FBFX

The UK's leading maker of Special FX costume and creative digital for film, TV and fashion.

We specialize costumes in Space & Sci-Fi/ Armour/ Superhero /Stunt & Functional. FBFX have created props and costumes for some of the biggest films ever made. Our credits include Wonder Woman, Star Wars, Gladiator, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Thor II, and Guardians of the Galaxy, and so much more: check out https://www.fbfx.co.uk/our-portfolio for all the films we worked on.

15/07/2025

Happy birthday to Adam Savage !

Tested

13/07/2025

Getting ready to start the week!

27/06/2025

A look back at Batman Begins, 20 years after Christopher Nolan's first take on the Caped Crusader was released in cinemas.

FBFX’s main work on Batman Begins was creating armour for the ninja-like ‘League of Shadows’ who Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne trains with in the mountains of Tibet.

This included a diverse collection of vambraces - stunt versions with lethal steel spikes for sword-snapping and ice-based escapades, hero costume for Christian Bale, Liam Neeson and Ken Watanabe, multiples for the League of Shadows soldiers and the soft black iterations incorporated into the Batsuit.

At one early fitting, Christian Bale comedically mistook us for ninja trainers, which was very generous of him.

Creation of the League of Shadows armour involved much PU spraying, then a relatively new technique, offering improved flexibility, comfort, detail capture and repeatability compared with fibreglass.

We also made jewellery pieces, and stunt versions of Batman’s utility belt based on originals by Aztec Modelmakers.

It was FBFX’s fifth time working with wonderful costume designer Lindy Hemming, who gave us our first solo gig on Prince Valiant in the mid nineties.

The Batsuit was made at the in-house ‘Bat Shop’ by a talented team including costume designer Graham Churchyard, who we’d go on to work with many times over the years.

10/06/2025

When costume is life... an impressive turnout, as ever, from some of the FBFX team at Comic-Con in London the other weekend!

30/05/2025

10 years of dad jokes and innuendo... happy work anniversary to FBFX's Senior Model Maker Laurence (aka Frodo) and Senior Technical Moulder Jon!

04/05/2025

This , a look back at a few of the Star Wars costumes we've been lucky enough to help bring to the screen!

From Naboo soldiers, brilliant background characters and a rather memorable racing helmet for The Phantom Menace to troopers, Darth Vader and Vader's battle-damaged helmet for Obi-Wan Kenobi, it's always a thrill to work on the Star Wars franchise.

Costume design for The Phantom Menace by Trisha Biggar. Costume design for Obi-Wan Kenobi by Suttirat Larlarb.

02/05/2025

This week is the 25th anniversary of the premiere of Ridley Scott’s epic, Gladiator.

Gladiator was a massive project for FBFX, with work including three striking armour pieces for Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus, two wagons, armour for hundreds of Praetorian guards, and some memorable costumes for gladiators.

It was our first time working with costume designer Janty Yates, who we’ve been lucky enough to work with many times since!

These photos are from Bourne Wood near Farnham, where Gladiator’s opening scenes were shot in 1999.

It was FBFX’s first really big location shoot and brought together two elements we’d been working on for the film: Praetorian guards and the wagons.

Designed by brilliant late draftsman Cliff Robinison, the wagons served as Commodus’s battle caravan and a supporting staff wagon. Components were specially made by a blacksmithing company and we built a metal frame for the wheels before cladding them with wood.

The larger wagon was pasted with scrim, covered in upholstery studs with brass strips and a thick, tarred protective armour while the smaller one had a fabric cover. They went on to be broken down at Shepperton Studios.

If you haven’t spotted the smaller of the two caravans in the film, it’s because it didn’t make the final cut!

Last we heard, the larger wagon was garrisoned outside a country club in Wensleydale.

Photos:
1, 2 & 3. Commodus’ battle caravan, flanked by Praetorians on horseback
5. Janty Yates on location
6. Commodus’ battle caravan in the snow
7. Staff caravan in the snow
8. The battle and staff caravan awaiting their big moment
8 & 10. In the workshop

Check back soon for more Gladiator BTS!

28/04/2025

One minute build: HYDRA Exo-Suits from Avengers: Age of Ultron.

A decade on from the release of Age of Ultron, a look back at the suits FBFX built for HYDRA soldiers as they fought the Avengers in snowy Sokovia.

The six hero and stunt suits were only briefly on screen, but great fun to make. HYDRA’s suits incorporated Chitauri technology salvaged from the Battle of New York, so the Alexandra Byrne-designed costumes called for pioneering electronics design and mechanical joints.

While the clay maquette in the video would now be created digitally, the Ultimaker 3D printers are enjoying a well-deserved retirement and many materials have changed, the workflow used to bring the suits to life in 2014 was starting to look very similar to the way we do things now.

Costume creation in 2025 remains a combination of traditional methods and new technologies: CAD, clay sculpting, moulding, 3D printing, photogrammetry, machining, metalworking, lots (and lots) of sanding and painting. And, of course, senior costume prop modeller Tom is still roped in to try on prototype and finished suits.

🎧 With many thanks to our friend Rob Leslie/Spiralizer for the music - you can check out more of his work at soundcloud.com/spiralizer

04/04/2025

Fish eye killer, qu'est-ce que c'est?

Orange peel, solvent popping and fish eye are all results you really don’t want to see in the paint room. Fortunately something that doesn’t happen too often!

02/04/2025

Coffee, headphones and No. 10a Swann Morton scalpel blades (with a No. 3 handle)... the top three most important things keeping the FBFX workshop going!

Other key items mentioned in our staff survey were sugar, tidiness, magnet detectors, extra strong salty liquorice and, er, plasters 🩹

What are your making must-haves?

As modelled by Senior Painter and Model Maker Karen! Thank you, Karen.

12/03/2025

Light painting tests in the studio! Makes a change from painting with acrylics and cellulose…

Address

Feltham

Telephone

+442087515321

Website

http://www.fbfx.co.uk/

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