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Hi Rich thanks for taking the time to do a interview with us man. Can you please tell us a little about
who you are and what exactly you do?
I've been working as a professional special effects artist for almost fourteen years. I have worked on such film
and television shows as FEAR RUNS SILENT, POWER RANGERS LOST GALAXY, X-FILES, THE OMEN, BEOWULF,
SERAPHIM FALLS, THE FLOCK, CSI: LAS VEGAS, NCIS, ALIAS, MEDIUM, HOUSE and many more. When
writer/director/producer William Winckler offered me the part of "Salisbury" in his film FRANKENSTEIN VS. THE
CREATURE FROM BLOOD COVE (in addition to doing the special effects makeup) it opened a whole new world of
opportunities for me. After the release of "Frankenstein vs. the Creature" I began to get more work in both
special effects makeup and acting. To this day I continue to work as both a character actor and professional
special effects makeup artist.
I am forever a student of my craft - always studying and learning new techniques in both acting and special
effects. Each new job I take on is another opportunity for me to apply what I have learned and to ultimately
push the limits of my art. I am forever growing and learning as an artist. I greatly admire Lon Cheney - as far
as I'm concerned he was, and is the original grandfather of special effects makeup artists. What I like most
about Lon Cheney is that he was an actor that used his makeup as a tool to get more acting work. I don't think
that he ever identified himself as an effects artist. There's really never been anyone else like Lon Cheney since,
the closest thing I suppose is Tom Savini. Tom is very well known as both an actor and a special effects artist,
but there was a certain magic with Lon Cheney that no one else can duplicate.
I guess that I would like to think of myself as a sort of modern day Lon Cheney, but the truth is there's no
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replacing the original. It is however a great opportunity to get the chance to follow in the footsteps of such a legend. I can only imagine what it
must have been like back in the classic days of Hollywood.
Ultimately creating characters is what I do - and becoming a character actor is merely an extension of that creative process.
How long have you been in the special fx business?
I am going on fourteen years as a professional special effects makeup artist. In all reality though it has been something that I have been training for
since childhood. From that very first mask I made out of paper mache to the home made puppets and halloween costumes... I was born to create
monsters, creatures, critters and the like. All of my life I have practiced the skills of the professional makeup effects artist most especially focusing on my
drawing, painting, sculpting, sewing and mold making skills.
What made you wanna be a special fx artist?
When I decided to get out of the music business I knew that I wanted to find a new career that would allow me to use my artistic skills. Although I had
always been a monster movie fan and mask collector I had never really considered making monsters for a living. It wasn't until I saw a TV show called
"Only in Hollywood" where professional makeup artist Damon Charles was interviewed about his makeup effects school (The Institute of Studio Makeup,
Ltd.) in Hollywood. I never realized at that point that there were schools out there where you could learn this stuff. You have to remember this was 1993
and the internet wasn't even around yet... not like today anyways. We were all a lot more naive back then and if you wanted to learn a trade secret like
magic or special effects you either had to know someone or be willing to pay to learn. These days you can just go online and learn the techniques right off
a website. I still recommend going to a makeup school over trying to teach yourself. There's a certain discipline that you learn in a classroom that can not
be substituted. As well, if you actually have to pay to learn something you may very well learn something. Although my school certainly did not teach me
everything there is to know about special effects it did prepare me for the professional industry.
What does a person have to do to get into this type of work?
The first thing one must do is learn as much as they can about the craft. Read about the major players in the industry. Get a subscription to a makeup
effects magazine. Go online and search about the art. Even look into taking a workshop or enrolling in a makeup school... Then prepare yourself for a long
journey of disappointments and low paying / no paying gigs while you "pay your dues" one hundred times over. After a few years of this abuse, if you still
have the will to carry on, you should be well on your way to a career in special effects makeup. This industry is highly competitive and the work is far
from plentiful. If you want to make a lot of money this isn't the job for you. On the other hand if you want to have the best and most creative and artistic
job ever imagined... A job that you will love as much as you hate... Then this is the job for you. It takes a lot of practice and patience to get good at
special effects, and even when you are good it doesn't mean that you will get work. This is why you really have to love what you do. A lot of people enter
this field, go to school, get as far as creating the beginnings of a portfolio and then they quit. It's not an easy job... There's long and hard hours and often
times little gratification, but it is a labor of love for me. I enjoy the process - from concept to creation to application.
Can you remember the first movie you done fx on, and can you tell us a bit about it?
The first real movie I did effects for was titled "FEAR RUNS SILENT". It starred Stacy Keach, Billy Dee Williams and Dan Lauria. The film is about a group of
teenagers that are terrorized by a creature in the woods. Plot sound familiar? It was another one of your typical teens in the woods kind of movies. I did
learn a lot on the project though. I had the chance to do a wide variety of effects from transformation scenes, working effects, blood effects and foam
latex makeup appliances. It was also a great experience working with celebrities. At that point I was still doing beauty and straight makeup as well, so I
really got to practice almost every aspect of makeup on that show (short of tattoos and bald caps).
Your most recent work i personally have seen you do, was on William Winckler’s Frankenstein vs the Creature from Blood Cove. What
creature suits did you make and how long did it take for you to make them?
I was in charge of all of the creatures for FRANKENSTEIN VS. THE CREATURE FROM BLOOD COVE. I led an effects team of 12 artists, many of which were
interns for my shop. In four short weeks my team and I created a full body creature suit complete with mask and gloves for the blood cove creature. We
also created the makeups for the monster, the wolfman, the bride and the ghost. In addition there was also a prop hand, a dead body and a bunch of
other fun gags. Despite being under staffed, overbudget and out of time I think that we pulled off a small miracle on Winckler's film. For much less than
$10K I delivered an effects package that looked like it should have been in the $100K range. I have become quite gifted at making the most of small
budgets such as this.
What was it that drew you into wanting to create and design the creatures in Frankenstein vs the Creature from Blood Cove?
Bill Winckler contacted me about doing the effects for his film. This film wasn't really any different than any of the other films that I had worked on except
that in this case Bill offered me a role in the film in addition to the job as creature designer. I am not sure if Bill knew that I had worked as an actor in the
past or not, but the offer was enough to entice me - so I agreed to come on board. When it came to the actual design of the characters I was determined
to stick with Bill's vision of a "homage" to the classics. I wanted the monsters to have that old school feel - as if this movie could have been released in
the 40's or 50's. That is why the creature suit was made to look more like a rubber suit, because that's the way they were made back then. That is why
all of the designs stay to a more cartoonistic look as opposed to a real to life appearance. I wanted good characters not just horrible monsters. I tried to
put everything I loved about the original Universal monsters into these monsters without letting them look too much like the originals. I hear that
there's going to be a remake of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. I am sure that the creature design for the remake will be far better than my version
of the gillman, but I'll bet that my take on the famous fish monster will be more fun.
Where do you get all your ideas on creating such realistic looking creatures?
When I am going for realism I take from life. When they say art imitates life they aren't kidding. I study as many real life photos as I can. When I was
working for Matthew Mungles for such shows as CSI: Las Vegas, NCIS and House we had to be very true to life. In fact we even consulted with the LA
county coroner on a regular basis for the show NCIS. To give you an idea of just how dedicated I am to realism: When my grandmother recently passed
away I created a death mask from her corpse so that I could have access to the lifecast of a 93 year old woman for study. (it is very rare to find a
life/death mask of anyone over the age of 60). As macabre as it may sound, it was a great honor for me to capture my grandmother's image in 3D. A
death mask, once an honored tradition reserved only for kings and royalty, is an anatomic duplication of a cadaver's face. Nowadays the technique is
refereed to as lifecasting, and is used to make anatomic duplications. Lifecasting is the first step in the process of creating a makeup appliance.
Not only do I now have an incredible study piece for creating wrinkle texture of a 93+ year old female... but I also have a permanent three dimensional
cast of my grandmother to honor her memory.
You also starred in Frankenstein vs the Creature from Blood Cove as Salisbury. You must of had a work load on your shoulders while
William shot that film, adding and removing all the make up and effects to the other cast members and then also getting yourself ready?
It is definitely a lot more work when you are acting and doing the effects for a movie. It's like having two jobs at the same time. The trick is to be
prepared and have back up for the days when I am needed as an actor. I am actually training a few artists how to be my "second hand", so that they can
take over when I am needed on set - and still deliver the makeup exactly as I designed it. Continuity can become difficult, scheduling can get crazy and
things can get messy if you aren't prepared. In all honesty I prefer it this way. I love acting and doing effects! The truth is that special effects makeup
was created as an actor's tool. Many actors in theatre still do their own makeup, even effects makeup in some cases.
So in a sense I am finally now learning how to use makeup effects properly... as an actor's tool. This is how I define myself and separate myself from the
competition: I am a character actor, and a creator of characters. Unlike the modern character actors of today like Eddie Murphy, Jim Carey or Michael
Myers (that use makeup effects to create characters) I don't need to rely on an effects lab to bring my ideas to life... I am the effects lab, and I am the
actor. Two birds, one stone... That, I think, is why so many Independent filmmakers have been casting me as an actor and to do the effects for their film
- they are seeing that I am much more in touch with the character than your usual actor. And they also see that I care much more about how the
makeup looks and moves on film because I am the one wearing it... and because I am the one wearing the makeup, I know exactly how it should move
with my face as I am designing it. Also I think that a lot of directors appreciate my knowledge of film - I am not just another actor needing to be babysat.
Rather I am proficient on a set and know exactly where my skills are most needed. The only problem is I am not Eddie Murphy, Jim Carey or Michael
Myers. I am an aspiring character actor / effects artist just getting his foot in the proverbial door. I would like to think that in time the public may one day
identify me with such big name actors. Until then I humble myself in the realms of independent non-union film.
Was there any set backs while on set?
On Frankenstein there were a lot of setbacks. Mostly the usual lack of time and money. There was a lot of pressure coming from the director to get the
makeups done faster than they could be done. . . There was also issues with the weather. Heavy rains caused a lot of setbacks in the lab. Fiberglass and
rain are not friends, let's just leave it at that. However with all the setbacks I am told that we still brought the film in under $35K, and if you look at the
final film you'd have a hard time believing just how cheap it was to make.
How does that make you feel, when you spend hours and hours creating these effects and then when it comes shooting time, it only last a
few seconds?
Sometimes your hard work ends up on the cutting room floor. This is just a cold hard fact of life, sometimes all the hard work only lasts for seconds and
other times it doesn't even make the cut. I think at times like that you just need to remind yourself just how lucky you are that you aren't working at an
office job. With that said, it is an awesome feeling when all your hard work pays off and comes to life on screen. Whether it is for 2 hours or two seconds,
the feeling is the same. There have been times that I have suggested to a director to show an effect for only a brief moment and not let the viewer focus
on the gag. If a brief flash is the most effective way to show the effect then that is in my best interest. In the end I don't want the viewer to know they
are looking at an effect.
Their must be times you just wanted to say, "FUCK IT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH" and throw in the towel and go to the pub?
Sure, there's plenty of times that I want to quit. No more ridiculous deadlines, no more low ballers, no more headaches. But honestly, I love my work too
much. Really, it's like a sickness. It's my love of the art that keeps me going. I am a work-o-hlic, I am known to work for hours on end, late into the night
and early into the morning. I have gone several hours without sleep just to make a deadline with nothing but coffee and my own determination keeping
me going. Fact is I can't give up. Giving up to me is being dead.
Are you a big fan of old monster movies, if so which films inspired you the most?
Yes, I love classic horror and sci-fi. Some of my most favorites include Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Dracula, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon
and sci-fi classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet, Star Wars and Planet of the Apes. The most influential movies for me are Star
Wars, Planet of the Apes, The Pink Panther series, The Muppet Movie and An American Werewolf in London. If you familiarize yourself with those four
films you can probably see the influences. I also love cartoons, and the influence definitely shows whenever I am creating something with a cartoon
element. I have more fun creating from fantasy than I do creating ultra realistic stuff. Although the gore effects and photo realism are very rewarding
from a creative and professional standpoint, it can get boring. Fantasy characters are the most fun to create because they are pure imagination. I don't
think enough people use their imagination these days. Realism is more in demand these days. Shows like CSI and NCIS need lots of dead bodies, body
parts, autopsy bodies and stuff like that - so it's nice to get work creating fun characters like monsters, creatures, critters and characters.
Do you get much creative control in designing the creatures for filmmakers, what exactly happens before you start making the molds?
Sometimes I get complete creative control sometimes I don't it all depends on the production. In most cases I will get a script or a breakdown and then I
will begin making designs based on that info. After a few conceptual designs are created it gives me a better idea of the director's vision. From there I
work as closely with the director as possible until we are both satisfied with the designs. Once there is a green light I move forward. A lot of times a
director will trust me based on my work and will just let me have at it. That's truly the ideal situation for me as an artist but not always practical for the
director. In all cases the designs are worked out way before any sculptures are started. In some cases I will also create a miniature sculpture (otherwise
known as a Marquette) to show how something might look in three dimensions. Again, it all depends on the project and the director.
Which do you prefer the most. Acting or special fx's?
That is a difficult question. I have worked as an actor and as an effects artist. I have worn both hats together and separate. When I am just acting it's a
lot less work, yet it feels like something is missing. When I am doing FX only it is definitely much more work and I feel less connected to the film because
I am only crew and not a cast member. Ultimately I would like for every gig I take to be acting and effects. I will always have a love for FX and I will
always use makeup effects with my acting when needed. I think with the acting it is something that I just want to see how far it goes. I didn't really set
out to become an actor it just happened. Now that the opportunity is here I am having fun with it. I will milk it for all it's worth, and keep making
monsters all the while.
Most special effect artist are perfectionists in their work, was there a time you thought the work you have done wasn't good enough and you
wanted to change or start all over again?
I am always picking at my work. I believe that it can always be better. I try not to get hung up on it though. For example I'm not going to stress over a
slight flaw in something I did in the past. Instead I acknowledge the error, find out how to prevent it in the future then move on. I do a lot of indie films,
and unfortunately in low budget indie productions you have to settle a lot. . . maybe too much? That's what makes it so exciting I think, because you
have to find creative ways to do things due to lack of money or time. I would love to do the creature suit from Frankenstein vs the Creature over again.
There were plenty of flaws in the suit - But I think in this case the flaws made the suit work even better. My favorite line from that movie is "Hey, that's
no rubber suit!" ... (Oh yes it is!) If anything I will apply what I have learned towards the next project and continue to learn and grow as an artist. Any
mistakes I have made along the way are merely lessons to build upon and prepare me for the journey ahead.
With all the creatures and monsters you have designed for filmmakers over the years, which design from what movie do you love the most?
That's a really difficult question because I have always felt that my best work is yet to come. I was very proud of the creature suit from FRANKENSTEIN
VS. THE CREATURE, however it could have been much better had I more time and more money. The fact that we made it in such little time and on such a
low budget was a great accomplishment. I am also very happy with my recent makeup effects on the webcast/podcast series pilot WELFARE BUNNIES.
For that show I created three human bunny characters. I also play the foil in the series, my character is named McIntyre - he's sort of a Woody Allen
meets Steve Erkel type of character. I once again used my makeup FX and acting skills this time to create the balding, big schnozed, sweaty character
that people are soon to love (or hate). The show is a lot of fun and the makeups, although simple, were very effective. We shot the pilot episode of the
series in San Diego last October. The project is the brain child of director Ryan Maisel which centers around the life of three bachelors that have been
cursed to live as human bunny rabbits. I really enjoyed the project not only because of the fun makeups but the writing was really great - I mean this
show is really funny. Ryan Maisel wrote the script himself and his writing style is very clever - re-minescent of a young Kevin Smith, at least in my
opinion anyway. I think that we really came up with something magical with this project. Your readers can watch my website for updates on the project
and where they can view it when WELFARE BUNNIES goes live.
Another makeup that I am extremely proud of is a working effect I just shot a few days ago for film tentatively titled THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS and is
headed to the Berlinale film festival in Germany. I won't say what the specific effect is, but I expect it will be very shocking and controversial. It's sure to
raise some eyebrows at least.
Honestly though, I always try to look forward rather than backward. I am proud of all my creations, some more so than others, but I truly believe that
the best is yet to come.
Has their ever been something you always wanted to create, but yet haven't had to time to do so. If so would you like to share your
thoughts on it with us?
I do have some of my own projects that remain on the "back burner". The simple fact is that I am so busy working on everyone else's projects that I
have very little time to work on my own. It's difficult for me these days to block out time to work on portfolio quality pieces just for the sake of updating
my book. Instead I approach every job that I take with the idea that this may go in the book. . . this may be my next masterpiece. In other words,
everything I do gets the utmost attention to detail, or at least the best I can do with the time and budget I am provided.
One of my personal projects is a puppet show I call THE RUFF AND SKITCH SHOW. I have written over a dozen episodes for the show and have created
over 40 plus characters of all shapes and sizes. The show is very much like the Muppet's meets the Simpson's if you can imagine. Unfortunately the
project remains on hold until I can raise enough capital to do it justice. In the meantime I work on the puppet characters one at a time in between gigs
on my own dime. The puppets I plan to make will be hand operated like Muppet's with servo controlled/blinking eyes. There will also be full size puppet
suits as well as human characters in prosthetic makeup appliances - when the money can be raised that is... until then it remains a personal project.
There's not really any particular monster that I hope to create that I haven't already. I sort of figure that sooner or later I will get a gig that will request
me to create a specific type of monster or character. For instance in the fourteen years I have been at it I haven't done a zombie movie until just
recently. So sooner or later I figure I will have done my take on all of the classic monsters and even get a crack at creating my own. . . It's only a matter
of time. I would like the chance to design something big like a dinosaur or a dragon. Sooner or later the right project with the right budget will come along
and make that possible, but until then I take each job one at a time and count my blessings that I am able to make a living in this industry.
What director would you love to work with in the near future and why?
There are a lot of directors that I greatly admire including George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, Ron Howard and Kevin Smith. Two directors in particular that
I hope to get the chance to work with are Jon Favreau and Quentin Tarantino. I really like Jon's take on filmmaking. I like how he uses CG as a tool
instead of a crutch and chooses to film the majority of effects live action. Few filmmakers today understand when to use CG and when to use makeup
effects resulting in cartoony computer effects or low budget looking live action effects. Jon Favreau is getting it right, I believe that he may become as big
as Spielberg and Lucas. Now Quentin Tarantino on the other hand, he's all style. I like his films and his method of story telling. As an actor I really want
to work with Tarantino, as an effects artist I really want to work with Favreau.
Lately we have been seeing a lot of remakes from the 80's. If a big filmmaker say like Peter Jackson came up to you with a blank cheque
and said, Rich i love your work and all your creature designs, what film do you think needs remaking! What would you say?
I am usually hesitant to jump on the remake bandwagon. Most of the time remakes are poor quality copies of better films. Every once in a while a little
gem comes out like John Carpenter's THE THING. Now THAT is how you do a remake! I think that if I were to be in such a hypothetical situation I would
want to remake the classic sci fi movie THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. To this day that is one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time. The message is
just as strong today as it was then. It wouldn't hurt to update the FX and the overall pacing of the film to better fit the modern film genre, however I
would hope that the bulk of the story remain intact... or I might regret doing it, especially on a classic film that I am so fond of.
What other future and past projects have you worked on?
This year I worked on several films and television shows as an effects artist. Although I am very proud to have been a part of the effects crew on shows
like CSI, NCIS HOUSE, MEDIUM, and the films THE OMEN, BEOWULF, SERAPHIM FALLS and THE FLOCK I am most excited about the smaller independent
films that I worked on.
For the feature film DEMON (directed by Dennis Devine) I created several working effects including a lifesize torso of an actress that is impaled by a
broomstick as well as a head decapitation. I also did a knife in the eye gag that is sure to creep out some viewers. I also make a brief cameo appearance.
The film is about demon possession and is due out in early 2007.
In the film 1987 (directed by Paul Wright), I play the character "Travis", the bass player of a heavy metal band in the 1980's. The film is a drama loosely
based on the true story of the heavy metal/glam band Poison. I have not yet seen the final cut but I am very excited about the film. It was the first time
I got the chance to play an instrument in front of the camera. Although I played a keyboard player in the film KILLER SOUND, I never actually got to play
an instrument. So it was nice to get to jam this time around. A final cut is expected sometime after the New Year.
Another fun project I worked on this summer was the Lisa Hammer film POX, based on the popular cable TV show. Lisa Hammer is the cult director, who
released the horror-musical "Pus$bucket" and the current bizarre short "Period Piece" which is taking the internet by storm. (It's a story of a little
retarded girl and her period.) Lisa Hammer is perhaps best known as TRIANA ORPHEUS on ADULT SWIM'S THE VENTURE BROTHERS. Lisa was also our
lovely bride in FRANKENSTEIN VS. THE CREATURE FROM BLOOD COVE. In the film POX I play a satanic vampire priest engaged in a bizarre ritual sacrifice.
I also did a lot of working effects like decapitations and what not. To be completely honest I think that the film's producers actually were part of a cult.
POX's executive producer is James Merendino who made SLC Punk! and Witchcraft IV. Some of the POX writers include Ben Edlund (THE TICK, FIREFLY,
ANGEL) and Doc Hammer (THE VENTURE BROTHERS) along with Lisa Hammer, Levi Wilson and Terrence Fleming. POX began as a strange and bizarre
little cable access show in NYC and soon became an underground cult classic with brilliant reviews and a plethora of viewer death threats. I am certain
that the film will inspire even more carnage and mayhem. Visit Lisa Hammer's website at: www.lisahammer.com for updates and release information.
One of the projects that I am most proud of is the independent feature film I shot with Transylvanian director Stephen Cristescu and cinematographer
Justin Talley. The film is tentatively titled THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. In this feature I play the lead role of "Archie" the redneck racist leader of the
mojave boys a gang of two bit thugs that reside in a desert ghost town. The film was shot almost entirely in Darwin,CA - the same place they shot the
movie KALIFORNIA with David Duchovny and Brad Pitt. The scenery out there was amazing. We shot the entire film on HD so the end result is going to
be amazing. Although I did do some effects work on this film including bullet wounds and bleeding effects my biggest part was as a lead actor. This is my
biggest acting role to date, so I am very excited to see how well I fare without so much makeup to hide behind. Another exciting project that I am
currently working on is a short film titled THE RANGE. This short is one of four that will be featured as an anthology piece for a film titled SLICES. We are
currently in negotiations for a theatrical release. In the shorth titled THE RANGE I play a southern outlaw named Billy. It isn't long before Billy becomes a
zombie and all hell breaks loose. Be sure to check my website for updates and release info.
I can also be seen making a cameo appearance as a transient in the Independent film TRIP FALL (directed by Danny Kim). The film, expected to have a
Feb 2006 release date, is headed for the festival circuit. TRIP FALL is a what I would call a psychedelic comedy in the vein of Fear and Loathing in Las
Vegas.
One of my projects coming up next year is the Indywood Films movie INVASION OF THE NOT QUITE DEAD. I have teamed up with UK filmmakers Tony
Lane, Ken Russell (TOMMY, ALTERED STATES, THE DEVILS) and JR BOOKWALTER (THE DEAD NEXT DOOR) to bring forward an army of the walking dead
to the UK. This will mark the first of many independent productions to be produced by Indywood Films. I will be creating the special effects as well as play
the lead villain in the film. Tony has promised me a glorious death scene and I am sure he won't let the fans down. Money is currently being raised for
the project. For more information on this project visit the official site at: www.indywood.co.uk/themovie.html.
Out of all those films, TV shows and short films. Which one did you enjoy doing the most?
It's hard to say which project I have enjoyed the most. It's like asking a parent which child is your favorite... There is no favorite, you love them all. Every
project I do is creatively rewarding. There is always a lesson to be learned as well as a chance to hone my skills. Of all the projects I did last summer I
think I am fondest of THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS... mostly because of the place we shot it. Darwin California is an incredibly beautiful and spiritual place
in it's own way - there was something almost magical about it.
You recently worked on The Omen remake, what are your thoughts on that film compared to the original?
I am a big fan of the original with Lee Remick and Gregory Peck, however, to be honest, I still haven't seen the remake. My brother has seen it and he
liked it. In fact I got a call from him right after he saw my credit roll across the screen. I plan to watch the movie over the holiday. The fact is that I rarely
get the time to enjoy the films I've worked on let alone the ones in the theatre that I want to see. That's the down side to my line of work - you get very
little free time.
Robert Zemickis - Beowulf is one of the latest films you are currently working on, can you give us any inside gossip on whats going on and
what we are in for once it hits the theaters?
It was very exciting to be a part of this project. Robert Zemickis take on the famous story will be unlike anything you have ever seen on film to date. The
only way I can describe it is to say that it will be like seeing a Frank Frazetta oil painting come to life on the big screen. Those of us that worked on the
crew were allowed access to very little information in regards to the film. Even many of the actors we lifecasted only knew what they needed to know. I
worked on the lifecasting crew for Beowulf. We created the motion capture helmets used to record the actor's movements onto the computer. Over 80
actors, stunt people and background extras were lifecasted. I am told that the same technology used in Lord of the Rings to bring to life the Golem was
used in Beowulf. I am very excited to see this movie - I believe it may very well be one of those great films that you just don't see much of these days. I
am very proud to have been a part of the crew for Beowulf.
Is their any upcoming special fx artists that grabs your attention. If so who are they & what films did they work on?
I think that the special effects artists that have grabbed my attention the most are those that work for WETA FX (King Kong, Lord of the Rings, etc.) in
New Zealand. Some of the most amazing work has come out of that shop. Certainly a quality of work that all effects artists should aspire to.
Do you have any advice or tips to those who are seeking to get into the line of work you are in?
Be sure that this is the field that you want to enter and if it is take it seriously! Be willing to lose your friends, your family and a lot of sleep. Be prepared
to live the life of a starving artist. And don't ever give up or believe someone that tells you that you can't do something. It's also a very good idea to have
a backup plan such as a day job that can cover you financially while you work your way into the business. It is very difficult to get into this field and
there's not a whole lot of work available once you get in. Never believe the makeup schools - they will lead you to believe that it's a booming industry.
Well, it's not, in fact many working FX artists believe it is a dying art - I am not among them, but I do believe that the industry has become over
saturated with 'aspiring' artists that aren't qualified enough artistically to compete in the field. Combine that with the fact that CG is taking away much of
the work... it makes one wonder why they'd even want to enter into this field. Of course being one that makes his living in this business I totally
understand those that are driven enough to pursue a career in makeup effects despite the upstream battle.
What are Rich Knights top 5 horror movies?
Frankenstein
The Wolfman
Creature From The Black Lagoon
An American Werewolf in London
The Shining
Is there any actors or filmmakers you have worked in the past, that you will love to work with again in the near future?
I really enjoyed working with Stacy Keach. He was a very nice, polite and a respectful gentlemen. I would love to work with him again. There really isn't a
single actor that I wouldn't want to work with again. I have had nothing but positive experiences with my fellow actors. As for the ladder, I have been
very fortunate to have worked with many directors recently all of whom were extraordinarily talented and creative filmmakers. I had an especially good
working relationship with director Stephen Cristescu on THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. Stephen really knew how to bring out my best performance and he
always encouraged my ideas about improvisation in a scene. The director of WELFARE BUNNIES, Ryan Maisel was also an extreme pleasure to work with.
I really love Ryan's writing style, he's very clever, witty, funny - all that, and he brings it out on camera. Ryan has a great attitude, the sort of attitude
that you wish all directors had. I have also developed a great working relationship with director Lance Polland (THE RANGE). Lance has a really great
vision for his film and he has a way a charming you with that vision till you start thinking it's your own. A true pleasure to work with! I expect to work
with all three directors on many more projects to come. There's only a few people that I've worked with in the past that I won't work with again due to
lack of a chemistry, but for the most part I hope to continue working with every actor and/or filmmaker that I work with, especially those that I get along
with and have good working chemistry with.
Whats the one thing you would like to say before we end this interview, and to those who are reading this interview?
I guess that I'd just like to tell everyone to keep their eyes open for my upcoming films. Be sure to check my website at: www.knight-spfx.com and
visit my official myspace webpage at www.myspace.com/rich_knight for updates, release dates and recent photos of my work. Also be sure to visit
the Indywood website at: http://www.indywood.co.uk/themovie.html - If you are interested in becoming a producer or wish to contribute on any
one of my future projects be sure to contact me via email at: knightfx2000@yahoo.com - use PRODUCER as the subject heading. And most
importantly remember to help support independent film and starving artists!
Thanks Rich for taking the time to do this interview with us at DVD Resurrections. I just like to also say, keep up the outstanding work man and if it
wasn't for guys like you doing what you love to do the best, films wouldn't be as interesting as they are now days. I wish you the best of luck with
future films and health, and keep up with the awesome special effects bro, cheers.
It's been a pleasure, and thank you for the opportunity for the interview and to showcase my work.
Cheers!
Rich Knight
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