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LMC: Alot of people love those Winston Creature Features.  What was your part in them?  What about the toys/models sold to the public?

RL:   I worked on the Spider and She Creature movies, sculpting and painting.

I don’t think any 1 person can take credit for anything, FX shows are such a group effort to make them come together.

I am not involved in the toys but know that there are some really cool ones coming up, I may have to start collecting toys again, THANKS TO STAN !! :)

LMC: Anything else to add from other movies/shows?

RL: I played an alligator in Adams Family Values, if you are a fan of the TV series, this sequel is more like that then the other 2 films, it has some bad computer FX but check it out !

LMC: Did you get screen time as an alligator?

RL: I think I am in 3 or 4 different scenes throughout the film and was credited. It was pretty uncomfortable to do, but fun to watch when I saw the film.

LMC: Why does Hollywood put out a lot of trash?

RL:  Its more of a cut and paste atmosphere now, they seem to want to rip off sequences from other films that were successful and drop them into new ones.

LMC: Is it the fear of taking a chance and losing millions that generates this atmosphere?                     

RL: I think so…but they don’t seem to realize that someone somewhere, took a chance on those filmmakers who did a film, that made good $$, that was popular enough for anyone to want to rip off scenes from ! I hope that made sense ???

I am a big fan of films done in the 80’s or before, Hollywood took more chances and it lead to creativity in filmmaking.

I am a big fan of Guillermo Del Toro, he has a love for the darker side of filmmaking.

I highly recommend THE DEVILS BACKBONE, a wonderful film .

LMC: How does someone break into the FX business?

RL: Have a nice portfolio for starters, and a good side job. The town picks up and dies at the same time so there is frequently spells of unemployment.

You can fairly easily get into somewhere as an intern but you need to know what you are doing, take over your parents garage or basement and keep working on things.

LMC: Do you think from a career choice, it is a wise move to get into the FX business now with all the CGI and competition amongst current FX guys?

RL: If you go in knowing what the industry is like, then yes. It can be pretty tough sometimes, regardless of your talent, to keep the money coming in. If it is all you want to do then pursue it, but if you like financial stability in your life, maybe you should do this stuff as a hobby.

LMC: How is CGI affecting Winston studios and particularly the work you do?

RL: I am not a big fan of most CGI, mostly because it looks flat to me and tends to make directors want to show the full creature all of the time. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

It has impacted us creature makers but it can’t wipe us out, we’re too good.

Stan Winston has had a good relationship with CG, the blend of CG and mechanical creature FX on the Jurassic films is untouchable. I think both techniques are needed to make things believable. No one method can do it all. I also have noticed the difference in actors performances when they are reacting to nothing, they come off flat. Such was the case in the new Star Wars films in my opinion, a good group of actors that felt uninterested to me. When you have something in front of you it is easier to have a natural and believable reaction.

It is a good tool for design though, and most shops utilize  computers during the creative process

LMC: What plans do you have if FX work gets more scarce?     

RL:  I haven’t decided, hopefully I can still do something rewarding and artistic

LMC: Do you have plans for any how-to videos or guides?

RL: I have had requests for a while, I have a couple videos planned, its just finding time to do them. They will most likely cover the stages of doing a model kit start to finish, but I may do a likeness video as well.

LMC: Cool… Now you have to do it.  Everyone in the world is reading this interview. J

RL: I guess so !!!! Better stop typing and start sculpting !!

LMC: What’s your favorite clay?

RL: Right now, Wed and ProClay, but I use them all, Roma, Chavant etc…It depends on what I am doing and how long I have to spend on the sculpt

LMC: Any pros and cons for different types?

RL: All different clays have their own ups and downs, you will find out which you like by working with them. Some people swear by a certain clay and that’s fine, but that clay may not be available to you in every shop if they already have a lot of something else.

Get to know as much about your materials as you can afford to.

LMC: How about some sculpting tips?

RL: Remember that  wrinkles and folds of skin have rounded form to them, I see a lot of deep gouges in clay for wrinkles or detail, like rake marks.

LMC: Do you have any favorite sculpting tools (I can’t wait for the video J )?

RL: I can use a broken “ SPORK “ from Taco Bell if I have to, but there are some nice sets of tools out there. Sometimes I make my own if I have the materials on hand. I have been very happy with the sets of tools from Ken Banks ‘ Dr Bankenstein”. He makes all kinds, all sizes, and they are a really good bargain. Most art stores know they can ask sky high prices for supplies and get it. I like to save money where I can. He is on the web at WWW.KENSTOOLS.COM

LMC: How about some molding tips?

RL: BEWARE OF UNDERCUTS !!!!!!!!!!!! Think the process through before you start slapping plaster or silicone.

Make sure you have sealed the clay with crystal clear (if necessary). DON'T FORGET YOUR MOLD KEYS!!!!, and PRY POINTS

Anything else….Wait for the video :)

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