He's a special man

Shivli Tyagi / TNN / Jul 29, 2006, 21:09 IST

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FX specialist Kevin Pike is determined to change the face of special effects in Hindi cinema.

FX specialist Kevin Pike is determined to change the face of special effects in Hindi cinema.
His name may not sound all that familiar, but his work has managed to scare the hell out of you. Remember Jaws, Jurassic Park, ET, Indiana Jones or Star wars: Return Of The Jedi?
FX specialist Kevin Pike, has won numerous awards including an Oscar for his work.And now he's looking to India for new challenges. AT spoke to the ace special effects director who is determined to change the face of special effects in Hindi cinema.
Did you have any training in special effects?

No, not really. As the tale is told, I was cleaning tables at a restaurant off the coast of New England when the film crew (actually the set construction team) of Jaws came to the restaurant. The production designer left his valise under the table upon leaving and I returned it.
It was then that I was introduced to the story of a shark that was going to eat the whole island. I quickly quit my job in the restaurant and started working on Jaws. The rest as they say is history.

What kind of movies did you grow up on ?
I really enjoyed films like Swiss Family Robinson, The Guns of Navarone, Father Goose and later the Bond films. You can see the similarity of the action adventure theme in all of them.
What prompted you to come to India and Bollywood?
I was contacted by a production house in New Delhi. They originally wanted to introduce their production services to me, and through this communication they, in turn, signed me for my services as special effects supervisor/director.
What attracts you about the Indian films?
It's the sheer volume of the films that get produced each year in Bollywood that is most impressive. And when big productions rake in profits, then the demand for high end special effects will increase dramatically.
Have you seen any action films here?
I have seen several films from India when I served on the Foreign Language Committee for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Regarding action films, no, but I am eager to immerse myself in the film history and learn as much as I can as soon as possible.
You have worked with the best directors, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, John Schlesinger, Tim Burton, Taylor Hackford and David Fincher. How is it working with such diverse directors?
They're all diverse in their vision and how they express what they want as in the same way the would direct an actor and that is the challenge.What all good directors have in common is knowing exactly what they want and making sure the get it!
So, I like to give the director plenty of opportunity to see the gag, prop or effect in a show and tell rehearsal.It helps them refine or redefine their vision.
shivli.tyagi@timesgroup.com

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