Harley Budd - Prop Maker & Sculptor
Past Experience & Roles
The experience I have acquired so far in my field has given mean abundance of confidence to move forward so I can keep growing and developing. I know that I have what it takes to make a real contribution to any team or project I join. Want to know more about my experience? Read about my journey right here. Then give me a call or drop me a line so that we can discuss what I can do for you.
Poly Carver, Cod Steaks
Working with a team of 6 Poly Carvers for the past two months we have been making a large poly carving. Currently this is under NDA and can be disclosed as of 2025.
Project Manager and Senior Poly Carver at Bay Productions
Working on a variety of Theatrical projects that are currently under NDA, skills used are as follows..
- Managing a team of eight creatives from assistants to senior makers from Feb till June 2023
- Communicating with all departments closely working alongside the Art Directors visions.
- Reading and creating a build from the technical drawings provided by a draughts person.
- Poly carving a build 7m x 9m, with my team and educating others on techniques.
Project Manager and Prop Maker, working alongside artist Myfanwy Macleod
Working with the art gallery Chapter Arts Centre in Wales. I made 280 potatoes for artist Myfanwy Macleod's exhibition 'The Botanist' sculpture titled 'Pink Rot'.
Skills used are as follows
- Making silicone moulds
- Casting with Jesmonite and finishing
- Spray painting and finalising with painting by hand techniques
Poly Carver at DD Props
Poly Carving the Love Birds sculpture for Early Bird, to be displayed at The Ivy in Chelsea Gardens. Created in 1 week.
Skills used are as follows,
- Poly Carving
- Use of Jesmonite
- Sanding and Finishing
Prop Maker, Wild Creations
Working on a variety of projects that are currently under NDA, skills used so far are as follows...
Finishing, Prop Assembly, Model Making, Scenic Painting, Priming with a Spray Gun, Carpentry, Prop Fabrication.
Senior Prop Maker, Scruffy Dog Creative
Working on a variety of projects that are currently under NDA until 2024, skills used are as follows...
Carpentry, Poly carving, finishing, painting (ageing down techniques), prop fabrication.
Senior Prop Maker, DD Props
Senior to Art Director and owner Charl Heynike, for the Alto (Selfridges) Project. The brief was to turn the landing lobby leading to the restaurant, into a themed 'Italian Street', to give the customers of the restaurant the feeling that they have arrived at a holiday destination when the elevator doors open. The walls where made from MDF/Poly/Mortar and all processes where created by hand. On this project I oversaw and lead two juniors.
Assistant Sculptor, Specialist Models and Displays
As part of a large in house team of makers, I learnt many new skills whilst working at Specialist Models. The team was varied with old and new techniques which opened my skillset up and expanded my knowledge further.
During this time I Poly-Carved, Sculpted, Sanded by machine and hand, casted out models, made molds, painted with spray guns, painted by hand, spray painted from cans, constructed wood and used workshop machinery.
I know I am very lucky have had the opportunity to work alongside head Sculptor Andy at Specialist Models he has taught me many painting techniques, such and age
Junior Set Decoration Model Maker, Solo: A Star Wars Film, Lucasfilm
Junior Model maker to Peter Lee, I worked on the Set Decorating team for this Lucasfilm.
My main role was to sand and finish any cast out pieces from the mold-making team, with whom I worked closely with for this project. The amount of cast out items where high for example, on one Art Dept order around 8,000 button screw where hand sanded by me, I worked hard with the old making team to ensure the utmost efficiency.
During my privileged time on this team, I learnt so much of knowledge from the experts in the Model/ Prop making world. I value the time spent with that team and the years of experience that was passed on willingly.
On this film I also learnt to, add ageing techniques to props, use a variety of hand tools that I hadn't used before, finish props with varied new materials such as rubber and foams, learnt how to use new products, hand finish 3D printed models, construct resin pieces, construct large fibreglass casts, prep models to be passed onto the painting team, be on set and be a stand by ready for any quick repairs or help to filming crew.
Prop Painter, DB Props LTD
Set/ Prop Painter, Theme Traders
These projects where fairly similar, in that I was working within companies that turned around props for TV that needed to be made quickly yet look believable on the shows. Props made include, Gravestones with aged effects, Fabricating with material glitter for quiz shows, painting models to look like old stone, making hand help props.
Model Maker, Ready Player One, Warner Bros.
Part of a team of ten, the project for this film was to finish and construct roughly 200 helmets as part of the costume props dept.
Made from specialist resins and cast with graphite powders, they where made to be durable on set, meaning that the making of these took longer than other techniques. But they where durable on set and functioned well as costume pieces.
I also was part of a small team of three that was able to go and fit the helmets to the actors on set, on stand by for any repairs or help.
The visors were another part of this project, yet so very different from the making of the Helmets, the visors where very intricate and I was lucky enough to be part of a team of experts that delivered this project with care. Here I learnt so much about detailing and hand finishing, very little sanding was needed, the project really was about contructing and ensuring that on camera, they would be cinematically perfect.
Model Maker, The Jungle Book Origins
As part of the Art Dept, I assisted Roland Stevenson, making to scale miniature stages of the sets for this film. We worked alongside the Director, to ensure that his vision for how actors would move around the sets and stages were successful in the initial models. The stages were constructed following the draughtsman's sketches.
Here I learnt how to follow direction whilst working very closely to the Director from within the Art Dept, ideas were produced and then scrapped, so as a team we had to lean to become rapid at mocking up and bringing to life any ideas.
Skill learnt are fabrication of to scale models, working to a very quick time scale, producing hand made wire sculptures on mass, carving tiny poly scenery such as rock faces and waterfalls, problem solving with new materials and using graphics to help best demonstrate special effects such as green screens and scenery.
Architectural Model Maker, Foster + Partners
Working amongst a team of Model Makers, it was here that I learnt how to work with precision. Every model made was to the highest quality, with intricate detailing and fast turnarounds. The project I mainly worked on was creating multiple to scale models for Apple Stores in America. On these designs, I learnt how to spray from a gun, mixing up the signature Apple white gold metallic spray.
Academic Experience
My Studies
Sept 2013 - June 2016
‘Model Design and Special Effects for Film’ achieved at the University of Hertfordshire.
Sept 2011- Aug 2012
Epping Forrest College Diploma Art Foundation
Sept 2005 - June 2011