About Us

Peter and Chris Parks have been at the forefront of some of the most innovative filmmaking of the last 60 years. Their haul of awards, including Peter's Oscar and Chris's nine awards from Hollywood's AIS , are a testament to their expertise in using technology and technological solutions to tell stories. Whether for some of the film industry's biggest feature films or in filming some of the smallest creatures in our oceans, Peter and Chris have always set out to excite, illuminate and captivate their audiences.

OUR APPROACH

Curiosity and Communication

Throughout their career, Peter and Chris have been driven largely by a love of their subjects and a desire to communicate that to others. It was this that led to Peter becoming a biological illustrator for the Illustrated London News almost 60 years ago. It was this same desire that led Peter and Chris to develop both hardware for capturing 3D and the techniques for telling stories and documenting subjects in 3D. It is also this love of communicating that drives their respective art, Peter again illustrating stories from the natural world and Chris with his fluid paintings to illustrate and communicate abstract and impossible to film subjects.

Technology

Both Peter and Chris have spent a lot of their time building hardware to enable them to capture their subjects. Peter particularly has invented numerous optical solutions, rigs and stabilisation systems. It is this inventiveness which led directly to him being awarded technical Oscars on two separate occasions and the Gordon E. Sawyer lifetime achievement Oscar for his contribution to the film industry.

Storytelling

While engineering and computer solutions have often been necessary to capture the images that the Parks have been looking for, the driving force has always been the story. Whether that is developing ways to use stereo 3D to enhance the narrative or building camera systems to capture new views of old subjects, it has always been story that has driven the creation of the technology.

PETER & CHRIS PARKS

Peter Parks

Founder

Peter is and accomplished wildlife Cameraman/Director, marine biologist, engineer, artist and author who has spent 60 years creating some of the most innovative imagery across almost all areas of the film industry
Peter has enjoyed that entire time engrossed in the world of nature, be it underwater on The Great Barrier Reef of Australia, or an obscure island off the coast of Bermuda, in mid Atlantic, or conjuring up weird and wonderful special effects, based upon nature and natural science, for Feature Films, TV productions, or Imax spectaculars, both at OSF, the company he cofounded with others in 1968 and helped lead for twenty five years, or within Image Quest 3-D, for the following twenty seven years with his son, Chris.
He was honoured by the American Academy with an Oscar in 1983 and invested by Her Majesty The Queen with an OBE a year later.
All that while he was dreaming up the Umbrij saga and its many dramatic episodes, all of which draw upon those many years of encounter, experience and anecdotal exchanges with close friends in the field of wildlife filming and research.
He is currently designing and installing a major, permanent marine exhibit, alongside his financial partner’s Tallship build and repair development, within the spectacular fishing village and harbour of Charlestown, Cornwall.

Chris Parks

CEO

Chris is an artist and filmmaker known for creating vast expansive worlds and impossible to film visuals, without digital enhancement, including iconic works for Terrence Malick’s ‘The Tree of Life’, Darren Aronofsky’s ‘The Fountain and Justin Kurzel’s ‘Assassin’s Creed’. His commercials projects include work for brands such as Vogue, Apple, Sony, Rolls Royce, Coca Cola and Hennessy.
Alongside his fluids work, Chris gets brought on board some of Hollywood’s biggest films to supervise the 3D. Following four years as stereo supervisor for ‘Gravity’, Chris has been responsible for the 3D across films that include ‘Edge of Tomorrow’, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ and has recently completed work on the latest bond film, and the only one to be made in 3D, 'No Time to Die'.
After Leaving the Royal College of Art in London and while working alongside Peter as a wildlife cameraman specialising in capturing the very smallest creatures on our planet, Chris developed a technique for painting within very small volumes of liquid which led to him working and exhibiting internationally.
Alongside his photographic paintings, Chris was further developing the techniques, camera systems and technology that allowed him to create his fluid films. This work quickly developed into the commercials and feature film projects for some of the most critically acclaimed films and biggest brands as well as documentaries and music videos. This includes Chris supporting Simian Mobile Disco for a one hour set at London’s Barbican. Chris and his team created, live, continuously evolving art pieces to accompany SMD, which were projected onto the large cinema screen behind the band as they performed their new Album “Murmurations’.
With the advent of NFTs Chris has finally been able to combine his film work and his passion for art.