Girls Like Gore Too
Eryn Krueger Mekash
By J. Jekyll
May 2009
Goremaster.com
Makeup artist Eryn Krueger Mekash took some time out of her hectic film and television schedule to graciously answer some questions for GoreMaster. Some of Eryn's impressive list of credits include: Flags of Our Fathers (2006), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006), Alpha dog (2006), Nip/Tuck TV series, and Prom Night (2008). She shares her story and how much the"old school" makeup effects influenced her decision to become a "killer" makeup artist. |
|---|
GM: What was your toughest job?
EKM: I always end up on those jobs that are almost un-doable- I never get the simple romantic comedy with a couple of actors. The two films I did last year back-to-back were so opposite in nature but were both equally as difficult. The first one was “My Sister’s Keeper” directed by Nick Cassavetes. It involved a daughter with leukemia. The actress, Sofia Vassilieva, was 15, so we had limited shooting time with her. My second, Jay Wejebe, would do her hands while I shaved her head and eyebrows, then airbrushed her, bruised her and got her teeth in. Christina Ceret made her contacts-she had three separate sets of them. We had 45 minutes to get her ready everyday-6 different stages of deterioration for the 3 month-shoot. We also had a head shaving gag and silicone baldcap on Cameron Diaz. Christien made these for me as well. Jay and I applied the silicone baldcap that was punched with Cameron’s hairstyle for the film. Lona Vigi, her personal hairstylist, cut and styled it for us after it was applied. Robin Frederickz does her beauty makeup and she and Jay tied in the prosthetic to her beauty makeup. A big group effort! We had one shot at the head shave and it worked very well-its in the trailer for the movie. We also did a silicone baldcap on Cameron for the scene that follows the head shaving, which got the paparazzi in a tizzy, since we shot it on the Santa Monica Pier. A week after we wrapped, I got married and 3 weeks later I was on a plane to Michigan to do Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, “Whip It!” Its about women’s roller derby starring Ellen Page. We had about 30 makeups that I designed with Drew as well as some specialty character makeups, tattoos, bruises, cuts, broken noses, etc. The weather was humid, the conditions dirty, the hours long. Figuring out a way to keep everyone’s makeup on for 16 hours a day was challenging (that’s where the Colorscience powder comes in) especially with all the funky looks we created. I had myself, Stephanie Fowler and 3 terrific local makeup artists-Kim Jones, Vicki Vacca, and Kim Kirkpatrick-as well as Mike Mekash (Eryn's husband), who designed and applied all the tattoos. We worked our tushies off! There were also stunt/photo doubles for the main cast, which if you have seen real roller derby girls-they were all covered in their own tattoos. We had to cover those first before applying the tattoos that matched the actress that they were doubling. I came back home after 2 ½ months and did the pilot for “Glee”, then back to “Nip/Tuck”. It was summer, then it was Christmas. Thus endeth another year.
Cameron Diaz silicon baldcap with Sofia Vassilieva shaved head
GM: What was your favorite job?
EKM: I guess it would have to be “Alpha Dog”. This is the first film I did for Nick Cassavetes; he is just a dream boss. He gave me the reins to create the tattoos and design the characters of the film. Christien’s Tinsley Transfers had done tatts for me before and I had so many to conceptualize he recommended I sit down with his brother, Mike Mekash. Mike is in charge of design and fabrication of the tattoos at Christien’s shop. They turned out brilliant, and the shoot was very fun with an amazing cast and crew. We worked right up until Christmas and I ended up marrying Mike last year. Nick takes full credit for getting us together.
Justin Timberlake in Alpha Dog (2006)
Justin Timberlake getting Tinsley tattoos by Eryn Krueger Mekash
GM: How do you pick out materials to use for a project? Do you make your own? Are there any brands that you recommend?
EKM: I use so many different things. Most recently I used Premiere Products new Fleet Street blood line. Kenny Myers sent them to me for “Whip It!”. They also have water-based paints that are wonderful. Drew (Barrymore) can’t have alcohol on her skin and I used those to create bruises and slap marks on her face. Each actor has different needs. I also love Colorscience for a waterproof sunscreen powder that looks great on film as well as the corrective powder palettes which work great for covering pimples and scabs. I mix foundations, of course, to get specific colors and layer different products to get the look I want to achieve. Sometimes you stumble onto really neat ways to use stuff-a regular foundation that works well with prosthetics or you learn new tricks from old dogs. I’m always trying to keep my mind open to fresh ideas.
Eryn Krueger Mekash doing Zoe Bell's butt bruise on Whip It
Close up of Bell's butt bruise
<< Previous | Page 3 of 4 | Next>>
| Copyright © 2009 by GoreMaster.com. All Rights Reserved. GoreMaster.com http://www.goremaster.com is a site dedicated to special effects artists, creature creators, makeup gurus and the films, television shows, and theater productions they enhance and make fun!
|