Leigh Took - visual and miniature effects supervisor.I am a VFX and Models Supervisor who has worked in the film and TV industry since 1978. I served as an apprentice learning the classic techniques of matte painting, and miniatures, at Pinewood Studios for ten years, working on many major feature films, I then left Pinewood to go freelance to work with the late great Derek Meddings on Batman Never ending Story 2 , After than set up a mattes and miniatures facility at Bray Studios, Over the last twenty-five years, I have supervised miniature,optical and digital effects on feature films,TV,commercials and pop promo's. I am also a director of Mattes and Miniatures Visual Effects Ltd, based at Bray and Pinewood, leading a crew experienced in all aspects of designing, construction and filming visual effects, My base at Bray Studios includes model and special effects workshops, motion control and matte studio, and these, with the digital facility at Pinewood allow me to combine the best of traditional techniques with the new.
In 1978 Leigh Took started an aprentership at Pinewood Studios with Cliff Cully in Matte Painting and Miniature construction and Photography, Over a 15 year period worked on hundreds of films commercials, TV programs, Special effects for filmRecent work includes special effects for the following films: Angels and Demons The Wolfman The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus Inkheart Mutant Chronicles Stardust Highlander V Da Vinci Code The Descent Naina Thespian X George and the Dragon
Special effects for television
The First Men in the Moon The Invincibles Victims Dom Joly Comic Strip Pampas Grass Ultimate Force Scary Sleepover Planet Cook Space Odyssey:Voyage to the Planets Blue Peter Dreamstreet The Gathering Storm Band of Brothers Tenth Kingdom
Special effects for TV commercialsEscada ‘Zoetrope’ McDonalds Sheba Muller National Lottery
Special effects for video promos
Orson Coldplay ‘Talk’ Special effects for movies
1978- 1985 with Westbury Design as Matte Artist, miniatures and animation
1985 King Solomon’s Mines 1984 Sahara 1983 Octopussy, Savage Island, The Keep 1982 Kim 1981 Clash of the Titans (Ray Harryhausen), Das Boot 1980 Sea Wolves, Lili Marlene, Hawk the Slayer, Lion of the Desert, Witness for the Prosecution, Star, Watcher in the Woods 1979 Warlords of Atlantis, Arabian Adventure, Spaceman and King Arthur, Bear Island, Fu Manchu, Cuba, The London Affair, Ram Bell Ram, Sowrd of the Valiant 1978 Murder by Decree
TVDir/Co/Contact My role Invincibles 2008 Jonathan Rudd Presenter Peter Serafinavitzw Show 2007 Jeff Sheriff SFX Supervisor Victims 2007 Tom Reeve Digital compositing Comedy Pilot 2007 BBC/Kit Line Models World’s Greatest Storm 2006 Granada TV Miniatures Kit Line Comic Strip Pampas Grass 2005 Dir Peter Richardson Special effects Ultimate Force 2005 Dirs Clegg/Laurence Digital mattes Scary Sleepover 2004 Dir Julian Kemp FX Supervisor Planet Cook 2004 Dir Iain McLean Visual effects Space Odyssey: Voyage Planets 2004 VFX Tim Greenwood Visual effects Dreamstreet 2003 Platinum Films Models The Gathering Storm 2002 VFX Angus Bickerton Digital mattes Band of Brothers 2001 VFX Angus Bickerton Models Supervisor Tenth Kingdom 2000 Peter Chiang Supervising matte painter/designer Sweeney Todd 1997 GSE Mattes Oliver Twist 1997 Disney Mattes Potamus Park 1997 Zoo Gang Scenic Artist Models Treacle People 1996 LWT Scenic Artist Story Store 1995 Comedy Store Scenic Artist Eat Your Words 1994 Brechin Prodns Scenic Artist Sculptor Cabbage Patch 1993 Famous Flying Films Scenic Artist Molly’s Gang 1993 Famous Flying Films Scenic Artist Spies (children’s) 1990 Disney Mattes
1978- 1985 Westbury Design Matte Artist, miniatures, animation
1986 Lost Empires, Peter the Great, 1984 Ellis Island, Search for Atlantis, Last Days of Pompeii, First Olympics-Athens 1896 1983 Reilly Ace of Spies 1982 Hounds of the Baskervilles 1981 Cribb 1979 Tinker Tailor Soldier spy 1975 Last Days of Pompeii
COMMERCIALS Dir/Co/Contact My role
Escada 2007 RSA Model Supervisor McDonalds 2007 Dan Betteridge Models Muller 2007 Independent Films Mattes Sheba 2006 Nick Ellis Forced perspective miniatures Levi 2001 Black Dog Breakaway miniatures Lee Jeans 2001 Black Dog Visual effects Alahli Bank of Kuwait 1996 Mirage Films Designer, AD miniatures, motion controle Dettol 1995 Eye of the Storm Miniatures, artwork Rowntrees 1995 Eye of the Storm Miniatures, artwork, digital mattes Sunday Times 1995 Greystoke Productions Scenic Artist. Models Rioby Thunderbirds 1995 Arkadon Miniatures, scenic artist Nik-Naks 1995 Brian Byfield Films Scenic Artist. Models. Sculptor Swedish lager 1995 MOD, Sweden Mattes Norwich Union 1994 HLA VFX Technician Model Maker Post Office 1994 Brian Smithies Art Director Firework Safety 1994 Eye of the Storm Art Director Leo Bar 1994 Picture House Prodns Art Director Armadoodler Fruit Show 1994 Moland Film co VFX Designer MacLeans Toothpaste 1994 Spots Camera, pack shot, animation, sculptor Heinz Salsa 1994 Harry Films Mattes Bank of America 1993 Arkadon Motion controle British Deaf Association 1993 Walker Dobney Glass shots Bonnay Cosmetics 1993 Spots Camera, packshot Northcliffe Newspapers 1993 Walker Dobney Animation Director Stannar Stairlifts 1993 Boyle & Payne FX Technician Babycham 1993 Paul Weiland Scenic Artist. Miniatures Nissan Flamenco 1993 Walker Dobney Scenic Artist Mansfield Beer 1993 Walker Dobney Scenic Artist Boncafe 1993 Walker Dobney Scenic Artist. Miniatures Kellogg’s Choccos 1993 Boyle & Payne SFX Rigs Sculptor French Telecome 1992 Peerless Mattes National Power 1992 Arkadon Mattes Batchelors Microchef 1992 Walker Dobney Animation Supervisor Branston Pickle 1992 Walker Dobney Pack shot animator Nissan Phoenix 1992 Walker Dobney Scenic Artist Burger King 1992 Walker Dobney Scenic Artist Phineas Fogg 1992 Paul Weiland Miniatures, artwork Babycham 1992 Paul Weiland Models Sculptor BNFL 1992 Walker Dobney VFX Designer Supervisor Motion controle Molson Dry 1991 Quintin Bell Glass shot KP Ringos 1991 Moving Picture Co Art Director Gerry Anderson Model maker Rostrum artwork Domestos 1991 Moving Picture Co Art Director Gerry Anderson Dulux 1990 Matthews & Humphreys Glass shot
Scotch Videotape 1990 Moving Picture Co Art Director Gerry Anderson Ready Brek 1990 Moving Picture Co Models Artwork Weetabix 1990 Paul Weiland Miniatures Cut-outs Fiat 1989 Nick Knight Special effects Suchard 1989 Arkadon Mattes Cadbury’s Caramello 1986 WestburyDesign Sculptor SFX Rigs Other commercials worked on: Sony Playstation Hoover Ikea Adidas – World Cup Lotto (Billy) Tango British Gas CORPORATE Dir/Co/Contact My role
Hewlett Packard 2003 Philip Walsh Associates VFX Photography Amoco 1992 Fasett, Norway Mattes Conoco 1992 Fasett, Norway VFX Designer ‘The Heidrun model is probably the best offshore model ever made.’ Oyvind Kvaal, Public Affairs Manager, Conoco Norway
OTHER WORKDir/Co/Contact My role
Stringfellows 2005 Stephen Howie Project Manager Interior Viva TV, Cologne 1995 Designer Art Director Carlton TV 1994 Idents
Pro 7 TV Exhibition, Berlin 1993 Bob Ballan Scenic artist Sculptor Art Director TALKS/ APPEARANCES/ARTICLES
BKSTS Magazine 2008 Article on Leigh Took, Miniatures Supervisor
‘The Invincibles’ 2008 ITV Series (presenter)
‘The Pinewood Experience’ 2007 Corporate promo’ (interviewed)
‘Showreel’ magazine 2006 Article on Leigh Took and Mattes and Miniatures - traditional and modern techniques
ITV London ‘London’s Hollywood’ 2006 Appeared in several of series focussing on special effects in UK
‘Telegantic Megavision’ 1993 Appeared on children’s TV show explaining matte/glass painting process
Pinewood Studios 1991 Guest speaker matte painting and miniatures at BKSTS Special Effects Seminar
‘Invision’ magazine 1988 Article – matte painting
‘Cinefex’ magazine Numerous issues referring to our work. |
About Leigh Took
Hand & Digital Mattes
Digital Matte Painting from our Computer Graphic base at Pinewood. Digital matte painting.We operate our Digital Matte Painting Department from... |
Hand Painting. Matte painting.Optical matte painting, glass shots, hanging foreground and forced... |