animatronics puppets SFX
Animatronics Mechanic
Dune : Part 2 (Weta Workshop)
June - July 2022
Design, prototype and construction of mechanical puppet for the forthcoming DUNE sequel.
Running Wild (Gyre and Gimble/Chichester Festival Theatre)
April - August 2015
Design, prototype and construction of animatronic elements for the full sized elephant and tiger characters used in the summer 2015 Chichester Festival production (restaged at The Open Air Theatre Regents Park, May/June 2016).
Call The Midwife - S5 (Millennium FX/BBC)
July - August 2015
Animatronic new born baby with thalidomide birth defects.
Beauty & the Beast (Walt Disney Pictures)
February - March 2015
Animatronic creature development and R&D for "The Beast" on Disney's live-action remake.
Fortitude (publicity) (Millennium FX)
Nov 2014 - Feb 2015
Mechanical head/neck elements for the full sized polar bear used to promote the new Sky Atlantic TV series on locations around London and Berlin.
Yonderland - series 2 (Working Title/Sky One)
September - November 2014
Mechanical design/construction and additional puppeteering for the second season of the TV series.
Our Zoo (Millennium FX)
April - July 2014
Mechanical head/neck for the brown bear "Adam/Eve" characters as well as on set dressing and maintenance for the BBC TV series based on true life story of the founding of Chester Zoo.
Monsters vs Aliens (Millennium FX)
February - March 2014
Mechanical wing design/construction for the Eelix (dragon) character introduced in season 3 of the CBBC TV series.
Lexus "Steps" Campaign (Evolution FX)
November - December 2013
Part of the mechanical design/construction team for the two large bunraku-style human characters used in the international advertising campaign for car manufacturer.
Argos Aliens (Asylum Models)
September 2011
Additional mechanical design and construction for 4 puppet characters used in the Argos advertising campaign.
Netflix Diorama (Artem Models)
August 2011
Design and build of a number of the puppet creatures featuring in their international advertising launch.
The Hobbit (New Line Cinema/Weta Workshop)
March 2011 - May 2011
Senior Animatronics Model Designer for the featured dying goblin character and Radagast's Hedgehog (not featured) in "An Unexpected Journey".
Two Animatronics Projects - details to be announced (Weta Workshop)
June - August 2010 & December 2010 - February 2011
Fully mechanised animatronic heads and additional R&D for two, as yet unannounced film productions.
We Are Mongrels - Pilot, Series 1 (BBC/Talk to The Hand)
September - December 2008 & July - September 2009
Mechanical eye blinks, ear mechanisms and animatronic wings for hero puppet characters.
Tales of the Riverbank (Asylum Models)
April - August 2006
Construction of jointed limbs for hero characters and animatronic claws for additional eagle puppet. On-set maintenance and additional puppeteering.
Harry Potter 5 - The Order of the Phoenix (Warner Bros./Nick Dudman)
January - February 2006
Additional design, construction and on-set performance of VFX stand-in rig for the giant character, 'Grawp'.
Prehistoric Park (itv1/Crawley Creatures)
July - August 2005
Design and construction of thrashing legs for Ornithomimus dinosaur animatronic.
Beowulf & Grendel (Andvari films/Nick Dudman)
July - August 2004
Modification of stilts (designed by Joe Scott) including CAD manipulation and construction for two central characters in the movie.
WHSmith Worm Campaign (Jim Henson's Creature Shop)
August - September 2004
Co-design and construction of stills photography mechanical puppets for WHSmith Christmas 2004 promotion. Additional construction on animatronic puppets used in TV advertising.
The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy (Jim Henson's Creature Shop)
November 2003 - April 2004
Design and construction of all Vogan arm mechanisms; both rodded and animatronic, as well as mechanical construction for additional 'Viltvodle' alien characters.
Harry Potter 3 - The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros./Nick Dudman)
November 2002 - August 2003
Co-construction of stilts used for Professor Lupin's Werewolf character. On-set performance training with suit actors.
The Fimbles (BBC/Neal Scanlan Studios)
February - June 2002
Additional construction of mechanical heads for principal character suits and puppets.
Harry Potter 2 - The Chamber of Secrets (Warner Bros./Nick Dudman)
October 2001 - February 2002
Trainee mechanic position. Co-construction of components for Aragog, Basilisk and Fawkes the Phoenix animatronic characters.
martin jago
Special Effects Technician
Sting (IFX)
October - December 2022
Overseeing 'stickies' elements for Clint Ingram's SFX team on the Kiah Turner-Roche's upcoming Australian spider horror feature.
Time Bandits (NZFX)
September - October 2022
On-set SFX technician for the Paramount / Apple TV series from Taika Waititi, based on Terry Gilliam's 1981 movie.
Lord of the Rings (DCFX)
August - December 2020
Design and construction of VFX and stunt stand-ins for the SFX dept. on season 1 premiere episodes of the Amazon TV series.
Mulan (NZFX)
April - November 2018
Development and build of mechanical horse VFX rig and collapsing Phoenix shrine animatronic for Disney's live action remake.
Ghost in the Shell (NZFX)
November 2015 - June 2016
Pre-production workshop development/build, and on set SFX technician for the live action remake of the 1995 cult Japanese anime.
The Commuter (Infinity Effects)
September 2016
On set SFX Technician (dailies).
Into The Woods - additional photography (Infinity Effects)
July 2014
On set SFX technician (trainee) for additional photography on the Disney movie adaptation of the Sondheim stage musical.
Puppeteering & Puppet Design
Vulu 21 (NZIAF/The Conch)
August 2020 - July 2021
Puppet designer and creator for all creature elements of The Conch's 2022 NZ International Arts Festival production.
Zip and Zap and the Captain's Island (Millennium FX)
August - September 2015
Additional onset RC puppeteering for animatronic gorilla (with Brian Herring) for the Spanish language children's movie.
Yonderland - Series 2 (Working Title/Sky One)
September - November 2014
Additional onset and 'behind the scenes' puppeteering for the second season of the TV series.
Good Morning Raoul! (The Disney Channel Scandinavia & Italy/Jim Henson's Creature Shop)
September 2004 - October 2005
Puppet wrangler for Conchita character principally puppeteered by Rebecca Nagan. Also on-set mechanical repair responsibilities.
Tales of the Riverbank (Asylum Models)
April - August 2006
Additional puppeteering and on-set maintenance for animatronic puppets and mechanical rigs.
Harry Potter 3 - The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros./Nick Dudman)
November 2002 - August 2003
Puppeteering of singing cane toad animatronic puppet characters for "Double Trouble" song performed by the Hogwarts choir in the Great Hall.
Motion Control Engineer
Fantastic Mr Fox (TechsMechsFX)
April 2009
Temporary on-set cover for MoCo Rigs on the stop motion feature film.
The Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian (Walt Disney Pictures)
June 2007 - February 2008
Modification of Motion Control rigs, on-set maintenance and assistance with the miniatures shoot on the feature in Wellington, New Zealand.
Costume Effects
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Robert Allsopp & Associates)
January - May 2013
Design and construction of the mechanical aspects of the (squirrel) creature costumes for the stage production of Roald Dahl's children's novel, directed by Sam Mendes.
Lord of the Rings (Kevin Wallace Productions/Paul Kieve)
August - September 2005
Co-design and fabrication of magic effects featured in workshop productions of the stage musical at the Shaw Theatre in London for the illusionist Paul Kieve.
Theatre of Blood (National Theatre, London)
April 2005
Co-design and fabrication of magic and costume effects featured in the Improbable Theatre stage production featuring Jim Broadbent at the Lyttelton Theatre.
Prop Making
Mickey and the Magician (Paul Kieve/Applied Arts/Disneyland Paris)
August - October 2015
Design and construction of a number of illusions for the Disneyland Paris stage show.
Wonder.Land (National Theatre/Manchester International Festival)
May - June 2015
Transformation of a golf buggy into a bus befitting the world of Lewis Carroll for MIF 2016, designed by Rae Smith.
Mission Impossible 5 (DB Props)
December 2014
Part of the team realising the mechanical construction of an underwater safe sequence.
Assassins (Marcus Hall Props)
November 2014
Design and construction of a mechanical Carousel in Jamie Lloyd's Menier Chocolate Factory stage production of the Sondheim/Weidman musical. Designed by Soutra Gilmore.
Fatal Attraction (Haymarket Productions)
February - March 2014
Working alongside illusionist Paul Kieve to realise and construct the magic effects for the infamous "bunny" scene for the stage adaptation of the movie - directed by Sir Trevor Nunn.
Macbeth (Manchester International Festival)
June - July 2013
Working alongside illusionist Paul Kieve to realise and construct the magic effects for the infamous "dagger speech" scene for MIF'13. Subsequently seen on screen as part of the NT-Live series and in New York at BAM in summer 2014.
The Phantom of the Opera (Cameron Mackintosh)
January - February 2012
Working alongside illusionist Paul Kieve to realise and construct the magic effects for the finale of the re-staged 25th anniversary UK/US tour.
Theatre of Blood (National Theatre, London)
April 2005
Co-design and construction of two mechanical props conceived by Paul Kieve, used to create magical effects in the stage production.
The President of An Empty Room (National Theatre, London)
May 2005
Design and construction of a cigar press and additional props for the stage production in the Cottesloe Theatre.
Aristocrats (National Theatre, London)
June 2005
Silicon molding components and additional construction for a chandelier used in the production at the NT's Lyttelton Theatre.