Connie's Warwick Davis Fanpage and Leprechaun Center

Skinned Deep Article

This article appeared on the original Skinned Deep website at Artexposure.com. The original version can still be viewed on Archive.org but is not very functional on some browsers, so I've reproduced it here for easy reading.

 

Warwick Davis

Plates threatens Peter Iasillo Shooting in the desert The gang's all here Plates on his home turf
 
Maniacal newspaper room Gabe doing Warwick's make-up Plates readies for battle Thrill of the hunt

Introduction by Gabe Bartalos

When working on an independent film, many of your actors may be non-union, and/or have not done a lot of film work. To me that is great! I love the audience having their sense of disbelief exaggerated by the fact that each actor is not instantly recognizable. Even the best actors usually bring their screen history to a new film, and that can be very distracting. You end up judging the ACTOR's performance, not the CHARACTER's portrayal.

But then, along comes someone like Warwick Davis. His resume is a virtual scroll of movie and stage roles spanning 14 years. Some are blockbusters that have made him a screen icon, while others are off the radar, done purely for ‘the art of it’ (A true actor, choosing to work for the right reasons). Yet in every role, as identifiable as he is, he transforms so completely, so thoroughly, he truly becomes a different character.

When I met Warwick in 1991 on the set of Leprechaun, I was blown away! Here was a guy wearing facial prosthetics I created, a cumbersome wardrobe and huge heeled boots, and instead of these being a restriction, he completely embraced them and turned them into an amazing complement to his performance. He instantly figured out how much facial animation was needed to manipulate the prosthetics, how to work his hands to keep the ‘threat’ of the character alive and never stopped using his body, whether shifting his stance or anticipating a key line of dialogue with the twist of his waist. It was wonderful to watch!

When applying and maintaining a make-up on an actor, you fuse a relationship that can either be polite to get through the long shooting days or in the excellent case of Warwick, forge a true friendship. Much of our ‘off’ time on the sets of the various Leprechaun sequels was spent analyzing camera set-ups, envisioning the assembly of a scene and marveling at the transition from the written word to the execution of 'action' on the set.

Warwick's interest in all aspects of film making are probably what makes him so valuable to a production. He knows exactly why a director is requesting something, and understands that the technical requirements are as crucial as the good performances in making a successful scene.

When I began putting together my own production of SKINNED DEEP, I knew I wanted Warwick involved and was charmed when he agreed to play the maniacal ‘Plates’. I wrote the character so insane and unhinged, that I needed a pro like Warwick to make it believable.

Standing on set and watching an actor you have long admired, read and perform your written words, giving them credibility is a rush that I hope all film makers will one day enjoy. That excitement reminds you that it is worth busting your ass on a project you believe in. Thanks Warwick for that joy!

Gabe Bartalos
SKINNED DEEP Director
4-30-02

 
Interview by Susan Milliken

SM: When did you first meet Gabe?

WD: I first met Gabe when we were in pre-production for 'Leprechaun' in 1991. I remember going to what he calls The Shop, Atlantic West Effects Headquarters, (AWE's HQ) for a life cast.

Life casting involves an actors head being covered in dental alginate to make what is essentially a 'bust' of him/her. Using clay, the make-up artist can then sculpt the character onto that 'bust'.

I had been a life cast victim many times before, so I knew how it all went. Gabe, who is a huge guy, gave me a firm handshake and told me to follow him. The walls of the shop were covered in Gabe's past creations, from a full-size body on a cross to a huge T-Rex. I was impressed, if a little unsettled.

Over the next couple of hours, I realized that Gabe was an artist of outstanding ability and talent, with an eye for detail. He was very creative. I'm sure his mind would provide years of study for 'the men in white coats'. He's also a great guy to just hang out with. On 'Leprechaun 5', I made it a point of my contract that I would not do it without him, (I just hope he paid me the same favor in his deal!).

SM: Describe a funny scene shot for the Leprechaun series with Gabe on set.

WD: Everything we shot during the Leprechaun series had Gabe and I giggling like naughty schoolchildren. We always managed to find amusement in something to do with the scene. We had the most fun during the scenes where we were working with extra make-up effects, i.e. blood and gunshot wounds.

SM: Were you surprised when Gabe actually started filming ‘Skinned Deep’ and approached you about having a part?

WD: I was not surprised to learn that Gabe was making a movie. He has the most wonderfully twisted mind, which was fascinating to explore during my hours in the make-up chair. He always showed a flair for filmmaking. We would often discuss the technical challenges of certain camera and lighting set-ups while on ‘Leprechaun’.

I was thrilled to have been asked to play a part in ‘SD’, especially such a bizarre character, and I did not want to miss the opportunity of being directed by Gabe.

SM: How many days did you shoot on 'Skinned Deep'?

WD: It’s all a blur! About 12, I think.

SM: As you live in England and the film was shot in the states how were you able to solve the oversea travel issue?

WD: If I was going to be anywhere in the US, I would call Gabe, who would then call Pete and see if his schedule worked with mine. I once flew down from Vancouver to shoot ‘Skinned Deep’.

SM: Were there any major differences working on an independent film as opposed to the studio films you are used to?

WD: The shooting of ‘Skinned Deep’ was much like working on any other movie.

SM: Do you prefer acting with or without make-up?

WD: I love acting. Whether under a prosthetic make-up, or simply wearing a wig, I am just grateful to be allowed to do the job I love.

SM: I’ve seen you play the character Plates very realistically in the dining room scene. How were you able to tap into your aggressive character?

WD: I am an actor who is able to switch emotion on and off like a light. The switch is the word ‘Action’.

SM: Was it fun to smash all those plates?

WD: For most of the scenes where I am throwing plates, there weren’t actually any plates in my hand. These were all brilliantly added in postproduction. I did get to throw some during my introductory scene in the dining room. However, Gabe had a limited number of plates, so two brave crew members held up a blanket off camera to catch the plates and stop them from smashing.

SM: How difficult was it to shoot the computer composite shots?

WD: It’s all about believing what you are doing. The hard work is done by the CGI artists in post. All the CGI work on ‘Skinned Deep’ is top notch.

SM: Can you tell us about some of the challenges shooting outside of LA in the desert?

WD: We would set off from Atlantic West Effects HQ in Sylmar very early in the morning. The first stop for our convoy of three or four vehicles would be the local gas station. The ‘Death Mobile’ would take a full tank of gas just to reach the remote location, so it was important to take extra gas with us. I took my Ford Explorer. It was the only vehicle in the convoy with air-conditioning, so it became very popular on location! About one and a half hours later we would reach a remote strip of road. As a location it looked great. As an environment to work in, it was far from ideal. It reminded me of my time spent in the Sahara desert on ‘Star Wars – Episode 1’.

I distinctly remember a shot where Plates is up in the ‘crows-nest’ on top of the ‘Death Mobile’. We are playing ‘chicken’ with the carpenters. Although we were only traveling at about 30mph it felt like 80mph up there! Gabe’s memory of that scene is of me shouting, "That’s fast enough, that’s fast enough!"

SM: The last scene you shot was in some insane location. Where was that and what was it like?

WD: It was called ‘The Cactus Corral’. It is a real place Gabe had stumbled upon one Sunday afternoon when he was scouting locations. The guy who owns it breeds cacti and makes all sorts of things by welding horseshoes together! It is a truly bizarre place, but it was exactly right for ‘Skinned Deep’. I hope the owner is ready for the hordes of ‘Skinned Deep’ fans that will be coming by to take a look!

SM: I’ve seen the rough cut. Do you think Gabe consciously gave you a surreal dialogue?

WD: Gabe knew from Leprechaun that I enjoyed the lengthy ‘Shakespearian’ speeches. He certainly challenged my learning ability with his creations though. To amplify the character's madness, the dialogue had no logic or flow. This made the dialogue incredibly difficult to learn but fun to perform.

SM: Having worked with Ron Howard, George Lucas, and Chris Columbus, how did Gabe as a 1st time director measure up with the big boys?

WD: I have worked with some great directors in the past. They all have their own unique style. Gabe has his own style that no word in the English language can describe. However, I think that it is a style that will capture the imaginations of movie fans throughout the world, and one that we will see much more of in the future.