Checking in With Chris Corbould Chris Corbould is a British special-effects expert known for his work on James Bond films, including the latest, "Skyfall." He also oversaw the breathtaking blasts and crashes in "Inception" and the Batman films, most recently "The Dark Knight Rises." READING I have just started reading "Who I Am," by Pete Townshend, who has played a huge part in my life from molding my amateur guitar playing style to my early teen years dress sense. He used to wear a white cheesecloth shirt, white Levi's and Dr. Martens, so I wore that and I even had my hair cut the same way. Oh, God, it was horrendous. The very first film I worked on was "Tommy," based on the Who album of the same name. It was probably the biggest decider of my getting into the film industry. My claim to fame is that I opened every tin of baked beans Ann-Margret writhed around in - all 500 gallons, and that was before the days of electric can openers. LISTENING I repeatedly listen to all my old heroes, the Who, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and U2. I also enjoy artists like Pink and John Mayer. And it's a weird thing, but I really love the sound of helicopters, especially the Chinooks that fly over our house in Surrey. We're obviously on some sort of route. When you see two of them on a lovely sunset evening and that beautiful sound. I just love that thump. We wanted to use a Chinook for "Skyfall," but they have massive commitments in Afghanistan. WATCHING I am watching a lot of films at the moment as the awards season is approaching and I need to be part of the voting process. I loved "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" and also "Hitchcock." I also go to a small theater with my wife and children in Richmond called the Orange Tree. It seats only about 100 people and you are seated around the stage, which is no bigger than a normal living room. The performances are intimate and powerful. FOLLOWING I have spent many hours online researching my family history and have reached back to the 1300s. That gets very obsessive with quite a few very late nights on ancestry.co.uk, when you suddenly find a new thread and do not want to stop. Interesting that many of my family were artists, teachers and brewers. I recently found and bought a painting by a relative, Edward Henry Corbould, who in 1851 was appointed instructor of historical painting to the family of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. PLAYING When I go away on location filming, I come back with guitars. I find it hard to go through all the problems of taking one with me as carry-on luggage. But when I get there and it's been four or five weeks, I always end up buying one. When you are away from your family, it's a great comfort to go back to your hotel or apartment and start plucking away. I've got 10 to 15 now - Fenders, Gibsons, PRSs.