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--KNB EFX Group visits DEC
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Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger regularly visit to provide industry insight, critique 4th Semester student portfolios and perform seminars on make-up trends and techniques.
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Academy Award winning make-up artist visits Douglas Education Center
Monessen, PA--Howard Berger of KNB EFX Group in California, visited Douglas Education Center (DEC) for a three-day workshop for the Tom Savini's Special Make-Up Effects students.
Berger, partners with Greg Nicotero (who visited DEC in December) is an Academy Award winning make-up artist for his work in "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."
Berger spent his three days at DEC providing a multitude of interactive events including a 2-hour seminar, meeting one-on-one with every fourth semester student to go over their portfolio, and visiting with all other semesters to give demos and insight into the industry. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and find out how things really work in Hollywood. Berger or Nicotero will be visiting DEC each semester (schedule permitting) to work with the next generation of make_up artists.
"It's good to come to the school and see what the future of make-up effects holds for our industry," said Berger. "These people are possibly the next generation and we know at some point we will have to pass the baton on to them. They must continue to work as hard as possible and do the very best job in order to earn that position in the film industry. Hopefully, they will take what I have said to heart along with what the teaching staff has bestowed upon them and be ready to head out into the real world to stake their claim in the near future."
KNB EFX Group has over 700 movies to their name, including, Kill Bill, Transformers 1 & 2, Prince Caspian, the Spy Kids Trilogy, Spawn, Army of Darkness, Pulp Fiction, The Mist, and the upcoming Sam Raimi horror film Drag Me To Hell, on top of Surrogates with Bruce Willis and Edge of Darkness starring Mel Gibson.
"Two of the most prestigious and celebrated men in the special effects industry, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger, have now visited DEC, influencing us to take the next step into a new frontier," said S. Jarrod James (3rd semester make-up effects student). "They have inspired me infinitely, into pursuing and succeeding in a life long dream. Their inspiration and guidance has given me the extra confidence I needed to know that I can and will achieve my goals. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have met them both."
Berger and Nicotero formed KNB EFX Group in 1988 and over the last nearly two decades, it has become one of the most prolific make-up effects studios in Hollywood.
KNB received the 2001 Emmy Award for Best Visual Effects for the mini-series Dune, as well as multiple nominations and awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror films in recent years. Their contributions to The Cell and The Time Machine earned Academy Award Nominations for Best Make-up, while the fantasy characters for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe won them both the British Academy Award and Oscar for Best Achievement in Make-up in 2006.
For more information on Berger and KNB EFX Group, please visit
www.knbefxgroup.com
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Greg Nicotero of KNB EFX Group in California, made his way across the country for a weeklong visit to Douglas Education Center (DEC).
DEC, which offers many creative art programs, has one program in particular that is close to Nicotero's heart: Tom Savini's Special Make-Up Effects Program. Not only is Nicotero an effects master, he is also a longtime friend of Savini.
Nicotero spent his time at DEC holding a 2--hour seminar, speaking with students, critiquing portfolios, and offering his insight into the industry. Nicotero plans to return each semester to work with the next batch of students. This unique networking opportunity will help DEC students develop stronger portfolios and better prepare them for the competitive world of special make-up effects
Brian Perkal, a graduate of Tom Savini's Special Make-Up Effects program, and now spending a 5th semester at DEC to further his education was in awe of Nicotero. "Just having the opportunity to speak with him was amazing," said Perkal. "There were students waiting in line to talk to him, and he was taking their cell phone numbers down to make sure he spoke with each and every one of them before he left."
Nicotero began his career under the tutelage of director George Romero and effects master Tom Savini in Pittsburgh and quickly relocated to Hollywood. His skills as a prosthetics coordinator helped him adapt easily to the needs of the film industry. He formed KNB EFX Group in 1988 alongside Howard Berger, and over the last nearly two decades, it has become one of the most prolific make-up effects studios in Hollywood.
KNB EFX Group has over 700 movies to their name, including The Island, Amityville Horror, Kill Bill, the Spy Kids Trilogy, Land of the Dead, Spawn, Army of Darkness, Pulp Fiction, Ray, The Green Mile, Indiana Jones 4, The Mist, Transformers, and the Robert Rodriguez / Quentin Tarantino collaboration Grindhouse.
KNB received the 2001 Emmy Award for Best Visual Effects for the mini-series Dune, as well as multiple nominations and awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror films in recent years. Their contributions to The Cell and The Time Machine earned Academy Award Nominations for Best Make-up, while the fantasy characters for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe won them both the British Academy Award and Oscar for Best Achievement in Make-up in 2006.
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