Scott Connor: special effects artist
Special Effects Artist Scott Connor
By J. Jekyll
July 2010
Goremaster.com
Mr. Connor is a versatile special effects artist with skills in areas such as prop maker, puppet fabricator, mold shop supervisor, and key makeup effects. His work can be seen in the following films, The Core (2003), War of the Worlds (2005), The Hills Run Red (2009), and Shark Bite Beach (2010). |
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GM: When did you make your decision to enter the field?
SC: That would be when I was 13, I had just finished watching a behind the scenes special on “Return of the Jedi”, I had recorded off of HBO, for the 100th time. My parents asked me if I was interested in doing that for a living. To tell the truth I wasn’t sure how to go about it, I'm not even sure if they had the schools for back then, at least none I had ever heard of. There was no internet just magazines, and hard to find ones in my area. I just loved the creatures and seeing how they took things from concept to real life, it was magic to me.
GM: What or who inspired you to start? Who was your influence?
SC: Again I would say the ILM guys first. After the talk with my parents they encouraged me to write them. When they actually wrote back, it was like a dream, they told me all the things I needed to study to be an effective artist in the field. Later when I found horror films, It was definitely Rob Bottin, and Rick Baker and of course Tom Savini, you cant grow up in Pittsburgh and love monsters and not have heard of Tom. In fact in high school the only books I could find on the subject were Toms “Grande Illusions” Vol 1. (2 wasn’t out or at least my school library hadn’t heard about it), and George Romeros: “the Zombies that Ate Pittsburgh”. In fact I had signed them out so much, my school librarian said I had to wait 2 weeks before getting them out again. I think Steve Johnson really stepped it up even further in his career, pushing the limits of things conceptually and reinventing long “accepted” methods of doing things.
Scott Connor applying makeup
GM: Favorite early special effects memory – movie scene – book – TV show?
SC: Movie Scene would have to be “The Thing” John Carpenters version. The part where Norris transforms, it was incredible, and revolting all at the same time, couldn’t figure out how they could do that. This was before CGI, and I think still one of the pioneering shots in FX, that and the transformation scene in “an American Werewolf in London”. They changed the way people looked at special FX.
GM: What are your top five special effects movies?
John Carpenters The Thing
An American Werewolf in London
Near Dark
Evil Dead
The 5th Element
GM: What is your favorite special effects scene from a movie? (it doesn’t have to be from one of your movies)
SC: The scene in Day of the dead where Rhodes get ripped in half by the horde of zombies. Still makes me cringe
GM: Who is your favorite special effects person?
SC: Wow, that’s hard to say, but I think it would have to be Dick Smith. He pioneered so much, and inspired so many. Plus hes always been very generous with his knowledge.
GM: How did you get started working in the Special Effects industry?
SC: I moved to CA in 2001 after completing my Associates degree at the Art Insitiute of Pittsburgh in 1999. I had a compiled list of contact info for FX shops in LA. I started sending out sample sheets and calling any shop that would show me the time of day. After a friend got me a job on “The Core” at Global Effects, I got an interview at Tom Burmans shop, this lead to an internship for a couple months, I learned so much. Even about the history of FX, seeing as though his father was an artist in the early days. It was a great experience.
GM: Whose current work do you admire?
SC: Quantum Creation Effects is putting out some spectacular work. Justin and Christian are amazing artists, as is their crew and their attention to detail is amazing. Also Spectral Motion does really great work and a crew that is very talented and knowledgeable. Mark Setrakians mechanical work is amazing. On an individual level, one of my good friends Frank Ippolito does really great quality work, he and his producing partner Ezekiel Zabrowski have made several shorts (the Growth, ..and Teller 1&2, and now Space Brains VS Draculas Daughters) all feature great stories with equally good FX.
GM: How have you gotten work in the industry?
SC: Well the first few jobs were the hardest. After that its mostly word of mouth or my website. Once you find a group of people you enjoy working with you try to work with them as much as possible.
GM: What was your toughest job?
SC: That would probably be the last big job I worked on for MFX Special Projects. We made 2 life size air powered sharks (a Great white and a Bull shark) plus 2 stand in “fin boards” in just over 4 weeks, this included getting qualified in SCUBA in order to puppeteer them. Lots of sleepless nights.
Scott Connor
GM: What was your favorite job?
SC: That would have to be “The Hills Run Red” with Monster FX. I had a lot of opportunities there and they are a fun crew to work with.
GM: How do you pick out materials to use for a project? Do you make your own? Are there any brands that you recommend?
SC: That’s a part of the industry that is constantly changing. 10 years ago platinum silicones were extremely expensive and hard to work with. Today they are still more expensive, but easier to work with. Smooth-on makes a great variety of molding and casting products. Every artist has their own recipes for different things like blood and until recently there were no real PAX products commercially available. But in a pinch I do buy premade formulas of both, Allen Apones company recently came out with a great line of PAX paint for masks.
Scott Connor and team working on bodycast
GM: Are there any new breakthroughs or ideas in the industry that excite you?
SC: Again, the platinum silicones are really making an impact. Their use in prosthetics is making it look more realistic and believable in the new HD formats.
GM: What is a current project you are working on? Or what project are you excited about?
SC: Currently, I have made the transition back to my home town of Pittsburgh (land of zombies) . The movie industry here has really blossomed in the last 5 years and due to tax incentives, continues to grow. I am also working on a line of collectors Halloween masks that I hope to be bringing to market by fall.
Scott Connor applying zombie makeup
GM: Do you have advice for a beginner or someone just getting started in the business?
SC: It’s a competitive business that requires long hard hours. Be prepared to work, show up on time, early even. Commit to the project and go the extra mile to do what it takes and help bring the job to completion. Cause if you don’t there will be lots of others that will. And in your off time sculpt, paint, draw, ect. the more you practice the more you refine your skills and style. Attitude is important too, be humble and appreciative of your opportunities.
GM: What was the best advice/training you ever received?
SC: I think my time with Tom Burman was really helpful. I really learned a lot not only in FX but about the history of FX and the people who paved the way for a lot of things we do today and why we do them. As far as training goes, you never stop training theres always a new way to do something or new product to use, the learning never stops.
GM: How do you envision the future of makeup SFX? (do you think CGI is hurting the industry?)
SC: As an industry that’s constantly evolving, its hard to say. At fist CGI was the new toy and that too is constantly evolving, but I think actors still respond better to having things and creatures to react to. And recently with the Hellboy movies and the Underworld series has begun a kind of revival of practical FX. Personally, “in camera” FX will always look better than CGI, but then again I may be biased.
..Learn more about Scott Connor here...
www.illusionmanfx.com
http://www.facebook.com/illusionman?ref=profile
http://www.myspace.com/evilgrin
http://www.modelmayhem.com/77668
http://www.myspace.com/ghostworksllc
http://propguys.com/markfenlason/
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