Bonfire Night at Leeds Trinity University ignited with a difference this year as students, staff, and guests gathered to watch an exciting display of smoke, gunshots, and fire with Rob Rowley from Rowley SFX.
Rob Rowley from Rowley SFX, with special effects prop, photo credit Rajveer Kaur, Yorkshire Voice.
Demonstrations led by Rob from the Leeds based company were a highlight for Leeds Trinity’s Journalism and Media Week, providing spectators with a thrilling atmosphere and show.
Leeds Trinity University alumni Rob graduated in 2002 with a degree in History and Media . He then went on to study an MA in Business Studies, before working on award winning TV series and Hollywood films with the family business Rowley SFX.
When asked about his time at university and if he thought he would always end up in the business he said: “No, I came to Uni to buy a bit of time, so it all worked out.”
Spanning eight decades and founded by Rob’s grandfather, they worked on the early episodes of Sooty, one of the longest running children’s television shows in the world.
They made their mark with the creation of the famous Dusty Bin robot for an 80s’ game show.
Whilst discussing the family history, Rob evoked nostalgic joy and pride. He said: “When I was growing up Dusty Bin was a big thing for our family, and our company. My dad built the robot, and every week he would design a new costume. It seems daft now that a robotic dustbin was a main staple of Saturday night TV, but that’s how it was in the 80s.”
Rob’s father took over in the coming years, moving into creating realistic pyrotechnics, atmospheric effects, and dynamic stunts for film and TV, combining artistry and technical skill to bring immersive audience experiences.
This drew Rob into joining the family company, he said: “It’s hard work, long hours, a lot of the time in bad weather, but very rewarding”.
They are known for their work on major productions including Sheffield-set hit The Full Monty and the more recent A Gentleman In Moscow for Paramount, one of Rob’s career highlights, as well as one of the most memorable series in the UK, the smoked and flame-filled look of Peaky Blinders.
During a smoke effects demonstration, co-host Richard Knight from Screen Yorkshire explained the challenges. He said: “This all has to get planned and discussed beforehand, because there are only a finite number of effects, but if actors they get the lines wrong, everything has to be started again, so if one effect’s gone you need another one.”
When asked about the dangers off working in special effects, Rob spoke passionately about safety: “We work really hard to make sure that things don’t go wrong and are done in a safe way.”
He also explained that the future needs of special effects remain strong despite questions over AI, because AI cannot create real life effects, and asserts a bigger impact in the VFX world for now.