Allan Apone is Actor Sam Jackson's Makeup Man
The journey of artist Allan Apone
Makeup Artist Allan Apone
By J. Jekyll
June 2009
Goremaster.com
Mr. Apone has been actor Samuel L Jackson's makeup artist for the past 20 years. His beginnings were in the late 1970s with the movie Prophecy and his impressive career spans to major hits like the Iron Man series and The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008). Learn more about his journey and his makeup studio Makeup Effects Laboratories, Inc. right here! |
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GM: When did you make your decision to enter the field?
AA: I was offered an internship at Tom Burman’s studio in 1978.
While working on the film I knew that that was what I wanted to do.
GM: What or who inspired you to start? Who was your influence?
AA: It was working with Tom Burman and Stan Winston that really inspired me to even think about doing Special Makeup as a career. It was Ron Snyder, the makeup artist on Prophesy, who gave me the confidence to become a Makeup Artist.
GM: Favorite early special effects memory – movie scene – book – TV show?
AA: Spencer Tracey’s Hyde transformation amazed me.
Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
GM: What are your top five special effects movies?
AA: This is such an unfair question!!!!
2001
Seven faces of Dr. Lao
Planet of the Apes
Food of the Gods
All of Ray Harryhousen’s films
GM: What is your favorite special effects scene from a movie? (it doesn’t have to be from one of your movies)
AA: Definitely the decapitation by glass sheets in The Omen
GM: Who is your favorite special effects person?
AA: I can’t answer that!!! There are so many great people that I couldn’t even narrow it down to 5.
GM: How did you get started working in the Special Effects industry?
AA: Tom Burman offered me a job in the lab on Prophesy.
GM: Whose current work do you admire?
AA: I am a big fan of Kevin Haney and Kazuhiro Tsuji, John Blake and Kate Biscoe. As before, there are so many others that you can’t list them all.
GM: How have you gotten work in the industry?
AA: All my work is either through referrals or from people I have worked with in the past. It’s nice to know I haven’t pissed anyone off.
GM: What was your toughest job?
AA: My first job, I had never done a makeup for film and I found myself as the Dept. Head on my first film and JOHN HUSTON was the director. The film was WISE BLOOD.
GM: What was your favorite job?
AA: Too many favorites for so many reasons. One is Super Mario Bros. and another would be Wise Blood.
GM: How do you pick out materials to use for a project? Do you make your own? Are there any brands that you recommend?
AA: The job picks the materials. Weather conditions (hot, humid, etc.), locations, interior/exterior, movement, actor.
We may have a preference in materials, but conditions could alter our choice.
I make a few different materials but I also use a lot of different brands.
MEL Products (my line), MPK silicones, Illustrator, Graftobian, Burman Ind.
GM: Are there any new breakthroughs or ideas in the industry that excite you?
AA: I Like Connor O’Sullivan’s silicone appliance molding and application system.
I am also excited by our MEL Products new PAX Makeup Line.
GM: What is a current project you are working on? Or what project are you excited about?
AA: I finished “UNTHINKABLE” with Samuel L. Jackson, Carrie Anne Moss and Michael Sheen. I was the Dept. Head and was working with one of my best friends and an amazing makeup Artist. F.X. Perez. I also just wrapped our portion of Iron Man 2. I did Samuel as Nick Fury.
GM: Do you have advice for a beginner or someone just getting started in the business?
AA: Perseverance is the key if you are just starting out. The one thing you should know is that you are entering a field that does not need you. By that I mean, there are not enough jobs for all the artists to fill. Some will tell you it takes LUCK. Remember this though “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”.
GM: What was the best advice/training you ever received?
AA: Be kind, humble and giving!
Check out Allan's studio Makeup Effects Laboratories, Inc.
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