The Art of Horror (ft. Jason Hammond)

[00:00:01] Movies don't create psychos! Movies make psychos more creative! I wanna play a game. Broodol Circus away.

[00:00:11] Alright folks, welcome back to another episode of Tales to Give You Goosebumps.

[00:01:03] This is our little spin-off segment that we have from our normal Goosebumps stuff, but we are going to be talking about some Goosebumps in this as well. We're just not talking all about Goosebumps. You know myself, I am Shaolin, you have Hayden, and then we have Mr. Jason Hammond. Hammond Sculpt. Very well-known mask and I will say bust slash prop maker on the internet webs.

[00:01:31] And Jason, welcome. Welcome to our little news segment. Thanks for having me. Yeah, absolutely. I've actually been wanting to do this interview for quite a while with you. It's just that we never really had a segment set up to talk about more than just Goosebumps until recently. So it's really nice to be able to do this. And actually, you will be appearing at Mask Fest in Cincinnati, Ohio at Horror Hound.

[00:01:57] So for anybody in the area at that time, definitely go check it out because Zane Knisley, who we've had on here, will be there. Hayden Graham will be there. There's tons of other really awesome mask and prop makers. So definitely go check it out. It's Mask Fest is honestly my favorite part over even Horror Hound itself. Like I pretty much go for that anymore. And I just kind of leave after that if I don't go look at other vendors.

[00:02:25] So I will be there on Sunday as well. Hayden will not be because obviously he is much further away than I am. A little farther. And that's a bit far for him. So he will not be there. But I will be there on Sunday hopping around. I don't have a booth this time around. But be sure to stop by and talk to Jason while you're there and everybody else. It is a lot of fun. So Jason, tell us a little bit about yourself and some of the work that you do.

[00:02:54] Well, I'm a sculptor. So I primarily do portrait sculpture. So most of the stuff that I do is like trying to replicate someone's face as realistically as possible. That's probably the main thing that I've focused on for a long time is just trying to do the most realistic stuff that I possibly can.

[00:03:18] But one of the first things that got me inspired to be a fan of special effects stuff was Goosebumps. And when I was a little kid, I actually had a lisp. And apparently what I would say all the time is, I just want to watch Goosebumps. That's what I would say all the time. And I would watch the Haunted Mask every single day. That was my favorite thing.

[00:03:44] And just like most people who have bought a Haunted Mask off me, the one that I sell, I was obsessed with the Haunted Mask. And I just needed to have it. I just wanted a copy of it so badly. So as I got older and I got more experience with sculpting and stuff and making masks, I was like, you know what? I should try to make a Haunted Mask.

[00:04:11] And then the first couple that I made were not very good. And they were just like, eh, they're okay. But then after a certain point, I got better. And then it was like every year I started doing like a better version of it for like, I don't know, four years or so. Every year I would sort of redo it. And then that has become like the top selling piece that I sell. So, yeah, mainly it's just masks and busts and things like that.

[00:04:41] But that's like, that's my main passion, I guess. And it's definitely served you well. Because I will attest, like I've bought multiple variations of that Haunted Mask as years went on because it just kept getting better. So I would sell the old one and I'll get the new one because the new ones just look even better. Like you don't think they'll get better and then they get better.

[00:05:07] So even down to the one I have, you know, I just got actually today, you know, because I wanted a newer one that had closer to the colors that you see in the very first time that Carly Beth sees the mask on, you know, in the shop. So it's a bit more green then before later. It kind of becomes a bit more pale green as it kind of becomes alive. So it does go through multiple shades throughout the episode.

[00:05:34] So how do you choose kind of which one? Because you got to figure 30 years of footage back then, especially, you know, it's not the best quality footage. So even though like the colors might say it's green, kind of pale green, it's different colors almost in every scene just depending on how it was shot almost like. So how did you decide where to go with it?

[00:06:00] What I noticed is one of the first things I noticed about the mask is that at the beginning it's a little bit more green and then it gets more pale. Like when it kind of connects to her face sort of thing and like actually connects to her face where she's got longer fangs in there. That's where I noticed it was much more pale. And then people would message me and be like, I feel like it's too, like it's not green enough.

[00:06:29] Like it doesn't look right. And I'm like, no, no, you don't understand. This scene, these scenes here, it is more pale. But the reason they do that is also because all that stuff was shot outside like very dark. So if they, if they painted it the same dark green, it would look way too dark. It would be like really, really dark green in those, like in like the cemetery shots or whatever. But I just, I just knew I could see it that, that it was more pale.

[00:06:57] And then like, I think like a year ago, Matt DeWilde posted a, like a picture of like the stunt performer with like the regular mask person with Catherine, I think in the makeup and her, and it was like a Polaroid. So it's like her makeup was way brighter. And I was like, see, I knew it. I knew it. I knew I could see that.

[00:07:19] But it was just like, yeah, the main thing is it's really hard to get a nice quality version of the, of the haunted mask, like to see the details of it. That's also why it's hard to replicate it. That's probably the main thing that's because it's very hard to see things clearly. You can't really zoom in and get like a lot of detail. Most things are a VHS rip.

[00:07:41] So it's like, it's, it's kind of blurry and like, it's not really, it's not a clean version of what they shot. So, but it's, it's, it's all interpretation basically. Right. Yeah, no, I 100% agree. I wondered that about a lot of other problem makers who try to make things from, you know, 30 years ago when it was just VHS and that kind of quality that you got, you know,

[00:08:07] but trying to make it today exactly is almost impossible. You know, unless you were there at the time and you can remember how to do it, you know, like, you know, I know there's a video out there of Tommy Wallace who did the Michael Myers mask from Halloween. And he can show you exactly what he did. And he makes one right in front of your face. And it's just like, oh, that's actually really cool. And then yeah, it looks just like how it did.

[00:08:37] And so, but nobody else can replicate that unless you were there. So Matt DeWile, Ron Stefnik. Actually, Ron, I think told me, or maybe it was, I think it might've been Zane Nisley. Well, actually it might've been both. But anyway, they, they both, I think confirmed he still has the mold for the mask. Yeah. So I keep trying, I keep, yeah, I keep trying to get him to release that or at least make me a copy. It doesn't have to be painted.

[00:09:05] I'll, you know, I'll send it off to be painted. You know, I'll send it off to you even if you wanted to, you know, scan it or do anything. Right. So I'll keep you posted on that, but still working on it. Ron's a pretty busy guy. He's supposed to have been back with Alan Gasset, who we've had on here before too, and do kind of a joint video together. But Ron's been very, very busy, so doing a lot of stuff with the boys. And now the boys is done.

[00:09:34] I imagine he's doing, he did a lot of stuff probably, I'd assume for their spinoff show that has Soldier Boy. I can't remember what that spinoff's called at the moment, but regardless. Yeah, I mean, the Haunted Mask was a classic. It's my favorite. That's why I keep getting every new version that you make, because like I said, they just get better in detail and better in color. And, you know, I mean, you want one with like the rubber teeth, but then you also want one later with acrylic teeth.

[00:10:03] You know, that's another thing too I'm actually kind of curious about with the acrylic teeth. Like, is that something you made yourself to, to fit those masks or like, because it doesn't look like those are store bought by any means, like, or a mass produced teeth that you get like from Trick or Treat Studios or something. No, no, I make all, all the eyeballs, all the teeth, all the everything, all the fixings. I put all, I put all that stuff on there.

[00:10:33] But like those teeth have been basically the same, the same ones that I've used from the start. I think it was like maybe the second version of the mask. I sculpted the teeth and then I tried sort of remaking them, but they didn't quite, it didn't quite just, it didn't look as right to me as those ones. So basically it's always been the same acrylic teeth.

[00:10:53] It's just the mask sculptures is different, but like the, the replicating the, the mask, like the thing I really love about, about the mask design is that it's something that is great about like any kind of like monster design or mask design.

[00:11:14] Where it has like these kind of intangible elements of certain things that are kind of mixed together, but not in like a copy and pasted way. Like, like, uh, it's, it's like a very kind of, um, um, it's, it's kind of snake-like in a weird way, like reptilian in a weird way. But it's kind of like, uh, like a goblin in a, in a weird way.

[00:11:41] Like there's, like a, there's sort of like feelings of all these different kinds of things in there that work somehow simultaneously and not in a way where it's like just a goblin with like snake scales or something. Like it's not that like direct it's, there's something integrated about it. And I feel also that part of what it has a lot of charm in it is that I could tell that they had to do it quickly.

[00:12:09] Like you could tell that they had to come up with it like quickly, but they weren't, it wasn't, it wasn't rushed, but it was just like they had, they had like, they had to crunch on it and really design something that they could do multiple times very quickly. So in the paint job, it's one of the easier things to paint because it's basically just a base coat. And then you just got like three layers of just airbrush.

[00:12:33] And, and I could tell that the way that they designed it was specifically because they had to probably make five or six of them quickly. So they just, they just airbrushed each one, you know, in sequence kind of thing. And things like that are, uh, kind of charming. Like, it's just like a, it just adds to it.

[00:12:53] Um, but it also just makes it to where maybe the less control they have over, over the design or the execution is like maybe more satisfying because it just kind of, it's a little more rough for us or something. And it feels, it feels a little more fun, I guess, in that way, rather than it being so, uh, so contrived or something or so, um, you know, expensive looking or so. I don't know.

[00:13:22] It still has that kind of like novelty shop, uh, feeling. There's something about it that, that is. And I think that's because they had to do it quickly. So that's, that's like one of the main things I really love about it. Yeah. Big props to Ron, Stephanie, and his team, because yeah, everything was rushed on that show. Everything. But all of it was so memorable. Even down to the, uh, the length potato.

[00:13:51] That's up on prop store right now. I mean, which I want about the potato. I want so bad, but I'm not getting it. I just checked the price. That's crazy. Yeah. I checked the price before we started recording. Uh, it started at $500. It's now up to 1600. So it's outpriced my, uh, my budget. So. It's only going to go up. That would probably be the most expensive potato in the world. I don't know if there's another one.

[00:14:22] I don't know. We'll have to, we'll have to see about that. I mean, I imagine it will be. I mean, let's be real here. I mean, how many other potatoes out there are going to get that kind of attention? But when we go through like the history of Goosebumps, the Haunted Mask is so iconic. But then the other unloved ones as well are pretty iconic. Have you ever thought in all the time, uh, to sculpt any of the others?

[00:14:49] Or were you just kind of like, I really just want to do the main Haunted Mask from the episode? Yeah. I want to do the other ones. I do want to make the other ones. I also really want to make the second one, the second Haunted Mask. Um, and then I also want to make the, the, the OG mask that's in the second Haunted Mask, where it, where it's, it's got like the blackout eyes on it. Yeah. I want to do that one. That's not a clear version. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

[00:15:15] Because that's a different, uh, sculpture, but it's like that, that one I want to do as well. I just, um, it was just like, I feel like I got, uh, option paralysis. There's so many, there's so many different things I could do that I, it's just like with all of those masks as well.

[00:15:34] There's so many of them that it's like, it would almost have to be something where I would like make a big batch of like all of them at once and then sell them just as one collection or something. Um, because you would have to, you would, as a collector, you would have to sort of have, you couldn't just have like the envy mask or something. You could, you'd, you would have to have them all. Mm-hmm.

[00:16:00] Um, so that's also kind of tricky as well. Yeah. I, I'm in that boat right now because I do have, uh, envy and then I also have your haunted mask sculpt. Um, so I'm adding one at a time and the other maker who did make the, the envy one, uh, shout out to NMR studios. He's really cool guy. Um, he does a really good job with those as well. And, uh, I'm really happy with that.

[00:16:29] And I think he's done, uh, what would be, uh, it's gotta be sloth. I mean the, the fat mask. So I would think that'd be sloth. Uh, don't see that being envy, but you know, you never know, I guess, but I mean, he does pretty good, but he's kind of in that boat too. Like he's only done those two so far and I think he has done the haunted mass twos. Oh, gee, the shopkeeper mask, I guess as well, I'll call it the shopkeeper mask.

[00:16:57] Uh, but yeah, I mean, and I know he's done an old man mask and so has trick or treat studios. And, uh, they're both pretty good, but they're still both not a hundred percent on the money. They're, they're good sculpts, but they don't like the paint. Isn't that good in my opinion, like the coloring and that kind of stuff on the trick or treat studios, one trick or treat studios, uh, the paint's definitely all, but that's not, I kind of think that's the normal with trick or treat studios. Cause they're mass produced.

[00:17:27] Yeah. So you kind of have to either get it rehauled by somebody or, you know, what have you just to make it look better. Right. Uh, a lot of people get it rehaired too, cause the hair on trick or treat studios obviously isn't going to be like top quality hair mask. It's just kind of, again, mass produced. Um, yeah, I mean, I've got, I've got them up here. Three, three tots ones. The sculpts are great, but they do need some work.

[00:17:55] Um, but with, I mean that you only do, you don't only do, uh, goosebumps, but you have branched out and most of your other stuff. I think that the haunted mask is the only mask you've actually made. Correct. I've never actually seen another mask that I'm aware of. Uh, I'm forgetting something only doom. So all of what I used to do is all was all latex stuff. I would do masks all the time.

[00:18:21] Uh, now it's basically 98% resin busts. And, and the main mask that I make is, is the haunted mask. But I also do the like leather face masks here and there. Like, uh, okay. Yes. I did see that now and then, but those are, those were made for a bust. So I would make like the resin bust and then put the mask on it kind of thing. Um, but yeah, the main, the main actual latex mask that I make is the, is the haunted mask.

[00:18:52] Yeah, for sure. And again, to me, it's the best haunted mask that's out there. I mean, I don't think there's any comparison. No offense to any other sculptor who's done it. This is just my personal favorite. And if you do a side by side of the ones that Jason does compared to the screenshot one, I mean, it's hard to tell a difference sometimes. I mean, uh, it's, it's really, really good. Uh, so I can't recommend it enough.

[00:19:19] But one of the things I love too, is, uh, you, like we just said, you do busts and it's not just goosebumps. Uh, you have done a haunted mask one. Uh, but you, I think my favorite one that you've done a bus, uh, it's either gotta be Frankenstein's monster or the Tim Curry Pennywise. That Tim Curry Pennywise is hauntingly good. Yeah. Like you caught that likeness so well.

[00:19:48] Like, do you like, how long does it take you to sculpt that? Like on your first go around until you're satisfied? Um, it depends, it depends on whose face.

[00:20:02] So the thing that's very, um, strange about sculpting that I find with like doing a portrait or doing like a famous person's face is that for some reason there will be certain faces that to me will be very easy. And then to a lot of other sculptors will be very hard. And then there'll be a certain face that to me is nearly impossible for me to get right. But where I'm like, I can't, like, I cannot, I just can't get it right.

[00:20:31] It's just, there's only like one or two of them that I've tried where I'm like, I literally, I'm not even going to release this. So like, I'm not going to put this out. Like, it's just, I can't get it right. Out of curiosity. Now I have to know who, who is the, who's the faces that you can't really do? Christopher Lee. Christopher Lee, Dracula. Okay. That's the, that's the hardest. Pretty unique face. That, that is the hardest one I've ever done.

[00:20:59] If you look at other sculptors who've done that one as well, it's, you can see that it's, uh, they, you could see where they're struggling with it as well. Certain guys have done it very well though. Um, but, but, but yeah, that's one where it's just, I feel like it's more just a personal thing because a lot of sculptors, they'll go. Um, what, what, what's, what they say is they'll say there's a, there's a line of like, um, um, um, easiest to hardest.

[00:21:26] And the easiest is like a monster, like Jason Voorhees or something, or like a mutant where you can kind of hide a lot of mistakes and things in the structure. The, the hardest is, is a, uh, a baby or like a toddler because you cannot hide any mistakes. You have to be very, it's very smooth. Everything's very smooth and deliberate and like you can't really hide behind anything.

[00:21:54] And then the second hardest is a young woman. That's why you don't really see many people sculpt young women because a lot of the time you don't really see like a, like a whole lot of like female characters in busts. Like, I just think it's just because of that, because it's just, their skin is so smooth and it's hard to kind of. And I also think a lot of sculptors, they just naturally, they sculpt guys. Like, because a lot of them are guys, they just naturally sculpt male anatomy.

[00:22:24] And that's why it looks wrong because they just kind of cook in like a male anatomy. But there's some of the easiest characters I've ever sculpted are young women. Like, those are the ones that take me like four days sometimes. Like, uh, the Carrie bust, uh, the Evil Dead ones. Like the Linda from Evil Dead. Yeah. That took me like five days or something. Like a lot of those ones were like very quick.

[00:22:50] And I had no idea if they would be that, um, easy or how hard. I don't know. I have no clue before I start if it's going to be really hard or if it's going to be really easy. But I just, um, the main thing that drives me is just the excitement of making this, whatever I'm trying to make that, that particular. So it's most of the time it has to be led by, do I care about this? Like, do I actually, do I have like a, like a, am I a fan?

[00:23:20] Am I a real fan of this film or this, you know, show or this character? That's the main thing that is the driving factor. Because it's almost like, um, it's, to me, it's like collecting. Like, I'm not really a big collector. But like when I'm making something, that's kind of me getting into that side of it. Like, like, uh, it's similar because like you want to delve into it. You want to like go deeper into it. You want to explore it.

[00:23:47] Like you want, like it's, it's, that's, it's the same kind of thing. So when I'm sculpting something, I'll, you know, I'll put the film on like eight times or I'll play the soundtrack while I'm like sculpting. Or like, I'll, I'll get into it. And then that kind of goes into the, the end result that that will be sort of captured at some level. But the, the most of the time it's, it doesn't take me too long to sculpt, um, certain faces. And I don't know why that is. Certain ones are very easy.

[00:24:17] Like for me, one of the easier ones is, is, uh, Karloff as Frankenstein or, or Boris Karloff. For some reason, I just, there's something about his face that I find easy to sculpt. Um, but I, I did, I noticed something. I'm not going to say what it is because I, I, I noticed something about his makeup, the original, the original Frankenstein makeup that Jack Pierce did from 31.

[00:24:47] I noticed one thing about his makeup that I've not seen anyone else ever notice. Rick Baker, Mike Hill, no, nobody that's painted him or a sculpt. There's something about his makeup that I noticed that I nearly fell off my chair. And I was like, Oh my God, I'm not, I'm not going to say what it is.

[00:25:05] But if you look at the Frankenstein, the first one that I make, you, you might be able to see it, but it's, um, something very particular, but it's, it's, uh, I just know nobody else has noticed this. And, um, so I don't know. It's because I just, I like to study the character a lot as I'm working on it. I really like to study it and like wipe my brain clean of it.

[00:25:33] Um, and so I just kind of get like a, I try to get a fresh perspective of it. That was a, that was a three hour answer to your question, but. No, it's all good. Cause like, I love hearing all this, like all the behind the scenes stuff. That's why I love having like, you know, the artists on here, like Tim Jacobus or Craig White, Mark Magotti did the books or the people who did props, like Ron Stefanik. Like Ron can talk forever.

[00:26:00] And it doesn't feel like it though, because you're just, you're, you're taking it all in because these are stories you've never heard anywhere else because there was no behind the scenes stuff for goosebumps. There was no behind the scenes for Scholastic back in the day to, to show. I mean, there were photos, but there, no one ever video captured anything to document. So it's only through stories, uh, that we get a lot of the stuff.

[00:26:23] So, uh, it's kind of nice when we get to hear that kind of recorded on this channel and kind of lives on forever. So it's, it's very cool. Uh, especially me. I love learning all that process just because again, like, you know, I, I'm not a mask maker, but I love masks. Um, and I do make a lot of my own stuff for my own characters just because it's fun. Um, that's kind of what Halloween is, is about just make your own stuff. I mean, I don't like to go just buy a store bot, whatever.

[00:26:54] Uh, but you know, to each their own. I mean, no dogging anybody out there. FYI, just, that's just me. I just don't like to buy a store bot stuff. Um, but I mean, like, do you have a favorite piece that you've done as a bust? Like that just, you were so proud of it when you were done. Like, this is just like, how do I top this kind of moment?

[00:27:18] Uh, I would say the one that I really, really love is the, uh, Max Schreck Nosferatu. That's the one that is probably, that, that's one of the ones where, um, and I'm bringing one of those to, uh, Mask Fest as well. That was actually the first one I made for Mask Fest because I'm like, I just, that one is my favorite one to have in the room because there's something about it when you see it in person.

[00:27:46] It's a little different when you see it in person, um, as opposed to just, uh, pictures. But when you see it in person, there's just something, um, that's like one of my favorite, uh, classic monsters. I really just, when I was a kid, I just really, really creeped me out. Nosferatu, the, the OG Nosferatu really just, just, uh, sent shivers up my spine. Like I just was so disturbed by that makeup.

[00:28:14] Um, and so that one is probably one of my favorite ones. Um, I, I, I liked the, the Carrie one. I did one of the, like, it was like maybe like number three or something of the Carrie. And that one, I was like, I, to this day, I cannot, I can't do one better than that one. That, that one's the best one. And I know, I don't even know exactly why. It's just, I, for some reason, just whatever happened, it was like number two or three that I made.

[00:28:43] That one was like the best one. Um, and there's, uh, what else? Uh, there was a, there was an original like bald vampire that I made. It was like a Nosferatu kind of vampire. That one, when I finished that one, I was like, man, this one is like, at the time I was thinking this is the best thing I've ever made. I don't know. I think I've probably done better things, but at the time I was like excited about it.

[00:29:11] So, no, I mean, and I, I think that's a great feeling to have because I mean, obviously like you didn't just stop there because you've obviously like we kind of talked about with the Haunted Mask, you, you know, tweaked it, progressed it, made it better as time went on. You just weren't satisfied with the one thing. So obviously, and it shows in your art, uh, because it is all art.

[00:29:38] And eventually I, I definitely want to get one of those Tim Curry Pennywise. Cause like I said, it is hauntingly accurate. And, uh, I kind of feel like if I walk into a room, it would stare in my soul and it would probably take it, but you know, I, I don't really have one to take, so I'm safe, but it is a lot like you've captured that, like scary that Tim Curry does.

[00:30:04] Isn't just that moment, which is hard to do, I feel like in a, in a still bust, but I mean, cause I've seen some other big companies out there do busts, uh, you know, like, uh, Queen studios does a lot of really good statues and busts and stuff. And, um, you know, they look really, really good, but I don't, I don't think I've ever seen anybody tackle like the, the Tim Curry Pennywise, like you have, like, so with the

[00:30:32] kind of like the franchise re reinvigorated, we'll say that with the, uh, Bill Skarsgård version, you ever thought about doing that one too, or just, just sticking with the Tim Curry nineties version? I did not like that, that version. I didn't like that makeup. Really? I don't like it. I just, I just, I, I saw, I saw, um, I just, I don't like it.

[00:30:59] It doesn't make any sense to me, the makeup because his, he's got this gigantic head and it's a big light bulb head, but it's organic. It's got, it's got, it's got organic hair growing out of it, but it's supposed to kind of be like this bald cap. It just doesn't make any sense to me. His costume is all whack. His costume doesn't look like a, like a real, it looks more like a jester or something. It doesn't look like a clown from, from any era. It doesn't look like a real clown costume.

[00:31:28] And the makeup is all like, I don't know. I just, I don't, I don't like it very much. I honestly, I don't really like a lot of the, the newer stuff. I like, I like the, the older stuff. I like, I don't know. I just think a lot of the newer stuff is like, um, a little bit sterile or something. It's just something that's not, it doesn't have the same feeling for me. That's why I don't really do like, you know, newer, like the new Nosferatu or something like that.

[00:31:58] I just, I think a lot of it kind of just kind of, it flashes up and then it kind of just goes away very quickly. Like everyone was obsessed with Nosferatu for like three months. And then it just, who's really obsessed with that at this point? Who's making, who's, who's sitting there making busts of that Nosferatu like every week? Like it's not, it's not, it doesn't have the same kind of staying power. There's no, it's not really, I don't know. Something about that is something's missing there.

[00:32:27] It's not as interesting. I think. No, I, I kind of, I agree with that one. I know I do like the new Pennywise. I think Bill Skarsgård does pretty well with that design notwithstanding. I did not like it chapter two though of his movie. They, that was just bad writing though. But the welcome to Derry show was phenomenal. And I do kind of, they do kind of go in the route, like show you like the, how we got

[00:32:57] that look for Pennywise the clown. Uh, so it's, it's interesting. At least they tie it in, in that sense. Um, but as far as like Nosferatu, I think that was Bill Skarsgård too, wasn't it? In the new one? Oh yeah, it was. Yeah. Yep. So that's ironic. Uh, uh, we talking about this one, I agree. I do not, I did not like that. I don't know why everybody was so obsessed with that Nosferatu. Uh, it was, I didn't even enjoy the movie.

[00:33:25] I mean, I love the old ones. Uh, but I did not enjoy that one like at all. Uh, it's kind of like the, I will say like the new Dracula that was kind of based on the Ron Stoker Dracula was, was decent, but I'll still watch the Gary Oldman one before I would that one again. Uh, so, I mean, I, I agree.

[00:33:47] I think there's something about the older films and television that had like a charm to it that now we all really love. And it's, it's kind of like they say, you can't beat the original. Yeah. And that's few and far between because I actually liked the thing that John Carpenter did over the other original thing. So. Oh yeah.

[00:34:13] It just, it depends on what your, your go-to is here, but, uh, you know, that's one thing I think would be pretty awesome. Uh, I don't know how you would do it, but if you could do like the thing poster, you know, with the, the like parka or whatever, and then that's a light coming out, that'd be pretty badass. I don't know how you do that, but that'd be pretty cool. There's a lot of cool stuff in that film too, where there's like the, the, they, they built a lot of really, really cool puppets for that film.

[00:34:42] That would be, uh, Rob Bottin where he did like, he did some insane things. Um, but you know what, you know, it is the, the most insane thing to me. One of the most insane things is when I, when I started, like when I started sculpting, I remember I would be like obsessed with, uh, you know how there used to be, uh, like two disc DVDs.

[00:35:11] And like one was the movie. One was like the behind the scenes. Yeah. The bonus features. Yeah. Yeah. I would be obsessed with, uh, I wouldn't even care half the time about the actual movie. I would just put the behind the scenes thing and watch that all the time. And one of the ones that I was, um, most obsessed with was, uh, planet of the apes, you know, Rick Baker's planet of the apes. I didn't give a crap about the movie. I mean, I didn't care about it, but all of the effects of the apes would just absolutely blew me away.

[00:35:40] And I was like, all of these guys that, that I was watching in that they know me, they know my work now. Like, like Rick Baker, like we'll comment on my posts and like, oh, my, like Frankenstein stuff absolutely blows me away. That's crazy. That's sick. Like, I'm like, man, this is insane. And I'll like, uh, when I was living with my dad, I would like come downstairs and I would just show him like, Greg Nicotero just emailed me. And then he'd be like, drop off his chair.

[00:36:10] Cause like my dad is like the, uh, one of the main reasons that I care about, uh, horror films and stuff. Cause he was like the same, he's also an artist. So he's like, uh, obsessed with all this kind of stuff. And so that kind of thing is just insane. Um, just knowing some of the people that have worked on, on these things, like that inspired me initially. And now I like to just like talk to them. I'm like, I can't even talk to them.

[00:36:40] I feel, I feel like I'm, I'm like, I can't, I can't, I'm, I'm going to, I'm going to ruin this. I may as well just like, I can't, I can't do it. No, I totally get that. Uh, you know, it's when you get to talk to, uh, an inspiration who inspired you to do something, you're kind of like, you, you want to talk to them, but you don't at the same time. Yeah. And I think a lot of that's because they tell you not to meet your heroes. So you're worried, you know, what they're douche, you know, I've been looking up this person my whole life and now they're a douche.

[00:37:09] Or what if I say something douchey to them and now they hate me, you know, when it wasn't meant that way. There's a lot of factors that go in to meeting your heroes. Um, and it's, uh, I mean, it's, it's definitely challenging for some people. Uh, I've seen people get starstruck where they can't even talk. So, but Rick Baker, Greg Nicotero, those are two names that, yeah, if they comment or email that's, and that's wild.

[00:37:37] Cause a lot of times like you'll get some people like when we had Stein share our, uh, Catherine Long interview, you know, a couple of years ago, we thought that was it. We hit the peak. We're done. You know, it's like, what do we do from here? Stein shared this. We've talked to Catherine Long, like what, what's next? I don't even know. Yeah. So you do get those, those feelings. Uh, and I don't know, it's, it's, it's a good feeling though, but let's go ahead and

[00:38:06] take a look at some of your work or again, order from him too, uh, on hammondsculpt.com and you guys can see my screen. Yep. Classic Frankie's. Okay. So yeah, you can see my screen and this right here already told you it was one of my favorites and, and we got two of them right here.

[00:38:37] So of course, when you come to the page, you do kind of get the overall glimpse, you know, you got some leather face over here. There's the Carrie, which is haunting, uh, especially since you gave her the, the bulging eye look. Uh, and what's crazy is it looks real. Like that's the wild part too. Like you capture the likeness of all these very, very well, but likeness is only part of it.

[00:39:04] I mean, obviously the, the painting process and, uh, in this instance, the fake blood, I mean, that looks real. So. Yeah. And it, it looks like a con like it's, it's completely dry, but it looks like that. It's actually the same resin as her face. So the, the same resin that her head is casted out of it, the blood is the same resin. It's just that when you pour it into the mold, it takes the exact texture of the sculpture.

[00:39:32] So it's not shiny, but, but I tinted it and just poured it over her head basically. And it's translucent. So it's, it, whatever you tinted as it stays that exact color. So it's literally, it's like, she's like a candied apple. That's what it, that's what she's like. Actually, that's a very accurate description because yeah. Now that you say that I kind of, I kind of see that. Yeah. So, I mean, you've done cinnabites too.

[00:39:59] I can't forget those because honestly, like they look amazing. And then you got the Karloff mummy, which is awesome. I would love to see a creature from the Black Lagoon down the road. That is my favorite, probably universal monster. Even though I'm more into werewolves, it's for whatever reason, something with the creature from the Black Lagoon is always stuck with me. Yeah. That's a cool one. Yeah. I got to do that at some point. And then there's our, I think this is the other one you were talking about. The other. Yeah.

[00:40:29] That's like the bald vampire guy there. Yeah. That one in person, it looks, it looks, that one in particular just looks like I couldn't really explain it. Just the way it looked in person to me, it was like 10 times better than what, what, what, what you see in the picture. But the haunted mask is covered. I just kind of. I think though, you have a, yeah, I was going to say, I think you got a gallery that we can take a look at,

[00:41:03] which is really awesome because like, again, like I do love this one too. That one, I want to do. And again, I want, I want to do a new version of that one. And everyone's like, Oh no, come on. The last one he did is so good. I'm like, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. You don't understand. Next one is going to be so much better than that. I already know. But one of the things that was tricky about him. Oh, this is something very interesting actually.

[00:41:29] So see how he's like, he's got this kind of weird blue color to his skin. Most people think he's got blue paint on his face. He doesn't have blue paint on his face. When I, when I painted him one night, I was thinking all of the versions I've done of his character are way too blue. I'm like, this is really bothering me. I'm like, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to paint this, but I'm going to take it slow. I'm just going to like drip paint into this cup. So I put white first.

[00:41:58] I put a little dot of black and I just mixed it up. And I'm like, okay, I will start gradually adding a little bit of blue just to see where it goes. As soon as I added the black and mixed it up, I'm like, this is the exact color. There is no blue in his, in his face coat. There's not a drop of blue in the color on his face. And it's the same with the Dawn of the Dead one. So, so, and if you, if you listen to Tom Savini's interviews from Dawn of the Dead, he says, we never painted any of the zombies blue.

[00:42:28] They all just showed up on camera really blue. He was like, we literally just painted everyone gray. And it's because in, in black paint, there's a lot of blue in it. So, so if you like add the white, it has this weird grayish kind of blue color that comes out of it. So, that was a main thing that I painted that one like that. And then I painted the, the Dawn of the Dead one like that as well.

[00:42:57] The site is on the fritz. As long as you click it, it still gets the pictures though. And I, and that's, that's incredible. I didn't really, I didn't even realize that like, cause it does look blue. So, I would have guessed that you had like maybe a light blue or pale blue put in there. But again, and whatever you're shooting with the, like the camera that you're using, this is phenomenal quality for one. And the lighting's perfect.

[00:43:27] So kudos even just on the photography as well. Yeah, that's one of my other passions as well. I love shooting and doing cinematography and things. So like I'm always trying to light it kind of like similar. And when I sculpt them as well, because I know I have a fairly good knowledge of lenses.

[00:43:51] That's another thing as a sculptor, when I'm trying to copy something from a film, I can tell, okay, this, what, what lens they use here is about this focal length. And that makes it this kind of, you know, it distorts the face or something like that. Like that's what happens with like the original Frankenstein. Because in back in the day, they were recording on soundstage and they were zoomed all the way into their face, which, which bevels out their face on the side.

[00:44:18] A lot of times it makes this face look way wider than it actually is. And then that could be very confusing. So people, a lot of times people don't factor that in because they don't know about lenses. So they just, they, they are just looking at what they're looking at, thinking it's objective, but it's not. It's the lens will distort it. And so that takes a big part of it, like with film photography, especially because they'll always zoom in or it'll be something wide, very close.

[00:44:46] And it'll make their head small, you know, things like that. Right. Yeah, I know. And that's, that's a good point. I mean, honestly, I didn't even think about that either. I mean, there's so much that goes into all this and like, even like Bjorn's doing, who's our other co-host, who's not here right now, but he had just finished up a fan film of Night of Blooming Dummy. And talking with him about what he's had to learn just with lighting and lenses.

[00:45:15] And he didn't think he needed this lens, but then they had to go get it and how expensive they are too. But it makes a world of difference. Yeah. It makes a world of difference though. It does. Yeah. And this is again, my favorite one. And I just, I can't get over it. I mean, that's straight up Tim Curry. That's so wild.

[00:45:39] Now, how do you track down, like say, because obviously the clothing you probably don't make yourself. But I imagine some of the clothing for some of these, because the characters are so older, probably not so much, maybe not Pennywise, but it did make me think like, because now they do like costumes, you know, from like costume shops and stuff. So all the Pennywise substance is so popular again.

[00:46:03] But the other stuff that's more unique from some of these, like how do you source that and like bulk quantity? Because that would be, I would think, adopting task in itself. It is. Most of the time I go to like secondhand stores and things like that. Like if it's like, for the, for this one, that is actually a Halloween costume of Pennywise. So I just take the Halloween costume and then I just cut it up and glue it on there and everything.

[00:46:33] And so that, that's like, you know, his collar and everything. That's fairly easy. But the, like the Jack from American Werewolf, that one, that one's one of the hardest ones because he's got this very particular like puff jacket and they're very expensive. So like if you find one, it's like, like minimum like 80 bucks or something. Oh, that's horrendous. Oh, there we go.

[00:46:58] See, I don't need, I don't like posting pictures of the sculpture because it just looks terrible to me. Like when I, when I, that looks good. But, but if I was, if I was still at that stage of the sculpture and I hadn't finished it yet, I would, I would be mortified of anyone seeing that before it was done. Like, because it's just not done.

[00:47:24] But that's what I, again, that's what I personally love about like when people share their progress pics of something they're sculpting or something they're making, because it's just so interesting to see like the time and effort and how these people do these particular things that, you know, cause not everybody can just go and make a carry bus like this. Let's, let's be real. I mean, cause look at that. That's crazy.

[00:47:48] I think it gives more, it gives more appreciation to the work as well as it's like, you're starting out with just a blob of clay and then being able to take it and make it into this, you know, like the, the process of that is things that people want to see, you know? Yeah, no, I, I, I know that. And, and everyone tells me that too.

[00:48:10] They're like, uh, you need to, you should post more like you in the process of making something, but it's just when, when I'm making it, what I'm trying to do is make this. It's, I'm not trying to like the process. It's not done. It's not done. It's almost like, um, I don't know. It's like building something and like, you're in, you're in the middle of it and somebody comes over and they're like trying to manage you or something. They're trying to oversee what, what you've done.

[00:48:40] And it's like, well, it's not done yet. Like you get, there's a certain, I don't know how really to explain it, but it's just, it's, uh, when I, when I'm done and then I look back on it, then I can, then it's easier for me to share it because it's already, you, then now I've already proven that it worked sort of thing. Right. But if I'm in the middle of it, I'm constantly looking at it going, that's not good. That's not good. This needs to be better. That needs to be better. That's the only way you could do something like this is to constantly criticize it. That's it.

[00:49:08] Like there is just, it's never ending criticism in my own head. Like I'm always thinking this is not good enough. That's not good enough. This, this was one of the hardest sculptures I've ever done. I was going to ask. Cause I mean, the design itself is not simple by any means. I mean, you would think it is, but just because of the lines, because of the pins and then trying to capture the face, you know, I don't know.

[00:49:36] Like I, it's are so unique. That, that, that this sculpture was one of the hardest. It's probably, there's like one other one, I guess probably the Christopher Lee one is the only, the hardest one. This, this is like, this took me three months to sculpt. Usually, usually it'll take me like about a week or two at most to sculpt. Most of these, this one took me three months and I was losing my mind sculpting this.

[00:50:05] I was like ready to rip it apart. I was like, I cannot get it. I can't get it. It's just not, I can't get it. It's just, I couldn't break through to make it look natural and realistic. And one of the things that was hardest about it was that it's a likeness, right?

[00:50:23] It looks like a, like obviously Doug Bradley, an actor, he's got a very distinct face, but he's got some very small, little, little tiny appliances on his face. Little, thin, small, subtle appliances. So it made it like to try to sculpt his face and then also these little tiny appliances on it was very, very challenging.

[00:50:49] And the sculpture was starting to dry out because I used water-based clay. So I was like struggling with it for months and it was starting to dry out. And at certain points where I was like, I'm just going to rip this apart. Like I'm just going to throw this out. I'm going to rip it apart. I'm going to redo it. And then I was like, well, you know what? I've already started this. So I may as well just make my mind a wash and then just redo it the next day. But that was, that was the hardest one, I think.

[00:51:18] Well, I'm glad you didn't give up on it because obviously it looks stellar. And Hellraiser being as popular as it is. And I think it's kind of getting a little bit of a resurgence too, simply because I think there's a video game coming soon. And there's a lot of talk about that. I don't think there's another Hellraiser on the horizon movie-wise, but could be wrong. There's probably about 18 of them. Oh yeah. I mean, it's not like there ain't enough, but...

[00:51:47] See, this one is my favorite one. I think this is my favorite copy of this one. It was the first one I did. Just something about it, it has like a certain... It just looks very natural. Like, it just has the same creepy feeling to me as when I first saw his face in the original film. Something about his facial structure.

[00:52:14] And here's something that I discovered about this sculpt, which changed the game for me. Because I have made a million versions of Nosferatu since I was a kid. I always sculpted Nosferatu masks and little six-scale heads and things.

[00:52:35] One of the main things that I see people do when they sculpt him, and also with like the Barlow and like other characters, is if there's an element of their face that kind of sticks out a little bit, they'll make it way too big. So the first thing I did is I sculpted his head too big. The top of his head was like huge. And I was like, what is...

[00:53:01] I'm like, I know I got it right somehow, but I'm like, what is wrong here? Then I started shaving away the top of his head and made it small. Then I was like, oh, then he came out. Because he's got this weird-shaped head, but it's not huge. You know, it's actually quite small. So there's like little things like that. Where like people will make sculpt people's eyes huge when their eyes are actually small,

[00:53:28] but their eyes are colored like Barlow, like yellow. So they pop out more, but their eyes are physically small. So it's like a weird contradiction or something when you're sculpting it. Yeah, I was going to say that's a weird, like almost contrast or like you said, contradiction to what you think just because of what you're perceiving, I suppose. Huh, I was going to say that. Because yeah, I mean, this is phenomenal.

[00:53:56] I mean, I can see why it's your favorite. But I just, again, so it's amazing how lifelike you get these. Because when I see some of the ones like that get sculpted in actual like museums or like the Madame Tussauds stuff, I don't think they're nearly as good as they used to be. But that's again where I think it comes down to like you said you sculpt the things that you like.

[00:54:25] So, I mean, you have a passion for that particular character for one reason or another. So I think that generally just helps bring out the more lifelike quality in some of these. I think that's the main thing. So, and of course here is what would probably be so many people's favorites. You know, as far as masks go, including mine.

[00:54:51] Again, I still think this is the best sculpt out there compared to the episode. I don't think anybody's even remotely close to what you've been able to accomplish with this, which is impressive. Well, thank you. The main thing I think with it is that sometimes it's easy to forget that there's a lot of like human anatomy in it.

[00:55:17] Because like it looks a little bit like a blob or something, like to a lot of sculptors. With the neck, I think as well. The traps and the, what's that called? The collarbone? Yeah, the clavicle. Like there's a follow through there. Like even though it's a weird kind of wrinkled thing, there is collarbone and there is a trap and neck muscles in the back.

[00:55:43] And I think sometimes people just kind of sculpt it as this kind of like blob or something or it just kind of hangs down. It doesn't have the anatomy in there. And that makes a big difference. The other thing that makes a big difference is that the head is frustratingly rectangular. It's not, it's not a straight, it's not like a straight face. It's very, very rectangular.

[00:56:09] Like it's almost, that's the master copy of the silicone copy. But that, look at how rectangular it is. It's very, very rectangular. It's not, it's not like a human face, obviously. But it's like a lot of people will sculpt it too long. And I've done the same thing. I made the same exact mistake many times where I sculpted too, too long and too, because you're thinking this is like a human anatomy. But it's really, it's very, very boxy.

[00:56:39] Yeah, it's very blockish. I mean, and you can see it even more here just because there's no color to it. It's, it's this like flesh tone color. So it kind of pops more and you can really see just the block shape. But then, yeah, then you've got, you know, obviously the, like we said, the clavicle and everything else here. So it's pretty wild. I don't think I've seen this picture before. I mean, I've seen the other ones.

[00:57:05] I mean, I always like to look at anybody who's bought the mask before and see how they display it. And, you know, it's obviously like you try to obviously do the colors each time is, you know, but because they're all hand painted, right? You know, they're all going to not be exactly the same. So it's always neat to see different variations. That also makes it interesting for me too, where I'm like, I want to try to get it better every time I do it. Or like, I'm like, let me try a little, let me see if I could do this.

[00:57:34] Let me see how this works or something. Makes it interesting with each copy as opposed to just, you know, sitting there. That's also why a lot of like mass produced stuff is not, it's not very, it's just not very inspired because it's just, they're just, they're looking at a paint sheet and they're just going, okay, spray this here, do this here. They're not really thinking about it or, or really like sitting there for hours going like, okay, man, let me try. See, see if, see if this is better or, you know, that variance, I guess.

[00:58:04] Oh, absolutely. That's why I feel like it's, even though like you, you won't obviously pay the, you know, the commercial mass produced price, but you're also getting what you pay for at that price. I mean, that's why so many people get their stuff rehauled by someone else in the community that they're in. Right. You know, but this one, you don't even have to do that at all unless you just really want to, I guess.

[00:58:31] Um, but cause honestly, like I think every single one I've gotten over the years, you know, every time I upgrade or make it to a different one or whatever. Um, yeah, paint jobs obviously get better along with it. And, you know, and even this last one, I, you know, just asked, I was like, Hey, can you make it as close to the first appearance version, you know, as you can? And I of course love it. Um, you know, I just got that today as, you know, funny enough for recording this episode and I got it earlier.

[00:59:01] Today, but yeah, absolutely love this mask. And the original that Ron and Matt did just stellar. Like it inspired so many people to be mask makers and, you know, can't wait for mask fest. Cause I'm not a mask maker. I don't have that skill. Like I've mentioned, but like, I, I collect them. I love masks. Not to the extent of like, I don't know if you're familiar with the house of masks, uh, AJ. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:59:31] He, he's been on here before and I talked to him here and there and real nice guy, but his collection's insane. Uh, absolutely insane. I'll, I'll never have that kind of, I don't have to, I'd have to go like him and go in an actual like massive church to put all that, all that in and still not have room. It's a lifetime of, uh, this one.

[01:00:00] This, this one, I, I, I, I still like this one, but I, I updated it since I did like a new, uh, mask sculpture on it. That's much closer. I just have, I just haven't, uh, uploaded the pictures yet, but. I think I have seen on your Instagram, uh, more recent photos. But this one still looks really good.

[01:00:24] Um, did you do just, uh, like sculpt it on here originally when you first started or did you actually, since from the beginning, always use a mask? Um, what I, what, what I wanted to do with this one, I was like, okay, I've never seen anyone do a resin bust with the mat, like a latex mask on it. Like the, a resin bust with a leather face that is. And I was like, you know what?

[01:00:53] I should do a, a, a, a leather face bust and, um, go full out and like, uh, use this, the, the same like kind of cheap latex as, as they would use in the original one. Um, like there's this kind of yellowy brown kind of latex that they, uh, used in, uh, the production of it.

[01:01:16] And I, I just, uh, I sculpted the, the, I think I sculpted the mask first and then I sculpted the bust and then I kind of put the mask on it and kind of like position it and made the bust kind of fit the mask sort of thing. Um, but that was the main thing. Uh, yeah. Yeah. The pretty woman that, that was the main thing where, where I wanted the, I wanted it to have a, I wanted it, I didn't want it to be just one sculpture.

[01:01:44] You know, I didn't want it to just be like one, one piece or something. Just didn't look quite right. I wanted it to have like an actual, where you can touch the mask and like, it's actually rubber. It gives it a depth too. Yeah. So you can see the face underneath and like the, the parallax of being able to look under the mask and see some of the, the detail. Yeah.

[01:02:10] It just, it looks, it looks closer to what you see on screen because of that. Oh, a hundred percent. Did you also do the teeth for this one as well? Yeah. That's so crazy. So is it, is it just made out of the clay as well? Or do you make like, like what you would like, uh, somebody making, I don't know, like teeth for a haunted house or whatever. You know what I mean?

[01:02:36] Like for that one, I, I sculpted the gums. I, I stuck in, uh, acrylic teeth that you would get from like a dentist, like, like fake teeth. And then I dremeled them down and made them like sharp and jagged, like how it looks. And then I molded it. So sometimes I'll sculpt the teeth, like if it's like fangs or something, I'll usually sculpt it.

[01:03:01] But if I don't need to sculpt the human teeth, I'll usually just either mold it or, or just alter it a little bit. Like obviously like the vampires are, are all sculpted, but. Yeah. Their, their teeth are pretty unique, uh, especially the Nosferatu ones. And then you got another one of my favorites here. One of my favorites. Like this one is one of my favorites actually.

[01:03:29] Cause, cause I, I, I still feel looking at this one right now, I could do this much better right now. And I had for the past like a year or so, I keep thinking, I want to do a new one where he's got a big expression on his face, uh, which I'm going to do it at some point.

[01:03:49] But, and I, and it's going to be a lot better than this, but, uh, that one is, um, the, the, this is the one where I noticed this something in, in the makeup that, uh, I, I, I find that other people haven't. Noticed, but I don't want to say it because then I feel like everyone will just, um, take it or. Yeah.

[01:04:16] Cause I, I haven't said it even to like people in like, um, effect shops or whatever. Like I haven't said it to them. I'm just like, I just know there's, uh, I can see it cause I don't want them to go around and tell everyone. Right. See, I'm so curious, even though like, you know, I, I wouldn't be able to use that information to like high advantage. And I'm just curious now, but you know, maybe that's something we'll, we'll get out of you. Maybe, uh, once we stop recording, I don't know. We'll see.

[01:04:46] Well, I do love this one though. I mean, the likeness is there and I think, uh, did you do a color version of this one too? I mean, I prefer the black and white, but yeah, I saw a color. Okay. I was gonna say, I thought I saw a color version at one point or another, but I couldn't remember. It's just the, the contrast and the, the, the way the makeup was put on the original one. It's in black and white. It looks best. Oh my God. That looks so good. Yeah.

[01:05:14] This is, I haven't seen this one yet. I've seen a lot of your work, but I haven't seen this one. Oh yeah. This, this one in the Tim Curry Pennywise, man. Like I said, if you walk in a room, flip the light on might give you a heart attack. I've, I've had people tell me that actually when they bought it, like there was a guy that bought one and his wife, like was not really like, she didn't really like collecting or anything like that.

[01:05:40] And he, he had, he bought this for me and he put it in the, in the basement and then she walked in and turned the light on and like nearly fainted from, from, uh, she hadn't seen it before until that point. Oh, when it was like staring at me in the face. So like, all right, that's a success. I think. Oh, that's yeah. Instant success right there. So is, is the vomit, is that resin? Yeah. It's just the, it's the same exact thing as the carry, the blood on the carry. Okay.

[01:06:10] It's just that I add. So there's a powder thickener you add to the resin when you are casting it up, when you paint it, you just paint it in to make it thicker. I added like chunks of that in there. So that's why it's like chunky. Gotcha. So, but it's the same exact, yeah, it's translucent resin, but that was another one that only took me like a week to sculpt that, that one. It didn't take me very long at all. Wow. But I actually, honestly, I started sculpting that one.

[01:06:39] And I got like, like, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I, I put it aside because I was bored. I was like, I, I, it was too easy for me to sculpt. And I just put it aside. And I was like, I'm, I don't even want to sculpt this anymore. And then I, I thought, you know what, let me do a subtle expression. And then when I did that, I was like, Oh, this is more interesting than I, then I made it. But I, even that one, I feel like I could do that one way better now.

[01:07:07] Oh, so you actually had a different expression on the original version you were doing? Yeah. She had like a, I can't remember. I think it was like a smiling one or like maybe more like a smirk or something. It was something where you could like see her teeth more. Then I rewatched the film. And then there's that one shot where she like barfs all over. So she kind of looks like at the camera and that one, I was like, Oh, that, that's what I got to do. Cause I like it when there's a lot of barf on it.

[01:07:36] A lot of people tell me like, don't put so much barf on it. Can you, can you put less barf on mine? I'm like, no, come on. That's the whole thing. Like, it's like, I like the, the, I like the amount of barf on it. I was going to say, why would you want less? To me, this looks awesome. Like this is what you should want. If you're going to get one. Cause yeah. I mean, has Linda Blair seen this herself yet or. I'm not sure. And not that I know of, I don't think I'm not sure.

[01:08:06] Maybe there might have been someone who's like, cause I've sold a lot of these as well. Like someone might've like taken one at like a convention, but as far as I was wondering if somebody took one for her to sign or something. I know they did that with the pinhead. I got pictures of that with a. Oh, okay. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. I have Doug Bradley sign. That'd be sweet. Yeah. Yeah. This one and the Pennywise and the Frankenstein. Easily my top three busts.

[01:08:36] I mean, they're all fantastic though. There's no denying. And it just gets better. Is there one that's not listed right now? Cause it does say more coming soon. Yeah. Oh, there's tons. A new one. I mean, there's, there's one that I'm working on right now, but I'm just like, I'm working on so many different things right now that, that I cannot put all of my time into, into

[01:09:06] this one that I'm doing. But with the last one that I did, the new one, it was the Bob from day to dead. That one is one of my favorite ones. I'm taking that one to mass fest as well. Are you a fan of alien? Oh yeah. Yeah. Have you done a xenomorph? Yeah. I want to do a xenomorph bust. That's on my list. I want to do one. I would kill for one dude. That would be so sick.

[01:09:33] But I have to figure out exactly how to do, I need to get like a, like a clear acrylic like printer or something. For the top? To do the dome. Yeah. Yeah. I have to figure out exactly how to do that. So I don't, I don't even know. But. Yeah. I'm not, not sure how you do that either. I mean, I guess it would just be formed plastic, but I mean. You could do that.

[01:09:59] There'd be like a form or I had a friend that was doing like clear, like a dome prints, but like small stuff. But I don't know how, I mean, it would probably have to be something where it would be printed in like two parts and you have to glue it together or something. I'm not sure. But that would be, that's one of my main, like that's one I wanted to, oh yeah. The bub. Yeah. I was going to say, I could have sworn I remember seeing one in your store before.

[01:10:28] It wasn't in the gallery, but I know I saw one in the store, which is really good. That's one of the. I think that really sells these besides just the likeness is the eyes. The eyes. Yeah. Really make this thing feel like it's alive. Yeah. Those eyes. I specifically like sat there and painted for like extra.

[01:10:54] I would, I sat there and just like, uh, just made sure they look just right to, to stick them in there. But all of the, um, like that one, that one's one of my favorite ones, but all of these, they, they come across, uh, a lot better in person. Like looking at them in pictures is one thing, but when it's in this, when it's in the same room, especially this one, this one looks insane in the, in the same room.

[01:11:23] This one looks insane. When I finished that, everyone, everyone who came over to my place was like, dude, this is, this is incredible. But it just, um, something about, it is something about the eyes when you see it in person. It's just kind of how it just, there is something where it almost has that effect where you walk past and you kind of think it's a little following you. It smiled at me.

[01:11:53] Little Carly Beth head bust action. This is, now this is the one we were talking about earlier, the Cheryl, um, which so good. That looks so wild. Yeah. That's one of my favorite. That's one of my favorite, uh, horror movies. It's one of my favorite movies, honestly. Original evil dead, but I didn't want to say, do you have a favorite out of the franchise?

[01:12:19] Cause obviously now they're doing, they did the remake and now they're doing like the new trilogy version of the rise burn. And can't remember what the last one's called, but all the OG, the first one's the best one for me. Yeah. A lot of people go with army of darkness. I do love the OG one too, though. Evil dead two. I never did watch the show though. I never watched the evil dead show though.

[01:12:47] Just the, the first one to me just gave, it just was that, that was just like, uh, I was obsessed with that first. Yeah. I was completely obsessed with it. Like I, I, I was so obsessed with it that I forced my friends to, to help me, uh, remake it when I was like 12 and we like made like ream terrible remake of it. And I don't know why I was like, I just, I was like, this is, this is what I gotta do.

[01:13:16] Um, but I just, I love the, how like, uh, crude the makeup is something about that adds to it. It just makes it more just kind of off putting. Yeah, no, it does. And I, even down to just the, the hair that you put in these, like it's, it's wild. Like again, everything makes it look like it just popped right off screen.

[01:13:40] This one right here where she's peeking out from the cellar though, that that's a great shot. Uh, and really sells the, uh, the likeness for me. Yeah. Everybody remembers that scene so vividly. I made a, a, a, uh, like a little prop, uh, seller. And then I was like, you know what? I just, one night I was like, you know what?

[01:14:07] I don't think I had put it up for sale yet, but I was like, I'm just going to like sort of play around and see like, well, just, just see what I can make here. And then I just sort of built this little, uh, seller thing and I put chains on it and I made a video. I think I think there's a video on my Instagram of it, but. I'm gonna have to go check that out if I didn't. Uh, cause yeah, I, I definitely would like to see that too. Oh yeah. There's the color version. Again, I'm more of the black and white, but I liked the color version too.

[01:14:36] Just the, the detail and the paint is so good. Uh, oh yeah. There's a mask for everybody to look at there. Leather face. See, that's the new leather face there. That one. Yeah. Linda dead eye. And Linda. Yeah. Linda's a popular, popular girl. That one, that one was one that was very quick as well. Like that only took me like five days.

[01:15:07] Like I was shocked. It's a lot to think about cause this looks like it would take somebody like weeks. Yeah. Uh, to sculpt and then to do everything else. I mean, I thought it would, I didn't know. I thought it would take me a long time, but then when I started, I was like, oh no, this is actually going to be fairly straightforward. Just for some reason. I don't, I think honestly it's because I really just love the evil dead. So I think something about that just made it easier or something where I could just, and I just wanted to do it.

[01:15:35] Uh, I think that's really the main thing. It's just how much that I actually care about the films themselves. Crazy. So good. Oh, Roger. Classic Roger. No one gets me. Uh, and then of course we've got a, a Haunted mask over here. Uh, currently sold out. A lot of these, um, currently on sale.

[01:16:04] So, I mean, if you're looking to get anything from Jason, that looks like a good time. I will say something, uh, that I, I didn't even know they put back into place was, uh, he does live in Canada. So if you don't live in Canada, if you live in the U S or anywhere else, just be aware of some import fees. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, that's, that's come back. It's crazy. Oh, we'll mark it down though.

[01:16:31] If I ship something to Neil Crone, uh, I ended up having no import fees, but they were asking me about it, which I thought was strange. I was like, okay. Uh, but my Haunted mask one did. So just anybody who orders, just letting you know, just factor that in for yourself. Before it was like insane with the, uh, uh, what do you call it?

[01:16:54] The, uh, tariffs like what they were trying to charge, like maybe around this time last year, or like maybe like closer to November was in saying what they were trying to charge people just for the tariffs. Nothing else. Nothing else. Just a tariff amount was like, nobody, like everyone was like, I'm not buying anything. So I, I like, I had a terrible, like couple months where I was like scrambling, man.

[01:17:22] Like, cause I, cause I couldn't sell anything. Cause the amount of money that they were charging people was nuts. So luckily they have taken that out. Like basically I think now because it's artwork or something, it's like, there's no tariff fee at all. So it's like, it went from like this astronomical amount to like $0, but there is still like, uh, there is still like a customs thing or something, but yeah. Yeah. Like import customs, uh, before, like before it was brutal.

[01:17:53] Yeah. I, and that's the thing, like everybody thought that, you know, when they took those tariffs down or whatever, a lot of it's just because now the, uh, like the big retail box people just added those prices into the product now that they sell. So it just gets passed along to the consumer now, which everybody knew it was going to happen. But in the end, it just hurts like the, the smaller businesses, like the big box don't care.

[01:18:22] So it's like, they just wanted to eliminate small companies, which was a terrible idea. Um, so yeah, definitely glad that's down. I mean, I, I didn't pay like, I, you know, hundreds of dollars or anything crazy for import taxes compared to what probably tariffs were. So just want to let everybody know out there. I mean, don't let it deter you. It's, it's not that much. It's, it's not crazy. Um, still, still totally worth it. Totally worth it. Uh, yeah.

[01:18:51] And look at always looking forward to more stuff from you, Jason. Uh, I know we've talked about the haunted mass too. So definitely looking forward to that down the road or any other unloved ones, a hundred percent. Uh, and I'm going to have to get on getting one of those, uh, busts for my collection at some point. Uh, so yeah, I mean, I can't thank you enough for spending time with this man and coming on and, uh, talking about the process and your work and, uh, actually looking forward to meeting you in person at mass fest next month.

[01:19:21] So yeah, I'll definitely be stopping by. I'll see if I can get, uh, you know, the goosebumps guys that are there, the Zane and, uh, Graham. Let them know you're over there with some haunted masks and stuff. See what they. In person. Yeah. So if it's still there, I mean, I'm not even getting there until Sunday. That stuff will probably be gone before I even get there. So I imagine you're driving down. Uh, I can't imagine flying with all this stuff.

[01:19:49] That'd be just a lot. Yeah, no, I'm going to drive down there. So that'll be, uh, that'll be a fun little road trip. It'll be good. Yeah. Yeah. Is this your first mass fest? Yep. It's my first one. Okay. I was gonna say, I don't recall seeing you at any of the other ones, but it doesn't mean I didn't miss you or something, you know, cause again, usually I'm not there all weekend, but it is a lot of fun. I do love going there. So yeah, I'm excited. I'm pumped. Yeah.

[01:20:19] And this one honestly is shaping up to be amazing. Uh, like I said, there's not just like one or two people. Now I'm going to a booth to check out and see now there's like eight, eight or 10 or I love seeing them all, but the actual people I talked to now it's grown and they're doing this now. So it's really cool. Should be awesome. But, uh, I think I was going to do it for this episode and Les Hayden, you got any, uh, last minute questions for him?

[01:20:46] No, I just wanted to say you do a great job with your sculptures and, and all of your masks and everything like that. Like I've been kind of following along and seeing what you've done for, for a little bit now and the work that you do, because it, it can be really easy to get into uncanny Valley territory. And I'm sure you've probably had some of those that are not online. Um, but yeah, being able to take somebody's likeness like that and put it into a sculpture,

[01:21:15] great work. It's something that I could never do. I'm, I don't know, Nick, you may be able to do it at some point, but I could never do what you do and it's incredible. So I just wanted to make sure that you knew, like people appreciate the work that you do for sure. Well, thank you, man. Thank you. Yeah. No, that's, that means a lot to me as well. Cause I, I just try to, I'm just constantly really, really, uh, critical of myself. That's the only way that I've done anything.

[01:21:43] So I'm just, I never give myself a rest or a little pat on the back. So I do appreciate that. Yeah. Yeah. And I second that sentiment a hundred fold. I mean, obviously, you know, I just keep buying new haunted masks every time I get a new sculpt cause it just gets better. And, uh, you know, working on getting a bust from you at some point too, just cause they're, as we've just seen phenomenal. Like, uh, they're it's wild, uh, that you can own a piece like that in your home for

[01:22:12] less than what you would probably if you were a mass produced company, you know what I mean? That probably be charging two or three times that, but this is passion project almost for you. I mean, I know you obviously get paid for this because you're doing it, but you know, obviously you can see the passion in it. Like otherwise it would just be something like, you know, Tim Jacobus makes it look like crap. I'll say that. I love you, Tim. Just kidding. Not that he's watching.

[01:22:40] I'm sure he's probably in bed at this point. So, uh, Jason, where can everybody find you at, man? Like, uh, where are you on every social right now or? Hammondsculpt on Instagram. That's my main, that's like my main thing. That's really the only place I post anything, but it's like the only social media I have other than, other than my website, which is just hammondsculpt.com. So those are the main two places. Yeah.

[01:23:07] I'll say, I remember back in the day you had stuff on Etsy and I was buying off there, but you're not there anymore, right? It's all moved to your website. Okay. Etsy is a shite hole. That's, that's what I'm hearing. I'm not going to lie. I've heard that from quite a few people I know who've been selling on Etsy and I think they're looking to abandon ship. So they should. Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, we appreciate you coming on. Love seeing all your work and, uh, look forward to seeing you in Cincinnati.

[01:23:38] Uh, till next time guys. What is it? Hayden? Do you know? Uh, no, it's not here for it. Stay safe. Or wait, no. Why am I blanking on this? No. Oh, take care. Stay safe. And have a very scary day. I started with the second one.