Mak Wilson (born 3 September 1957) is a retired English puppeteer, writer,

animation director An animation director is the director in charge of all aspects of the animation process during the production of an animated or television film, or an animated segment for a live-action film or television show. Alternatively, the animation direct ...

, and

motion capture Motion capture (sometimes referred as mocap or mo-cap, for short) is the process of recording high-resolution motion (physics), movement of objects or people into a computer system. It is used in Military science, military, entertainment, sports ...

artist. He is also known as Mac Wilson and Malcolm Wilson.

Early life and career

Wilson was born in

Consett Consett is a town in the County Durham (district), County Durham district, in the ceremonial county of County Durham, Durham, England, about south-west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a population of 27,394 in 2001 and an estimate of 25,812 in ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, but grew up in nearby

Stanley, County Durham Stanley is a town and civil parish in County Durham (district), County Durham in England. Centred on a hilltop between Chester-le-Street and Consett, Stanley lies south-west of Gateshead. The town's name is derived from the Old English ''stā ...

. He began his professional career in 1973 at the age of 15, but his screen physical performer and puppeteering work started in 1981 with ''

The Dark Crystal ''The Dark Crystal'' is a 1982 dark fantasy, dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. It stars the voices of Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell (actress), Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and Barry Dennen. The film was prod ...

''. Wilson had previously toured on stage where he often did mime, mask and puppeteering. From 1990 he became head puppeteer and creative advisor for the London

Jim Henson's Creature Shop Jim Henson's Creature Shop is an American animation and special/visual effects company founded in 1979 by Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The company is based in Hollywood, California, United States. History Jim Henson's Creature Shop was ...

, but when it closed down in 2005 Mak Wilson began freelancing and worked extensively with the BBC. He was forced to retire in 2014 after his longstanding M.E./C.F.S. became too severe for him to continue. He now spends his time writing on the subjects of King Arthur and the ‘Dark Ages’ in general.

Filmography

Film

* '' Muppets Most Wanted'' - UK principle puppeteer * ''

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' is a Science fiction comedy, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series), radio sitcom broadcast over two series on BBC ...

'' -

Vogon The Vogons are a fictional alien race from the planet Vogsphere in ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''—initially a BBC Radio series by Douglas Adams—who are responsible for the destruction of the Earth, in order to facilitate an interga ...

Interpreter (voice) * '' Mee-Shee: The Water Giant'' - CGI animation director and CGI realtime puppeteer * '' Buddy'' - animatronic face puppeteer of Buddy * ''

Doctor Dolittle Doctor John Dolittle is the central character of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting starting with the 1920 '' The Story of Doctor Dolittle''. He is a physician who shuns human patients in favour of animals, with whom he can speak in th ...

'' - animatronic puppetry advisor * ''

Lost In Space ''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812 J ...

'' - CGI animation director and CGI realtime puppeteer * ''

Muppet Treasure Island ''Muppet Treasure Island'' is a 1996 American Musical film, musical Swashbuckler film, swashbuckler comedy film directed by Brian Henson and the fifth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Adapted from the 1883 novel ''Treasure Island'' by Ro ...

'' - CGI realtime puppeteer and singer * ''

The Adventures of Pinocchio ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' ( ; , i.e. "The Adventures of Pinocchio. Story of a Puppet"), commonly shortened to ''Pinocchio'', is an 1883 Children's literature, children's fantasy novel by Italian author Carlo Collodi. It is about the mischi ...

'' - Lead animatronic puppeteer * ''

Loch Ness Loch Ness (; ) is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end. Loch Ness is best known for claimed sightings of the cryptozoology, cryptozoological Loch Ness Mons ...

'' - Animatronic and CGI realtime puppeteer * ''

Babe Babe may refer to: * Babe, a term of endearment * A newborn baby * An attractive (especially female) person People * Babe (nickname), a list of people * Jerome Babe (1837–1893), American inventor and miner * Thomas Babe (1941–2000), Ame ...

'' - Lead animatronic puppeteer and coordinator * ''

Who Framed Roger Rabbit ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. It is loosely based on the 1981 novel ''Who Censored Roger Rabbit?'' by Gary K. Wol ...

'' - FX puppeteer * '' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze'' - Lead animatronic puppeteer of Michelangelo, coordinator and the Promoter's Aide * ''

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film) ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' is a 1990 superhero film based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the comic book characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It is the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in film, film adaptation of the c ...

'' - Lead animatronic puppeteer of Michelangelo * '' The Bear'' - Lead animatronic puppeteer and coordinator * ''

Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...

'' - Audrey II lipsync puppeteer and Little Audrey II's vocal effects * '' Santa Claus: The Movie'' - Lead animatronic puppeteer of Donna * ''

Labyrinth In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth () is an elaborate, confusing structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur, the monster eventually killed by the h ...

'' - Animatronic face puppeteer of Hoggle, Brickkeeper, Riding Goblin, Shaft of Hands, Goblins * ''

Return to Oz ''Return to Oz'' is a 1985 dark fantasy film released by Walt Disney Pictures, co-written and directed by Walter Murch. It stars Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, and Fairuza Balk as Dorothy Gale in her first screen role. The film is ...

'' - Performer of Billina the chicken * '' Greystoke'' - Performer of the ape Figs and vocals of the mother ape Karla * ''

'' - Stand-in performer of Scribe the Mystic

Television

* ''

The Furchester Hotel ''The Furchester Hotel'' is a puppet series that aired on CBeebies (the BBC's preschool network). It was the second British-American spin-off of ''Sesame Street'' that the BBC had made after '' Sesame Tree'' 6 years before. The show ran on CBeebi ...

'' - Harvey P. Dull, Guest characters and Puppeteer Captain - CBeebies/Sesame Street production * ''Mr. Bloom's Nursery'' - Colin the runner bean and Tom the potato * ''CBBC presentation guests'' - puppeteer of a mad rabbit, a wacky octopus and reindeer * ''ABC Bear'' - The Bear and puppet choreographer - Austria * '' Mongrels'' - Guest characters * ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

'' - Movement choreographer for Helen McCrory * ''X-Factor with The Muppets'' - puppet choreographer and puppeteer * ''

2007 Brit Awards Brit Awards 2007 was the 27th edition of the Brit Awards, an annual pop music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. It was organised by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 14 February 2007 at Earls Court in London. The show, ...

'' - Opening of the event with the Scissor Sisters - puppet choreographer * '' 2005 Brit Awards'' - Opening of the event with the Scissor Sisters - puppet choreographer * '' Fur TV'' - puppeteer of Lapeno * ''Jack and the Beanstalk-the True Story'' - animatronic puppeteer and CGI animation director * ''

Farscape ''Farscape'' is an Australian-American Science fiction on television, science fiction television series conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by The Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment, originally for the Nine Network. It prem ...

'' - animatronic puppetry teacher * '' Saturday Night Takeaway'' - puppeteer assistant to Kermit the Frog * ''

Fungus the Bogeyman ''Fungus the Bogeyman'' is a 1977 children's picture book by British artist Raymond Briggs. It follows one day in the life of the title character, a working class Bogeyman with the mundane job of scaring human beings. The character and all relate ...

'' - Fungus (through MoCap) * '' The Hoobs'' - consultant, OB director, puppet choreographer, puppeteer * ''

Mopatop's Shop ''Mopatop's Shop'' is a children's television series that premiered on CITV in the UK on 4 January 1999. 260 ten-minute episodes were made and aired daily. It was a co-production between Jim Henson Television and Carlton Television. After it fi ...

'' - Mopatop (1999-2001) * " Bits and Bobs" - Developer, Puppet Director * ''

Construction Site Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...

'' - Lug the Dump Truck, Scooch the Dump Truck - Director and co producer * ''

Dinosaurs Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic Geological period, period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the #Evolutio ...

'' - Face/Head Operation of Earl Sinclair (Seasons 2-4) * ''

Jim Henson's Animal Show ''Jim Henson's Animal Show'' is an American children's television series from the Jim Henson Company that aired from October 3, 1994, to June 28, 1998. The show premiered as part of '' The Fox Cubhouse'' for its first two seasons. The show late ...

'' - Yves St. La Roache (1994), Achilles the Shark, Billy Bob the Lemur, Bosko the Baboon, Chauncey the Sea Turtle, Chaz the Chameleon, Chuck the Lion, Clive the Kiwi, Cool the Kangaroo Rat, Dooley the Armadillo, Flora the Koala, Fluke the Dolphin, Harry the Rhinoceros, Leapovitch the Frog, Morton the Beaver, Nippy the Tiger Beetle, Plunk the Sea Otter, Ringo the Elephant, Robert the Red Deer, Sean the Rabbit, Swifty the Cheetah, Victor the Rattlesnake * '' Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories'' - Various * ''

The Ghost of Faffner Hall ''The Ghost of Faffner Hall'' is a musical children's television series from Jim Henson Productions and the British ITV company Tyne Tees Television which aired from August 16, 1989 to November 11, 1989 in the UK, and slightly later in the US. T ...

'' - Farkus Faffner * '' The Storyteller'' - Various Creature Performances

Puppeteer

* '' Buddy'' - Animatronic puppeteer and Puppetry Coordinator * ''

'' - Lead Puppeteer * '' Dr. Dolittle'' - Animatronic puppetry teacher * '' Fur TV'' - Puppeteer * '' Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story'' - Lead Puppeteer * '' Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories'' - Puppet Coordinator * ''

'' - Goblin Performer, Puppeteer * ''

'' - Principal Puppeteer * ''

'' - Lead Puppeteer * ''

Lost in Space ''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812 J ...

'' - "Blawp" animation supervisor * '' Mee-Shee: The Water Giant'' - Animation Director, CGI Puppeteer * '' Mongrels'' - Puppeteer * '' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze'' - Face Operation of

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

* ''

'' - Lead Puppeteer * '' The Bear'' - Lead Puppeteer * ''

'' - Part-Time Puppeteer on the Mystics * ''

'' - Puppeteer * '' The Hoobs'' - Creative Consultant

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Mak English puppeteers The Jim Henson Company people 1957 births Living people