The Production GuideSFX
by Martin Willey
The Production GuideOn set practical effects include smoke, fire, weather like blizzards or dust storms, and exploding computers. Most of these were handled by Allan Bryce, the SFX technician based at Pinewood, although occasionally large effects required other technicians from Bray to visit.
Breakaway exploding computers. Effects like this required close co-operation between the actors, stunt coordinators, and the prop department. Although the computer panels must explode impressively, the actual prop panels must not be damaged.
Surviving props show burn marks from explosive squibs. The yellow "Trim" panel and the "Gyro" panel were blown up in The Lambda Factor and The Dorcons. The orange panel was damaged in The Dorcons. Thanks to Simon. In some cases the panels were redecorated to hide the damage.
Matter Of Life And Death weather effects
The Full Circle, mist effects.
The Last Sunset, a window fractures. The initial frame shows the explosive coil used to fracture the glass.
End Of Eternity and War Games, people are sucked into space. These scenes were filmed on the same day, 28th October 1974. The set is built on the side, with the camera at the top, and at the bottom a mattress covered in black velvet. The stuntmen, Alf Joint, Paul Weston, Colin Skeaping and Martin Grace, fall through the set onto the mattress.
The Full Circle. SFX were also responsible for special props, and here the "rock" that Sandra uses to hit Koenig with. It's a grey sponge with red dyed water.
Copyright Martin Willey