I was genuinely excited when I first read the script for Artemis Fowl. Back with Ken Branagh directing, it looked like a Special Effects dream job — ambitious, imaginative and with the sort of scale that gives you the opportunity to build some seriously interesting machinery.

There was certainly plenty to keep the workshop busy. We produced a number of large hydraulic rigs and gimbals, but one of my favourite pieces was our full-size proxy Troll. We mounted him onto a track system and sent him crashing through full-size breakaway scenery as he made his way through room after room of Fowl Manor. It was big, destructive practical filmmaking and tremendous fun to develop and test.

One of the more personal memories from the film was having the absolute privilege of spending an hour with Dame Judi Dench, talking her through the electric scooter we had made to help her get around the enormous sets. Her eyesight was very poor at the time, so we adapted the scooter specifically for her and made sure she was completely comfortable using it. Spending that time with her is something I remember very fondly.

When I first read the script, I thought the potential for Artemis Fowl was enormous. There were already numerous books, a whole established world to draw from and, at the time, a genuine feeling that this could develop into a major long-running film series.

Unfortunately, the finished film never quite became what I had imagined when I first read that script. It was also a difficult production for me personally at times, with a number of challenges behind the scenes. That makes it a slightly bittersweet one to look back on.

What I remain very proud of, though, is the scale and quality of the practical work we produced. Huge mechanical rigs, gimbals, breakaways and a full-size Troll smashing his way through Fowl Manor — from a Special Effects point of view, there was an enormous amount to enjoy.