Clearwater Features

Clearwater Features Ltd. was a British film and television production company founded in 1979 by Ken Turner and David Mitton, both of whom had worked in the orbit of producer Gerry Anderson. The company initially operated from Battersea before moving to Shepperton Studios. Its early work included television commercials and miniature-effects production for film and television, activities that reflected the founders' experience with practical effects, model work, and studio-based production. The company became closely associated with the development of model-based children's television. Clearwater worked with Britt Allcroft on the television adaptation of The Railway Series, producing the first two series of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends between 1984 and 1986. The programme used live-action model animation and extensive miniature sets, and Clearwater's technical expertise was central to achieving the camera angles and character movement required by the format. Robert D. Cardona, an American-born director and producer, replaced Ken Turner during 1979 and later served as the company's co-chief executive with David Mitton. Clearwater developed a specialised camera arrangement known as the Clearwater Periscope lens system for Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and later Tugs. The system was designed to place the camera at approximately the visual level of the model characters, helping the productions present their miniature worlds from an eye-level perspective. Only two such camera systems were made. The system used for Tugs was subsequently sent to Canada and modified for production of Theodore Tugboat. Clearwater's other major television property was Tugs, a children's series created by David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona. Set around anthropomorphic tugboats, the programme was produced in 1989 and became the company's final major television production. The series was short-lived, but it has retained a strong reputation among viewers interested in model animation and British children's television. Music for Clearwater's productions included work by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell. The company had a distinctive production logo featuring a pink Buick Y-Job parked outside a film studio with palm trees. The design was associated with Clearwater, Florida, and appeared at the end of roughly half of the stories in the first two series of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends; the remaining episodes used a nameboard gallery ending. The logo also appeared on a flag in the Tugs episode "4th of July." Clearwater Features closed on the last day of 1990, following the conclusion of Tugs. After the studio shut down, David Mitton joined The Britt Allcroft Company, while Robert D. Cardona moved to Canada. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends continued under The Britt Allcroft Company, later Gullane Entertainment, and was eventually taken over by HIT Entertainment in 2003. Clearwater therefore survives primarily as a production and technical legacy rather than as an operating company.

Clearwater Features was established in 1979 by Ken Turner and David Mitton, alumni of the production environment associated with Gerry Anderson. Turner left during the company's first year and was replaced by Robert D. Cardona, an American-born director and producer. The company began with television commercials and miniature-effects work for film and television, operating first in Battersea and later from Shepperton Studios. Its most important development came through its work on Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. In partnership with the production arrangements developed by Britt Allcroft, Clearwater produced the programme's first two series from 1984 to 1986. The series adapted the railway stories of Wilbert Awdry into live-action model animation, requiring detailed miniature sets, practical effects, and carefully controlled camera movement. Clearwater's production contribution helped establish the visual grammar that became associated with the early television series. To support this work, Clearwater developed the Clearwater Periscope lens system in 1983. The system allowed cameras to film the models from a lower, character-level viewpoint. Two systems were made, and one was later used on Tugs before being shipped to Canada and modified for Theodore Tugboat. The equipment demonstrated Clearwater's emphasis on practical engineering and in-camera miniature effects rather than conventional drawn animation. Clearwater later produced Tugs, a children's television series created by Mitton and Cardona. The programme was made in 1989 and used a similar model-based production approach, but it was short-lived. Clearwater closed on the final day of 1990 after Tugs concluded. Mitton subsequently became associated with The Britt Allcroft Company, while Cardona moved to Canada. The Thomas franchise continued under Britt Allcroft, later Gullane Entertainment, and then HIT Entertainment from 2003. Clearwater's principal historical significance lies in its role in the early Thomas productions, its creation of Tugs, and its contribution to the technical practice of British miniature television production.

• 1990

  Company closes

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Clearwater Features shut down on the last day of 1990 after the conclusion of Tugs.

• 1989

  Tugs produced

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Clearwater produced Tugs, a model-based children's television series created by David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona.

• 1986

  Second Thomas series completed

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Clearwater's production involvement in the first two series of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends concluded.

• 1984

  Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends begins

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Clearwater began producing the first series of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, working with the production team associated with Britt Allcroft.

• 1983

  Clearwater Periscope lens system developed

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Clearwater developed a specialised camera system for filming model animation from an eye-level perspective.

• 1979

  Company founded

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Ken Turner and David Mitton founded Clearwater Features as a British production company working in commercials, miniature effects, and television production.

• 1979

  Robert D. Cardona joins the company

  [1]Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org

  Ken Turner left the company during its founding year and was replaced by Robert D. Cardona, who later served as co-chief executive with David Mitton.

A specialist British production company focused on practical miniature effects, model-based animation, and children's television.

• Children's television series · 1984

  Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

  Clearwater produced the first two series of this British children's programme from 1984 to 1986. Based on Wilbert Awdry's railway stories and developed for television by Britt Allcroft, the series used live-action model animation, miniature railway settings, practical effects, and carefully controlled camera work. Clearwater's work on these early episodes established much of the visual style associated with the original television adaptation.

• Children's television series · 1989

  Tugs

  Tugs was a short-lived children's television series produced by Clearwater in 1989 and created by David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona. It used model-based production to portray anthropomorphic tugboats and their working environment. The series was Clearwater's final major television production before the company closed at the end of 1990.

• Television camera system · 1983

  Clearwater Periscope lens system

  A specialised camera and lens arrangement developed in 1983 for model-animation production. It enabled filming from approximately the eye level of the miniature characters, supporting the immersive perspective used on Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Tugs. Only two systems were made; one was later modified for Theodore Tugboat production in Canada.

• 1990

  Closed after the conclusion of TugsOther

  Background

  Following the completion of Tugs, Clearwater Features ceased operations.

  Action taken

  The company shut down on the last day of 1990.

  Aftermath

  David Mitton joined The Britt Allcroft Company, while Robert D. Cardona moved to Canada. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends continued under successor production companies.

  Source

• 1983

  Developed a dedicated periscope camera systemStrategy

  Background

  Clearwater's model-animation productions required camera angles that conveyed the world from the level of the miniature characters.

  Action taken

  The company developed the Clearwater Periscope lens system for use on Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Tugs.

  Aftermath

  Two systems were produced. One was later sent to Canada and modified for Theodore Tugboat.

  Source

1. 1Clearwater Featuresen.wikipedia.org