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Ian Brown 'From Chaos To Harmony' by John Nolan

David Knight - 18th Apr 2019

When a young lad enters an amusement park, in John Nolan's video for Stone Roses legend Ian Brown, you get a feeling that something special is about to happen. And you won't be disappointed, as Nolan, a master of the art of animatronics, has crearted something remarkable here, and turned Ian Brown into a curious, chilling fairground attraction.

The boy, played by fine young actor Noah Jupe (A Quiet PlaceSuburbicon), finds a kiosk in the shadowy corner of the fairground - and it contains the head of Ian Brown - a very lifelike animatronic version of Brown, that is. The head is the giant Zoltar robot in a fortune telling machine, which grants a wish to the boy.

Also featuring Brown himself performing From Chaos To Harmony, this is a beautifully made film - also starring Daniel Peacock (Quadrophenia, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves) as the fairground owner - and shot by DoP Stuart Bentley. 

The animatronic 'Zoltar robot' of Brown was constructed in Nolan's studio in Stoke Newington, North London, and the video was then filmed in the fairground and arcade on Southend seafront, and clearly a true labour of love by Nolan (who's previous work includes videos for Lamb and UNKLE, and the hilarious short Nolan's Cheddar). 

And Nolan will be bringing his amazing Zoltar box to Manchester's Piccadilly Records this Friday, 19th April...

JOHN NOLAN:

"Ian is my favourite artist of all time so I contacted him with the idea. I then spent four months making the robot, with six different heads, the box, other props etc, which were all taken down to Southend for the shoot. 

"Southend was tough, crazy cold - it was always an ambitious shoot...I was told to put the camera down at 5am but I loved it. I've worked with Daniel Peacock before but totally blagged Noah Jupe after being told he's £40k per day. His parents are from Manchester, so I begged his agent to share my treatment. 

"Ian is one of the most humble and nicest guys I've ever met, a true gentleman. He's really easy to work with, bringing an entourage of Mancunian massive, with him, including his two boys. He was a lot of fun and always turns in on walking and singing to camera."

David Knight - 18th Apr 2019

Tags

  • Director's notes
  • Narrative
  • Rock
  • Fairground

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
John Nolan
Producer
Janka Neustupova
Producer
Christine Smith
Producer
Lorraine Smith
Producer
John Nolan
Production Company
John Nolan Studio
Executive Producer
Emma Biggins
Production Coordinator
Juan Orihuela-Cuesta
1st AD
Kieron Phipps
1st AD
Jonathan Sidwell

Camera

Director of Photography
Stuart Bentley
1st AC
Adam Conlon
2nd AC
Matt Wright
Steadicam
Tom Wilkinson

Lighting/Grip

Gaffer
Dave Nye
Gaffer
Dom Aronin

Art

Production designer
Bobbie Cousins

Wardrobe

Hair & Make-up
Lauren Gregory
Costume designer
Hannah Glossop

Editorial

Editor
Richard Graham

VFX

VFX Company
The Mill

Other credits

Additional Music & Sound

Daniel Nolan

Animatronic Effects

John Nolan Studio

Production Assistant Ben Wrabs

Art Department Assistant Ruby Hirst

Props Driver Bill Burn

3rd Assistant Director Scott Claydon

Runner Greg McNeill-Moss

Camera Trainee Oceane Maitre

DIT Philipp Morozov

Phantom Camera Laura Healey

Phantom Camera Jack Rowley

Costume Assistant Emily Davidson

Desk Op Daf Cook

Electrician Bill Rae Smith

Electrician Callum Crisell

Electrician Charlie Paddock

Electrician Christian Hayes

Grip Steve Wells

Grip Dave Bradshaw

Make up Assistant Francesca Robertson

Sound Mixer Andrew Hewitson

Photographer Will Grundy

SFX Supervisor Jon Savage

SFX Technician Collin Tilley

Sugar Studios Paul Greer

Animatronic Effects John Nolan Studio

Art Finish Supervisor Martha Fein

Animatronics John Nolan

Animatronics Guy Stevens

Animatronics Karl Gallivan

Animatronics Adam Wright

Animatronics Simon Northcott

Animatronics Adrian Parish

Puppeteer Rob Tygner

Mouldshop Supervisor Lousie Dupin

Standby/Studio Painter Sue Gallivan

Animatronics Assistant Finola McLennan

Animatronics Programmer Danny Nolan

Animatronics Assistant Charly Nolan

Storyboards David Darby

Senior Sculptor David Darby

Coder Jamie Hamilton

Motor Programmer Charlie Hope

3D Scanning Schoony

3D Clean Up Jasper Turner

3D Sculpt Supervisor Rafa Zabala

3D Artist Nacho Sanchis

3D Artist Luciana Paragamin

Additional Costume Christine Smith

Additional Costume Breakdown Louisa Sorrentino

Mouldmaker Olivia Whitaker

Mouldmaker Stephanie Wong

3D Fortune Teller Box Design Guy Stevens

3D Fortune Teller Box Construction John Morris

MDM Props

The Mill

VFX Producer Rosalien Van Der Bom

Shoot Supervisor Andrew 'Barnsley' Wood

Shoot Supervisor David 'Luddy' Ludlam

2D Lead Artist Andrew 'Barnsley' Wood

2D Artist Joseph Tang

2D Artist Holly McLean

Colourist David 'Luddy' Ludlam

Colour Assist Daniel Levy

Chaperone Katy Cavanagh

Chaperone Chris Jupe

Panavision

Pilot Lighting

Alpha Grip UK

Additional Actors at Adventure Island:

Lowrider Charly Nolan

Teenager Chasing Charlie Peacock

Father Tristan Schoonraad

Child With Balloon Ottilie Schoonraad

Thomas Bentley

Faith Everett

Timothy McDevitt

John Shearer

Stephen Rogers

Fiona Rogers

Sheila Glass

Mark Shrimpton

Mei Lam

Wai Ming Lam

Pete Steel

Errol Francis

Cameron Francis

Craig Mitchell

Glen Passingham

Special Thanks To

Ian Brown

Finola McLennan

Noah Jupe

Daniel Peacock

Conrad Murray

Emma Biggins

Danny Nolan

Christine Smith

Lorraine Smith

Schoony

Barnes

Luddy

Rosalien Van Der Bom

Casey Brown

Frankie Brown

The Mill

MDM Props

Virgin EMI

Craig Game

Christina Shepherd

Adventure Island Southend

Southend Council

Southend Arcade

David Knight - 18th Apr 2019

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