Painting it bright for Mick, Keith and Robbie (From Borehamwood Times)

Painting it bright for Mick, Keith and Robbie

5:24pm Thursday 29th May 2008

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Liz and Chris Clark are a scenic art partnership who are currently based at Elstree Studios, painting backdrops, gauzes and sets for the entertainment industry. They are one of several on-site tenants who form part of the production village.

The couple have created backdrops for many high-profile theatre productions, such as The Lion King, in 1999, and worked on Royal Shakespeare Company productions in Stratford-upon-Avon and London.

Some of their props and backdrops were used by Robbie Williams in his 2003 world tour and the 2006 Rolling Stones tour.

They have also worked on the Brit Awards' after-show party for the past four years and designed and painted an Ayers Rock scene in the Big Brother house in 2007.

I chatted with Liz and Chris at their workshop at the studios in September 2007 as they prepared a backdrop for the Australian tour of the hugely popular musical Spamalot.

How long have you been based at Elstree Studios?

Chris: "We originally moved into Workshop 1 and 2 at the studios on October 1, 1992."

What was it like to be based at the studios during Brent Walker's ownership?

Chris: "We were one of just three tenants who managed to remain based at Elstree during those years."

Liz: "Back then we gradually began to feel that the studios were closing down.

"When things really wound down in 1994, Brent Walker centralised all the tenants under one roof in the John Maxwell Building.

"During this time there was a great deal of vandalism and Brent Walker closed the boiler house so there was no heating.

"We continued to work at Elstree despite the fact that by then it had fallen into dereliction."

What has it been like since Hertsmere Borough Council took over in February 1996?

Liz: "It has been wonderful and we have been treated extremely well by Hertsmere.

"They listened to all our complaints about the leaks in the roof and then had them repaired.

"The studios' management had a wooden floor laid for us to paint our backdrops on. It also had heating installed at no cost to us. It did everything it could to make us welcome."

What are your hopes for the future of Elstree Studios?

Chris: "We hope to stay at Elstree and that things will remain as they are, although we would like to see the re-introduction of an on-site store where we could buy basic supplies for our work.

"I'm sure this would also be appreciated by visiting production companies."

Find out more about Liz and Chris Clark and their work at: www.lizandchrisclark.com

Visit Paul Burton's website: www.elstreecalling.co.uk

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