Behind the magic of movies is a backstage of explosions, technology and long nights, special effects expert Kenneth Cassar tells Andrea Faye Christians.
From astronaut or butler on a private island to racing car driver or model, most people have a very good idea of what their dream job would be – however, only a few manage to make it happen. Kenneth Cassar is one of the lucky few and as owner of special effects company SFX, he has the exciting job of creating special effects for the film and television industry.
Kenneth’s most recent assignment was a three-month stint in Morocco filming the third series of Game of Thrones
This unusual line of work runs in the family as Kenneth is the son of late special effects maestro Mario Cassar, whose impressive curriculum includes working on Troy, Gangs of New York, Cliffhanger and Raise the Titanic.
So it must have been inevitable that a son should follow in his father’s footsteps – but as Kenneth explains, his father gave him no special treatment.
“When I was 16, I had had enough of school and was delighted when my father suggested that I work for him. Until then, it had all seemed very glamorous, but my first assignment soon woke me up to the real world – it was January and I remember I had to work in freezing conditions in the tank at the film studios, making coffee for the other special-effects guys.”
But Mario knew what he was doing and, in retrospect, Kenneth has realised that starting from the very bottom was an apprenticeship that would give him an edge.
Now, some 20 years on, he understands every aspect of his work and unlike those who didn’t have this grounding, can fully appreciate the more practical problems that it can sometimes present.
“I worked my way up and although it was often difficult at the time, it has now given me a different perspective when I approach a job.”
Along with other expertise, Kenneth is the only licensed explosives expert in Malta. His grading as a Senior Special Effects Technician with British Entertainment Union BECTU makes him the man to talk to if you want to blow things up when making a film and he has certainly done that a few times.
Just last year, he was involved in the English-Russian project Fort Ross – the storyline required the firing of cannons and the blowing up of an entire house.
It was a delicate and highly skilled operation – most of it was filmed in Gozo and necessitated collaboration with the Planning Authority, as is always the case when working in heritage sites.
At his workshop in Rinella, Kenneth has all types of equipment together with a tool shop that seems to contain just about every type of gizmo imaginable.
The wind machine is actually powered by an aircraft engine that is certified for flying, while the propeller is one that would normally be used on a plane.
Kenneth’s most recent assignment was a three-month stint in Morocco filming the third series of Game of Thrones. With sequences of the first two series also filmed in Malta and Croatia, the work entailed all manner of special effects, from blood spurting in a murder scene and simulating a storm to working with a flamethrower to make fire shoot from a dragon’s mouth.
In many respects, Malta’s location is a considerable advantage as it is not only strategically located but also has the added bonus of being English speaking. Working in Morocco presented its own challenges and was all the more difficult because of the language barrier.
Kenneth tells me that if he is working as a superviser with another crew, there can be as little as one month to prepare before filming starts. However, organising an entire project from start to finish entails looking at scripts, working out budgets and making the necessary transport arrangements for equipment – if the filming is taking place in a foreign location, preparations can take anything up to a year.
“Staying within budget and deadlines is really important. I will normally take a crew with me but I always work with locals too. I think it’s important to have some local knowledge when working abroad.”
In Malta, a home-based project can normally be completed within two months. Apart from his regular team, Kenneth also makes use of a number of skilled local tradesmen, from electricians to welders, whom he knows he can depend on.
One of the perks of the job is that Kenneth gets to work with some amazing people. A couple of years ago, he was special-effects superviser for the 2011 film The Devil’s Double, starring Dominic Cooper.
A biographical feature based on the life of Saddam Hussein’s son Uday, it was shot exclusively in Malta with acclaimed director Lee Tamahori, who also directed the James Bond film Die Another Day. Kenneth described it as an incredible experience. Another high point was winning the first ever award for Visual and Special Effects for the television show Miriana Coljero in 2008.
Nowadays, there are those who argue that computer-generated effects are the way forward – however, Kenneth tells me that there is constant collaboration.
“We work closely with visual-effects people and their work often enhances what we do – for example we can generate a small explosion and a computer can make it seem much bigger.
“In reality there is nothing quite like the real thing and I prefer to do something smaller but do it well.”
What about Kenneth’s future in the industry?
“I have two young sons who already seem fascinated by what I do. However, only time will tell whether they will follow in my steps. As for the here and now, series four of Game of Thrones is in the pipeline with filming scheduled to start in Croatia in the next few months.”
The hours will be long – anything from 12 to 18 a day – and Kenneth will face untold challenges. However, this is what attracts him to the job. As he says, “I really couldn’t imagine ever doing anything else.”