CreatureGeek

On this episode of CreatureGeek - Frank and I welcome Brian Ward, the Senior Director of Video Production for Shout! Factory. Shout! curates TV shows and movies for the collector in all of us - shows likes MST3K, Freaks and Geeks, and the 1982 version of The Thing. Brian talks about his podcast The Arkham Sessions, EPK documentation (basically behind the scenes stuff) and much more. If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Also, thanks to our sponsor ScotteVest!

On this episode of CreatureGeek - LIVE FROM DRAGONCON 2016 - Frank goes solo. But he has the best co-hosts in my absence. He welcomes Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff from Mystery Science Theater 3000, Cinematic Titanic and The Mads Are Back. They talk about movie riffing, Joe Don Baker, This Island Earth and a ton of other fun stuff! If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Also, thanks to our sponsor ScotteVest! Please use our affiliate link: http://www.scottevest.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=sev&AFFIL=4B44D42m

Frank and I are two dings dongs talking into in a mic. We chat more about biz battles, showing up on time, upcoming conventions and the biggest hit of the summer, Stranger Things! If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Also, thanks to our sponsor ScotteVest! Please use our affiliate link (in the comments) and use the code CREATUREGEEK to get 20% off your order! Thanks for listening!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and I talk to SFX designer, illustrator, storyboard and concept artist Miles Teves. Miles shares some of his stories about working with Rob Bottin, his time at Stan Winston Studios and more. Thanks for listening! If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks.

This episode of Creaturegeek, Frank and I talk with Rick "The Little Wood Chopper" Lazzarini of The Character Shop. Rick talks about his work on the Ghostbusters reboot and also the lack of credit for it. Rick gives us some great insight into the behind-the-scenes of the behind-the-scenes. Thanks for listening! If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks.

On this episode, Frank and I welcome special effects guru Frank Langley. Frank is a puppeteer whose work includes the infamous Team America: World Police. Frank shares plenty of great stories and talks about some of his new projects, including Yamasong. If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Thanks for listening!

On this episode, the first of July (on the first of July) Frank and I welcome special effects legend THE Rick Baker. If you're not aware of Rick Baker, you should be! He's worked on so many iconic shows including Star Wars, Harry and The Hendersons, Men in Black, American Werewolf in London and many, many more. Frank and I are honored to have him on the show. Enjoy it! If you're digging this show, please head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Thanks for listening!

We welcome SFX special costume designer Doug Stewart to this episode of Creaturegeek. We chat about adding brown to a costume and how to age a garment to look realistic. It's a fascinating discussion with another seasoned pro! If you are enjoying the show, head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. We are short of our monthly goal that brings you an extra show every month. So head on over to our Patreon, pledge a few bucks and help us get to three or more shows per month. Thanks for listening!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and I talk about a variety of topics first and foremost the argument to reboot and remake in Hollywood. We chat about the trend of making costumes cosplayable. And how editing can make or break a trailer. If you are enjoying the show, head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Thanks for listening!

On this our 40th(!) show, Frank and I take a break from talking about the art of makeup and SFX and talk about the art of actually running a successful business. This is a must hear if you are thinking of striking out on your own creatively. There is a lot of talk about getting paid, contracts and the overall self-doubt that pervades every creative person's mind. If you are enjoying the show, head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks.

On this episode (our longest show ever), we chat with director/producer/writer/puppeteer Kirk Thatcher. Kirk shares some wine with us and talks about his wacky route from making molds and creatures to directing next to legends like Leonard Nimoy, hanging out in the editing room with George Lucas and working closely with Jim Henson. It's an episode full of great stories. If you like this show and want to hear more, please support us at www.patreon.com/creaturegeek

If you went to see Captain America Civil War this past weekend, you saw the work of this week's guest, Jose Fernandez. In fact, if you've seen a number of blockbusters like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Amazing Spider Man, Hellboy or Tron Legacy, you've seen his work and the work of his company IronHead Studio. If you are enjoying the show, head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks.

In this, our second live episode from MonsterPalooza 2016, Frank and I chat with resin model kit sculptor, Shawn Nagle of Nagleworks. Shawn chats about his foray into the industry, his history with companies like Marvel, McFarlane Toys, NECA and Diamond. Frank also outs Shawns strange obsession with monkeys. If you are enjoying the show and you like more shows like this, head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Enjoy the show! Thanks to MonsterPalooza for having us as guests.

Frank and I record our first live show from MonsterPalooza 2016. Our guest is the Godfather of Gore, the legendary Tom Savini. Tom chats with us about his acting and directing experience and of course about his makeup career. Also, his peg system. Don't know what that is? Listen in! Also, thanks to our many Patreon supporters for not only allowing me (Len) to get to Monsterpalooza, but also for your continued support. If you are enjoying the show, head over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and support us with a few bucks. Enjoy the show!

Frank and Len welcome guests Andrew Freeman and George Frangadakis of Immortal Masks. Frank adds some "apple juice" to the mix and we chat about the creative process, what prospective artists should be working on if they want to work with a company like Immortal, and how a little strip club taught George everything he needed to know about running a business. Once again, this episode enters a NSFW realm, so if there are sensitive ears nearby, maybe listen on your headphones. In any event, if you like the show, please consider heading over to our Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek) and throwing us some bucks. We will see you LIVE at Monsterpalooza, coming up next week!

Frank and I record a "real time" episode this week. For the first time, we actually recorded this episode this week, instead of weeks ahead. This is one of our first Hodge Podge/Potpourri shows. On this ep, we chat about The Witch, Batman V Superman, Daredevil, orange blood and a lot more! If you like the show, please consider heading over to our Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek) and throwing us some bucks. See you at Monsterpalooza later this month!

Frank and Len welcome back Steve Johnson who does an interpretative reading from his yet-to-be-published memoir. You've never heard a story about the creation of Slimer until you've heard this story. If you like the show, please consider heading over to our Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek) and throwing us some bucks. NOTE: This episode is very NSFW. Please use headphones or earbuds if you are within earshot of sensitive ears. Otherwise, enjoy!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len welcome back one of our favorite guests, Shannon Shea. Shannon reads from his book "I'm Rubber, You're Glue." Think of it as a mini audiobook! If you like this and want hear more, look for the book on Amazon and anywhere else finer makeup books are sold. Also, head on over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and toss us a few bucks to keep things rolling!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len welcome Senior Model maker and workshop manager at Aardman Animations. Jimmy2Eggs AKA James Young. James has worked on Award winning films like Wallace and Gromit the Curse of the Were-rabbit, Pirates and a band of misfits and the Shaun the Sheep the movie. He is currently working on Nick Parks' newest film "Early Man". Also, Frank and Len answer listener email and thank our Patrons! Head on over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and toss us a few bucks to keep things rolling!

It's a special third episode of CreatureGeek for February - thanks to our wonderful Patreon supporters for making it happen! On this episode, Frank and Len welcome the amazing Mike Hill, a phenomenal sculptor and artist who has created amazingly life-like sculptures of not only some of the most iconic creatures and actors in Hollywood history, but also sculptures of the iconic makeup artists (such as Rick Baker and Frank Pierce) who made those creatures possible. Thanks to your support we are doing THREE eps a month instead of TWO! Head on over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and throw us a few bucks to keep this wagon train a rolling.

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len welcome a legend in the field, Neill Gorton! Neill has brought his unique talent to such shows as Children of Men, Saving Private Ryan, The Wolfman, Torchwood, Doctor Who and Being Human. He has also won the British equivalent of the Academy award for his work. Plus, we are huge fans of his latest project, the magazine Prostethics, which we have dedicated an entire show to. Support us on Patreon! Thanks to your support we are doing THREE eps a month instead of TWO! Head on over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek

On this episode of CreatureGeek, it's a solecist with just Frank and Len. Frank wants to go on a rant. And rant he does! We chat about the classic monster Frankenstein in all his iterations including the book by Mary Shelley, the James Whale movie and the newer versions including Kenneth Branagh's 1993 version and the new I, Frankenstein and Victor Frankenstein. Support us on Patreon! Head on over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and throw us a few bucks!

It's a brand new CreatureGeek! Today, we welcome award winning makeup and visual effects artist, Joel Harlow to the show. In 2009, Joel took home an Oscar for best Makeup and Hairstyling for JJ Abram's reboot of Star Trek and was nominated again in 2013 for his work on The Lone Ranger. It's a great conversation, you don't want to miss! Do you love CreatureGeek? Support us on Patreon! Head on over to http://www.patreon.com/creaturegeek and throw us a few bucks!

Happy New Year from CreatureGeek! We kick off the new year with a wonderful interview with the original owner of Optic Nerve, Everett Burrell. Everett talks about the history of Optic Nerve and how it fits in the wider echelon of the visual effects history. Also, Frank and I launched a new Patreon for the show! Head on over to http://www.patreon.com/frankippolito and you can make an ongoing pledge for the show. If you love the show, help us make more of it! More details on the show and at the Patreon. Finally, rate us on iTunes so more people can find the show.

Merry Christmas to you all! It's Christmas Day and how best to add to the festivities than with a brand new episode of CreatureGeek. On this show, Frank finally reveals what he did on The Force Awakens. If you've been watching Tested all week, you probably already know, but Frank goes into the process in depth. We can't think of a better way to spend the holiday than with us, so settle in and listen to us chat. Also, we're setting up a new Patreon to support the show! Please try to give a little bit to support us and help us make some of our milestone goals.

It's a brand new CreatureGeek! This week, we welcome back Shannon Shea, one of the smartest, most amazing makeup FX folks in the industry. Shannon shares some of his thoughts on Star Wars opening next week, about being an FX instructor and teaching the future the industry much more. We're also having another Mezco giveaway! Listen in on how to win really cool Mezco toys! Thanks for listening to CreatureGeek. If you enjoy the show, please share it and PLEASE rate us on iTunes!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody (In the US). We have a special treat for you this holiday weekend - a brand new CreatureGeek! We welcome back Mr. Steve Johnson, one of our favorite guests on the show and also one of the most colorful and interesting people working in the effects industry today. Steve's resume includes Ghostbusters, Predator, Big Trouble in Little China and so much more. On this episode, Steve talks about his upcoming book, enjoying sobriety and working with some of the most iconic creators in effects. Thanks for spending time with us with holiday weekend and enjoy this new episode of CreatureGeek!

Happy Friday the 13th everyone! On this brand new episode of CreatureGeek, we welcome Brian Wade. Brian's resume spans 30 years and features an incredible array of classic films including The Terminator, Tales From the Darkside, Starman, The Last Starfighter and only the best horror film ever made (in our opinion at least) John Carpenter's The Thing. We also talk a little about his uncredited work on one of the greatest TV shows of all time Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Watch your back today and listen to the latest CreatureGeek!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, we talk to producer, animator, director and documentarian Frank Dietz. Frank talks about his wonderful documentary about Bob Burns entitled "Beast Wishes". Also, we have a really cool Halloween giveaway thanks to the fine folks at Mezco Toys. All you have to do is post your Halloween costume from this year or years past, good or bad. Just get our attention! Tweet at @CreatureGeek and @mezcotoys use the hashtag #BeastWishes!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len chat/rant about the current state of SFX/Makeup magazines. Does anyone else miss the good old days of Fangoria, Gore Zone, Cinefex and Cinefantastique? Well, rest easy because the discussion is all about makeup mags. There is also discussion about a new magazine called PROsthetic magazine which is definitely worth a look. Enjoy the show!

CreatureGeek is back with Season 3! And this one is nothing short of wonderful. Frank and Len do their first live podcast together in the same room from Dragoncon 2015 in Atlanta, GA. This week's guest is the incredibly talented Roy Wooley. You might know Roy from his double stint on FaceOff. But you should also know Roy for his beautiful designs and incredible makeups on films like The Hunger Games and Halloween 2. You can also see Roy's work at the high end haunt Netherworld in Atlanta. Listen in as Frank and Len choose the winner from last seasons Smooth-On giveaway. All this and video as well. Thanks for listening and let us know what you think about the show in the comments! A big thanks goes out to Todd Whitehead from Alpha Geek Radio and Brian Dunaway, the podcast coordinator from DragonCon for making this episode happen. Thanks guys!

It's the season 2 finale of CreatureGeek and Boy Howdy, do we have a rock and roll guest to round off this season. This episode we welcome the incredible Todd Masters of MastersFX. Todd and his shop are responsible for effects in such shows as Fringe, Falling Skies, RoboCop, Tales from the Crypt, Slither, True Blood, Six Feet Under - the list goes on and on. He's a true FX artisan and we are more than proud to have him on the program. Along with that, listen in on how you can win a Smooth-On trial pack for your next makeup project by just listening and commenting on the show. It's a jam-packed program, so thanks for listening, thanks of supporting CreaturGeek on Tested and we'll see you in the fall!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and I welcome SFX designer, miniature wizard and camera king Christopher Warren. Chris is part of the Warren family that has over 70 years of SFX history under their belts with movies like T2, Moonrise Kingdom, the Underworld Series and of course, The Pillsbury Doughboy. We only scratch the surface in this interview and we hope you'll agree, he is must return for season 3. Let us know what you think! How are you enjoying the shows? Sound off in the comments! Enjoy!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len introduce a new segment on the show that compares the new versions of movies to the old one. This time around, we discuss the remake of Poltergeist and how it stands up to the original. (Spoiler: it doesn't). We examine the differences between the two and also make the argument that 1982 was the best summer for movies EVER. Plus, Frank teases an upcoming giveaway! Thanks for listening and if you dig the show, let us know in the comments. Also, if you have an opinion on our opinions, let us know as well!

Frank and Len welcome out guest Jim Eustermann, an actor/SFX makeup designer who has worked on Species, Pirates of the Caribbean and much more. Does Jim consider himself an actor or a SFX person? Listen in to find out. Thanks for your support of the show and thanks to Tested for providing us a happy home. Got an idea for a guest or a topic for a future CreatureGeek? Sound off in the comments!

On today's episode, Frank and Len talk about the thin line between gore and reality and why it's ok to be grossed out by reality. Len also puts Frank on the spot and makes him choose his Makeup All-Star roster. Also, a very belated birthday shout out to Frank. Enjoy the show and thanks for listening.

This week on CreatureGeek, Frank and Len welcome back one of our favorite guests, Shannon Shea. We talk about Shannon's book "I'm Rubber, You're Glue" and also chat about more about the industry. You'll learn a lot. Thanks for your support of the show. Enjoy!

On today's episode, Frank and Len welcome makeup artist Mark Viniello. Mark has a wealth of experience under his belt working for Stan Winston, K&B and with Weta for the Lord of the Rings series. Enjoy!

On this week's episode, Frank and Len welcome actor and talent Brian Peck to the show. Brian is best known for his character Scuz from the Return of the Living Dead movies. Enjoy!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len welcome academy award nominated makeup designer, Stephen Prouty. NOTE: Frank and Stephen's audio is pretty rough on this ep. We apologize for the technical glitches, but hope you enjoy hearing Stephen's stories. We promise to have him back on a future show to make up for this.

Frank and Len are back for Season 2 of CreatureGeek! Frank and Len catch up on what's been happening on their off-time, what movies they have seen and also discuss the future of the show. Also, even though we say there is video with this episode, there isn't and we apologize. Len explains at the top of the show.

Frank and I wrap up our first season of CreatureGeek with a super-packed show with our special guest, makeup artist and character creator Shannon Shea. Shannon talks about working with Stan Winston, about his new projects and also about his upcoming book. Let us know how you liked this season of CreatureGeek and if you want us back, let us - and the folks at Tested - know!

Horror character actor Bill Moseley starts off the new year with some talk from the third side of the makeup world: the chair. Bill talks with Frank and I about his time in the makeup chair creating such popular characters such as ChopTop. He also talks about his time as a writer for National Lampoon. Plus, much chatter about cow anus's being removed during alien abductions. Don't miss it!

Oscar award-winning makeup artist Michele Burke joins Frank and I for our pre-holiday show. She talks a lot about creating iconic makeups for Gary Oldman and Tom Cruise. She also shares some ideas for the budding or pro makeup artist on your shopping list.

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and I welcome Matt Winston of the Stan Winston School of Character Arts. We talk a lot about the school, growing up around such iconic makeup and designs. Matt also shares Len's real name for the first time on any podcast.

On this episode of CreatureGeek, FX legend Steve Johnson stops by for a candid chat about the industry, effects and so, so much more. (Some content NSFW.)

Animatronics king Rick Lazzarini of The Character Shop stops by as our first real guests. Lots of talk about creating creatures from scratch. Even more talk about lioness vaginas.

It's Halloween on CreatureGeek! Frank and Len chat about their favorite FX flicks to watch post Trick or Treating. Agree or disagree? Sound off in the comments!

On this episode of CreatureGeek, Frank and Len continue a conversation started by Adam Savage about what are the best makeups in TV history.

It's the very first episode of CreatureGeek - the SFX Makeup podcast from a fan and pro perspective. Len Peralta (the fan) and Frank Ippolito (the pro) talk about their backgrounds, growing up as kids in Cleveland and loving monster flicks and also share some stories about the late Dick Smith.