LMC: Talk about the successes.  

RK:  I think that our greatest success on Frankenstein was the fact that we were able to do so much with such a small budget in such a short amount of time. We all sacrificed a lot of sleep to pull this off. In one month and two weeks we created a full body creature suit (complete with mask, gloves and boots), 15 sets of multi-piece foam latex appliances for Frankenstein's monster, multiple gelatin appliances for the Bride of Frankenstein, two foam appliances of the Wolf man, an over head latex mask of The Ghost of Dr. Frankenstein, a torso of the creature to be rigged w/ tubing for a stabbing, a prop arm to be torn from an actor, a ton of slab molds of wounds and injuries, teeth and dentures for three of the creatures, a partial corpse body, five gallons of blood and so on. The fact that we got all of the work done was a triumph in itself. All this combined with the fact that many of our crew members were new to the industry and just out of school. We were literally working up to the very last minute. In most cases I was commuting to the set in LA, working a full day, commuting back to my home in Riverside County (a two and a half hour drive) and completing the work that was needed on set for the next day - then starting the whole process all over again. I got by on about 3 to 4 hours of sleep per day throughout shoot. We achieved something that many could not and we made the effects work despite all of the challenges set against us.

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LMC: Wow!  Hopefully that hard work will pay off with better paying jobs.

RK:  That is what I am hoping as well. I simply can not sacrifice the quality of my work just because of money. So when I take on a project I will always make the extra effort to create the best effect possible with the time and resources available. In this instance I wanted to make sure that "Frankenstein Vs The Creature from Blood Cove" accomplished what it was intended to be - a homage to the classics. It was very important that we captured the essence of those old B movies, even the cheesiness that they had. I think that we were successful, and only time will tell if it will become a cult classic. But as they say, nothing ventured nothing gained. I think that people will find this movie to be very fun, there are scenes that are very funny. The film is not only a homage to the classics but it has captured the essence of those old B movies that we love. This movie is at times a bit campy, but then so are the classics that inspired it. We tried to capture the look as best we could - although I am not completely satisfied with all of the monsters. The creature suit was rushed and we didn't have enough time or money to make it top notch. The end result was a suit that looked and moved just like the classic B movie monster suits. So in a sense it all worked out the way we wanted. This movie is definetely not a modern remake, not by any means. No, this film is more of a tribute, and it is a lot of fun.

LMC: What did the producers/director think of the work?

RK: The director was very pleased with the overall look of our monsters. Being that we had two whole years to work out the designs and the end results looked almost exactly like the two dimensional drawings - how could he not be pleased? I think that the director was not prepared for the amount of time it took to apply the makeups, despite many attempts to explain the process. Our Frankenstein monster makeup took two hours to apply, and the Bride makeup took even longer. Those of us in the business know that this is the norm, but as with most directors and producers he wanted the makeups done faster. Of course we did what we could to accommodate the needs of the production, but some makeups just take a certain amount of time to apply no matter how many corners are cut. Ultimately it is the finished product that pleased our director the most. Some of the interviews and press releases for the film quote our director as saying "Audiences will be amazed at the special-effects make-up for the various monsters, creatures, and ghost characters", "Millions of classic horror fans have waited for years for a film such as this and our traditional-style special effects make-ups are amazing", and "The closer we are getting to completion, the happier I am with the production". Hearing our director say such compliments about our makeup designs in public is a testament to the hard work and sacrifice made by myself and my crew.

LMC: Do you ever find yourself at odds with the director or come across one that just is never happy with the FX work?

RK: Actually it happens all the time. The more you work in this industry, the more you meet up with personalities that don't agree with your own. I have never had a director that has been unhappy with my work, however I have encountered some directors whose personalities just didn't gel with mine. In these situations I try to accommodate the director's needs as best as I can. If a director is being unrealistic about what they are asking then I tell them. In the event that a director is irate or behaving childish I will try to remain as diplomatic as possible, but at the same time I won't tolerate abusive behavior either. It is very important to practice proper etiquette while on set, unfortunately some directors out there don't.

LMC: What was your overall opinion of the work you did?                         

RK: Ultimately I think that all of the makeups and effects could have been done a lot better had we more time and more money. I really wanted to make a mechanical mask for the creature and a silicone body suit but there simply just wasn't enough time or money. I would have liked to add more detail to the sculptures of all of the characters, and I would have liked to make the working effects more intricate and realistic. The fact is, few independent films offer enough money and time to do things exactly how you want to. Sometimes your idea of what a character should look like might not agree with the director's vision. In this case the director and I were on the same page as far as conceptual designs go. I tried to negotiate more pre-production time for the creation of the makeup and effects, but the director would not budge on the shooting schedule so we did what we could with what we had to work with. In the end, I am pleased with the overall look of the characters because it works for the film. I think that inadvertently the time and money crunch worked towards our advantage because it forced us to use some "old school" methods to create our monsters. The monsters don't look as aesthetically perfect as the creatures you might see in a modern day horror film, but then the old classic monsters weren't as realistic as those made today anyway. So the final result is that we truly captured the essence of the classic Universal monster movies.

LMC: What advice can you give those wanting to break into FX?

RK: Be patient and don't give up. It takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice to become a good makeup artist. In the beginning you may have to work for free or for low pay to get your feet wet. It is also very important to never stop learning your craft. The moment someone thinks that they are an expert and they know everything is the moment you die as an artist, because you stop growing as an artist. There are new products and materials coming out all the time that advance our craft. You should learn about these advances and try to incorporate them when you can. Another good piece of advice I can offer is that you really need to love what you are doing. This business can be super stressful and it is a lot of hard work. Being an FX artist is not as glamorous as one might think. It is one thing to create fantastic monsters and creatures on your own time, but to do it professionally for someone else you essentially have to let go of your creative pride in favor of the bigger picture, which is the final product. You have to be able to work under pressure, deal with different personalities and be able to work as a team. When something goes wrong you have to be able to keep a cool head and quickly resolve the problem. And you should be prepared for anything that comes your way. This job isn't for wimps, but a truly dedicated and talented artist that can embrace these realities will do well for themselves and their career.

LMC: What is your opinion of the Hollywood/movie system as far as how producers deal with the FX?

RK: I think the biggest problem with producers these days is their lack of understanding of just how much goes into creating special effects makeups. Most producers out there seem to have this idea that a special effects makeup artist is just some guy that shows up with a box full of rubber noses and can create magic from the tip of his fingers. This puts the makeup effects artist in the position of having to educate the directors and producers about the process. Some producers and directors understand the effort it takes, while many others simply don't care. Another big problem with the Hollywood/Movie system these days is that more and more productions are expecting more for less. With the advent of digital technology it has become much cheaper to make movies and many more people are getting into the film making business. The problem is that many of these people out there making independent films are lacking proper funding to create the effects that they want. Because they lack the money, a lot of indie producers are seeking artists willing to work for free or for very low pay. You often see an indie film offer $50 for a day rate. That's less than minimum wage! I have also seen many indie projects offer to pay for all the supplies, but then only be willing to pay a blanket amount after you give them the shopping list. This would mean that they expect you to cover the difference. The trend is disheartening to say the least. If we as makeup effects artists can put our proverbial foot down to these low ballers I think that we could change this trend. The problem is that so many newcomers are willing to work for free just for the opportunity. There's really nothing wrong with that, but there should be a limit as to what we are willing to do for free projects. It is a fine line between opportunity and being taken advantage of, and ultimately we all want this to be a career that we can make a good living at.

LMC: What future projects will you be looking for? Are you choosy in what you do, or is money the largest factor?

RK: One of the things that I have been looking for in potential projects lately is whether or not there is an opportunity to act in the film and do the effects, just as I did in Frankenstein. I have recently taken two film projects to do both the makeup effects and act in. One is a vampire film where I get to create the effects and be featured as a blood sucking vampire. The other is a horror satire in which I will play a keyboardist in a rock band that's kicked out of the band, and then goes on a killing spree. By wearing the two hats, one as an effects artist, one as an actor it allows me the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of two of my greatest idols - Lon Cheney and Tom Savini. I try to not let money be a factor but sometimes you take on a gig because the bills are due. If you only focus on the money it is a slippery slope and you may find yourself sacrificing your talent in favor of monetary advancement. I have often been caught saying "If I didn't have to make money to survive, I'd do this for free". The reality is that we all have bills to pay, and I am no exception. I try to pursue jobs that will push my skills to the limit and offer me a challenge, but frankly I am limited to whatever film projects that are out there - and I am one of thousands of FX artists that are bidding on the job.

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