Jim Maxwell has been making waves in the field of Hollywood matte painting – the painted background that allows filmmakers to create the illusion of an environment that is nonexistent in real life or would otherwise be too expensive or impossible to build or visit. And he has made some very prominent ones in his career: from recreating the Vatican in The Borgias to sweeping panoramas of floating armadas in Vikings.

Maxwell has received no shortage of recognition from the entertainment industry for his work, with a nod from the Emmy Awards for The Borgias in 2012, then two more nominations for his work on Vikings in 2013 and2014. He won Canadian Screen Awards in 2014 and 2015, also for his work on Vikings.



During his time at Trent, Maxwell was a member of The Spleen Bishops – whose Celtic music stylings made them household and “pubhold” names around these parts.



In this episode, we talk about his experience creating movie effects magic, the changing technology behind the new Star Wars movie, as well as what it’s like to attend black-tie Hollywood award shows. We then go back in time and remember The Spleen Bishops, how Celtic music became a phenomenon in Peterborough, and the gig that broke beer sales at the legendary Underdog pub (underneath the Red Dog).