On Friday 26 September, Elstree Studios reopened Stages 7, 8 and 9 after being closed for several years due to asbestos and concrete structural issues. Rudolph Walker CBE was asked to cut the ribbon outside of Stage 7 to declare them open once more! The Elstree Project’s director, Howard Berry, was among the invited guests and was asked to speak Continue Reading
Recently, The Elstree Project were invited to go to BBC Elstree Centre to record and document the building in 360º photography, video and with LiDAR — a laser scanning system which records the exact dimensions, space and details of a room as data which can then be turned into a virtual 3D model. We spent four days on site at the Fairbanks Continue Reading
We are delighted to have filmed an interview today with Tim Rose — animatronic character designer, puppeteer and performer. Tim worked on a number of films at Elstree Studios from when he helped the Muppets to learn to ride bicycles on The Great Muppet Caper, to performing as the iconic character Admiral Akbar in Return of the Jedi. Jim Henson invited Continue Reading
Yesterday, the project team recorded our latest interview for The Elstree Project with Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Stephenson, whose career began at Elstree Studios on three truly extraordinary films: The Dark Crystal, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, and Return to Oz. John reflected on the groundbreaking puppetry and character work that defined The Dark Crystal, and the brilliance of Jim Continue Reading
We’ve really been busy and within a week we are pleased to announce the latest interview for The Elstree Project – number 78, featuring none other than Bradley Walsh, the much-loved host of The Chase. During our conversation, Bradley spoke about his time at Elstree Studios, where he’s worked for 10 years – a full tenth of the studio’s incredible history. He reflected Continue Reading
The Elstree Project recorded it’s 76th interview, and on this occasion our guest at Elstree Studios, was the prolific record producer, musician and songwriter Trevor Horn CBE — formerly of The Buggles. Most famously known for their song Video Killed the Radio Star, which also had this distinction of being the first played video on MTV when it launched, another Continue Reading
The Elstree Project returned to Los Angeles this week!
Having been on a filming hiatus for the past few years — while we made our very successful feature documentary HER NAME WAS MOVIOLA, we are delighted to be back filming new oral histories once again… and who better to kick off with than the brilliant, legendary Muppetteer and performer of Gonzo the Great – DAVE GOELZ! We filmed our Continue Reading
On December 1st, The Elstree Project were proud to be part of the unveiling of the renewed lobby of the REEL Cinema in Borehamwood’s high street. Supported by funding from Hertsmere and Elstree & Borehamwood councils, the cinema now has an exhibition of film and television heritage from local productions. The Elstree Project is featured in its own booth, with Continue Reading
Our project co-founder, and lead interviewer, Paul’s knowledge and range of friends in the industry were the very basis for the founding of The Elstree Project in 2010.