Peter Elliott

45 GLOUCESTER AVENUE LONDON NW1 ENGLAND TEL:00 44 (0)20 7267 0759 MOBILE:00 44 (0)777 555 8233 E-mail: mrlink@hotmail.com

PETER ELLIOTT

DIRECTOR/MOVEMENT DIRECTOR/ACTOR

Peter Elliotts unique talent and expertise in his field, is unrivalled in the film industry. His pioneering work on films such as 'Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan' 'Gorillas in the Mist' 'Hitch hikers guide to the Galaxy' to name but a few, transformed the now very complex world of SFX costumes and his ability to breathe life into these creations is legendary. His involvement with every aspect of the process - from planning, storyboarding, casting, training the artistes to choreographing, acting and directing, indicates an extraordinary versatility.

The challenge with 'Greystoke' was the ambitious one of putting the first realistic group of animals playing central characters on screen. At the press launch for 'Greystoke' Peter was asked to remain in costume. It is a tribute to his talents that the journalists present remained wary, not sure whether he was man or ape. Only when Peter grabbed a photographers light meter that was pushed in his face, threw it to the ground and jumped on it were they certain - to a man they retreated five paces!

As a schoolboy, Peter excelled at many physical pursuits, competing at international level in boxing and martial arts and at national level as a gymnast and high diver. At sixteen, he formed his own acrobatic display team which drew large crowds from all over Europe.

Peter then enrolled at the East 15 School of Acting and successfully completed a three year diploma course. He deliberately chose East 15 because of its world-wide reputation as a method acting school and the scope of its curriculum. A heavy emphasis was placed on the physical side of acting, with clowning playing an important part, as well as comprehensive instruction in technique and classical theatre.

After graduation, Peter obtained his Equity card and invaluable experience performing in a wide range of theatrical roles in and around London: from childrens theatre, Shakespeare, performance art, to a drunken acrobatic waiter in a can-can routine.

Prior to auditioning for 'Greystoke' Peter did extensive research at London Zoo observing the movements and behaviour of the Apes. His research paid off and he began work on pre-production of the film. Warner Brothers recognised the potential of the work Peter was producing and were impressed enough to put the film on hold for a further two years retaining him alone from the forty successful applicants and appointing him head of research and development. He was flown to the U.S.A. to work in conjunction with one of Americas leading primatologists, Dr. Roger Foutts. His first task was to study the colony of chimpanzees at the University of Oklahoma, where Dr. Foutts was already working on Project Washoe, the chimp who could understand and speak sign language, but instead of trying to teach the chimps to understand humans, Peter decided to learn how to speak 'chimp'. This he achieved to such an extent that he became the first person ever to successfully integrate himself with the chimpanzee colony even being given a position in their hierarchy structure.

When the film was brought back into production with Hugh Hudson directing, Peter was given complete control over finding and casting the actors to play the apes. He then worked with the art department designing a suitable rehearsal space, and started the process of training the actors and moulding them into a complex and totally realistic troupe of apes. Meanwhile Rick Baker was building the incredible costumes. The actors were highly believable without the suits but once Rick's suits and the actors were put together the results were all they had hoped for.

Peter choreographed all the ape scenes. During shooting he played Silverbeard, Tarzans adopted ape father, and monitered all the movement and behaviour.

With Darwinian logic, Peter's next project was to create early civilisation in Jean Jacques Annaud's classic, 'Quest for Fire' (1981). Again Peter's attention to detail made this an anthropologically convincing portrait of early man, as he instructed the cast on likely behavioural mannerisms, movement codes and social interactions.

Since then Peter has expanded his knowledge of the film business working as a director, movement director, motion capture director, CGI animation director, actor, performer, teacher and choreographer. Bringing his unique style of work to bear on film after film. Whether it's totally realistic animal studies as seen in the critically acclaimed, 'Gorillas in the Mist' (1987), the last surviving Australopithecine apeman, in 'Missing Link' (1986) a diverse group of genetic mutants in 'The Island of Dr. Moreau' (1995) or range of weird and wonderful Aliens for Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (2004) to the complex costume characters in Where The Wild things are, with SpikeJonze, (not yet released). From troubleshooting problems whilst still in script stage, working alongside the SFX guys to achieve maximum production value, pre-production and casting, through stunts to post production and dubbing; be it character part, animal, alien or a not so sure, Peter continues to strive for, and achieve, a total believability in what he creates for the screen

Tel/ +44 (0)20 7267 0759 Mobile: +44 (0)777 555 8233