Greg Nicotero’s Blood-Thirsty Walkers
The Walking Dead | Photo Credit Greg Nicotero Whether or not you love The Walking Dead, there’s a good chance you’ve seen some of Greg Nicotero’s work as a world-renown makeup artist. Nicotero now co-executive produces the show and he’s even directed a few episodes.
Over the past eight years, Nicotero has worked with his team to create a plethora of blood-thirsty walkers and various other gore-gags that involves heads, bats, body parts, and blood-soaked characters.
Nicotero is also currently working on Baby Driver and the Twin Beaks reboot.
Story Is King, Everything Else Comes Second
The Walking Dead | Photo Credit AMC
Nicotero revealed:
“The show has evolved and mutated in so many fascinating ways that, for a person that for up until the last eight years had been doing primarily movies, to be able to be involved in something long form like this has completely changed the way I design make-up FX, the way I approach production and it has given me an incredible understanding of how critical character and story is…”
“There’s a lot of make-up FX people who are holding the torches for practical FX and God love them, because that’s what we love and that’s what we do. But you have to understand that those practical FX, if played out in a scenario that has some significant story behind it is what you want.”
“There’s much more impact in something you have dedicated and devoted to these people. It’s not just a showcase for FX. It’s about a great story that when something visually arresting happens, you’re much more invested in it.”
Nicotero Loves The Chance To Build Something New
The Walking Dead | Photo Credit AMC
Nicotero loves the opportunity to revisit obstacles on the show to make them better and better. Every season, they have a genre series that needs to stay fresh. Some of this comes directly from the makeup.
In one recent example, the episode “Swear” used walkers covered in barnacles which was something completely new. Later, when we met the Heapsters, Winston was also a new walker, unlike any zombie on screen before.
Do you have a favorite walker that Nicotero has created?
