Clearwater Features
{{Short description|British film production company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Clearwater Features Ltd.
| logo =
| type = Private
| fate = Ceased operations; later acquired by Britt Allcroft
| successor = The Britt Allcroft Company
| foundation = {{start date and age|1979|df=y}}
| defunct = {{end date and age|1990|12|31|df=y}}
| industry = Entertainment, Children's programming
| products = Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, TUGS
| revenue =
| parent =
| slogan =
}}
Clearwater Features Ltd. was a British film production company (based first in Battersea and then at Shepperton Studios) that produced the first two series of the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends from 1984 to 1986. Clearwater is also known for creating the short lived children's TV series TUGS.
History
The company was founded in 1979 by Gerry Anderson alumni Ken Turner and David Mitton, and produced television commercials as well as miniature effects for films and TV shows. Turner left the company in 1979, to be replaced by American-born director and producer Robert D. Cardona.
The production logo of Clearwater Features was a pink Buick Y-Job parked at a film studio with palm trees, based on Clearwater, Florida, and it appeared on the ending of half the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine from series 1 and 2 (the other half ending with a nameboard gallery), and also appeared on a flag of a barge in the TUGS episode 4th of July.
The company closed down on New Year's Eve 1990 because of TUGS
Key people
- Ken Turner, David Mitton – co-founder
- Robert D. Cardona – co-CEO (1979–1990)
- Terry Permane – lighting, cameraman, director of photography
- Bob Gauld-Galliers – art director
- Mike O'Donnell, Junior Campbell – composers
- John Attwell – cameraman
- Nigel Parkes – editor
Produced
=TV series=
- Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends / 1984-1986 – created by Wilbert Awdry; developed by Britt Allcroft
- TUGS / 1989 – created by David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona
=Others=
- Various British TV Adverts
Periscope lens system
The Clearwater Periscope lens system was a type of television camera developed in 1983 by Clearwater Features for use on the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Tugs. The cameras were used together with live action model animation,{{cite journal|author=Clearwater Films Inc.|year=1985|title=TUGS publicity pack|page=2|url=http://biggcity.tripod.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://biggcity.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/description.jpg&target=_self|accessdate=2008-12-13}} to produce the image of character movements at eye level.{{cite web |title=Behind The Scenes! – Other articles on behind the scenes |url=http://www.sodor-island.net/behindthescenes.html |publisher=sodor-island.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216010939/http://www.sodor-island.net/behindthescenes.html |archive-date=16 December 2008}} Only two of these camera systems were ever made.{{cite journal|author=Clearwater Films Inc.|year=1985|title=TUGS publicity pack|page=3|url=http://biggcity.tripod.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://biggcity.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/page2.jpg&target=_self|accessdate=2008-12-13}} The system used for TUGS was later shipped off to Canada and modified for the filming of Theodore Tugboat.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Animation industry in the United Kingdom}}
Category:Defunct film and television production companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Television production companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Film production companies of the United Kingdom
Category:British companies established in 1979
Category:Mass media companies established in 1979
Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 1990
Category:1979 establishments in England
Category:1990 disestablishments in England
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