Real SFX LTD

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Real SFX LTD

UK based award winning SFX company for the TV & Film industry. Credits include Doctor Who, Sherloc

We pride ourselves on being able to offer competitive and flexible quotes for all types of productions. We operate under strict codes of practice with safety paramount and are totally committed to delivering a personal, professional service with the maximum input from our team of qualified technicians. We can design and build effects for specific requirements and what ever effect desired our exper

ience in the industry will ensure that it is delivered safely, on budget and as realistic as possible using all of the latest techniques and equipment available. All projects are over seen by Danny Hargreaves whose fresh and exciting approach has earned him respect as one of the most enthusiastic, dynamic supervisors in the industry. His experience spans over 15 years and his reputation for consistently providing cutting edge special effects along with his integrity and attention to detail has built him an impressive client portfolio.

22/05/2026

Education, skills development and creating opportunities for the next generation is something we care deeply about at Real SFX 🎬

We were proud to be part of the and Paul Higgins Legacy Lecture at , bringing and students together with professionals from across the Welsh screen industries to share insight, experience and opportunities within film and television.

The event highlighted the strength of collaboration across the industry, with talks from of , Joseph Higgins, Rosie Higgins at and Peter Effenberg from , all sharing their experiences and perspectives on the future of the creative industries.

also spoke about the Real SFX journey, the importance of investing in future talent - highlighting the value of hands-on experience and building career pathways here in Wales.

It was also incredibly rewarding to see some of our own former apprentices in the room too - now part of the Real SFX team as trainee SFX technicians 💥

A brilliant event focused on creativity, collaboration and supporting the future of the industry. Huge thanks to Greg Mothersdale.

📸 Photo credit: Matthew Horwood & Real SFX

19/05/2026

For the second year running, you can find on the Suppliers Directory.

This is a really important one for us. We believe you shouldn’t have to choose between world-class SFX and doing things responsibly…… and that’s what we’re pushing on every production we are part of.

Always looking at how we do things better. How we build. How we power. How we deliver.

Our bespoke carbon tracker, developed with Aether, is a big part of that - the only SFX-specific tool of its kind, giving us real data and accountability across every job.

Huge thanks to Picture Zero and Aether for the support 🤝

15/05/2026

We are absolutely thrilled to have taken home the Community Impact Award at the epic 2026 🏆

As a company born and built in Cardiff, this one means so much. Being recognised for the work we do beyond the screen, and our commitment to the local community, is something we’re hugely proud of.

Everything we do through our Halloween extravaganza and community events is all for , helping raise money for seriously ill children and their families ❤️

A massive thank you to everyone who visits us every year, our friends, family, neighbours (especially for putting up with the traffic), the whole team and the wider Cardiff community for all the support. Plus the incredible team for helping make it happen year after year.

Huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and thank you to and the .agency team for such an epic evening celebrating Cardiff at its best ✨

Special mention to for the brilliant hosting… and proving he can definitely carry a tune 🎤

And of course… we couldn’t resist bringing along the Batman Tumbler for a surprise appearance outside the museum 👀🦇

Big thanks as well to Rudi and Lenny for manning the Tumbler all evening💥

04/05/2026

Sneaking you inside HQ for a cheeky Bank Holiday look around the workshop in the sunshine!

Come along with as she takes you round the workshop, and check out some of our kit, fabrication area, wind machines, and our vans all lined up ready to roll out 🎬

All set for another week of explosive action. We think it’s a pretty cool place to work.💥

08/03/2026

International Women’s Day is always a moment to pause and reflect.💜

Last week, our company director was featured in the IWD magazine, sharing the story behind and the journey of building the company.

The article also reflects on a recent moment close to home, when Carmela’s 15-year-old daughter was asked during a sixth form interview who her role model was, and she said her. A reminder that the hard work, risks and determination behind the scenes are being noticed by the next generation.

This year’s IWD theme, “Give to Gain”, feels particularly fitting. The resilience, confidence and lessons gained through experience often become the very things that inspire and support others.

The 2026 IWD celebrations have also included connecting with some brilliant communities and events, including , , .agency and an inspiring event celebrating the impact they’re making with young people across Wales.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the pieces of the puzzle, and every woman in our industry and community bringing something unique to the bigger picture. Together, those pieces create something stronger. 🧩💥

05/03/2026

A new Sherlock has landed… and he’s already making moves!

Just 24 hours after dropping on , Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock has cracked the Top 10 series - landing straight in at No.10! 🙌

We absolutely loved working on this production, creating a whole range of practical SFX to help bring the world of Young Sherlock to life.

A huge thank you to the brilliant crew and production team we had the pleasure of working alongside, and congratulations to everyone involved in bringing this series to the screen.

🎬 We’ll be sharing some BTS of our Real SFX magic very soon… so watch this space!

Stream Young Sherlock now on Prime!

17/02/2026

We’re need another superstar to join our Real SFX family. ⭐️

Not just someone who works in production, someone who owns it.

Someone who’s calm when things get busy.
Who can manage budgets without flinching.
Who builds solid client relationships.
Who understands that big on-screen moments only happen because the off-screen planning is nailed.

You’ll be right in the thick of it - balancing creative ambition with real-world logistics, keeping projects sharp, organised and moving.

If you love the buzz of film & TV, thrive in fast-moving environments and take real pride in running things properly… we want to hear from you.

Send your CV and cover letter to [email protected]
Full details via the link in our bio.

Come and be part of a very exciting future💥

AccountManager JoinTheCrew

23/01/2026

We’re jumping on the 2016 trend, and what a lovely trip down memory lane.

2016 was just a regular year for us……. on set, working as a team, creating REAL effects, teaching, demos, graft, and results.

An Emmy win for Sherlock: The Abominable Bride.
A Cardiff Life award and a cover feature.
Behind the scenes on Doctor Who (fireballs and Matt Smith), Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Sherlock and The Rezort (zombies included).
Small Employer of the Year.
Danny hosting an industry talk and demo at HQ (and making it snow).

REAL experience. REAL effects. REAL SFX.
Est. 2008.

24/12/2025

Behind today’s Christmas Eve countdown door, something truly epic…The War between the Land and the Sea ⛰️🌊

Check out our exclusive BTS of our crew creating one of the iconic sequences, filmed at Cardiff Museum - where an iconic calm, familiar space was transformed into chaos as UNIT scrambles to contain an unstoppable threat breaking into the heart of the city.

All 5 episodes have now dropped, so if you’re not fully caught up yet, you can stream them now on

Filmed across Wales and beyond, dramatic coastlines meet grounded, real-world locations as familiar faces from return and the Whoniverse expands with soaring stakes.

Visually bold, powerful and epic in scale - we loved creating the chaos and bringing these moments to life as part of this incredible story ✨

22/12/2025

Today’s Christmas countdown is from the end of year celebration. 💥

It was bloody lovely to get so many of our brilliant crew together in one place to celebrate another epic year (especially as they’re normally on set all over the country!).

Lots of new faces mixed in with the old, and a proper reminder of what an awesome team we have. Everyone has worked so hard this year, showing real dedication and loyalty, and we couldn’t have achieved it without you guys.

And we had our 2025 awards, presented by , which was a bit of fun recognising the hard work and quirks of our awesome team 🏆

A massive thanks to .restaurant for absolutely smashing it with the food.

Address

R/O ATS Ipswich Road
Cardiff
CF239AQ

Website

http://www.realsfx.com/

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