Make-Up Effects Interview:

IT'S IN HER BLOOD: TALKING WITH GORE MAKE-UP GURU TERI HARRISON

So Teri, start us off with a visual and describe the location/room where you're answering these questions?

I'm answering this on a laptop while sitting my living room on my couch with a fake bloody leg sticking out from underneath it. My movie posters cover the walls and my replica wooden coffin is in the corner filled with my horror toys! Everything from a talking Freddy Krueger doll to my zombie Elvis figurine.

Tell me how you came to be involved in the make-up FX business and did you always want to do horror make-up?

I always knew I wanted to be involved somehow in the movie industry and horror movies were always my favorite. As far as the make-up FX business, it was honestly a last minute descison. I was spending another year at Unversal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights when I stopped and looked around at all the people running scared from the zombies taking over the streets, the fog in the air, and the creepy music playing. I asked myself, "What could I do in order to be somewhere like this all the time?"

I did what any human would do with a unanswerd question, I Googled it! I looked up Halloween Horror Nights and found out what and who was behind it all. I found a school in Orlando, Joe Blascos'. I took a tour, applied, graduated and before I knew it I was working at Halloween Horror Nights splattering blood on people and working on other projects.

What is your all time favorite Halloween costume you concocted?

A couple of years ago I wanted to honor one of my favorite horror icons Freddy Krueger. Although I didnt want to wear the typical slacks, sweater, and hat like most do. I wanted to spice it up and make it a little more feminime. So I became a femme fatale Freddy if you will... a small ripped up freddy sweater ( I had to buy the kids size) fishnets, big black boots, short black shorts, the black hat and of course... the glove. I had half my face sliced up and big beautiful eyelashes. It may not have been the most elaborate costume, or one with complicated makeup, but come on... how many times have you seen a female Freddy Krueger?

When you watch movies what are some make-up effects that blow you away and that you would put in an all time hall of horror fame?

The more blood the better. That's a hard question because I admire so many movies... These days many movies have turned to CGI, so it's hard because there are some really awesome effects, but they are not always actual hands on make-up. Although if I had to pick out some memorable ones I would go with these:

*The eye removal from Hostel

(no matter how many times you watch it, it just gets worse)

*I think every death scene in the Saw trilogy...

*The scene from Final Destination 3 where the girl is hit from behind in the head by a nail gun... let alone most of the deaths that occur in that trilogy.

*Shaun of the Dead one of the characters is torn open and eaten by zombies...yum

*Halloween II where Michael Myers burns a nurse's face by submerging it over and over again in a hot tub...

(I actually learned how that one was done from the actress Pamela Shoop who played the nurse at a horror convention)

*In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) the scene where the girl shoots a hole in her head....thats a tasty one.

Okay seriously I'm done, I could continue this list on for days....

So what was the toughest make-up effect you did for 'The Legend of the Red Reaper'?

We actually have not started shooting 'The Legend of the Red Reaper' According to schedule we will begin sometime in March. As of right now I've just worked on a photoshoot with the lead actress Tara Cardinal. Although this movie is going to be very unique and I'm looking forward to the make-up we'll be doing on it.

There's a shot you sent where you show some amazingly gory neck wound and decay...YUCK. Care to share your secret of the effect?

Sure! Pop Rocks, soda and a gullible friend...

Okay, we're pulling the car into the Teri Harrison Drive In. What three horror flicks are on the triple bill for tonight and what goodies are they going to be serving up at the concession stand?

A Nightmare on Elm Street because it's a classic, Elvira Mistress of the Dark for comic relief, and Ginger Snaps. And if we have time, I'd show the last 10 mins of The Devil's Rejects because it is one of the best scenes ever!

Concessions would include Twizzlers, Mike n Ikes, Coke Slurpee, Popcorn, and Nacho Cheese (no nachos, just the cheese)

What makes you go psycho in real life?

Trraffic, Animal Abuse, and One-Uppers! (those people in your life who always have to one up you)

Example: Me: I went to the store today with my mom

One Upper: Oh, well I went to the store today with Christoper Walken!

The worst would be being stuck in traffic... with a one upper.. who abuses animals!! That would send me off the deep end for sure....

What scares you in real life?

Losing my parents and leperchauns, or losing my parents to leperchauns?? Oh, and I have a huge fear that someday something will spill in our oceans or lakes that will cause bugs to grow 10x our size and they will take over the world....

What is the coolest part about being a gore make-up guru?

For one thing, it's one of the very few jobs in the world today where I don't get judged by my appearance. I can actually wear my peircings and have tattoos and the only thing being critiqued is my work. Also it's a pretty cool feeling to know if I ever want to kill anybody, all I have to do is open up my make-up kit.

Beside what isn't cool about being able to throw large amounts of blood on people and getting paid to do it??