The Miniature World Of Mat Irvine
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- Опубликовано: 31 дек 2023
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I visited Mat's flat(s) a couple times in the early 2000s. He's a good friend and I love the fact that he still regularly builds kits like the rest of us for the joy it brings.
JMChladek, now, where do I know that name.. Eagle Transformer forums? Starship Modeler? RPF? We’re both fans of Mat’s work at any rate. :)
@@jeemanx yup. Like the Johnny Cash song "I've been everywhere man." 😉
Lies
@@Former_EmployeeDeception
Many years ago I was set a writing exercise to put together an Oscar acceptance speech. Rather than thank all the regular people involved in the production I chose to thank those people who made me want to be in the industry in the first place. Matt was one of those names, along with John Dykstra, Gerry Anderson, Ray Harryhausen and others. Still love listening to him talk.
Mat just radiates enthusiasm. It's very pleasurable to watch, and absorb his fascination with models.
Would love to have a genuine teleporter bracelet from Blakes 7. Grew up watching Mat's work.
Imagine a night down the pub with Mat... The stories and anecdotes he'd be able tell. One could listen to him all. Night.
Back in the early 1970s, i was a Graphic Design student at Stevenage College [Hertfordshire]. One gloomy winters afternoon we noticed a truck dumping some
packing crates outside the council yard behind our studio.
The crates somehow got opened and inside were various models from the film 2001 including the circular space station, we managed to salvage some of the
smaller models and were completely blown away on finding the intricate detailing was in fact small Airfix parts glued on to the wooden models surfaces.
Stevenage is some distance from Elstree Studios, so how the props came to be there is a mystery, but the story goes that Stanley Kubrick wanted the props
destroyed so as not to ruin the illusion of the film.
Sadly the local yobs broke up the boxes contents a short time later, what a waste !
Some day I'd love to meet this man, shake his hand and thank him for the many many many hours of enjoyment he has given me over the years.
Matt's work is beautiful . Its sad practical special effects are dying . Digital isnt that great .
I had the pleasure of meeting Matt at a sci-fi convention in Manchester 40 something years ago. I got to play with Blakes 7 guns, see Boris the Spider in action and hear some wonderful stories from the sets (disappearing Blakes 7 Bracelets!). His enthusiasm was infectious then, great to see it is still there.
Found this absolutely fascinating
Remember Matt on Swap Shop. Highlight of the show.
He should teach a class as a Professor of Miniature Scale Conceptual Design. I would enroll in a second. So much knowledge besides just filmmaking craft. Love it.
Warhammer shops used to have evening workshops to learn how to make and paint kits and figures for kids, which is a great way to get into it. Wish model shops did that when I started making kits around 1970. Then again there's plenty of RUclips vids on how to make great models.
"Quicker to put the kettle on" brilliant stuff! See you at Smallspace in July Mat!
Great to see he’s still going..I remember seeing him on tv when I was very young…he’s a great communicator, fascinating to listen to.
I’d just like to say a personal thank you to you, albeit 40 odd years late, you came to our school around 1980 and gave a wonderful talk on all the models you had created and TV shows that you had and were working on at the time and I still remember the hairdryer spaceship you brought along with you and of course K9 was there to. Your enthusiasm for modelling/ special effects sort of lead me to my first job in our local model shop where I worked for a number of years, even now I still make various plastic kits and build model railways, though now I’m in my mid fifties, I still remember with fondness the day the man from the telly, who built all those wonderful things came to visit our school 👍👍
Still have my copy of "Doctor Who Special Effects"! :) Love your work!
Mat is such a fountain of knowledge. He is a fascinating person and a pleasure to talk to. So glad I got the chance to meet him in Exeter.
great to see Mat still going strong, and see round his studio
It's great to see Mat still working. The only times I would enter the competitions on Swap Shop was when he was on, I was also obsessed with building models and watching sci-fi movies. Now, I build 3D computer models for videogames, sadly nothing scifi yet.
+1 for the making of "A fall of moondust" movie !!!!
An exciting sci-fi rescue story with lots of action and sciency stuff to learn about physics on the moon.
Thanks for all the great memories Mat! Thanks for sharing your memories and workshop!
You sir are a modelling genius. Unique and humble .
I’m 53 and I saw you on blue Peter or swap shop . I soo wanted to be you . I tinkered with matchbox model (Aldi version of air fix for kids out there)
Never got far but retired now but with his passion of modelling I’ve returned . I ve got a stormtrooper sitting in the kitchen
Mando and B7 liberator and matching teleport bracelet and c3po on my landing .
And enough Star Wars blaster to arm an assault force all thanks to his enthusiasm
Respect
I met Mat in BBC special effects when he was making the spider’s city from Planet of Spiders. Cardboard tubes sprayed black - I saw it happen. He also showed me Boris, the spider built on a toy train, which looked great but apparently wasn’t used much in the studio because he/she was unreliable.
Happy memories…
I realise you probably wont have time to read this but: I am of the Airfix generation and got a lot of pleasure from the kits. Back in the 50s and 60s the thing was making things you couldn’t buy, plunge moulding canopies to make the ‘trainer’ version of an aircraft, building vehicles using Slaters Plastikard and Microstrip. A few decades ago I put together a ‘toy soldier’ set for a friend’s lad and he took to it. I was looking for cheap and easy options and at the time I actually corresponded with Mr Kine, he was looking at a pile of EPS foam from a fishing boat hold but that wouldn’t be available to the average impoverished single parent. I have made a lot of sets since then, world war two, knights and knaves and sci-fi and the scenery is all cardboard, tea leaves and the like but they get notes on how it was done to encourage them to have a go. Sci-Fi is the hardest, currently using a clear plastic egg baubel and plumbing parts to produce a Fireball XL5 like space ship. Finding the bits for sci-fi at reasonable cost is challenging, the days of the pocket money kit have gone and now we get things like link-and-length tracks on tanks, which makes the constraints of the human lifetime and issue. To date the kids have all enjoyed the sets, one is now being played with by the original recipient’s son, after 20+ years the scenery (cardboard formers covered in five layers of newspaper and glue with a top-coat of acrylic sealant) is still intact. If I win the lottery I’ll introduce a low-cost range of simple kits so the kids will have the same fun we did sixty+ years ago.
His enthusiasm is infectious! How can you not be excited listening to Mat talk?
Mat doing a miniature model making segment, on an 1990s bbc school’s programme, taught me an approach to art, design and craft that took me to my current job in schools. Many thanks to him.
I was mad about special effects as a kid in the 70's. My father had a friend who worked for the BBC and asked him if he could pull some strings to meet someone. From there I was introduced to Gerry Abouaf at Alexandra Palace who did mostly Open University stuff, but I was rather more keen on spaceships and explosions! So Gerry very kindly set me up to meet Mat Irvine at the Television Centre VIsual Effects Department in Shepherds Bush. Lots of Dr Who and other big shows of the time, and Mat was very kind and informative. I did eventually get into film effects, but found it a very difficult industry to find work, so moved on to other things.
I hope this isn't a false memory, but I can recall Matt doing an interview where he explained that they had to "tone down" the giant spiders in the Jon Pertwee story as the BBC bosses felt they were too realistic. Arachnophobes everywhere must be relieved.
Good to see Matt is still about. Met him at the model engineering exhibition in 1984 at Wembley. He did a question and answer session about VFX. Asked him a question about how they did laser effects and got the reply "We use real Lasers". My Reply "Isn't that a bit dangerous?", Matt's reply, "well, you can damage your eyes with the things, but as far as I know, only 4 people have been killed using the lasers we use. 3 guys were electrocuted while working with them and the other guy had one fall on him off a shelf"
Wow its great to see Mat again, he was my hero when I was a young lad and still is. I remember watching him on various tv shows, swap shop etc explaining his work. Its great to see him talking models again. Thanks for putting this up!
I wanted to be him as a kid, sadly things are mostly CGI now, practical model effects mostly gone. Glad to see Mat is still about.
Wonderful to see you in the flesh! Great to see your "choked with models" workshop and home... looks rather familiar. Most excellent to learn of your beginnings and I do think A Fall of Moondust would do rather well-- oh, gee-- no models, of course-- all CGI... (ahem, kidding around!)
Thumbs up to a guy whose work always has been enjoyable.
Wonderful documentary and a fantastic little warehouse/museum collection of kits!
Yay! Mat is still around!!!! I always wondered what happened to him! His name was on everything I watched during the 80’s and 90’s. And he worked on the best TV Drama/Thiller EVER MADE! Edge Of Darkness. 😳😳😳 amazing. Such a great interview. Thank you so much for making it. 👍👍👍
The standard of model making now is a whole different level from Airfix kits we made in the 60s and 70s. Not just the level of detail but airbrushing to give shading and wear and tear of aircraft and tanks etc in war. Even the Warhammer figures and kits giving kids a chance to go on a Thursday evening and learn how to build and paint space marines or various beings of the Warhammer universe.
Amazing. Mat is behind almost all of the Sci-Fi I love. I've been tinkering with creating miniatures lately. I work with kits and household items, and garbage I find on the street. Thank you for this inspiration. Love this so much!
Thanx for the immediate history on model making,..so kool.Appreciate the knowledge.X
Only ten minutes in and this is possibly the most fascinating video I've ever watched. Wish I had a 45 minute tea break at work, saved for later!!
Simply wonderful. A very experienced industry treasure.
Use his book "Creating Space" all the time as reference and just plain lookin'!
You lovely mad man, It is kind of dear to hear and see you.
Fascinating interview with an incredible artist.
Mat’s experience knowledge and dedication is really impressive 👍
That was wonderful. So lovely to see the great Matt Irvine and his amazing work again. Thank you.
Good to see you again, old friend. You 'keeper of the flame' you!
I used to watch Matt as a kid on things like blue Peter and model world. I’m still making models at 52 and part of that is down to him.
What a wonderful video, thank you so much for putting that together, always lovely to see Mat and witness his passion.
Wonderful! thanks very much for the tour and stories!
Great interview thank you
What fun. Nicely done. Hitchcock used miniature trains, cars and landscapes in exterior shots in many films.
If you are a scale model kit builder, this video is a MUST. Glad to see Matt Irvine in his natural habitat. Oh and by the way, that's a very nice Captain Harlock Arcadia!
God you brought back some memories of “Thunderbirds” I remember watching those here in America as a kid and I knew even back then that they were like puppets that you could actually see the strings on them! Oh great times back then!
He could talk all day, I reckon. And you know , I could listen to him! What a nice guy and a wonderful video! I’d love to visit and talk and see his kits! Legend!
Thank you for posting!
Well, if you need funding for a pet project, Mat, you can always try asking the fans who want to see it to help. Publicise it, if there’s enough interest, link to a GoFundMe?
Of course you might be making it for RUclips on a Classic Doctor Who budget, but there are a lot of effects wizards on here who would likely happily pitch in if asked.
I make miniature armour for a living and Matt Irvine is one of the many creators whose hand I would like to shake. Mainly because Blakes-7 is an essential part of my childhood!
Running around the garden with my Mum's Clairol curling-tongs!!! Those were the days... Oh to be 28 again! 😂
Say what you like about Mr Irvine breathing in all the fumes, but that doesn't appear to have done his hair any harm! If I had known that sniffing glue could have saved my hair I would never have switched to working with steel!!
Bless you Mr Irvine. Long may you reign Sir. 👍🛠️🇬🇧
This was brilliantly informative!
Thanks Mat. I really enjoyed this 👍🏻
A thoroughly enjoyable film. Mat is a gem.
Ooohh man THANKS I NO longer need to wonder which were my favourite programs and films growing up in the eighties ITS THE ONES THIS WONDEROUS MAN had a hand in OH CMON PEOPLE CANT WE MAKE A MUSEUM SOMEWERE TO DISPLAY ALL HIS MODELS AND TELL HIS STORY IM NOT ALONE THIS GUY IS VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE WE SHOULD CHERISH OUR HERITAGE IM GEUSSING HE WOULDNT WANT THE FUSS! BUT PLEASE MAT FOR THE FUTURE BUILDERS AND DESIGNERS OF ALL KINDS YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION !!! A TRUE TREASURE ❤
What a fascinating video. ❤ as an illustrator this is inspiring.
I have no Idea who you are Mat Irvine - but YT reccomendet that video to me - and now I want to see more of you and your models.
Interesting stuff 👍
Mat is someone i could quite easily go for a couple of pints down the pub and just talk the night away about SFX effects and modeling. He has a real passion when he talks.
Well done.
Thanks for this video, i really enjoyed it. Can you give us some mire please.cheers Matt
Brooke Bond produced a series of cards in packets of tea, called "The Race Into Space" (1971). These featured many of the early satellites, unmanned deep space explorers, and early Soyuz and Apollo modules. They would make an excellent range of kits.
Great to the enthusiasm in this guy
Silent Running is one of my favourite movies as well.
Great video. Subbed...👍
I had the pleasure of exchanging a few emails with Mat years back. He gave me some really helpful advice/sources on decals for a vintage model. Really nice guy. We both share a dream of opening a science fiction museum. Wish I could win that billion dollar lottery and make that dream come true. Personally I wanted a science/science fiction museum with a research wing and modeling gift shop so well equipped it would draw people from all over the world! Hey, if you are gonna dream.......
Fun fact: Magnox/Edge Of Darkness was remade in 2010 starring Aussie Mel Gibson as the main character Craven. I haven't seen the UK original but the remake seems to pretty close to it - worth a watch!
That was fantastic.
A lovely Guy ❤
Thanks … for everything!
#imagineering
amazing video
I like this guy and his long answers.
I hope his vast collection of models finds a home someday where it can be seen by more people. A lot of history embodied.
Brilliant
Wow Great Video. And What a lucky Fellow. "Do the thing you Love as a Job, and never really work again..!"
I have made Models all my life and sometimes Sell them.
Mainly at a loss but it's Seed Money for the Next kit, at least..!
Great Story, Thank you to who ever Uploaded it.
I have Subscribed to the Site..!
Cheers All. Kim in Oz. 😎
Fantastic, well done. Really hope you get the fall of moon dust completed, it will make a brilliant movie.
great old time 💓💓
This is the most enjoyable thing I have watched fpr ages, I found it completely absorbing and I think I may be feeling an itch.....mmmm..shall I make a model?
10:00 The back of the fuselage on the original X-wing was capped off with the top hull of a Tamiya M4 Sherman with only the lower half of the turret just sitting there. You can see the front hatches, fuel fillers, engine vents, the works.
Superb video. Sadly I recognize Matt's method of filing finished model projects. 😂
What was that? They've dug up one of Matt's models in ancient Egypt?!!!!😊
Would love to hear his opinions and thoughts on various classic-era Space Lego sets, Coleco's StarCom, Jaque Fresco's work (the models specifically), and the opening sequence in Logan's Run.
Silent Running one my favourite films, rarely mentioned these days.
I agree. A great science fiction film and considering the interest in enviroment it could be reissued. I've always wished that someone would do models from that movie. Have the film on DVD and watch it every couple of years.
Fascinating about Edge of Darkness.
edge of darkness is an amazing show well worth watching if you haven't seen it
Could listen for hours about all his jobs. 👍
Legend
AH YES A FINE LINE BETWEEN A HOBBY
AND A MENTAL ILLNESS 😂
KUDOS ON THE COLLECTION YO!
What a legend..
Blakes 7, loved the Liberater
Magnifique
I could be wrong but as i remember the propulsion system for Project Daedalus is technically banned by the Outer Space Test Ban Treaty?
Your Wrong. Project Orion is banned as it used nuclear bombs for propulsion. Daedalus used a fusion pulse reactor as a rocket motor.
Lost In Space robot is model B-9, if you ask.
But everyone calls it "Robot".
Mr Irvine, Johnson, & the many other great model builders unnamed as will as writers for storys, some ham acting, Dr who, Blake 7, may have been budget, but best memories, even the bullies at high school that picked on the nerds had to watch the episode where the brave DSV1 had to defend use from the wicked aliens that commanded blow dryer ships and other house hold lazer armed tat, thanks Mr Irvine for the insight & imagination you & story writers gave use.
I think that when we meet, the discussion will be unexpected.
Perhaps 18 months from now.
What an interesting man reminds me of a chap who picked me up as a hitchiker in a yellow 2cv back in the 90s and gave me a monopoly tour of London he told me he worked in special effects mmmm I wonder ?
Why no Matt Irvine making models Twitch channel?
Today will be even more meticulously Exxcellent than Yesterday. Once upon a time when I was little at my most favourite Church of England Junior school I made a fully working draw- bridge out of tiny bits of balsa wood. 🤩
. I loved it so much .
🚢
( I was a strange and lonely child. 👉 Blessing in Disguise )
+ Bonus @ Czechoslovakian vintage animation films. 🤩