Services

Bringing your ideas to life

Award winning SFX company, Crawley Creatures, prides itself on the quality and reliability of its work, and in having an experienced, professional team who will work with you to ensure that your design brief and concepts are met to the highest standards. All the services we provide are in-house, which enables a smooth process from design to delivery.

Animatronics & Robotics

From life sized dinosaurs to dragonflies, pigs to penguins and mammoths to mice, we have brought models to life using the latest electronic engineering technology. Crawley Creatures can design and develop movement in creatures or displays of any nature using a range of technologies including mechatronics, electronic, robotic systems, servo-controlled systems, hydraulic systems and pneumatic systems. These systems are operated using commercially available, or if needed, bespoke control software. Following detailed discussions with you, we can help you in your decision making.

Digital & Traditional Design

Our experienced in-house team will work with you to ensure that your design brief and concepts are met to the highest standards. We offer a full digital design service, using 3D CAD and digital sculpting design software, ZBrush, as well as traditional design processes, including sculpture and handcrafted art work. We have numerous tools from CNC machines to 3D printers which enable us to work in both clay and digital forms to create both large scale and finely detailed small models.

Credit: Isama Ffrench @isamayaffrench

Prosthetics

The most extreme makeup effects are achieved using prosthetics. We have vast experience in making and applying prosthetic make-ups for Film, TV and Commercials and use the latest silicone materials and face and figure casting techniques. Prosthetics can be used to change a body or face shape, age a person beyond the help of makeup or to show wounds or disfigurements. We use many techniques including, foam latex, gelatine and the latest silicone technology. Our highly skilled prosthetics team will work closely with you and your brief to bring about the desired results and work to a tight deadline whilst not compromising on quality.

Engineering

From creating a dying sparrow for Tate Modern, to developing high-end military testing equipment, Crawley Creatures has a wealth of experience in all aspects of engineering and design engineering. We have an engineering room equipped with a range of machining and welding equipment necessary to manufacture any part required by any brief. We also have some of the latest rapid prototyping equipment. This modelling process has helpful applications in testing concept designs, physical visualisation of 3D CAD designs and in the production of one-off models. We also have a scanning facility which has many applications including reverse engineering, digitalisation of models, sculptures or parts, and scale manipulation.

Model Making & Set Work

We are specialists in model making and set work and have all the necessary in-house techniques to employ depending on the model to be made, from sculpting to artwork. We work closely with you throughout the process to ensure that the interpretation is just right. Our sculptors and designers use free hand, 3D software design packages or 3D Rapid Prototyping to create your desired result. For a large-scale model, our highly skilled team can build metal structures or frameworks by cutting, bending and assembling to provide strength internally. Once a sculpt has been approved, we have the facilities to machine, mould and cast in any material including carbon composite, elastomers, GRP (fibreglass), PU resins and soft or hard resins. Once completed we can then apply a range of finishing techniques using either paint or soft fabrication techniques to create the desired effect.

Sculpting & Moulding

Our sculptors and designers use free hand, 3D software design packages or 3D Rapid Prototyping to create your desired result. Digitally sculpted models can either be printed or larger models can be 5 Axis machined in a rigid lightweight foam. Traditional sculpted models are moulded and can be cast in a range of materials. We have the facilities to machine, print, mould and cast in a range of materials including carbon composite, elastomers, GRP (fibreglass), PU resins and soft or hard resins. Once completed our skilled art workers can then apply a range of finishing techniques using either paint or soft fabrication techniques such as furring or flocking to create the desired effect.

Soft Fabrications

Using a range of soft fabrication techniques, we can design, or work with your designs, to create body costumes to develop characters and puppets. We are also very experienced in soft finishing effects and have created numerous realistic models of furred, haired of feathered creatures for museums worldwide. Crawley Creatures have also developed and manufactured a selection of custom-made prosthetic clothing pieces. Bespoke medical prosthetic body parts and clothing can be made which offers a real alternative to the wearer in circumstances where the user can or chooses not to be surgically reconstructed, or for those who, after surgery, are seeking to regain their original body form. The clothing is individually tailored to suit any lifestyle, with the emphasis on breathable, lightweight and comfortable materials.