GB: As I mentioned so far everyone really likes it.  When we first did an interview with Kevin Yagher, I could see he was a little pessimistic, but after he saw that segment, he invited us back for another issue.  We still have trouble getting into some of the bigger FX shops, like Rick Baker or Stan Winston, mostly due to scheduling, but we prefer to focus on the smaller unknown artists anyway…and they love to have us.  The Studios are touch and go. The problem is the huge turnover in staff.  You can have a good relationship with one PR person, and the next time you call them, they’re not at the company anymore, or the movie is being handle through another PR person, and you have to develop that relationship all over again. The biggest issue is that they can’t get past the fact that we’re a DVD videomagazine.  They don’t understand that we’re sold on magazine shelves and we’re only there for 3 months.  They hear DVD and think DVD movie.

LMC: How do you determine the articles?

GB: Whatever is available, and whatever we think is cool enough to pursue.  We don’t always cover big blockbuster movies because Movie FX is more about techinique…and even smaller films have cool techniques.  Besides, I’m not going to be able to compete on a movie like MiB II or Attack of the Clones.  They’ll already have a Showtime special, and “Behind the scenes” book, etc.  Why cover all that again?

LMC: Do you find studios and individuals give you a warm welcome and are willing participants?                                   

GB: Some yes, some no.  It depends on the studio and who you’re dealing with.  I’ve heard PR departments are great and Legal departments suck.  I heard that Paramount was great to work with and Disney was a pain.  Then a lawyer in the Disney Legal Department gave me a free license to use Bicentennial Man footage long after the movie was released.  You just never know.

LMC: What has been the most difficult aspect of running the show?

GB: Balancing the amount of travel and work I have to do for my regular job, my home life and Movie FX.  For Movie FX, you need to realize I do the research, write the questions, hire the cameraman, do the interviews, pull the time code, write the scripts, work with the editors, do the VO, write the content for the website, fulfill orders, do the bookkeeping, answer the phones, answer emails…it’s all me. Thank God, I have a guy that helps me obtain footage and movie trailers who’s got a better working relationship with the studios than I do.  That saves a lot of time and begging.

LMC: How is creating a magazine on DVD different from print?

GB: Easy, I’ve done both, and videomags are a pain.  When you read a lot of interviews and articles in similar genre mags, they’ve got it easy for the most part.  They can do phone interviews or send a list of questions like the ones I’m answering for you.  Then you get a press kit with some pics (which is why you tend to see the same pics in all the mags) and presto! You can write your article.  For issue 5, I got invited to New York to do a segment on Saturday Night Live.  I had to take time off from Sony,  hire a cameraman, and fly him with me to New York.  I had to pay for all his expenses.  We had to rent an Arri light kit and mics in Manhatten.  We had to do the interview while the show was going on , which was hectic to say the least.  Now, I’m not bitching, because I got to experience SNL behind the scenes.  But as you can see, it can be a different ball game.  Also, editing is a lot harder.  I have to obtain all the materials needed to complete the segment.  If the interviewee talks about his childhood, I need pics of him as a kid.  If the interviewee sucks on camera, I need a lot of B-roll and pics to cover the jump cuts while I piece his interview together.  The four pics they have in a print article ain’t cuttin’ it!  And sometimes…like in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer piece we did a few issues back, we couldn’t even get show footage.  I can’t tell you what a nightmare that was to cut.  Thank God I have the best editors who still manage to make those segments look great!

LMC: How did the Jordu Schell segments come about?

GB: A friend had introduced us a little over a year ago and I approached him at the 2000 Makeup Artist Tradeshow about doing the first issue lesson and although he was bit hesitant, he agreed.  Afterwards, the number of students he had signing up for his class increased and apparently, someone over Tippett Studio saw Issue 1 and how fast he could sculpt and he got a gig on “Evolution” because of it.  After that, he offered to do as many lessons as we wanted.

LMC: What kind of reaction did you get about his segments?

GB: He’s an excellent teacher with a great sense of humor.   Our customers think he’s one of best segments on Movie FX. We don’t use him all the time because we want to vary the types of lessons we offer, but he’ll pop up from time to time

LMC: Do you have more planned?

GB: Absolutely! In issue 5, he gives a lesson on how to sculpt, mold, cat and airbrush a half mask in our longest segment yet…45 minutes.

LMC: Any plans to release more issues per year?    

GB:  Hehe, I don’t think we’ve even made the four issue in a year yet.  With my travel schedule, it’s difficult to keep on schedule but I’m doing my best.  Never say never though…we’ll see where we are in a year.

LMC: What do you have planned for upcoming issues?       

GB: All sorts of cool stuff.  KNB FX, Almost Human, Amalgamated Dynamics and of course more lessons and movie trailers.  I don’t like to plan too far in advance, you never know when you have to switch out one story for another.

I'd like to thank Gary for taking some time from his very busy schedule to give us some information on his unique and exciting video magazine.