Absolute Anonymität
BBC VISUAL EFFECTS DEPARTMENT

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Paul Daniels: Magicians illusion

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Video Iron Maiden

Exterminate! Remembrance of the Daleks

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“The blue-grey Daleks were old wooden ones that had to be refurbished due to budget constraints.

We used to buy the lights on top from a car spares shop in Acton. The cream ones were I believe the first fiberglass ones and made by the plaster/molding workshop at BBC Acton.

The VIS FX department fitted them out and made the ball wheel frames.

 The special weapons Dalek turned up at the Dr. Who Exhibition in Cardiff, I don’t know if its the original “

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Top of the Pops: Production planning for the dry ice effect

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Video Dry Ice

Light Entertainment: Only Fools and Horses

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” I was sent to the props room in television center and spent the morning trying to stick plastic patches to adult inflatable dolls to cover their private parts. Not much sticks for obvious reasons. Filming was spent crouched behind the bar with a compressed air cylinder and partially inflated dolls which then popped up on cue”

Video Only Fools and Horses Dolls

Dr Who: Dragonfire

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set 03 head sculpt 2 lo   body sculpt lo

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Light Entertainment: Gunge

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Video Noels House Party Gunge

Gunge and Props: Double Dare Children’s obstacle course

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Video Double Dare Gunge

Fire and explosions: Crimewatch

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Video Crimewatch

Period drama: Smoke and rain

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Video Story of a Recluse Rain

Historical reconstruction: John Logie Baird mechanical television

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Props

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Mechanical props: Exploding food mixer

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Breakable and Rubber Props

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A Royal Event: The Royal Variety Performance

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The Workshop in Acton

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Staff Structure

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Books relating to the department:

The Technique of Special Effects in Television (2nd Edition) by Bernard Wilkie

Published 1993 by Focal Press ISBN-13: 978-0-240-51361-4, ISBN: 0-240-51361-4

A Peculiar Effect on the BBC by Bernard Wilkie

Publisher: Miwk Publishing Ltd (29 Sept. 2015) ISBN-10: 1908630221 ISBN-13: 978-1908630223

BBC VFX: The Story of the BBC Visual Effects Department by Mat Irvine and Mike Tucker

Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd (11 Nov 2010) ISBN-10: 1845135563 ISBN-13: 978-1845135560