Special Effects Makeup and Character Creation master, Alec Gillis, teaches his methods for directing practical, animatronic & special makeup creature characters.

This course isn't just for those with a passion for Special makeup and Creature FX, but an invaluable lesson for any director working in today’s effects-driven entertainment industry who wishes to make a monster performance memorable.

Beginner Level

056m of duration

English (auto), Spanish (auto)

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Curriculum

1. Title - 16s

2. Introduction - 2min

3. What is a "Creature Character"? - 1min

4. Why is Character SO Important: - 1min

5. It All Starts with Character - 3min

6. Nuts and Bolts - 2min

7. There's a Person in There - 4min

8. Balancing Practical Effects with CGI - 3min

9. Embracing the Limitations - 2min

10. Talking to Each Other - 4min

11. Performing vs. Weightlifting - 4min

12. Interface with the Production - 2min

13. Working with the Director - 2min

14. Blocking the Scene - 1min

15. Shot Design - 3min

16. No Substitute for a Good Second Unit - 1min

17. Get to know your Creature... BEFORE the Shoot - 2min

18. Frame Out your Weaknesses - 49s

19. Layering the Shot - 2min

20. Frame Rates - 2min

21. Lighting - 3min

22. Lenses - 50s

23. What's My Motivation... Other Than Killing You? - 44s

24. Naturalistic vs. Theatrical Behavior - 3min

25. Hitting the Pose - 42s

26. Managing the Puppeteering Station - 1min

27. Isolation of Movement - 1min

28. Build Your Library - 1min

29. The Director's Personality - 2min

Materials

THERE ARE NO MATERIALS NECESSARY FOR THIS LESSON

Please see Reference Materials below

FILMS REFERENCED

Jaws

Alien

Aliens

Alien Resurrection

AVP – Alien vs. Predator

Frankenstein

Tremors

Mortal Kombat

The Wizard of Oz

Mary Poppins

2001- A Space Odyssey

Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope

Alien vs. Predator Game

The Santa Clause

Starship Troopers

Jurassic Park

28 Days Later

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Instinct

Artist BiographyAlec Gillis

Academy Award nominated FX Wizard | Co-Founder Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. | Founder Studio Gillis

See Full Bio

Additional Purchasing Options

Notice: DVDs do not include closed captions.

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