Exeter's very own movie magic maestros

When you think of blockbuster explosions, dazzling stage effects, and flaming Glastonbury spiders (yes, really), you probably don’t think of Exeter. But tucked away in the unlikely space near Digby and Sowton train station, Luminous is crafting jaw-dropping special effects for some of the biggest productions in the world - from James Bond films to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Behind the Scenes

Luminous co-founder Mike Badley has been setting things alight (safely) since his early days working in film. Originally from Bristol, he moved to London, landing work on major productions like Inception, Batman, and three Bond films. “People generally think of Bond as being made in America, but it’s all made here,” he says. 

Meanwhile, his business partner, Edwin Samkin, started out as a fireworker and went on to handle the effects for the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. The pair met while working on The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, quickly realising they were onto something explosive.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist asking about the most important thing to come out of The X Factor - did he meet One Direction? “Of course! A bunch of starry-eyed 16-year-olds running around backstage, asking about how everything worked. I don’t think even they had a clue what was coming next!”

“Ed went off to do the London 2012 Olympics, and I moved sideways into working for a big special effects company,” Mike recalls. “They’d just done the Olympics and were working on huge tours—Take That, Muse, Adele. I was developing new equipment for them, including the flamethrowers for the big Arcadia spider at Glastonbury.”

Meanwhile, Ed was making his mark in theatre, creating the effects for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. “They needed some unique, never-before-seen effects, so Ed was brought in to design and build the kit,” Mike explains. When the production expanded internationally, those same effects needed to be installed in New York, and Ed needed an extra pair of hands.

“That’s when we formed Luminous,” Mike says. “At first, it was just to handle those Harry Potter installations. But then we realised there were all these gaps in the industry - effects that didn’t exist but were needed. So we started designing them.”

From that initial project, Luminous went on to install effects for The Cursed Child in seven locations worldwide, cementing their reputation as problem-solvers in the industry. 

And while 'Lumos' may light up wands in the Wizarding World, Luminous lights up stages around the globe - no magic required, just brilliant engineering.

From Hollywood to Exeter

The company specialises in creating jaw-dropping, audience-wowing effects - whether it’s pyro, smoke, or designing entirely new tech for the entertainment industry. If you’ve ever sat in a theatre gasping at a seemingly impossible magic trick, Luminous may well be behind it.

After years of battling the M25, Mike knew he wanted out. “I deliberately moved away from London to not be near London,” he laughs.

What started as a practical escape became a strategic advantage. From their Exeter base, Luminous now crafts cutting-edge effects that find their way to major studios across the globe.

"We always liked Devon, so we thought, why not move here? There was no grand plan to start a company building world-class effects and selling them globally – it just evolved. Once we were here, we built a network, started making things with the connections we'd made, and realised there was no reason to be anywhere else. We can sell worldwide just as easily from Devon as from anywhere else."

The Secrets They Can't Tell you

Of course, working in special effects comes with one big drawback: a lot of NDAs. “Anything for Disney, anything for Warner Bros - you sign these huge non-disclosure agreements,” Mike explains. So, while they may or may not be working on something major right now (they are), they’re not about to spill the details.

Still, they can talk about some of the more unusual requests they’ve had. One client wanted snow that floated upwards. Another, in Saudi Arabia, needed a stage made entirely of sand that performers could sink into on cue. “Selling sand to the Saudis was a bit strange,” he jokes.

Weathering the Storm

Luminous recently received the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, an accolade they worked hard for. “It’s not just a case of applying and hoping for the best,” Mike explains. “There are strict entry requirements, a lot of paperwork, and even an audit of your accounts before you can be considered.” Winning the award not only cemented Luminous’ place as a serious player in the special effects industry but proving that even the biggest Hollywood dreams can have their roots in Devon soil.

However, like most companies in the entertainment industry, Luminous took a hit during COVID. “The last five, six years have been turbulent. Running a global business in the entertainment industry has been pretty dreadful at times,” Mike admits. “We got through COVID by the skin of our teeth, but who didn’t?”

But it wasn’t just the pandemic - Brexit, global recessions, and Hollywood strikes have all added layers of chaos. “We used that time to develop new equipment and expand into different markets within entertainment. Now, a lot of what we started five years ago is finished and in production, so we’re seeing steady orders come through.” With festival and touring season on the horizon, he’s expecting another busy year - filled, no doubt, with some strange spider-y requests.

Building the Next Generation of Effects Wizards

Special effects are often an afterthought in productions, the "icing on the cake" when a show needs a final wow factor. “On shows, they always think of it last - ‘the show’s not very exciting, let’s put some pyro in, add some flames, or do something else,’” Mike explains. “But everyone always wants something new. It’s like, ‘Well, we did that on the last tour, so what’s next?’ You have to be really innovative all the time.”

That constant demand for fresh ideas makes Luminous a different breed of company. “We don’t fit into the classic engineering mould. We’re not aerospace, oil and gas, or energy,” Mike says. “If you tell someone you make flamethrowers and smoke machines, they don’t quite get it.”

Luminous are working with Exeter College, to find the students that "don't fit in the mould either," offering apprenticeships and talks to inspire the next generation of special effects wizards.

“We’re looking for the kids who loved Lego and have ridiculous imaginations,” Mike says. The job requires both technical skills and creativity - a rare combination that makes special effects such a unique field.

For students hoping to break into the industry, Mike’s advice is simple: “You need work ethic. Be the person who turns up, makes the tea, sweeps the floor, and gets stuck in. It’s a small industry, and people remember hard workers. Oh, and knowing a bit about physics and engineering won’t hurt either!"

As for whether you need to move to London to make it big, Mike doesn’t think so. “London’s great for networking and getting started, but it’s not the only way. We’re here in Exeter, working on major global productions. The industry is evolving, and there’s plenty of room to carve out your own path outside the capital.”

What's Next?

With a massive global market and few direct competitors, Luminous has plenty of room to grow. More product lines, bigger premises, and a whole lot of top-secret projects are in the pipeline. The next time you see a film, theatre show, or music festival with mind-blowing effects, there’s a good chance the magic started right here in Exeter.

And as for the next Bond? They’re keeping quiet. But we know they knew last time, so maybe we should start paying closer attention to Mike’s Instagram feed.