Hemming about Bane’s The Dark Knight Rises outfit over. We bring you a close up look at both the original outfits worn by Christian Bale’s Batman and Tom Hardy’s Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. 

Yesterday in the build up to The Dark Knight Rises THe Establishing Shot was lucky enough to crack an invite to a screening of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, the tale that kicked off his dramatic Dark Knight trilogy that ends with The Dark Knight Rises. Just before the screening I got to check out both the original Bat suit and Bane suit used in The Dark Knight Rises.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)