Zombieing through the ages...

I was just uploading my latest zombie photo to Twitter, and when I went to select it from my zombie photo folder I suddenly felt inspired to make another post.  When I went to the audition last year I'd never even been in zombie makeup before, so here's a nice little selection of how my zombie look has changed throughout the last 11 months!  Some of these are simply down to how the studio in question wanted their zombies to look on the day, and some are developments in my own zombifying skills.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

June 2012: Wish.co.uk's Zombie Audition

The place it all began! On this occasion the makeup was kindly done on-site by one of the other auditionees.

 

 

January 2013: Warm Bodies photocall

My first paid zombie job, and as such the moment I was able to call myself a professional zombie!  Makeup done by myself, and one of my earliest attempts (my first ever attempt was 5 days earlier).

 

 

February 2013: Makeup test

Not for any event in particular, just a makeup test to try out new techniques.

 

 

March 2013: Zombie Bootcamp

My first TV appearence (yet to air), being filmed for a documentary at Ram Training's Zombie Bootcamp.  Makeup done by on-site artists.

 

March 2013: Birmingham Memorabilia/Comic Con

Just a nice casual event, dressing up as a zombified version of Arthur Dent for Birmingham Comic Con.  Makeup and costume all self-done.

 

April 2013: Whitchapel

Zombied up for ITV's Whitechapel.  Makeup done by on-site artists, and clothes provided by me but zombified by the costume department.

 

May 2013: giffgaff advert

Something I can't wait to see on air - the giffgaff advert directed by Matthias Hoene (Cockneys vs Zombies).  The skin tone, eye-shadowing, head wound and nose blood were all done by me, and the veins added by the on-site makeup team.  The costume was a shameless recycling of my Whitechapel outfit!   

 

May 2013: Zombie Weekend promotional video

My very latest (from today, in fact) zombie look. This was for the promotional video for Silent Studios' upcoming Zombie Weekend in August.  Again I provided my own clothes to be slashed/bloodied up there, and on this occasion the makeup/prosthetic was done entirely by my good friend Justin (one of Silent Studios' makeup artists).  He let me keep the face piece afterwards, so I look forward to getting more use out of it in the future!

Zombies & TV

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned an exciting project which had been confirmed and given the green light, so I think it's about time I elaborated a little.

 

Back in January I had a phone call off the lovely folks at Wish (who I am now starting to think of as my zombie agents) saying that they'd been approached by a company filming a documentary series for the Discovery Channel, who were after someone who is just a little bit nuts about zombies.  Oddly enough they thought I'd fit the bill :)  After a few weeks with no news I'd started to forget about it (if the This Morning cancellation taught me one thing it's that nothing is set in stone), and started playing the waiting game for my next zombie role.  But eventually I was contacted again, put in touch with the show's producer, and a week or so later was sat in the corner of the flat as the film crew started tweaking the room to make it optimal for filming.  To say it's been a surreal experience doesn't quite do it justice!

As it's still yet to air I stll don't know how much I'm allowed to say about the show, but it should be hitting the small screen around the world in a few months time, and once it does I know I'll be safe to spill the beans entirely!  The working title for the series is Extreme Worlds, but with a while to go until the broadcast date that's subject to change.  Obviously I will be posting updates closer to the time.

 

In other zombie TV related news, I've got a bit part in a popular british drama series just over the horizon, along with many of the zombies from the Warm Bodies photocall, so it'll be great to work with them again :) Even better to work with them in a capacity that involves actual zombie behaviour rather than just zombie poses!  Don't get me wrong, I loved the photocall, but I do enjoy letting rip with my zombie growl, and that doesn't really come across in a photo!  Once more, I'm not going to jeapordise things by revealing more than I'm allowed to, but as soon as the show hits the air I'll be the first one jumping up and down whilst shouting "Look! It's me!!!"

 

In non-TV zombie news, my makeup attempts are coming along in leaps and bounds.  Last weekend I attended the Birmingham Memorabilia/Comic Con as a zombified version of Arthur Dent from The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, and here's how I looked...

There are a few elements I'm still looking to improve, but with each passing attempt these grow fewer. I'm going to use a blacker/scabbier blood to fill in the cheek and forehead wounds in the future, as I'm still not happy with the fresh red look.  If I'm as rotten as my skin makes out, I certainly shouldn't be bleeding those kind of shades. I was happy with the teeth and the mouth blood on this occasion, but on reflection I was a bit disappointed with the eye shading.  I've done better than this before so I know I can do so again.  Oh and I love the white contact lens, I think it rounds things off just perfectly.

 

So I guess that's it for this update.  I can't wait for the documentary to air so I can embark on a full-on ramble about what an amazing weekend it was!  And I can't wait for the filming on this show in a couple of weeks!  All systems are go in the world of zombies at the moment, and here's hoping they carry on this way!



Latest zombie makeup test

I've just completed my latest zombie makeup test and I just wanted to share the results...

This is the first proper makeup test I've done with grey facepaint insted of pale foundation, and I'm much happier with the effect.  I'm getting some Mehron grey/green facepaint through the post this week though, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that looks, and hopefully that'll become my go-to skin tone.  This is the first time I've tried out the contact lens as well, and I'm really pleased with that.  Seeing as I need to wear a presciption lens in the other eye I only have the option of wearing a single white-out lens, but I do really like the way it comes off.  This is also my first makeup test with the Grimas tooth enamel, which I'm having a it pf trouble with. It goes on my upper teeth just fine, but for some reason wouldn't go on my lower teeth.  I'll just practice a little more, because again I do like the stuff.  Then the last new addition to the makeup kit was the Mehron stage blood/clotted blood, which I used in the open wounds and to smear around my mouth.  Again I'm very pleased with the colour and consistency, but I was a little too liberal in the mouth smearing, so I'll tone that down next time.

Overall though, the zombification process is coming along nicely.  Once I've got this to a point where I'm completely happy I'll start moving on to more advanced rotten looks.

 

Oh and as for this "top secret" project, it is all set to go ahead.  I still don't know if I'm allowed to mention it yet, so I'm going to continue to keep quiet for the moment.  Hopefully by this time next week I'll have something to report!