J

It all began a long time ago, on a dark and stormy night...nah, just kidding.
"If you're scared, I laugh at you. If you get sick, I laugh for you. If you soil yourself, I laugh with everyone else. If you cry, I've done my job." -- A wise man (you know who you are)
I've been working with special effects makeup ever since I saw the making of Thriller when I was about 7. I was immediately enthralled. It started with Elmer's Glue and oatmeal and progressed to the mini-kits you can buy at your local drug store. Each year, I had friends asking me to do their makeup for Halloween. In junior high, I did makeup for some of our school plays. That continued into high school, where I also did straight-makeup for talent shows. I volunteered with our science class at school to be a victim for our local fire department training and I was instantly hooked on the realistic aspects of it all.

How haunted houses got thrown into the mix? A little back story...
They used to terrify the crap out of me when I was under 10. I guess I realized that they were only actors and that they were actually really fun to go through, and the artistic side took hold of me. I would stroll through slowly looking at the makeup, the props, etc. (usually with someone hanging onto me for their life, not able to open their eyes, and begging me to move faster.)

One year, after a school play had wrapped, I was at a local mall and they were building a haunt. There was a sign taped to the front, asking for actors. I'd done some acting so I went to speak to the owner. I asked him about what they did for makeup, and when he mentioned that the actors all did their own, I volunteered to do that on top of the acting position. Each year since, I've worked at a haunt doing makeup and acting. Of course, that's immersed me in much more...pre-production, building, recruiting, set decoration, managing, etc., etc., etc.
I've also done makeup for local plays, television & news appearances, a horror film with a band of loyal followers, Halloween parties, the Rocky Horror picture show, a few weddings, some student films, and concerts.
And just in case you care, yes, I have a day job, too.