The Corboulds
Chris Paul Ian Neil Gail and Neilâs
wife Maria Pudlowska
Speciality: Special Effects
Big brother Chris does Nolan Bond
and Star Wars. Paul does Ridley Scott
and Marvel. Ianâs done his fair share
of Bond and Marvel too with some added Alfonso Cuarón.
Youngest brother Neil who works with sister Gail and wife
Maria has just done Alice Through The Looking Glass and
is currently on Rogue One. All bases covered then.The Westmores
George Monte Ern Bud Frank
Perc Wally Michael Marvin Monty
Kevin and Kandace
Speciality: Make-up
George was the patriarch of this
celebrated greasepaint dynasty
whose biggest credits were the 1925 Ben-Hur and The
Thief Of Bagdad. All of his six sons (Monte Ern Bud Frank
Perc Wally) continued the family business. As did Monteâs
sons Michael Marvin and Monty... And also Marvinâs
son and daughter Kevin and Kandace. Weâre not making
this up you know.The Cronenweths
Jordan and Jeff
Speciality: Cinematography
DP Jordan lensed the likes of Altered
States Blade Runner and Stop Making
Sense while his son Jeff has been
David Fincherâs go-to cinematographer
since Fight Club. Oh and Jeffâs sister Christie is an actress
his brother Timâs acted and directed too and their
grandfather (Jordanâs dad) Edward was a stills photographer
on the likes of Cover Girl and The Lady From Shanghai.The Newmans
Alfred Lionel Emil Randy Thomas
David Maria and Joey
Speciality: Composing & music
supervision
Cousins Randy and Thomas have
both scored Pixar movies with
Thomas of course the current Bond composer. His dad
Alfred won nine Oscars (one for The King And I) working
alongside his young brothers Lionel and Emil at 20th
Century Fox. Thomasâ brother David is highly prolifi c
(Heathers The Flintstones Norbit) his sister Maria is
a credited musician on many fi lms including Spider-Man
and Meet The Fockers while other cousin Joey scores
mainly for television.CHRIS CORBOULD IS THE ELDEST OF
SEVERAL SFX SIBLINGS BUT HIS FAMILY
ISNâT THE ONLY ONE TO SPECIALISE IN
FILMMAKING CRAFTS...CREW CLANS
knock on to us was huge. All of a sudden
it got bigger. On GoldenEye I had a crew
of 40. These days itâs not uncommon
to have a crew of 100-plus. There was
a stage where quite a few fi lms went
really CGI-heavy and I think there was
a backlash from the audience. Now weâve
got a really happy marriage where the
CGI people realise itâs better if they can
shoot and utilise real elements. And they
make our life a lot easier painting out
rigs painting out wires. They made it
a much safer industry too.â
Itâs interesting Empire says to see
his name on the credits of a Star Wars
movie Corbould having been hired by J.
J. Abrams to supervise special eff ects on
The Force Awakens. It sends a message:
this one will feel real. âI think that was
an intentional way to goâ says Corbould
who has also signed up for Episode VIII.
Though heâs unable to discuss it further.
His frustration is obvious. Heâs not only
proud of his work and the work of his
crew he also sees a value in the audience
knowing itâs been done for real rather
than on a desktop.
He says âFrom a personal point of
view you wanna show the best work you
can do. And I really believe if you can
pull it off for real it looks better. Not
only do the audience get a thrill out of
seeing it on screen they get a thrill out of
knowing the background of how it was
achieved.â He remembers Nolan being
âa little bit peevedâ after offi ce workers
on LaSalle had videoed the truck-fl ip
stunt and put it on YouTube. âI said
âWell personally Chris Iâm absolutely
over the moon because everybody
now knows itâs been done for real and
itâs not a cheat. I think itâll put more
bums on seats than it will stop people
going to see it.ââ
There is a sense that practical
eff ects are now a badge of merit for
a blockbuster production. Thereâs no
denying the palpability of in-camera
work as compared with the shimmer
of ostentatious digital creations. To
return to Star Wars you could go as
far as to say: if thereâs one thing that
ensures it will be better than Attack Of
The Clones itâs Chris Corbouldâs name
on the credits.
âOne of the reasons I took Star Wars
is because I heard they wanted to do
more physical stuff and I wanted to be
part of that put my little stamp on itâ he
says. âAnd I think it shows. If you can get
it on screen for real everybodyâs happy.
The directorâs happy âcause heâs got it.
He sees it next morning. The look on
Samâs face when youâve just done a truck-
fl ip or blown up a mansion... It puts
a smile on your face from ear to ear.âCorbould pauses
for thought before
consigning it to the
briny. Scared execs
just out of frame.Casino Royaleâs
Venetian villa
starts to tumble.