Exclusive Interview with Mike Elizalde: Amazing Special Effects Artist

Mike Elizalde

Jackie Jekyll – GoreMaster.com

Mike Elizalde, whose credits include “X-Men: The Last Stand”, both of the “Fantastic Four” films, both of the “Hellboy” films and most recently “The Land of the Lost” film, has been in the special effects business for over 20 years.   Mr. Elizalde was nominated for a “Best Makeup” Oscar for his work on Hellboy II (2008).  He is the owner of Spectral Motion an all purpose special effects shop offering Creatures, Props, Special Makeup Effects. His shop specializes in the design and creation of astonishing cinematic creature effects, special makeup effects, animatronics and action props.  Mr. Elizalde shares his journey into the world of filmmaking and special effects with GoreMaster.

Read the Exclusive Interview HERE!

Amazon Specials!

134 New Names Invited to Join the Academy

Here is the 2009 announcement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it extended 134 invitations to several artists and executives “who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures” read the press release.

Actors

• Casey Affleck – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Gone Baby Gone
• Emily Blunt – Sunshine Cleaning, The Devil Wears Prada
• Michael Cera – Juno, Superbad
• Viola Davis – Doubt, State of Play
• James Franco – Milk, Spider-Man
• Brendan Gleeson – In Bruges, Mission: Impossible II
• Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married, The Princess Diaries
• Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hustle & Flow
• Emile Hirsch – Into the Wild, Lords of Dogtown
• Hugh Jackman – X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Prestige
• Melissa Leo – Frozen River, 21 Grams
• Jane Lynch – Role Models, The 40 Year-Old Virgin
• Eddie Marsan – Happy-Go-Lucky, The Illusionist
• James McAvoy – Atonement, The Last King of Scotland
• Seth Rogen – Monsters vs. Aliens, Knocked Up
• Paul Rudd – I Love You, Man, Knocked Up
• Amy Ryan – Changeling, Gone Baby Gone
• Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
• Michelle Williams – Wendy and Lucy, Brokeback Mountain
• Jeffrey Wright – Quantum of Solace, W.

Animators

• J.J. Blumenkranz – Monster House, The Polar Express
• Konstantin Bronzit – Lavatory-Lovestory, The Cat and the Fox
• Kendal Cronkhite – Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Antz
• Rodolphe Guenoden – Kung Fu Panda, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
• Byron Howard – Bolt, Lilo & Stitch
• Kunio Kato – La Maison en Petits Cubes
• Doug Sweetland – Presto, The Incredibles
• Chris Williams – Bolt, Chicken Little

Art Directors

• Andrew Ackland-Snow – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Notting Hill

At-Large

• Matthew D. Loeb
• Redmond Morris

Casting Directors

• John Papsidera – The Dark Knight, Agent Cody Banks
• Bernie Telsey – Sex and the City, Across the Universe

Cinematographers

• Russ T. Alsobrook – Paul Blart Mall Cop, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
• Anthony Dod Mantle – Slumdog Millionaire, The Last King of Scotland
• Henner Hofmann – Ave Maria, La Leyenda de una Mascara (The Legend of the Mask)
• Claudio Miranda – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Failure to Launch
• Rodney Taylor – Save Me, Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France
• Mandy Walker – Australia, Shattered Glass

Costume Designers

• Deborah Hopper – Changeling, Million Dollar Baby
• Louise Mingenbach – The Hangover, Superman Returns
• Michael O’Connor – The Duchess, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
• Michael Wilkinson – Watchmen, Babel

Directors

• Rachid Bouchareb – Days of Glory, Dust of Life
• Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire, Sunshine
• David Frankel – Marley & Me, The Devil Wears Prada
• Rod Lurie – Nothing but the Truth, The Contender
• Thomas McCarthy – The Visitor, The Station Agent
• Tyler Perry – Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, Madea’s Family Reunion
• Henry Selick – Coraline, Monkeybone

Documentary

• William Gazecki – Crop Circles: Quest for Truth, Waco: The Rules of Engagement
• Rachel Grady – Jesus Camp, The Boys of Baraka
• Rory Kennedy – Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, A Boy’s Life
• Scott Hamilton Kennedy – The Garden, OT: Our Town
• James Marsh – Man on Wire, Wisconsin Death Trip
• Megan Mylan – Smile Pinki, Lost Boys of Sudan
• Doug Pray – Surfwise, Scratch

Executives

• Daniel D.A. Battsek
• Steve Beeks
• Graham W. Burke
• Joe Drake
• Erik Feig
• Paul Hanneman
• Donald P. Harris
• Claudia Lewis

Film Editors

• Roger Barton – Speed Racer, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
• Hank Corwin – What Just Happened, The New World
• Chris Dickens – Slumdog Millionaire, Shaun of the Dead
• Elliot Graham – Milk, Superman Returns
• Kathryn Himoff – Appaloosa, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
• Leo Trombetta – Little Children, Northfork
• Brent White – Step Brothers, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
• Pam Wise – Then She Found Me, Transamerica

Live Action Short Films

• Reto Caffi – Auf der Strecke (On the Line), Leos Freunde
• Jochen Alexander Freydank – Spielzeugland (Toyland), Dienst (Duty)
• F. Carter Pilcher – The Dreaming, Bitter

Makeup and Hairstylists

• Howard Berger – Seven Pounds, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Mike Elizalde – Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer
• Louis Lazzara – Race to Witch Mountain, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
• Gerald Quist – Tropic Thunder, The Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause

Music

• Jeff Danna – Lakeview Terrace, Fracture
• Andrew Dorfman – Baby Mama, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
• Peter Gabriel – WALL-E, Philadelphia
• Clint Mansell – The Wrestler, The Fountain
• A.R. Rahman – Slumdog Millionaire, Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Producers

• Mark Ciardi – The Game Plan, The Rookie
• Christian Colson – Slumdog Millionaire, The Descent
• Gordon Gray – Invincible, Miracle
• Broderick Johnson – One Missed Call; P.S. I Love You
• Cathy Konrad – 3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line
• Andrew Kosove – Racing Stripes, Dude, Where’s My Car?
• James Lassiter – Hancock, Lakeview Terrace
• Russell Smith – Juno, The Libertine
• Paula Wagner – Death Race, Elizabethtown

Production Designers

• Donald Graham Burt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Zodiac
• Michael Carlin – The Duchess, In Bruges
• Jane Ann Stewart – The Savages, Sideways
• Kevin Thompson – Duplicity, Michael Clayton

Public Relations

• Michael D. Camp
• Marc Cohen
• Megan Colligan
• James C. Gallagher
• David Kaminow
• Sal Ladestro
• Maria Pekurovskaya
• Elizabeth Petit

Set Decorators

• Rebecca Alleway – The Duchess, The Last King of Scotland
• Peter Lando – The Dark Knight, The Invisible
• Barbara Munch-Cameron – Bottle Shock, Rent

Scenic Artists

• Robert Topol – Doubt, The Departed

Sound

• Michael Barry – The Reader, Mamma Mia!
• Derek Casari – The Soloist, Beowulf
• Aaron Glascock – Deception; Good Night, and Good Luck.
• Ren Klyce – Zodiac, The Fight Club
• Peter F. Kurland – No Country for Old Men, Walk the Line
• Karen Baker Landers – 27 Dresses, The Bourne Ultimatum
• Hamilton Sterling – Fool’s Gold, Scary Movie 4
• Deborah Wallach – Frost/Nixon, The Da Vinci Code
• Kim Waugh – Shade, Monster’s Ball

Visual Effects

• Christopher Bond – Idlewild, Superman Returns
• Matthew Butler – The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Letters from Iwo Jima
• Chris Corbould – The Dark Knight, Casino Royale
• Rob Engle – Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, Beowulf
• Scott Gordon – Nim’s Island, Spider-Man 3
• Hal Hickel – Iron Man, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
• Van Ling – Milk, Vanilla Sky
• Shane Mahan – Iron Man, War of the Worlds
• Steve Preeg – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Tim Webber – The Dark Knight, Children of Men
• Edson Williams – Star Trek (2009), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Writers

• John August – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie’s Angels
• Dustin Lance Black – Milk
• Courtney Hunt – Frozen River
• Howard A. Rodman – Savage Grace, Joe Gould’s Secret

Amazon Specials!

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