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There's snow business like it for Bourne couple who have brought festive magic with two major Christmas commercials




A south Lincolnshire couple have helped to bring a heap of festive magic to our television screens this Christmas.

Vix and Harry Meddings Stokes have created the snowy scenes in two of the biggest Christmas adverts this season - Tesco and M&S Food.

The Bourne couple’s special effects company, Snowboy Systems Ltd, has also provided the snowy scenes for hits such as Bridget Jones’ Diary, Downton Abbey, Band of Brothers and their machines were also hired for the massive Game of Thrones series.

Snow created by Snowboy in the M&S Food Christmas commercial (22226683)
Snow created by Snowboy in the M&S Food Christmas commercial (22226683)

But their talents do not just stop with ground and falling snow but they can also create rain, wind and fire, which have been used in music videos for the likes of Mylee Cyrus and JLS.

Vix, who has also worked on Bond movies, said: “Christmas is always really busy for us as people like to have snow at this time of year to add a bit of atmosphere.

"We provide snow for Christmas light switch-ons, theatres and private events as well as the commercials.

Snowboy special effects team make it snow (22229141)
Snowboy special effects team make it snow (22229141)

“I like to watch the commericals as it is a testament to our work to get big names like Waitrose, Tesco and M&S who want to with us on their Christmas adverts,.

"I also feel a sense of achievement as I like to see our work and think we do really good job."

Christmas came a little early for Vix and Harry as filming for the adverts took place in October.

Explosions created by Bourne Special effect couple Vix and Harry Meddings Stokes (22229146)
Explosions created by Bourne Special effect couple Vix and Harry Meddings Stokes (22229146)

The Tesco advert, which sees a Tesco delivery van transported back in time Back to the Future style, required ground snow covering a public street.

Vix said: "We had to cover quite a big area with the ground snow for this advert - which took quite a bit of clearing up.

"We also provided the ground snow for a Halfords advert a few years ago."

Falling snow created by Vix and Harry Meddings Stokes (22229152)
Falling snow created by Vix and Harry Meddings Stokes (22229152)

While their machines were called upon for the M&S advert to create the falling snow effect which flutters down on comedian Paddy McGuinness and broadcaster Emma Willis as they tour a Christmas market.

Vix said: "These were two very different jobs and different ways of working to create what each client wants. We have to do a certain amount of planning to achieve the effects that our clients want."

The couple have also brought snow to India by working on a Bollywood movie as well as dressing Thomas Land at Drayton Manor Park.

Snow created for Band of Brothers by Snowboy Systems (22229157)
Snow created for Band of Brothers by Snowboy Systems (22229157)

They are also working with Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and provide the snow for the Dickensian themed Rochester Christmas market.

Vix said: "We get people coming over to our Snow Truck to ask when the next snow fall is going to be but watching my own daughter playing in our snow brought home the magic of it to me."

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