A Tribute to Irmin Roberts
Matte Shot – a tribute to Golden Era & Traditional Special Effects
All who frequent this blog will be fully aware of the importance I endeavour to place at the feet of those many, often uncredited and little known movie matte shot artists who have thrilled and delighted us endlessly through the first 80 odd years of the motion picture. The sense of wonder we experience when the talents of the matte painter can transport us to another place, another time and even another universe, armed with the merest of rudimentary tools – oil paint or pastels, glass or hardboard – not to mention an instinctive ‘feel’ on the part of the artist as to just what will or won’t work for this most peculiar avenue of cinematic sleight of hand. The matte artist of course is just part of the final creative equation, with the too often unheralded technical skills of the matte shot cameraman usually overlooked or bypassed altogether.
It is a rare commodity indeed for a matte painter to be his own cinematographer, especially in the days of the studio system. Norman Dawn shot his own mattes for decades while an independent effects man, though wouldn’t have when he eventually worked at MGM under Warren Newcombe in the 1940’s. Certain latter day traditional era matte exponents like Jim Danforth and Ray Caple would, on many of their projects often set up, shoot the plates, paint the matte and later photograph their paintings and even composite the elements themselves, though this was more a result of the artists or effects provider mentioned being small, often one man ‘cottage’ operations in themselves…
…Read the Full Article @ Matte Shot
A tribute to the artistry and ingenuity of traditional matte painters, this collection celebrates the hand‑crafted movie magic that once shaped cinema — from grand, epic vistas to invisible effects even seasoned viewers might miss. It’s designed for both casual fans and dedicated enthusiasts, offering a renewed appreciation for skills largely forgotten today. I’ve also reached deeper into the Matte Shot archives to bring even more of this remarkable work forward, and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do.
