By - Stephen Mezo
I was bouncing around Amazon Video and found The KNB F/X Documentary "Nightmare Factory".
I didn't know what to expect going into it, but I am really glad that I watched it. It was really cool seeing Greg Nicotero talking about how he formed KNB (The story all of us Horror Old Farts know by heart). And it was really cool to have him talking about how great it was growing up in my favorite generation "The Monster Kids".
My whole site is dedicated to my own lifetime of being a Monster Kid and connecting with others out there. I mean it is so fun talking to someone that I may not have a lot in common with in most aspects, but they light up when it comes to a plastic monster model kit or Famous Monsters Magazine.
And it's even funnier that I watched it a week or two after I just posted an article about my times when I was merging being a Indie F/X Artist and a Heavy Metal Band Memeber "All Roads Leadto Red Bank". I just wished I video taped every early gig I did like Greg, because I would have had hours worth.
And Greg talked about the days when Indie Horror looked out for one another. I had landed just about all of my F/X gigs with the straight to video Horror from word of mouth. Locals would tell whoever about The Costume Shop and I would get a supplies and materials sale and lunch or dinner. A lot of these guys didn't have a ton of money, and I was already pulling in good money from the Entertainment gigs at the shop. So just being out on a location and getting my hands bloody was more than enough.
Then the local Mom and Pop Video Stores would have plenty of tapes for the Horror section, because I would help make the connections there.
He also talked about one of the most dangerous times of growing up as a Monster Kid. And that was sneaking into the living room after your parents went to bed to watch the Late Night 11:30 Monster Movie. You had to keep the volume at the lowest possible level and stay awake the entire movie.
If you were found by mom or dad in front of the TV asleep with nothing but Bug Fights or Color Bars on you were a goner.
And he gave a spot to Tom Savini as a thank you for getting him on the road to where he is now and plug for his F/X school.
Seeing the talent these kids have is great, but they have to remember that learning it is easy. It's making a living from it that's hard.