Peter Ellenshaw

Matte Artist

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his hour-long interview, Peter Ellenshaw (1913-2007) describes his long association with the Walt Disney Studios where he became a preeminent matte artist. He discusses the craft of the matte artist and how a matte is incorporated into a film. He talks about Disney's foray into television with the Disneyland series, and mentions his work on such segments of the show as Davy Crockett. B-roll consists of Ellenshaw voicing-over descriptions of mattes done for various projects, as well as a few photos from his Disney years. In a thirty-minute interview conducted with his son, Harrison Ellenshaw, Harrison talks about his father as well as the work that he has done as a special effects artist in his own right, which includes the feature film Star Wars. Karen Herman conducted the interview on September 11, 2003 in Santa Barbara, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Walt Disney was a man who knew what he wanted and pointed the way he wanted it to be. Some producer told him 'But I've never done this before, Walt.' He said, 'Well, now's the time to find out if you can.' And it was. If you didn't find out, you'd find out that you didn't have a job!"

People Talking About ...

Peter Ellenshaw

Highlights

Peter Ellenshaw on helping to create Disneyland and drawing the famous map of the park

02:38

Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist for the Disney feature film "Treasure Island"

01:24

Peter Ellenshaw on working on the feature "Mary Poppins"

03:22

Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett

01:23

Harrison Ellenshaw on the opening of Disneyland

02:25

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on his early interest in film; on his mentor; on getting his start as a matte artist on features in England

On coming to America and working on the Disney feature film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"; on helping to create Disneyland with Walt Disney; on the Disney style

Chapter 2

On working on Davy Crockett; on the craft of matte painting; on working on the feature "Mary Poppins"

On his then-current work; on his painting style; on advice to aspiring painters and how he'd like to be remembered

Chapter 3

On B-roll photographs from his career- in front of his map of Disneyland; matte painting of New Orleans for Davy Crockett; in his Disney studio with Walt Disney; with Walt Disney, Buddy Ebsen and Fess Parker; Walt Disney with Davy Crockett painting; in Monument Valley; a cyclorama camera; matte painting for the feature film "Spartacus"; caricature of Peter Ellenshaw

On his early life and influences; on his early memories of television; on the opening of Disneyland

On his father's work on Davy Crockett; on his father's work on Zorro; on following in his father's footsteps and becoming a matte artist

Chapter 4

On following in his father's footsteps; on his feature film career; on working with George Lucas on "Star Wars"

On working on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys; on how visual effects have changed since he started; on his father's legacy and advice to aspiring visual effects professional

Shows

Davy Crockett

Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett

01:23

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Davy Crockett

03:27

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Harrison Ellenshaw on working on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

00:58

Xena: Warrior Princess

Harrison Ellenshaw on working on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

00:58

Zorro

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Zorro

01:16

Topics

Advice

Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists

00:23

Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals

03:47

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Peter Ellenshaw on his early interest in film and his mentor

03:06

Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps as a matte artist

00:43

Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps and becoming a matte artist

02:11

Harrison Ellenshaw on comparing his and his father's work and his father's legacy

02:05

Television Industry

Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists

00:23

Peter Ellenshaw on how effects have changed since he started in the business

00:34

Harrison Ellenshaw on how visual effects have changed since he began working

02:26

Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals

03:47

Professions

Art Director/Set Decorator

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Peter Ellenshaw on the craft of matte painting

04:08

Peter Ellenshaw on his style and the tools he used

01:28

Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists

00:23

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's style and the way he worked

03:34

Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals

03:47

Designers

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Peter Ellenshaw on his early duties at a studio and learning his painting technique

02:52

Peter Ellenshaw on the craft of matte painting

04:08

Peter Ellenshaw on his style and the tools he used

01:28

Peter Ellenshaw on advice to aspiring artists

00:23

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's style and the way he worked

03:34

Harrison Ellenshaw on advice for aspiring visual effects professionals

03:47

Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Zorro

01:16

Western Series

Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett

01:23

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Davy Crockett

03:27

People

Fess Parker

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Peter Ellenshaw on working as a matte artist on Davy Crockett

01:23

George Lucas

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Harrison Ellenshaw on working with George Lucas on "Star Wars"

02:27

Peter Ellenshaw

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Harrison Ellenshaw on his childhood memories of his father's career

02:15

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's style and the way he worked

03:37

Harrison Ellenshaw on the opening of Disneyland

02:25

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Davy Crockett

03:27

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father working on Zorro

01:16

Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps as a matte artist

00:43

Harrison Ellenshaw on following in his father's footsteps and becoming a matte artist

02:11

Harrison Ellenshaw on comparing his and his father's work and his father's legacy

02:05

Harrison Ellenshaw on his father's work on the feature "Spartacus"

01:20

Walt Disney

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Peter Ellenshaw on Walt Disney's involvement in the day-to-day operations of the studio

01:19

Peter Ellenshaw on Walt Disney's involvement in his matte painting

03:26

Peter Ellenshaw on the death of Walt Disney and its effect on the studio

02:39

Harrison Ellenshaw on the opening of Disneyland

02:25