Here it is…. after a long delay (sorry Martin), my e-interview with Martin Bower. Check out his website for loads of cool photos and information about the many shows and movies he has worked on. http://www.martinbowersmodelworld.com/
E-interview Questions:
I was wondering if you are a science fiction fan (I’m guessing you are given your profession) and if so has working on these models added to or diminished the magic of watching sci-fi for you?
I love some SF & Fantasy. Other stuff I detest –but I guess ALL of us are like that. I cannot judge the films I’ve worked on precisely because I DID work on them. “ALIEN” was a really hard 14 month slog!
I loved redoing the THUNDERBIRDS, STINGRAY & CAPT SCARLET stuff for the comics, video covers, DVD’s etc for the UK’s re-runs of these shows in the early 1990’s. They were a real labour of love.
I also loved the “Lord of the Rings” & “The Hobbit” long before anyone had ever heard of Peter Jackson, and some of Arthur Clarke’s stuff, but my favourite film of all time is “THE RAILWAY CHILDREN”! (I just LOVE old steam trains & live very near a re-constructed railway!)
You must feel a great deal of pride to see the fans react to your creations. (I suppose I do, but I’ve never consciously thought about it like that. I do get many letters of thanks so I’m VERY pleased people like what I do)
How did you break into the industry and do you have any advice for aspiring modelers? Learn CGI it’s “killing” 3 D models for films!
I “broke” into the industry by taking a model I’d built in 1968 (after my first viewing of “2001: A Space Odyssey” aged 16) to Bray studios in 1973 when I heard “Space 1999” was going to be made. The SFX Director, Brian Johnson, saw my model, asked me to take it out the car as he wanted to shoot “test footage” of it (I was absolutely flabbergasted!) and that was it. I made 86 models for that show alone over the following 2 ½ years, 70 of which I designed. That was 34 years ago & I’m still going strong!
Has computer graphics had any impact on your work or the way you make models? See the above!
You have produced over 1000 professional works. Do you have a favorite? There are many I like, but I honestly couldn’t pick a favourite from my own designs, if that’s what you mean. As far as other people’s creations are concerned I still love SUPERCAR, (which was made in 1960-61). I watched it as a kid & loved it!. I still get that same magic today watching it on DVD! It was this programme alone that inspired me to do the work I do!
You mentioned on your site that you build the same model at different scales depending on how it is to be used. Many of our fans often quote dimensions as per “canon” and yet we hear different sizes for the same ship. Can you tell us who determines the “real” dimensions for fictional ships?
Like I said, usually the SFX crew. But I ALWAYS have a scale in mind when I’m building a model. For example a 44 inch “Eagle” from “Space 1999” is 1/24th scale. That is ½ inch= 1 foot. So an Eagle is 88 feet long in “real life”. A 22 inch model is 1/48th scale; that’s ¼ inch = 1 foot, you get the idea, I’m sure.
A Suerp Thank you to Martin for taking the time to chat and the cool photos.