He needed a job and became the general assistant to Les.
Cleaning the brushes of Les, cooking coffee and staff.
Over time, he learned the craft and many tricks of Les Bowie and the other guys
of the company (Kit West, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder...).
Neil became a respected and full-fledged Special Effects Technician.
Les, Nicky Allder and Kit West (both camera), Peter Dawson (assistant) and Colin Chilvers (assistant)
are on the credit list.
The actual list is longer ... Neil Swan, Pat Moore, everyone helped everyone.
Great models, excellent production design, what a movie!
'Moon Zero Two' model art by the Bowie boys.
the model miniatures in the water tank of the Malta Film Facilities.
All night scenes, all looks a bit cheap. The budget was probably pretty tiny.
The film is really a sour pickle. Even the magic arts of the Bowie Crew can not change that.
Les Bowie, Kit West, Brian Johnson and Neil Swan came to Malta to film the model miniatures for
'Mosquito' and primarily the model castle explosion for 'Adventures of Gerard'.
Pat Moore was there at the same time to film some photographic cut-outs for 'The Italian Job'.
Neil was the camera assistant of Kit West.
Kit: "Neil Swan was my camera assistant on 'Mosquito', back in the Bowie days, but he continued as one of my
very good special effects assistants, for many years afterwards.
Tragically he died very early in his life, after a long illness.
He was one of Brian Johnsons assistants for many years, who I am sure can fill you in more of his history."
Mini Mosquito hanging by a thread.
A model "flies" in front of the tinted photographic backings of Les. Looks good!
Brian Johnson (SPFX Supervisor) told me a funny anecdote about the Malta adventure.
Brian: "We all flew out to Malta to finish “Mosquito Squadron” - a Mirisch Production.
At the same time Pat Moore had to finish “The Italian Job” [some photo cutouts of Italian buildings].
We rumbled our way to Malta in a Vickers Vanguard [Vibrator it should have been named!]
When we got to our apartments we collected our cars from John Galea
and that started Pat Moore doing an Italian Job across the Maltese mainland, Kit and I following.
Malta Film Facilities was just South of the breakwater at Valetta harbour.
To shoot the flying models for Mosquito Squadron we needed black smoke canisters
[for the crashing aircraft]. The Maltese chief of pyrotechnics was a man called Mif Sud.
We only had a few models to use and so the black smoke had to work first time.
Mif Sud produced some paper wrapped tubes which he said produced intense black smoke.
Kit and I knew not to take any claim at face value with Maltese pyrotechnics.
So we said put one tube on the brick wall over there.
Mif Sud walked over and perched the tube on the brickwork and we stepped behind a low wall nearby.
OK said Kit, light the smoke generator. Mif Sud grinned at us taking cover as he lit the short fuse.
There was a large puff of black smoke which was followed shortly after by an enormous explosion
which blew brick shrapnel everywhere, including Mif Sud’s back!
Eventually Kit and I accepted a less ‘powerful ‘ version which allowed us to shoot the sequence
without destroying the models.
Kit and I worked on 'Adventures' and despite high winds [which bent the other Mirisch production
set 'Attack on the Iron Coast’ down in the large water tank].
We then shot the plates for Pat Moore’s Italian Job."
Neil Swan working on the enormous castle miniature built for "The Adventures of Gerard".
See my special report about this great model here: Castle of Morales.
In the following years Neil got the chance to work as special effects technician on several big productions,
very often together with Brian Johnson (SPFX supervisor).
Neil worked on 'ALIEN', 'Star Wars - Empire strikes back', 'Dragonslayer' and
'The Never Ending Story'.
Wolfgang Petersen attached to a creature!
The excellent film is jam-packed with good special effects!
Great Sets, wild creatures and an exceptional crew of experts and artists working behind the scenes!
Brian Johnson was the Director of Special Effects and Neil Swan was there as
Senior Special Effects technician!
The list of FX artists is long but one I would like to mention, Colin Arthur.
This guy is one of the best 'creature artists' in the world.
He was there as Special Effects sculpture supervisor and make-up supervisor.
He needed over 100kg of fine Angora wool for the coat of the Dragon.
Various technicians (Neil Swan as Senior Technician!) operated different functions.
It needed some practice before everything worked harmoniously.
(I have so much great material...think I will make a special Story on 'The Never Ending Story' one day).
This bat of sculpture Colin Arthur is 2,30 m tall and had a couple of effects on board.
Nick Allder was the Supervisor on 'Jewel', Terry Schubert was working for the second Unit and
Ray Caple was there for the matte paintings.
Neil Swan worked again with Nicky Allder (Supervisor) and Terry Schubert on 'The Princess Bride'.
Bob Cuff was the matte artist on that one.
Neil worked with Brian Johnson again on 'Slipstream' and with Terry Schubert on
'Indiana Jones and the last Crusade'.
An earthy, light abrasive film.
The dark forest, no sun - unfortunately a few silly jokes destroy the great atmosphere a bit.
Director John Irvin is discussing a tricky stunt scene with stunt coordinator Martin Grace,
David Cronnelly (stunts) and Gabe Cronnelly (stunts).
Robin shall stumble from the castle wall with this framework.
Another excellent location are the caves under Beeston Castle, Beeston, Cheshire, England.
Nice Sets by Alan Cassie (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom).
Bow and arrow effects, blood, ... experiences that he could use later on 'Braveheart'.
most reliable and hard working Effects Technician I ever had.
Sadly he had a serious inherited nervous problem and he contracted liver cancer and died in 2009."