Bidding for this lot will end on Friday, December 5th. The auction will begin at 3:00PM GMT (7:00AM PST) and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Saturday, December 6th or Sunday, December 7th.

A pod head jack and original concept drawing by Phil Shearer from the production of Lana and Lilly Wachowski's The Matrix. The lots in this collection come from the personal archives of Shearer himself, a multi-faceted designer who has worked on some of the biggest film franchises, such as Star Wars and The Matrix.

The Machines inserted jacks into the heads of the humans they kept enslaved in pods, programming them into the Matrix to keep them docile. In the first film, after taking the red pill, Neo (Keanu Reeves) famously awoke in a pod with cables through his body and a jack inserted into the back of his head.

This pod head jack comprises a metal data probe attached to part of a ribbed plastic tube. The film's credited concept illustrator Phil Shearer rendered this drawing during the pre-production visualisation stage with black ink and pencil. It is titled "Neck Co-Axial", signed by Shearer, and annotated. Dimensions (head jack): 21.25 cm x 5 cm x 4.5 cm (8.25" x 2" x 1.75")

Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.

Estimate: £4,000 - 8,000 Ω


Phil Shearer is a Sydney-based production designer and concept artist with an international career spanning more than 30 years across film, television and visual effects. Trained as an industrial designer, he specialises in creating environments, vehicles, props, costumes and worlds that merge narrative impact with technical credibility. His work bridges practical model making, illustration and virtual design, reflecting a deep commitment to both craft and innovation. Beyond his film design practice, Shearer is an exhibited artist, photographer and model maker. He is also a mentor and educator, fostering collaboration and new approaches within art departments.


View all lots from MATRIX, THE (1999)

View all lots from Phil Shearer Collection

View all lots from MATRIX FRANCHISE, THE (1999-2021)