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PRODUCTION DESIGN - KEVIN BAILEY SOUND DESIGN/SOUNDTRACK - EDDIE STURGEON/ENOTIDE CINEMATOGRAPHY - DAVE A. BARRETT SPECIAL MAKE-UP EFFECTS - JOY PATRICOSKI and BRIAN ANGELOFF
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The story of FILTHY actually dates back to 2000. I was with friend Rex Hall pitching some ideas for a short film when I asked myself: "what's the most disgusting thing I could put on celluloid"? To me, the obvious answer came from a report I heard on the local news about a kook who lived in a house full of garbage. I could imagine nothing more nauseating than entering a home that had 20-year-old rotting TV dinners stuffed in the refrigerator, cat dung everywhere, and roach nests in every nook & cranny. YEECH! |
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FERMENTIA Concept Art by Andy Lalino |
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I thought: what kind of family would live in this garbage world? What would they be like? Violent, vile, and disgusting undoubtedly. I quickly hit Final Draft 5 on my PC and began writing up the first drafts of FILTHY. The basic concept, the garbage people, was a perfect marriage with horror's popular "crazy family" sub-genre, such as THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE HILLS HAVE EYES, and even THE ADDAMS FAMILY. FILTHY was originally intended to be shot in B&W. I had a very David Lynch-ish, Eraserhead-like vision for the film, which was eventually shelved. The early drafts had little resemblance to the final film. Fermentia, Leonard, and MeatMan were the only characters that made the cut from the original concept. Originally, there was no Dana Diamond and Rocky, the story featured three male hooligans that Fermentia ensnared in the garbage house. I figured having a woman in peril was scarier than the male hoodlums, so I created the character of Dana. |
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MEATMAN Concept Art by Andy Lalino |
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Dana originated from the idea of the superficial world of TV reporting. Here is this beautiful, well-educated reporter in a $600 ensemble pretending to feel the pain of the perceived less fortunate. This was my chance to have some fun and get some (innocent) revenge on chick TV reporters! I wanted the character of her sidekick, Rocky, to be big & likable, similar to the videographers I used to work with at the Home Shopping Network. Having a female matriarch head up the clan, unlike TCM, which featured all male tormentors, was an appealing idea. Fermentia had to be the ultimate sick, twisted old lady (see the production art), and it was imperative that a skillful actress would be needed to pull off that demanding role, which we found in actress Sheri Lawrence. We originally wanted Fermie (her nickname) to be dressed in a totally see-through nasty nightgown, but things didn't quite turn out that way. |
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Dana Diamond (Jennifer Bass) investigates the incredible garbage-house, designed by Kevin Bailey |
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Leonard, Fermie's son (who she calls Son Leonard), is pretty much based on real-life scary transients you might encounter on the streets of NYC. It's Leonard's job to go out and find victims to bring home to Momma. Pussey, Leonard's lover, potential fiancee, sister, and cousin (whew!) I wanted to be a pig-pen version of Daisy Duke. She wields a unique, makeshift weapon, designed by Art Director Kevin Bailey, that I wanted to look like something out of MAD MAX or THE ROAD WARRIOR. |
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Pussey (Krista Grotte) w/ weapon |
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LEONARD Concept Art by Andy Lalino |
PUSSEY Concept Art by Andy Lalino |
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ART DIRECTOR / PRODUCTION DESIGNER |
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Most of the terror in FILTHY takes place in Fermentia's garbage-house. We had the option of using a REAL house that we'd dress up, or build a set. We chose the latter because of the options it gave us in terms of filming (camera angles and such) and the comfort of the cast/crew. The monumental task of designing and building the interior of the house based upon the screenplay was given to my lifelong friend Kevin Bailey. Kevin was an artist as long as I had known him; we used to draw comic books together back in the day. Kevin also had experience in construction, and I figured this was an ideal combo for the job of Production Designer, so I enlisted him immediately. It always helps having close friends as part of the team when doing a movie. Kevin was tasked with building a massive set that simulated the interior of an old, decrepit tenement house. As luck would have it, the Home Shopping Network was giving away dozens of "flats", which in filmspeak are constructed pieces of 8' high x 4' wide wood structures that one uses to build a set. Typically, flats are expensive to build, and here we had more than we know what to do with! With the help of many of the talented crew (mostly University of Central Florida and Full Sail film students who were also PA's) Kevin and his assistant Helen Parramore began the long, tedious process of constructing the three rooms we needed for the shoot: living room, dining room, and bathroom. |
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Art Director/Production Designer Kevin Bailey on set |
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Sketch of the set interior by Kevin Bailey |
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Sketch of Pussey's weapon by Kevin Bailey |
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For Kevin, the first order of business was to design a model of the set, which he did with foamcore & paper clips! Keep in mind the walls of the set had to physically move to accommodate camera and lighting setups, so that had to be pre-planned. Next, construction began. With the help of the crew, Bruno Brasil, Scott Poole, Doug Eldridge, Jay Anderson, Augusto Cardoso, Kyle Mueller, Eddie Sturgeon, Brooke Sauer and many others, Kevin and Helen began placing the flats together and painting the interior of the massive set. An obvious challenge was the garbage part of the interior decorating. We all had to chip in on that one. I asked all the cast and crew to save their garbage over the months, and eventually we collected enough to stuff the living room and dining room with refuse. I asked that any garbage that was saved for the movie be cleaned, so believe it or not, the set did not stink at all! It smelled like coffee, in fact, because we mixed used coffee grounds in brown paint to simulate feces rubbed on the wall to spell out: "SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN" |
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Some of the "hero" props inside the house deserved special attention. In the kitchen, we needed a beat-up freezer for the drippy MeatMan to emerge from, along with junked-up appliances like a stove, a refrigerator, sink, etc. Luckily, we were able to find most of the items at Hobbs Metals, where we shot the outside-of-the-house scenes. Hobbs is this incredible metal scrapyard located in Tarpon Springs, Florida...it's like a Disney World of junk! Just wandering around you'd find a pile of motorcycles or the inside of a fighter plane cockpit at Hobbs - it was the ultimate place to shoot a movie! The owner, Carl Hobbs, was very hospitable and very receptive to a movie crew filming at his business - plus, he's a big horror movie fan. Other "hero" props included a staticy TV set, a disgusting dining room table, a satanic altar, a barrel for bobbing, fake wall slime, and other gross things. At times Kevin would team up with other departments, such as special effects make-up, to dress up the set. When the interior of the set was prepped and painted, we dressed it with what seemed like over a hundred garbage bags full of (simulated) garbage. We spent a whole day just stuffing newspapers in the bags. We also spread newspapers all over the floor. With the appliances and the junk, the set ended up looking incredible. |
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One problem was the ceiling. We knew it wasn't practical to build a faux ceiling above the set, so we had to shoot around it, which wasn't my preference because I wanted that claustrophobic feeling of seeing a ceiling. In addition, the existing ceiling of where we shot was a concern because of the flammability of ceiling tiles when placed next to hot movie lights. Therefore we had to cover the ceiling tiles in duvatyn, which is a black, flame-resistant material common in the movie biz. We unfortunately had to staple the duvatyn to the tiles after the set was built (the other way around would have been preferable), nearly breaking our necks trying to stretch over the flats. In the process, staples would constantly fall out, but amazingly the duvatyn did not collapse during filming. Finally, after a near two-month process, the set was ready to go. Keep in mind Kevin Bailey had never designed a set before, yet pros in the industry commented that this was the most incredible set they ever worked on. Kevin's duties were not as demanding on location. For the beginning of the film we shot at 60th Street in Clearwater near an old Checkers fast food factory (where they used to make the restaurants). Not much was needed there, but we did manage to secure an old city bus as a prop during Leonard's monologue. The bus looked like a bomb had gone off in it - but it still ran! The bus worked out extremely well as a visual. At Hobbs, the whole scrapyard was already visually stunning, so Kevin's talents were minimally required at that location. |
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60th Street (aka "Checkers") location in Clearwater, Florida. Photo by Stacey Black |
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EDITOR |
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All too often the post-production of a motion picture is under-glamorized by the public. People love to see behind the scenes footage of sets, locations, and celebrities, but commonly gloss over post. Having a post-production background from working as a Graphic Designer at the Home Shopping Network, I knew first-hand the importance of post production editing and sound, and the limitless possibilities it presents to the filmmaker Tom Linkiewicz, the editor of "Filthy", is a lifelong friend; we grew up on the same block, and as fate would have it, we wound up working together at the Home Shopping Network, where Tom is Senior Editor and I was a Graphic Designer. Tom is one of my best friends (I have about 6 best friends!) and of course he was THE master editor to cut together "Filthy". |
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Editor Tom Linkiewicz in his Avid Media Composer edit suite |
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Tom is highly skilled in all aspects of film and video editing, and is the winner of countless "Telly" awards for his work at the Home Shopping Network. He has edited hundreds of commercials, movies, promos, presentations, show opens, etc. and is extremely skilled in graphics and animation as well. Recently he has started his own business, ILLUSION FILMS, in which he hopes to edit more feature films as well as produce and direct as well. Illusion Films boasts a very impressive AVID MEDIA COMPOSER edit suite that is capable of servicing any client, be it a feature film or a 30-second commercial. After editing literally hundreds of commercials, Tom was all too ready to tackle a gen-u-ine movie! Like myself, Tom is a big horror fan, so his love for the genre brought a lot to the table in addition to his editing prowess. The "Filthy" edit went very smoothly. The first order of business was to have Sound Designer Eddie Sturgeon painstakingly sync up the takes so that we would have sync sound for the edit clips. This was a long, tedious process that I am very grateful that Eddie assisted us with. This normally would have been done by a sound assistant in a Hollywood post environment. When the dailies were synced, Tom and I began piecing together the rough cut, which took approx. 2 months. Keep in mind the post crew has full-time jobs (I did too), and we had to resort to doing the post work on evenings and weekends. During the rough cut, there were some minor issues, mainly the continuity, which for a short film as complex as Filthy was not bad at all (thanks to Jeania Ingle, our Continuity Supervisor). Filthy was a lot of fun to piece together. Perhaps the most enjoyable scene to edit was "Fermie's Disco scene" where Tom cut it together like a twisted music video. Another aspect of the film is its use of video intermingled with film; Tom had enhanced the video portions even more to make them look jumpy and more video-esque. I recall Tom coming out to the "Filthy" set on many occasions. Ideally, it's the best thing in the world to have Tom present on the set, because he can watch the way shots are done and recommend elements that will enhance the picture in the edit. It's this kind of commitment to a project that many directors only dream about from their editors. It should be noted that "Filthy" required no reshoots. Thanks to our skilled, competent crew, it was unnecessary. Tom had excellent footage to work with and cut together "Filthy" masterfully. |
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Tom editing at ILLUSION FILMS |
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SOUND DESIGNER / MUSIC COMPOSER |
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Eddie (the hardest-working man on "Filthy") Sturgeon is one in-demand sonic artist. From his full-time job as Home Shopping Network Sound Designer/Music Composer to his seemingly endless independent film work, Eddie is one hot property. Like editor Tom Linkiewicz, Eddie is extremely easy and fun to work with and is very passionate, experienced, and knowledgeable about his craft. In addition to Sound Design and Music Composing, Eddie was there from day one helping build the set and doing what needed to be done. Soon, the time came for filming "Filthy" and Eddie was in all his glory with his trusty portable DAT recorder strapped over his shoulder. Eddie masterfully recorded all the production sound for "Filthy", in addition to being Sound Editor/Music Composer (note that Eddie is actually "Enotide" in the "Filthy" end credits!). Eddie was assisted by his 3 person crew: Robert Vessenmeyer, Augusto Cardoso, and Jennifer Register. Each took turns on boom mic during which Eddie manned the DAT recorder controls while constantly monitoring sound quality. When filming wrapped and we imported in all the audio files, I was amazed at the quality of work the sound team did. Nearly every bit of production audio was usable and we had a bare minimum of ADR work to do. But that did not mean we had a lot of hard work ahead of us. |
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Sound Designer/Music Composer Eddie Sturgeon in the audio suite |
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The first order of business was for Eddie to sync up the dailies in order for editor Tom Linkiewicz to do the rough cut of the movie. In Hollywood, Eddie would have many assistants doing that kind of work, but because of our budget Eddie agreed to do the syncing himself, which saved the production a lot of money and hassles. While the rough cut was being done, Eddie was busily working on the sound effects, ambient sound, and music. Like editing, sound is an element of motion pictures that is taken for granted. I'm proud to say that I've experienced the artistry and dedication that goes into recording, mixing, and designing sound for film. It is indeed a fascinating and integral part of the cinematic experience. |
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Eddie a.k.a. Enotide working on Pro Tools |
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The sound effects in "Filthy" came from many different sources: foley effects, sound effects CD's, and field recordings. Some sounds were enhanced in Pro Tools, a system designed for sound editing that Eddie used for "Filthy". Sound was a monumental feat; this movie had so many sound effects that it boggled my imagination! Everything from eyelids getting punched, upchucking, riot sounds, flies, garbage trucks...you name it - the kitchen sink is in there. For example, I did some cop voice-over work in a gas mask to retain that raspy, muffled sound of an actual gas mask. This had to be specially recorded. For Fermie's "fart" scene we used a gag gift I bought at Spencers Gifts. On another effect we used creamed corn and real fat & gristle to simulate MeatMan's sounds. Some sounds needed to be recorded in the field. We used Eddie's mini-disc player/recorder to acquire sounds such as shopping carts and metal gates creaking. We had some of the actors come in to do additional ADR work, and they had a lot of fun re-creating their characters for a brief time. Most of the ADR work consisted of screams and such. No actual dialogue was actually replaced. |
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Crackin' the whip! |
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When the sound effects work was done, Eddie also worked on ambient sound. When you record sound on location or on a set, there is a certain "ambience" to the sound where you are shooting. If you're on location and you ask everyone to keep quiet for a few minutes and just listen, you'll hear the natural sound of the environment you're shooting in. When it comes time to design sound in the studio, this ambient sound becomes extremely important. If ambient sound was inconsistent from shot-to-shot, the viewer would notice it immediately. Eddie took a lot of pains to ensure that ambient sound was maintained and mixed properly. Then came the music. My original vision for "Filthy" foresaw little need for music (like the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"), but once Tom and I completed the rough cut, and when we made the trailer, I realized that music was essential and would deeply enhance the terror. |
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Enotide performing the soundtrack to "Filthy" |
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For the "Filthy" trailer, Enotide composed a thrilling piano theme, reminiscent of creepy piano-performed horror themes such as "Phantasm", "Halloween", and The Exorcist's "Tubular Bells". The theme is catchy, memorable, and scary! Next, Enotide composed themes based on various characters and dilemmas, such as Rocky's death scene and the crazy family theme, again, the main instrument being piano enhanced by keyboard-generated strings, percussion, drones, and other musical effects. Enotide's hobby is "circuit bending" old "Speak & Spell" toys (now that's different!) and if you listen close you'll hear these uniquely customized sounds on the soundtrack! When all 3 elements, sound effects, ambience, and music are laid down on tracks, now it comes time for the final mix. Actually, Eddie mixed the film as we progressed, which saved time in the long run. Mixing is a fine art, and Eddie is the master. This was the last step in making sure "Filthy" was ready for release. |
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DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY |
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...Talk about a Godsend (can you have a GODsend in a horror movie?) - Dave A. Barrett was it. I've known Dave for years, ever since I was a Graphic Designer at the Home Shopping Network. Dave would freelance for Home Shopping as a Videographer often, and after talking to him found out that he had a keen interest in independent films and cinematography. Like other artists at Home Shopping, Dave was eager to take a break from shooting commercials and lens a independent film. Dave is one of the most sought-after cinematographers/videographers in the state, with a resume and demo reel that would knock your socks off. I approached him with the project, hoping that an artist of his stature might at least entertain the thought of shooting "Filthy", and to my surprise he agreed enthusiastically! |
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Director of Photography Dave A. Barrett with AC Kerry Buck measuring focus |
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I presented Dave with a script (which, after reading, thought I was truly demented) which he seemed to dig, and then we got busy planning the shots and shooting schedule. Dave wasn't a horror-head like some of the other crew, so in doing research on the genre he brushed up on such horror classics as Sam Raimi "The Evil Dead" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Dave really dug Raimi and admired the way he shot "Evil Dead" with such creativity on a limited budget. We were in the same boat. Like today's major filmmakers, Raimi got his start in the horror genre. Dave brought a lot to the table: experience, dedication, leadership, creativity, industry contacts, skill - and a Super 16mm camera, which he owns as part of MAGIC HOUR, his production business. The camera we used was an Arriflex SRII with accessories. Being that this was Dave's own personal property, he knew the camera inside and out, which resulted in breathtaking shots time and time again. Before shooting, Dave, John Karliss, myself, and other key crew members checked out locations to pre-determine camera angles, lighting issues and other concerns. We brought with us storyboards I had drawn up (the size of a phone book!) and discussed the many shots we'd need. Finally, on April 15th, 2002 cameras rolled on 60th St. in Clearwater. Dave, through various industry contacts, was able to get us some incredible deals on equipment and discounted rates on grips, gaffers, and AC's. This saved our production tons of money and as a result we got some really great crew that became part of the "Filthy" family, such as Key Grip Gregg Wolf, Gaffer "Grab" Szenas, and AC Kerry Buck. These guys are as professional as could be and could solve any problem thrown at them. They were truly incredible. |
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Co-Directors John Karliss (L), Andy Lalino and DP Dave A. Barrett on location |
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Dave's experience made it easy to figure out exactly what equipment and personnel we'd need on location and at the set. We used a Maxi Brute light to light up 60th Street and Hobbs and a Cam Mate for some really neat crane shots at Hobbs Scrapyard. Dave also furnished us with some luxuries like a "camera assist" complete with VHS deck so we could record the footage coming through the Arri's viewfinder. He also got us some great deals on film stock and helped out with sales tax exemption issues. Dave was truly a marvel. During the shoot, Dave's skill, leadership qualities, and self-assuredness were evident every moment. He knew exactly what light to use where, and helped us logistically in determining how we could shoot around a massive set with movable walls. His most impressive work was literally hanging upside-down like a bat while shooting from the ceiling Fermie's dance sequence. He also used the Cam Mate to great effect during Rocky's death scene and Dana's approach to the garbage-house. In the set, Dave did a lot of hand-held work which really made the viewer feel you were right inside the garbage piles In addition to Dave's Arriflex camera, Dave has his own DigiBeta camera, which we used to shoot all the video shots. The mixture of film and video works extremely well in the film, and Dave's expertise in both mediums really made the footage look spectacular. Other in-camera effects that Dave experimented with were slow & fast motion. Look for wonderful slo-mo shots of Leonard hitting a light bulb in the scene where Dana is tied to the post - and don't forget the snot rocket shot! One thing I marveled at from Dave was his ability to construct the movie in his head, bridging the shots together as if he were in the edit suite. That was perhaps the most important thing I personally learned during the shooting of "Filthy"; the necessity of seeing how the movie was cut together in your head. Storyboards are one thing, but if a shot or shots deviate from the boards, a filmmaker has to have the ability to reassemble the scene in their head, which Dave excelled at. |
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Dave A. Barrett instructs actress Jennifer Bass |
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COSTUME DESIGNER |
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Costume Design was an integral element of FILTHY. Some costumes were classy (Dana/Liza's suits), but most were weathered and disgusting. Costume Designer Julie Bartel, an old friend, accepted the challenging task of creating the wonderfully icky costumes for FILTHY. Julie is a seamstress, but had not done anything the scale of FILTHY before. Julie was in her element, delighting in hitting the malls to find the perfect clothing for the female reporters. She gave us many choices when it came to picking the right look. Then came the task of weathering/ dirtying the clothes...I was amazed at how skillful she was at doing this. She genuinely made the clothes look just like they were worn every day for 10 years! Keep in mind Julie never did anything like that before. She worked with John and I, ensuring that she gave us the right look. The biggest challenge for Julie was the soiled wedding dress (worn by Dana) made of dirty diapers. Julie captured the look and smell (yecch!) perfectly, as seen in the picture below. |
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Wedding dress worn by Dana Diamond made of baby diapers |
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Other tasks involved dressing Rocky and the crazy family. Julie had some family help when designing Rocky's shirt - her sister is in the embroidery business. She was able to take the WMIA logo and apply that to a polo shirt. Next came dressing the sadistic Leonard. On the street, Leonard wears a mechanic's jumpsuit, but gets more glitzy when inside the house for the "Hallowedding". We wanted green tuxedoes for the guys in the wedding, so Julie had a lot of fun finding and dying actual tux clothes. For Pussey, Julie added a special touch. I wanted a '70s "smiley face" patch on Pussey's crotch when she wore her short shorts - if you look close, you can see it!
Fermie was basically in the same vile nightgown throughout most of the movie, except when she attacks Dana at the end. Julie also designed the look of the mystical "Padre", giving that character a special "dusty" look. She also worked closely with Joy Patricoski and Brian Angeloff, the spfx make-up artists, to bring some of her designs to life. Jules was also responsible for the Biohazard Cop chem suits & gas masks. Below is a gallery of some of Julie's incredible work. |
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LEONARD in jumpsuit |
DANA and ROCKY |
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BIOHAZARD COP |
LEO, DANA, FERMIE, and PUSSEY |
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KRIST & SHERI |
LIZA DEVEROUX |
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PADRE, ROCKY, LEO, DANA (Dave Barrett in BG) |
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JEN BASS, SISTER JEANNIE R. BASS, and JEFF HENKEL as PADRE |
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JOY PATRICOSKI & BRIAN ANGELOFF SPECIAL MAKE-UP EFFECTS ARTISTS |
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Veteran make-up artists Joy Patricoski and Brian Angeloff were chosen as chief special effects make-up artists after viewing their incredible portfolio. They had recently contributed designs to the just-released (on DVD) "Deadly Species" and had worked on other several other indie horror films. We went over with them the extensive effects needed for the film - and they never even balked! They were ready for a good challenge. MEATMAN Their main task, of course was creating one of the humanoid "stars" of the film, Meatman. We discussed the best way to achieve the effect, and agreed it should be a man in a custom-designed latex suit. Over the course of literally months, J&B began the grueling task of bringing MeatMan to life, casting molds, sculpting, painting, creating foam pieces, all necessary elements in creating this character. |
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MEATMAN as played by JAKUB DOLEZAL |
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Distance was an inconvenience, remedied by the enthusiasm in seeing the latest creations Joy and Brian came up with. You see, myself living in Tampa Bay and J&B living in Orlando, we were separated by 150 miles. At appointed weekends I would meet up with John and J&B to assess progress. It was a thrill seeing how MeatMan slowly evolved, from abstract sculpting to the final full body appliance worn by actor Jakub Dolezal. Interestingly, Jakub was the very first actor we ever met (then a student at the University of South Florida) in the quest to cast the film. Jakub's youth, enthusiasm, and talent really brought the character to life. If you were to get near the MeatMan suit (which I still have displayed in my garage!), you'll realize it gives of the slight smell of fumes. One day on the set, Jakub got in the suit and disappeared. Joy Patricoski and I looked all over for him and finally found him slumped over a chair near an open door to a dark room. I went over to him to shake him awake. "Jakub" I said. "Jakub!". "Jakub!!" I kept repeating. There seemed to be nothing happening, and after a minute, I started to panic. I shook him violently, yelling his name over and over...I thought he was dead!!! I figured the worst & thought the fumes suffocated him in the suit! Finally we were able to bring him to...Jakub explained that he's a VERY deep sleeper - NO DUH! Another interesting aspect about MeatMan is that we used real meat on him! I talked a local supermarket chain, Publix, to give us meat scraps, which turned out to be real nasty, smelly chunks of fat & gristle. We "stuffed" the chunks into Meatman's "cavities" on the suit. We had to do this because one scene called for MeatMan to remove parts of his meaty body and plop them onto plates in front of the actors. The effect worked marvelously - and it was all natural! For MeatMan's face we used a real styrofoam meat tray (again, courtesy of Publix). The "lips" or "mouth" were real chunks of stringy fat. It was disgusting, but the effect is boss. MeatMan was inspired by the abstract films PINK FLOYD THE WALL and DAY OF THE LOCUST. After viewing FILTHY, I think you'll agree MeatMan is one unforgettable walking spare rib. |
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A wide array of special make-up effects followed. J&B were responsible for making up Leonard on location and on the set. Leonard required minimal make-up, so their task was relatively easy compared to some of the other characters. There is a scene in the film where Leonard urinates on Dana. The effect was simple but memorable. My favorite "gore" effect in the film is the unnerving "eyepunch" scene where Leonard punches Pussey's eyelids with a hole puncher. This was actually a pretty simple effect to achieve, enhanced by DP Dave Barrett's incredible tight shots. In the scene, those were Brian's hands, not Chris Brooks', that pull off the effect. With the exception of the eye punch, Pussey was pretty cut and dry (a little dirt here & there), but J&B made some incredible scar effects on Pussey's back. |
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The character of Rocky gets (SPOILER ALERT!!!) killed in the movie, but returns. J&B did a great job creating a phony torso when he falls in a bathtub full of sharp, rusty utensils. During Rocky's demise (actor John Biebrich, brilliant in a pivotal scene), John actually threw up all over himself (which is in the movie). We were shooting real early in the morning (4am) and he had to hold a large amount of fake blood in his mouth for a long period of time...guess it was too much for big John. Mama Lalino's pasta salad wasn't sitting there too well, I guess! I always thought that someone was going to spew during the filming of FILTHY, but I never guessed it'd be big John. Fermie was another challenge for the dynamic duo. We did extensive make-up tests on actress Sheri Lawrence to give her a nasty, wrinkled look, and it looks really good on screen. A big issue was her hair. John and I wanted a bald cap & strands of hair, but the effect wasn't practical at the time. Some Fermie effects ended up on the cutting room floor; in one scene, after Fermie licked the tied-up Dana Diamond, part of her tongue falls out. In another scene, she picks a boil on her bare bottom which bursts in a mass of white ichor. While shooting, especially outdoor at Hobbs Scrapyard, a constant consideration was Fermie's latex appliances melting. J&B did a great job maintaining her makeup throughout. |
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Dana encounters two "mannekids" when she first enters the garbage-house. Although not fully explained in the story (only surmised by Dana), the mannekids were actually supposed to be real children that wandered into Femie's world, curiously seeking a cheap thrill in the "haunted house down the lane". Little did they know they'd be scooped up by Fermie and stuffed. I got this idea from a Halloween show that Howard Stern did, about a father who had his dead daughter stuffed and on display in his house. I found that story really sick & disturbing & couldn't wait to write it into FILTHY! The mannekids were real mannequins lent to us by the coolest chick on earth, Shade Burnett. Shade and I were separated at birth. Shade was a big help in lending us the mannequins for the film. We have since became good friends and she really is proud of her involvement in FILTHY. Shade also acted in the film as a biohazard cop. |
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SHADE BURNETT |
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When Dana first gets kidnapped by the family and is tied to a post in a bedroom, Pussey stuffs a cat's head in her mouth to keep her quiet. Brian made the cat head, which was a real evil-looking thing. After the cat's head gets stuffed in her mouth, Pussey wraps barbed wire around Dana's head to keep it secured. This effect was achieved by Production Designer Kevin Bailey who used soldering metal sculpted to simulate barbed wire. In the same scene Dana gets 2 larvae grubs stuffed in her nose while Fermie stabs her with safety pins. The grubs were rigged to squirt green goo when squeezed. The results are quite effective! |
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During the Hallowedding sequence, Dana gets her finger chopped off by a cigar cutter, followed by a cauterizing of the wound by a lit cigarette. J&B sculpted and formed a phony Dana hand. In the cutting room, however, the results were more effective by not showing the hand. In all films, happy accidents happen. Two that were particularly good were the hallucinations that Dana experiences during the "Fermie Disco Scene". We acquired two actors, Jason Morales and Jeannie R. Bass (who is lead actress Jennifer Bass' sister) who played "hallucinogenic ghouls" that Dana sees when she gets high off garbage odors. Jason is particularly scary, resembling a more hellish version of the "mannekids" earlier in the picture. Jeannie is unsettling too, looking like she fell into a pile of charcoal. Her stunning see-through blue eyes (all-natural, not an effect) added contrast to her darkened skin, to great effect. |
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JASON MORALES as a hallucination |
JEANNIE R. BASS |
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As Dana's situation deteriorates as she is seated at the reception table after the Hallowedding, more effects were required. Dana throws up, drinks blood, and is served a noxious meal by MeatMan (see the MeatMan notes above). She then endures a torturous ordeal by "bobbing for..." well, guess you'll have to see the movie to find out what she actually bobs for. Let's just say the effect was a convincing one by J&B. I believed Brian was used as the subject for this particular effect... After the damnable bobbing scene, Dana is broken by...er- this is another effect that you'll have to see to believe. Let's just say she reaches her breaking point after it. Wedding music plays and Leonard picks up the broken Dana, when his plan is foiled by cops who come bursting through the door. SPOILER ALERT...Leonard and Pussey are shot and killed(?) by the cops. For the squib effect we used special effects maestro RON KELLER who, with his team, safely detonated the squibs on Leonard and Pussey's body (bet you hated every minute of that, Ron; that's why we had to do Pussey 3 times...). The effect was wonderful, especially when accented by Sound Designer Eddie Sturgeon's gunshots. |
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Another effect that didn't make the final cut was a dummy of Fermie before she SPOILER ALERT!!! meets her demise. Again, the effect was scarier in one's mind than it was onscreen. From script to screen, Joy and Brian's work was an invaluable element of the success of FILTHY. - ANDY LALINO 5/8/03 |
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Dana's hand (not used in film) |
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Fermie dummy (not used in film) |
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The Altar |
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The Kitchen |
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Kitchen |
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Promotional flyer for Renegade Films' "Saints & Sinners" film festival. The trailer for "Filthy" premiered at the festival to an enthusiastic crowd of indie film lovers. |
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Dana's news station WMIA logo |
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