Aliens Archive | Aliens | Interviews

Nigel Brackley - Senior Visual Effects Technician

Nigel Brackley's feature film work includes: North Sea Hijack, High Road To China, Event Horizon, Raise The Titanic, Tomorrow Never Dies, Rough Cut, Star Wars - Episode 1, Octopussy, The World Is Not Enough (1999), Lifeforce, Gunbus, Hyper-sapien, Lady Jane, Labyrinth, Revolution, Sweet Dreams, Full Metal Jacket, Princess Bride, Little Shop Of Horrors, The Living Daylights, Licence To Kill, Nightbreed, Memphis Belle, Hudson Hawk, Map Of The Human Heart, Dust Devils, Invisible, American Cyborg, Devils Dolls, Young Buddah, Hank ‘To Catch A Yeti”, Frankenstein, Andre, Judge Dredd (1995), Mary Reilly, Goldeneye, Within The Rock, The English Patient, Prince Valliant.

Q: From a construction schedule I have seen, you are listed under "mechanical/chasis" for the Jordan Tractor and Anton Prickett (listed as special effects model maker) is listed under "mechancial" for the A.P.C. Now I know from Cinefex that the plastic A.P.C. had to be replaced by a model with a lighter kevlar shell, but was the mechanical designer replaced also? Was Anton Prickett originally responsible for the A.P.C. mechanics and replaced by you or did you both work on the design?
NB: On the original large model, I was responsible for the mechanical layout / design of the chassis and the turret mechanism and associated controls. The body shell was constructed by Brian Cole out of plastic sheet. This then proved to be extremely heavy, and killed any performance that the chassis had. A decision was then taken to use the plastic body shell as a pattern and have it moulded in GRP (glass fibre). Kevlar was chosen, not because we wanted space age materials, but because there was a union problem going on at Pinewood Studios at the time ( very involved politics ), we had attempted to send the moulding job to an outside contractor, but were forced to use the studios plaster shop. We therefore came up with a very demanding lay-up requirement for the new shell, hoping that they would not be able to comply. Unfortunately, time then ran out and we had to go with the shells that they could produce. In the case of the smaller one the chassis was a modified model car chassis, adapted by Anton Prickett.

Nigel Brackley works on the 1/6th scale A.P.C. chasis.
Photo from SFFMI Issue 45.

Q: There were a number of other remote controlled vehicles including the COLONY BUS (seen moving only on the DVD making of section) and the so called ROBOT TRACTOR that is seen during the opening colony scenes. Did you have any input into the mechanics of these models?
NB: The 2 vehicles you mention, were not operated by remote control, but by very fine wire. They were constructed by Julian Parry as far as I recall.

Q: SENIOR SPECIAL EFFECTS TECHNICIANS: Do you know what Jonathan Angell and Darrell Guyon were responsible for model wise (the other seniors are listed on the August construction schedule).
NB: Jonathan Angel joined us much later on as an engineer and stage hand. Darrel Guyon was at that time a Special Effects Technician, only just having left the ranks of a trainee.

Q: MODEL MAKERS: Do you know what Richard Gregory, Jon Cox, Mick Milford, Steven Woodcock, John Lee and Colin Bond were responsible for model making wise?
NB: Richard Gregory was not on our crew, but an outside contractor. He was responsible for making the tyres for the A.P.C and the Jordan Tractor. Jon Cox, Steve Woodcook, John Lee & Colin Bond were used as general modellers and also for most of the set the dressing. i.e. The exterior of the Atmosphere Processor, the Queens Egg Chamber, the final stage inside the Atmosphere Processor, where it starts to explode, etc.