Once again I have to thank Warren for giving me my first big break
and the armor to wage the fight in the entertainment business.
This is no small deal Warren is the last of the "Old School" movie artist that took
in younger starting artist and taught them their craft out of a want to keep it going on for generations after.
I have a book called "BEHIND THE MASK" that tells the story of "Dick Smith" taking in "Rick
Baker" to live at his home and teach him F/X work. Then Rick had taken in "Rob Bottin" in the same way to pay it foward.
Warren had done pretty much the same with me and Shawn. We didn't live at his house (Although
the time we put in we could have) he had taken us into the company and taught us everything he knows (Hell I can even show
you how to change out and load a film magazine and never shot it yet). And he let us in on the script rewritings with Tony
he could have easily said "This is where I have to do some changes so you guys take a walk". But he didn't he would
let us come up with ideas and he went with them making changes in the scripting. Try doing that with any other filmmaker!
So there was no ad libbing it was thought out and scripted. Kenny did add a few words or lines here or there, but he
was following what he memorized from the hard copy.
I had done a few months work on "Invasion for Flesh and Blood." Like sculpting the head for
the "Golden Slayer". Warren could have easily stood over my shoulder and told me what he wanted, but he didn't he gave
me total creative freedom on it. Then he did the casting, pouring and painting. It was supposed to be my first, but I
had mad problems at home and had to take leave of V.E.I. for a while. And Warren was beyond understanding (You tell me
one person that would let you vanish for eighteen years then come right back to work with no questions asked!)
Then there was allot of unused footage (Maybe we'll add it to a blooper reel) that was shot
with Shawn and me. One of which was the original exploits of "Steve and Shawn" with the video camera. My character "Rod"
from "Flesh Eaters" had spotted a "Flying Sid" spying in windows and told his friend Shawn about it. Then had the idea
to film it then capture it. Shawn agrees and they head out. Then they discover that not only could they film the
alien they could film Women changing their clothes (Or doing more) and sell the videos.
Well we had filmed some of that, but I had to leave. So Warren renamed Rod "Steve" (Thank you)
and found an actor that looked pretty close to me rewrote the scenes and gave him (Me) a kick ass death. It's even
funnier that he used footage of me for the video tapeing before the death scene so in a way I was video tapeing
myself. HA HA HA
And there was another scene with us blowing up Shawn's kitchen (After he calls
me a mutated foreskin). For some odd reason I decided to wear a flannel shirt so I looked out of character to begin with.
The lines were funny, but it just didn't look like me (And it gave Shawn plenty of verbal ammo to bust my balls). Then
we even went as far as building a miniature of the house to blow up (Which I almost set myself on fire with) and filmed that.
And I also like to refer to that period of time as "The first perm club" Kenny and
me had perms done (No they are not gay!) It helped Kenny becuse it made him look different from when he was in "Flesh
Eaters From Outer Space" and I had one done too because "We were all about the Metal!" I know we have pictures of me
sporting the big perm.
While on my own I worked with Mr. B's Entertainment, Hollowgraves Haunted Manor and The
Brother's Grim Circus Sideshow. Which really gave me a education in promotion, contracts and entertainment business.
And the best thing is it really gave me new things to bring to the table with Warren. He had shown me how to work with any
kind of set and with professionals. Which helped me land those gigs. So it's pretty much come full circle. And will now
lead to us getting huge houses we don't need and super cars we'll never drive.
"TOP OF THE WORLD MA!" ;0)
