Another project for Steve Johnson's XFX Company, this film featured an entire cast of genetically-engineered freaks - so many that a half-dozen FX companies were involved.
It
seemed that every time the camera was about to roll, one of the dozens
of FX people and makeup artists and costumers and prop people who were
standing off camera would say "Wait!" and step in to touch up "their"
freak. As soon as that person was done, another would notice something
amiss, and they would step in. Before too long, the first person
would have to step back in to fix something that had gone wrong
in the meantime, and the cycle would begin all over again.
The
first time co-director (and lead actor) Alex Winter observed this
phenomenon in action, he remarked, "My god, we're in 'tweak hell'".
My job was to supervise Julie/Ernie, the Siamese twins. (Depending on the shot, Julie/Ernie was either played by both actors strapped together, or by one actor wearing a remote-controlled puppet version of the other.)
I also acted as lead puppeteer for the "battle of
the monsters" at the end of the movie. Was there a lot of tweaking
to do? You bet there was.
Julie/Ernie (Megan Ward and Michael Stoyanov)
Putting the robotic Michael on Megan
The Rick monster vs. the Stuey monster
Available on video:
