Derek Meddings was a renowned British film and television special effects designer, initially recognized for his contributions to the "Supermarionation" TV puppet series produced by the renowned Gerry Anderson, and later for his work on the iconic James Bond and Superman film series of the 1970s and 1980s.
Meddings' professional journey with Anderson began as an uncredited art assistant on the puppet series Torchy, the Battery Boy in 1959. He then went on to paint cut-out backgrounds of ranch houses and picket fences for Four Feather Falls in 1960. His work on Anderson's series Supercar in 1961 and Fireball XL5 in 1962 earned him a credit for special effects, and he was subsequently promoted to special effects director for Stingray in 1964, collaborating with Reg Hill to design the main models.
Meddings' role as special effects supervisor for Thunderbirds in 1965 saw him responsible for the design of the Thunderbird machines themselves, and he continued to work on all of Anderson's puppet series from the late 1960s, including UFO in 1970. During this period, Meddings and his team pioneered several innovations in the filming of miniature models and landscapes, which have since become standard practice in the industry.
Meddings' achievements in the field of special effects were recognized with a shared Special Achievement Award for special effects by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Michael Balcon Award of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in 1979, for his work on Superman in 1978.
