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The Walking Dead's make-up man on the art of gore | The Walking Dead's make-up man on the art of gore |
(12 days later) | |
If you've watched a horror film in the past 30 years, there's a good chance Greg Nicotero is the man behind its goriest scenes. | If you've watched a horror film in the past 30 years, there's a good chance Greg Nicotero is the man behind its goriest scenes. |
He's produced prosthetic effects for hundreds of movies including Pulp Fiction, Hostel, Kill Bill and Sin City. | He's produced prosthetic effects for hundreds of movies including Pulp Fiction, Hostel, Kill Bill and Sin City. |
Greg's also an integral part of TV show The Walking Dead - working as a producer, director and, of course, make-up artist. | Greg's also an integral part of TV show The Walking Dead - working as a producer, director and, of course, make-up artist. |
Here's his guide to the fine art of splattering blood on screen. | Here's his guide to the fine art of splattering blood on screen. |
Warning: This article contains graphic photos of zombie make-up that you may find upsetting. | Warning: This article contains graphic photos of zombie make-up that you may find upsetting. |
"It's almost like a magic trick," he tells Newsbeat. "We're using misdirection, we're using slight of hand and different things." | "It's almost like a magic trick," he tells Newsbeat. "We're using misdirection, we're using slight of hand and different things." |
He's describing the moments of extreme gore he's known for - a limb being pulled off, or a zombie being crushed to death - which he calls "gags". | He's describing the moments of extreme gore he's known for - a limb being pulled off, or a zombie being crushed to death - which he calls "gags". |
"It's all about the impact that they have and in many instances it's about the impact that particular moment has on the character in the scene. | "It's all about the impact that they have and in many instances it's about the impact that particular moment has on the character in the scene. |
"So when you see something happen on The Walking Dead - and then we cut to a character's reaction - people very often react to how a character's reacting rather than the thing they've seen." | "So when you see something happen on The Walking Dead - and then we cut to a character's reaction - people very often react to how a character's reacting rather than the thing they've seen." |
Greg's team creates practical effects - that means they're achieved largely through make-up and other techniques in the 'real world', rather than digital effects added after filming. | Greg's team creates practical effects - that means they're achieved largely through make-up and other techniques in the 'real world', rather than digital effects added after filming. |
Those practical effects make for some interesting behind-the-scenes photos of extras. | Those practical effects make for some interesting behind-the-scenes photos of extras. |
When he started out in the 1980s, Greg worked under George A. Romero - the man behind classic zombie movies like Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978). | When he started out in the 1980s, Greg worked under George A. Romero - the man behind classic zombie movies like Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Dawn of the Dead (1978). |
Those films have influenced modern zombie films and TV shows including Shaun of the Dead and The Walking Dead. | Those films have influenced modern zombie films and TV shows including Shaun of the Dead and The Walking Dead. |
Despite the huge progress made in digital effects and CGI (computer generated imagery) during his career, for a large part Greg has stuck to the practical prosthetic make-up techniques in which he made his trade. | Despite the huge progress made in digital effects and CGI (computer generated imagery) during his career, for a large part Greg has stuck to the practical prosthetic make-up techniques in which he made his trade. |
But he says he's not completely stuck in his ways. | But he says he's not completely stuck in his ways. |
"Our job is to provide this blank canvas for the directors and advise them as to which tool will give them the visual that they want. | "Our job is to provide this blank canvas for the directors and advise them as to which tool will give them the visual that they want. |
"And I'll be honest, in the last 15 years my perception of how to do that has changed a lot." | "And I'll be honest, in the last 15 years my perception of how to do that has changed a lot." |
"If we wanted a dinosaur to walk through this room, for example, it's probably better that that be a digital effect because otherwise you're augmenting something real. | "If we wanted a dinosaur to walk through this room, for example, it's probably better that that be a digital effect because otherwise you're augmenting something real. |
"So as much as I'm a gigantic fan of practical make-up effects and will support them to the day I die - I appreciate there are instances where it won't be the right tool for a specific choice." | "So as much as I'm a gigantic fan of practical make-up effects and will support them to the day I die - I appreciate there are instances where it won't be the right tool for a specific choice." |
So is the practical effects industry tougher to get into now? According to Greg, not necessarily. | So is the practical effects industry tougher to get into now? According to Greg, not necessarily. |
"Well listen, I would've said ten years ago it was harder - but now I don't think it is. | "Well listen, I would've said ten years ago it was harder - but now I don't think it is. |
"You can watch any YouTube video or any behind-the-scenes video from The Walking Dead and get tips on how to recreate our zombies. | "You can watch any YouTube video or any behind-the-scenes video from The Walking Dead and get tips on how to recreate our zombies. |
"And I think it's actually a more interesting time, too. | "And I think it's actually a more interesting time, too. |
"With the comeback of genre TV - between Game of Thrones and American Horror Story and The Walking Dead and Black Mirror and all these amazing shows - I think there's (now) more relevance to what we do than ever." | "With the comeback of genre TV - between Game of Thrones and American Horror Story and The Walking Dead and Black Mirror and all these amazing shows - I think there's (now) more relevance to what we do than ever." |
The Walking Dead continues Mondays at 9pm on FOX. | |
Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. |
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here. |
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