1. When and why did you decide to be an effects artist?

I was born with an artistic talent, handed down from my dad and his side of the family. Always a blessing, but sometimes, a curse. I have always liked make-up, special effects and pyrotechnics since I was a little kid, and I decided to learn from an early age. I really took the leap when I was about 10, and my dad made a scar on my face from wood glue and tissue paper (I don't advise trying this). It hurt like hell coming off, but it scared almost everyone who saw it, and at that moment, I knew I wanted to scare people for a living. I really started learning at around 9 years old and knew then I wanted to be a special effects artist. I am still learning & trying to this day!

2. What are your favorite films and why?

I have a lot of favorite films like most people but here are a few.

- Creature from the Black Lagoon -
The creature is so cool, and I met Ben Chapman in Vegas a few years ago!

- John Carpenter's The Thing -
Because it looks awesome, and it is truly scary!

- Yankee Doodle Dandy -
Because I love the old vaudeville days and Cagney "Come on!"

- Silverado -
It's the best western movie made.

- The Godfather "Series" -
I love the loyalty and honesty, and Coppola is a mad genius.

3. What is the most helpful book you've read on effects?

There are not a lot of books available that are truly helpful. I have read everything I could get my hands on. Though the behind the scenes of DVDs are a great resource.

4. What are the most difficult challenges you've faced as an effects artist or filmmaker?

Getting the effect or shot on time and on budget. It doesn't matter what it is, it is always the same!

5. Do you feel it's necessary to go to film school? Did you have any traditional education or training in this industry?

I do not feel you need to go to film or make-up school. If all you know or try is what you are taught and you don't have any of your own ideas, you will be at a loss. You have to learn what you can, experiment and just go out and do it!

6. How many shorts did you make before tackling a feature?

I made a bunch of short videos before I made my first feature as a director with Vile 21. Anything from a couple of minutes to half an hour. You can really learn the basics of a project, and I recommend everyone make a few shorts before ever trying to make a feature.

7. How did you go about getting your first feature distributed?

I sent our a few screeners and the distributor I went with called me within a week, but it took another year to get Vile ready for release. Troma sent me a letter saying thanks but it wasn't campy enough for them.

8. Have you earned any profit on your film?

I made all of my money back spent to produce Vile but profit, no. Do you ever? LOL.

9. What was it like working out a deal with a distributor?

My deal was pretty straight forward for a no-to-low budget film/video feature being distributed. It was a 50% to 50% deal (standard at the time in 1998). Not terribly painful until our contract ended & I found out they kept selling it!

10. What have you learned about the business side of filmmaking?

It sucks like any business. All I wanted to do from the beginning is create FX and make movies!

11. Why did you choose Vile 21 as your first feature?

I had written it in high school as a 3 page short & rewrote it with a friend into a feature. I had just finished creating all of the FX and Pyro for Ronnie Sortor's first feature "Sinyster" and was hot to finally take the leap and make it. I decided to make it because it was what I was working on at the time. I have a handful of other scripts, but I was wanting to do it. Not really knowing what the hell I was truly doing with a lot of locations, speaking rolls and full of FX. If I knew then what I know now.... no regrets though!

12. What are some of the lessons you've learned working on effects?

That 50% of the time what you create isn't what the director really saw in their heads (even with sketches & design concepts). Also that as they say it is special effects NOT a science. Like when we were doing the "squib" bullet hit inserts for your movie, and as the squib blew a huge hole in the shirts revealing the plate and padding behind the hits, we had to rethink our FX and make a gore cover plate to make it work. You learn every time you do any SFX.

13. How did you finance your films?

Car loans and credit. How else!

14. What is the most important piece of advice you'd give an aspiring filmmaker or effects artist?

Read and watch DVD behind the scenes and then buy the chemicals and just do it! Use chemicals in moderation as a lot are hazardous. As for Pyro you must work with other licensed professionals, I DO NOT recommend you experiment with this without trained guidance. Work with others if you really wanna learn to do anything.

15. Out of the effects you've done so far, what are your favorites?