Shows
Battles With Bits of Rubber#96 - Brian Best Mastering Digital and Practical Prosthetics with Brian Best In this episode of 'Battles with Bits of Rubber,' we delve into the intricate world of prosthetics mould-making with the talented Brian Best. Join us as we explore Brian's transition from traditional mould-making to mastering ZBrush, discussing the nuances and challenges faced along the way. We cover many topics, including the practicalities of clay and silicone, the difficulties of working with different materials, and the invaluable lessons learned through years of hands-on experience. From reminiscing about early projects like 'The Avengers' (the 1998 Ralph Feinnes/Uma Thurman number, nothing to do wi...2025-03-032h 53
Battles With Bits of Rubber#95 - The Prosthetics Event 2024 Debrief This episode discusses our experience following the Prosthetics Event 2024 in Coventry. We mention our highlights, including networking, speaking to hundreds of people with our presentations, and a series of insightful discussions, which we hope you will find very helpful if you are a rubber monster freak like us. We chatted with Adrian Rigby, known for his exceptional bald cap techniques. He shared his methods and discussed common challenges in creating realistic bald caps. We also discuss the advances in digital workflows in prosthetics moulding with Sangeet Prabhaker, who shares his innovative methods, including rev...2024-11-211h 03
Battles With Bits of RubberPractical Pixels & Imprudent Imposters This time around we discuss the technical aspects of 3D modelling and printing for practical work, especially in creating detailed prosthetics and animatronic components using software like CAD and ZBrush. We delve into teaching and learning new techniques, particularly the significance of hands-on experience in moulding and sculpting. Then we look at taking on jobs without proper qualifications, highlighting the potential dangers and importance of safety in prosthetic and special effects work. With Sasquatch suits, severed heads and blood gags on stage, come and join us on episode #94 of Battles with Bits...2024-08-0952 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#93 - Falmouth Part 2 In this second and final part of our trip to Falmouth Uni, Neill Gorton joins us as we discuss making mistakes and learning the hard way in the workshop. We also discuss how to approach workshops and folio critiques and why latex and plaster are such great materials when starting and budgets are tight. Latex and plaster are a big theme in this episode. Be sure to check out the blog post with the show notes and the latest free workbook download, which is all about making latex pieces and plaster moulds from th...2024-04-061h 39
Battles With Bits of Rubber#92 - Falmouth Uni Part 1 Our trip down to Falmouth Uni preceded The Prosthetics Event 2023. It was a great trip, and so nice to see the work being done by students there and talk shop. As always, we have a rough idea about what we want to talk about, but it's always led by the feeling in the room at the time, questions that come up and current events within the group . We spoke for so long in a packed room using a single recorder, so the sound is a little different...2023-12-292h 10
Battles With Bits of Rubber#91 - Digital Tools In The Workshop Makeup artists typically like makeup. It is a tactile medium, and they enjoy products, how they feel and smell and respond to brushes and pressure. Making prosthetics similarly has its tactile qualities, and it is hard to separate these sensations from the very nature of the joy in the work. It is little wonder then that this same group of people may not have developed an extensive love of digital versions of the same work. Doing a digital makeup effect in Photoshop requires the makeup artist's mindset but somehow it is not the same thing, and I think this reluctance to do...2023-11-2856 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#90 - Joel Harlow Joel Harlow is an academy award-winning artist who started out in animation before he moved on to makeup. Gradually building multi-faceted skills, confidence and workloads, he has evolved and expanded into the makeup effects heavyweight we know today with a hefty rollcall of credits. Check out his company, https://morphologyfx.com/. It is always fascinating to go through the IMDb of an artist and see their credits creeping up the hierarchy over time. Evidence of trust earned as supervisors see a way to pass the responsibility on, and nothing breeds more...2022-12-311h 43
Battles With Bits of Rubber#89 - Maddie Scott-Spencer Maddie is a talented concept artist and teacher known mostly for her ZBrush work. Coming from a practical background, her skills come from familiar ground - Fangoria, a love of monsters and sculpting for fun! She has taught classes for Gnomon since 2006 - we recommend the ‘Introduction to ZBrush 2021’ video course. Todd and I both cite this as the breakthrough moment for both of us, making what previously had been indecipherable to us accessible and understandable. The way she comes across reminded us of Dick Smith, with a generous nature coupled with a thor...2022-10-021h 28
Battles With Bits of Rubber#88 - Adam 'KreatureKid' Dougherty Adam Dougherty and his company https://www.kreaturekid.com/ are based in Colorado. An incredibly talented artist, he is an inspiring soul who makes things happen with determination and persistent hard work. Although he considers himself lazy, his output shows anything but. In particular, his style celebrates the warmth and unique character that Jim Henson created with puppets, and has himself produced some jaw-droppingly effective puppets for various projects such as the upcoming Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, directed by Andrew Bowser. Adam has a flair and a style for...2022-08-161h 19
Battles With Bits of Rubber#87 - Frank Ippolito Frank Ippolito is something of a practical effects polymath. From starting out with makeup effects and putting in solid work in the lab, he has gradually expanded to running a company and crew with impressive credits and a high standard of work. Checking out Frank's IMDb, you’ll see a switch around 2016 as he started working on speciality costumes. This is a big overlap in the practical effects industry as creature and ‘hero’ suits become more sophisticated. Frank started as a freelancer doing the thing; now, he runs a shop and has a w...2022-08-141h 22
Battles With Bits of Rubber#86 - More Noses, Fewer Horns In this episode, we look at a makeup I did nearly 30 years ago at college. Adrian Rigby sent me a remaining original piece from the mould, along with some photos (prints, no less, which I scanned). We talk about remembering what you knew then (the past) and how you thought it should be done. You can also advise your old self on how it could be done better using the knowledge you know now (the present) and things you would attain in the future. By seeing your errors written plain, having an actual artefact from...2022-07-301h 01
Battles With Bits of Rubber#85 - Bill Corso "Bill, there's a scene where The Blob attacks a woman who's in a 'phone booth and it covers the 'phone booth, it crushes the 'phone booth and here and then it goes on the sidewalk and goes into a gutter and disappears into this sewer." I'm just looking at him and I go…"Okay." And he says "Figure out how to do that scene!" I was, like "Well, what IS The Blob?" He goes "I don't know…you come up with some...2022-07-031h 52
Battles With Bits of Rubber#84 - Pete Tindall In this episode, we talk with materials maestro Pete Tindall about all things making related, along with a dose of rantage. I moan a bit about ZBrush (although I love it) and the fact that despite the terrifying interface and the huge number of tools available in ZBrush, freedom comes from accepting that you likely need only a handful of them. Early on in ZBrush, you are can indeed happily ignore most of it with confidence. Pete is an adept materials man, knowing and using a broad range of materials. We...2022-02-032h 12
Battles With Bits of Rubber#83 - Ian Morse & Cliff Wallace Part 2 Check the shownotes on the blog: https://battleswithbitsofrubber.com/ This second part of our chat with Ian and Cliff takes a look back at the company they had together, Creature Concepts - or as Ian puts it ‘How not to run a business'. Ian and Cliff mentioned Blood On The Satan’s Claw (1971) and I watched it on their recommendation. It whetted my appetite, and I had to rewatch some of my favourites, The Creeping Flesh, Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter and of course The Curse Of Frankenstein. It also reminds me of th...2022-01-271h 20
Battles With Bits of RubberIan Morse & Cliff Wallace Part 1 This episode was recorded at Cliff's studio, with all four of us present and correct. Ian and Cliff have worked together and separately in the industry for a long time - Ian's credits include Little Shop Of Horrors, Alien 3, Saving Private Ryan, War Horse, Fury and Dr Who. Cliff racks up an impressive listing on IMDb with Hellraiser (1987), Lair of the White Worm, Black Hawk Down, World War Z and 28 Days Later. It was a hefty chat that we split into two parts as it was so long, but also they...2022-01-211h 30
Battles With Bits of Rubber#81 - Bolton Part 2 Competence and comfort are the results of the repetition of activity over a significant period of time. In an age of endless self-promotion, this podcast has always championed the work involved in quiet competence. Being competent at something is what people will pay money for, so it is worth considering as an ambition. But how do we keep ourselves on the right track? A great many working professionals have a very meagre following on social media precisely because their work is mostly protected and discrete because of NDAs (non-disclosure agreements), and they are not looking for mass appeal from as many...2022-01-011h 45
Battles With Bits of Rubber#80 - Bolton Part 1 What does digital sculpting have to do with battling with bits of rubber? Speaking in one of the VFX classrooms, a huge space with rows of monitors and Wacom Cintiqs, we gathered as a group to discuss training to work in film and TV. We looked particularly at the pipeline and workflow of VFX and how that has changed over the years with regards to practical work and why confidence matters and how it can be generated. One aspect of confidence is to know how and when to exercise what is your responsibility when you may feel like it is some...2021-12-261h 05
Battles With Bits of Rubber#79 - Jake Garber Our conversation recently with Jake Garber at The Prosthetics Event in Coventry was, we think, a very important chat worth listening to for anyone who is trying, or thinking about trying to get a foot in the door into the (oftentimes) wonderful and exciting world of movie and television makeup. Even for peeps already working in the industry, Jake’s extensive level of expertise and experience in a special and makeup effects career has seen him in many roles from straight beauty makeup and workshop lab work, as well as supervising workshops and sets, key ma...2021-12-181h 09
Battles With Bits of Rubber#78 - Amelia Rowcroft: Strong FoundationsFigurative sculptor Amelia Rowcroft lives in the lovely Sussex town of Lewes on the South East Coast of England, which dates back to 961AD. She was kind enough to invite us into her studio in a building that once housed a brewery in the 1600s, and that’s where we recorded this episode of BWBoR. Amelia has been sculpting practically, working in clay for over 20 years, creating primarily fine art portraits and figurative sculptures, though she has also worked within the film industry, and for the world’s leading wax figure museums including Madame Tussaud’s, and...2021-11-241h 05
Battles With Bits of Rubber#77 - Truth Is Grosser Than Fiction Click Here For Blog Post Of This Episode Paul Savage is a returning guest on the show. We caught up with him at the Prosthetics Event in Coventry. Merging medical knowledge with movie makeup, he aims to bring more realism to training scenarios. Raising the bar in simulation can help to save actual lives. It is quite often that makeup students will work with a local emergency service and offer up their skills to make up casualties for training first responders and combat medics. As makeup artists, we often let t...2021-11-2039 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#76 - 1.9 Million Sq. Ft Needed This episode is in two parts. The first part is the generally good news of the increase in film industry activity which sees many people run off their feet with work. After a year of lockdowns and closed up shops, this is good news indeed. Film and TV productions are picking up because of the build-up of work owing to shelved ideas, and owing to the massive amount of free time folks have had to consume box sets and start to want the next season. --------------------------------------------- Incidentally, it was...2021-10-181h 15
Battles With Bits of Rubber#75 - Cutting Edges & Flat MouldsWe covered cutting edges in episode #61 but this one is specifically about cutting edges on flat moulds. Cutting edges on appliance moulds do the work of separating the fine appliance edge from the flashing and excess, allowing the mould to close properly and achieve the feather thin edge you have sculpted. The exact width of the distance between the cutting edge and the sculpted edge varies between artists and techniques, preferences and materials. I have seen many sculpts where folk have had a massive distance between the cutting edge and the sculpt, and...2021-07-2052 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#74 - Foam & Filament In episode #74 we talk about running lots of foam latex and overcoming the things that can go wrong with foam latex. Despite silicone being the material most go to first, it is a very real material that needs to be kept in mind for certain projects. We also chat about how 3D scanning and printing has had a tangible benefit on some jobs we had this year, and how using this technology has enabled things that would not have otherwise been possible. Many thanks for listening! -Stuart & Todd Email...2021-06-211h 10
Battles With Bits of Rubber#73 - Rod MaxwellRod Maxwell is a bit of a Renaissance man, and the more we talked the more you can see how wearing many hats has informed his approach. Of late, Rod has become known for his fusion of digital techniques with practical outcomes. Looking at his Instagram, you can see trailblazing work with 3D printed moulds, scanning lifecasts and moulds and using that data to create things impossible to do any other way. Overlaying lifecasts done years apart to animate the changes in features displaying the effects of aging? Yes please! Rod created a short movie...2021-02-202h 29
Battles With Bits of Rubber#72 - Adam Beane Adam has become well known for his miniature and smaller-scale work which has both great expression as well as high levels of detail, and even developed a material which allowed such tight detail for miniatures called Cx5. The man has done a lot of things and has worked many jobs - let's be clear his feet are on the ground and he knows what hard work is. He also has cultivated a very positive and effective mindset which is infectious and inspiring to behold and makes you want to t...2021-02-101h 53
Battles With Bits of Rubber#71 - Daniel ParkerDaniel was the first professional prosthetic professional to look at my portfolio. That stuff sticks with you. That was back in 1994, and there was still a lot of Frankenstein stuff kicking about in the workshop from the previous year. I learned a lot being in that workshop, and got to see a makeup test on Ian McKellan for Richard III in my time there. Daniel has recently been praised for his work as makeup and hair designer on The Queens Gambit (Netflix) and Chernobyl (HBO). He has an extensive range of credits spanning 37 years, including...2021-01-082h 21
Stuart Bray#70 - Dominic Hailstone Part 2In this second and final part of the chat with Dominic, we look at his art and discuss the drawing and sculptures. As usual, this podcast episode is a tale of two stories. Todd and I talk about the difficult work involved in lifecasting the deceased, which can be much trickier than dealing with the living. Then the chat with Dom, looking at his processes for creating artwork, using traditional and digital media and how they can work off each other. ZBrush has become such an integral part of many design processes and is a powerful tool with a terrifying...2020-12-281h 24
Battles With Bits of Rubber#70 - Dominic Hailstone Part 2In this second and final part of the chat with Dominic, we look at his art and discuss the drawing and sculptures. As usual, this podcast episode is a tale of two stories. Todd and I talk about the difficult work involved in lifecasting the deceased, which can be much trickier than dealing with the living. Then the chat with Dom, looking at his processes for creating artwork, using traditional and digital media and how they can work off each other. ZBrush has become such an integral part of many design processes and is a...2020-12-281h 24
Battles With Bits of Rubber#69 - Dominic Hailstone Part 1 In this episode (and the next), we have a chat with artist Dominic Hailstone. He works extensively with visual effects and has a background in makeup effects and practical effects which inform his approach. Being an early adopter of visual effects and using computers places him in a unique position of seeing both sides and is well versed in the processes and business in film making. As you will hear, his intimate understanding of film making as a storyteller and a designer gives him a good insight into the business. Necro Deathmort Album C...2020-12-131h 31
Battles With Bits of Rubber#68 - Q&A This episode is a catch up on some emails and questions we had over the last couple of weeks. We have some great questions this time around, so many thanks for getting in touch! We talk about epoxy surfaced moulds, crinkly edges, and dodgy makeup course practices. Books mentioned in this episode: Silicone Art - Silicone As An Art Material By Tom McLaughlin V1.3 Fundamentals of Facial Prosthetics By Robert E McKinstry Products mentioned: MAC Matte Cream or 'Crème Matifiante' A...2020-11-291h 16
Battles With Bits of RubberBrian Kinney Brian Kinney is a primetime Emmy-nominated makeup artist and a Journeyman in IATSE Hollywood Local 706 Make-up Artists and Hairstylists Guild, where he serves as Makeup Craft President and Executive Board Member. His work can be seen in feature films and television shows, such as Fear The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Westworld, Purge: Anarchy and CSI. Check out his extensive IMDb page to see the hefty list of credits. Brian came to my workshop just after Christmas 2019 and we had a great afternoon catching up and recording a chat...2020-11-161h 26
Battles With Bits of Rubber#66 - Lars Carlsson Lars is a generous self-taught artist from Sweden. He works in film, TV and theatre productions often using new technology to scan and print items for practical effects. We wanted to chat theatre stuff, as that is not something we have spoken much about on the podcast. It's an area which may well be more available for people starting out, as many sizes of theatre and regional playhouses have small scale productions offering great opportunities for creative people starting out. In this episode, we talk scanning, printing and sculpting in virtual reality, trouble...2020-11-101h 39
Battles With Bits of Rubber#65 - Ghosts, Goblins & Cutting Edges https://battleswithbitsofrubber.com/ It’s Halloween. A Saturday! A full moon! Also not happening because of Covid. Boo. It’s a damn shame, but I imagine around the world, a lot more horror movies will be watched. I can only hope such mass consumption will drive production to make more stuff as we burn through the back catalogue of shows with a worldwide captive audience. Cutting Edges On appliances, a cutting edge is often employed to mark the boundary of where appliance stops and real skin should begin. With foam...2020-10-2949 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#64 - Danny Marie Elias Danny has done some interesting things with prosthetics, leading with fashion and high concept looks and bringing appliance work into the mix. Most demonstrations at trade shows involving appliances are showing just the tail end of a much longer hidden process which perhaps isn't at all evident in the final piece. It's nice to hear about what happens in the lead up to such a thing. As with many artists sealed tight with Non-Disclosure Agreements on professional projects, trade shows offer a real opportunity to try something new and experiment with ideas and processes without...2020-08-271h 19
Battles With Bits of RubberWhen Things Go Wrong We have all spotted things in shows which were never meant to be there. Scars swapping sides, hair up one minute and then down the next, blood which moves shot to shot or an errant edge which can't be hidden. Those are the things which you notice, and maybe take great pleasure in spotting and shaming those unfortunate artists who were 'responsible'. However, there are many things which you didn't spot which could have been issues if they were not overcome before the cameras started rolling. We go through some of...2020-08-191h 11
Battles With Bits of Rubber#62 - Mould Closure Closing moulds correctly is vital to get good casts out of them. There seems little point in making a good mould and then getting bad casts out of it. In this episode we chat about things to consider when looking at ‘mould closure’. Essentially, a mould other than a flat or open mould will usually need to be attached or fitted to another component to produce a cast. This could be another part of the mould if a ‘multi-piece’ mould is made and/or a core which will be placed into the mould to creat...2020-06-211h 05
Battles With Bits of RubberCutting Edges Cutting edges are the point at which a core meets the mould, and is crucial in creating a fine edge for many appliances. In flat moulds, there can be something similar even though a core isn’t involved, as it establishes where the appliance actually stops and the skin begins. A cutting edge and overflow are critical in foam appliances, especially where a mould has foam latex added and a core is pushed into it. A gap between the core and the mould face would ensure the excess foam co...2020-06-111h 11
Battles With Bits of Rubber#60 - Tim Baggaley Blog Post for this episode here. Tim Baggaley played the one-armed zombie in Shaun of the Dead. He's a damn nice fella, an actor, talented graphic designer and a fabulous dancer. In this episode, we chat about his experience on set and his recollections of being among the undead. As we chatted, he reminded me of a few other things we had worked on together and we get into the nitty-gritty of whether or not we should see the genitals of monsters. Sounds like a fun tangent...2020-05-1744 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#59 - Mark Donovan Here is a little treat - an additional little episode that checks in with Mark Donovan who played The Hulking Zombie in Shaun Of The Dead. We talked through the difficulties involved in getting ready to be attacked with records and cricket bats, shovels and the heat whilst caked in blood. Also, as you'll hear, some very cool comic book related stuff which was an exciting discovery. You may recall in the bumper podcast episode #55 that Stuart Conran mentioned the back story to the Hulking Zombie, how...2020-05-1730 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#57 - 'Little John' Cormican It was a great pleasure to chat with John face to face (before lockdown, I hasten to add) back in December of 2019. John is a well known FX artist who has since gone on to work at Tussauds and is a freelance artist. I think you will get a real kick out of hearing his take, a perfect attitude to how to feel when creating. We chat about what it means to sculpt, that internal dialogue we all have when creating something new, 2020-05-171h 42
Battles With Bits of Rubber#58 - Air BubblesAir bubbles of one kind or another are inevitable if you deal with materials which start out life as a liquid and then later solidify such as plaster, latex, silicone and resin. Let’s take a look at what can happen, why, and what to do about it. Blog post accompanying this post: https://battleswithbitsofrubber.com/58-airbubbles/2020-05-1753 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#56 - Q & A This episode of the podcast, we catch up with some questions left on our answerphone, emails and comments. Clay issues, alcohol colours, and a nice message from sculpting master Amelia Rowcroft. Cheers to those been in touch, and leaving messages. You can get in touch by email at stuartandtodd@gmail.com or leave a voicemail here. I mentioned working at the BBC Visual FX department, and I was reminded that I have a book about it - BBC Vfx: The History of the BBC Visual...2020-04-2850 minBattles With Bits of RubberShaun Of The Dead: An Appreciation The Shaun Of The Dead prosthetic team reunites and talk through the movie effects shots. Blog post for this episode here I thought it would be fun to chat with Stuart Conran and Dan Frye, two FX buddies who I have known and worked with for many years on many projects. I rewatched the movie to refresh my memory and listed the effects in chronological order. Make sure to download the free booklet which accompanies this episode. This little nod of appreciation comes from that...2020-04-251h 25
Battles With Bits of Rubber#54 - Approaching Workshops Blog Post link: https://battleswithbitsofrubber.com/54-approaching-workshops/ Folio under your arm, at some point you may wish to appeal to those who could give you a job. It's nervewracking to be judged, but your folio is maybe pages of your heart and soul now made visible for others to assess and rate. The main way anyone gets work is simply by having a portfolio of good work and then show that to someone who pays for people like that to solve a problem they have. There isn't a single path or...2020-04-171h 19
Battles With Bits of Rubber5 Big Questions Commonly Asked There are often a number of questions about prosthetic makeup that get asked often. We put together the top 5 that keep cropping up and do a deep dive into our responses. 1. How do I match an appliance to a person's skin tone? 2. How do I ensure a good edge on an appliance? 3. How can I create good work without spending a fortune on materials? 4. How do I get work? 5. Will computers take over the work of makeup artists? Check out the blog post with extensive...2020-04-121h 36
Battles With Bits of RubberBrandon & Jacquie Ryan Todd talks with his good friends and fellow artists, Jacquie & Brandon Ryan. This episode looks at how people teach, learn, and maybe don't learn. We all need a motivation to learn, and many of us will require different styles of learning such as visual, auditory, practical hands-on tasks or live demonstration to get started. One simple rule to remember is this: Sucking is learning. Making mistakes is when you learn. Learn how to make mistakes and pick yourself up. Nobody likes failing, but using that as fuel...2020-04-021h 35
Battles With Bits of RubberNeill Gorton I first met Neill with a folio tucked under my arm for my interview I had managed to arrange at Ealing Studios in 1995. My first job with him was making oversized Casio watches, which were fibreglassed out of silicone moulds to make G-Shock watch display units. --------------------------------- Check out our new website: Battles With Bits Of Rubber Dot Com --------------------------------- One thing I have always noticed about Neill is that he has a seemingly fearless approach to problem-solving. He will go directly to the source and grab whatever is...2020-03-192h 05
Battles With Bits of RubberRichard McEvoy Crompton At IMATS London 2019, I sat and had a great chat with Rick from Bolton University. For those that may not be aware, a breif Rick bio: "Richard is a senior lecturer and Programme Leader of the Special Effects for Film and TV degree at the University of Bolton. He’s been teaching at the university for several years and specialises in character work, in both the prosthetic make-up effects and model-making fields. " In the episode, we talk about the massive effect 3D printing and technology is having on what was previously a traditional skills area. What is co...2020-01-171h 07
Battles With Bits of Rubber#49 - Matthew Mungle In this episode, I got to chat with Matthew Mungle & visit his jail cell! Matthew and his company, WM Creations have been responsible for makeup effects on scores of shows and racked up a lot of awards and nominations in the process - for a deep dive into that, check out Matthews IMDb profile. The actual real-life holding cell in the studio, now decked out with suitably spooky decorations and effects! So much fun. Todd and I also wax lyrical about the joys of epoxy and plaster, silicones we like for...2019-12-181h 38
Battles With Bits of RubberNeil Morrill In this episode, Neill Morrill joins me in the workshop as we hit up Todd in Colorado and chat about our collaborated efforts on the makeup we did for The Prosthetics Event 2019. Neil is originally from the UK but moved to Toronto in the early 2000s and has worked on a number of high profile shows over the years such as 300, The Strain, Suicide Squad, Hereditary, It, Shazam! and the What We Do In The Shadows series. It was an absolute joy working with Neil on our homage to Rick Bakers' 'Reverend Brown...2019-12-1258 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#47 - Kate BentonIn this episode, Todd and Stu talk about our week making moulds with epoxy, dropping sculpts and moulage effects for first responder training. Earlier in 2019, Stu got to sit and chat with some fine folks at IMATS London and a chat with makeup designer Kate Benton kicks off the first of these finally edited up after a crazy industry year. This is the sculpt I was detailing and then dropped. Doh! As you may know, this podcast is a side hustle for us which has been on the backburner for a while as...2019-11-181h 02
Battles With Bits of RubberMakeup Education Starting Education In Makeup Effects & Prosthetics This episode is prompted by seeing a few questions on forums about how best to learn about makeup FX and prosthetics. Where to go and what to learn? Depending on what you want to be able to do, let's also draw a distinction between a makeup artist who sometimes will apply a prosthetic v someone who specialises in creating and applying more complex pieces. Some people want to exist in the workshop only and have no interest in being on set all day. It takes...2019-11-101h 27
Battles With Bits of RubberJordu Schell Jordu Schell has been pushing clay around for a while and knows a thing or two about sculpting. Creating concepts for characters and creatures, masks, makeups and beautifully crafted designs, he also teaches his craft all over the world and has recently released the first of a series of downloadable books The Professional Creature Design Handbook. In this podcast we chat about: The headspace of sculpting The frustration of failing and why it matters Using nature as inspiration and reference The pitfalls of copying styles (Aping the style without...2019-09-101h 17
Battles With Bits of RubberColorad0 2019 It’s been a while since Todd & I have podcasted, so apologies for the slow return to form. It’s been a brutal few months, mainly as I have been on the new Netflix/BBC version of Dracula which has kept my hands red and my days long and busy. Naturally, NDA’s prevent me from divulging what’s what but rest assured, fans of the Hammer style will enjoy the perfect casting of Danish actor Claes Bang in the lead role. Dave and Lou Elsey ran the Prosthetics department, and the small...2019-08-1540 min
Battles With Bits of RubberPaul Savage OBE "Paul walked into a Lifeboat station on his 17th birthday and never left, initially volunteering at Poole and now at Tower Lifeboat in London. So far he has been a Search and Rescue Volunteer with the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and HM Coastguard for 31 years." So reads the write-up for the honours listing of Pauls OBE, a high honour of recognition for sterling work which he continues to do within maritime medicine and emergency response. Training those who deal with emergency and pre-hospital medicine is no mean feat, and making sure casualty makeup used in training...2019-04-231h 56
Battles With Bits of RubberSculpting with Pauline Fowler In this podcast we talk about art, what it means to be an artist, why we do it, and the challenges we face in trying to make a living doing this. This was mostly brought about because of the fantastic conversation I had with my first ever boss when I started working in effects in 1994. Pauline and business partner, Nik Williams run Animated Extras, an effects company specialising in prosthetics, animatronics, puppets, creature suits, fake bodies and many animals from elephants, bats, sharks...you name it. In their own words... "From singing sloths to...2019-02-271h 41
Battles With Bits of RubberRichard Redlefsen Richard Redlefsen is someone I saw for the first time a few years back at the UMAE where he was applying his demo makeup on the PPI stand. What was of note for me was how particular and precise everything was. Care was taken at every turn, and it struck me that the amount of effort that takes must come from a deep well. So it was a great pleasure to sit and chat with the man himself, and I could ask if he thought of this about himself and if we could...2019-01-231h 35
Battles With Bits of Rubber#40 - Rick Baker Rick Baker knows a thing or two about making stuff in rubber. It's also fair to say he knows a thing or two about the digital world too, as he has been mixing the two for a while. In 2015, when it was announced that Rick was to close his shop, the FX world was stunned and the bell tolled once again for the end of all practical effects as people speculated the end of live-action anything. There was a Vice article at the time which claimed (again) the 'CGI was killing...2018-12-141h 31
Battles With Bits of Rubber#39 - Halloween, Harm & Rubber Chickens Something that Don talked about passionately in our interview was how (mostly) young, creative people can be in a position to get taken advantage of. When working starting out, you are not likely to be handed a position of massive responsibility with large sums of money and heavy hitting clients. So it stands to reason when the phone first rings, it’s likely to be a smaller production with little or no budget looking for some help and played right it can be a wonderful place to start. In this episode, we chat about this wi...2018-12-041h 11
Battles With Bits of RubberEp #38 - Don Lanning part 2 We are back with more Don! Even though I was there when we recorded, I still get a buzz hearing back what we spoke about. Simply put, Don will make you better and get you thinking about sculpting. In part 2 we spoke to Don about: - Ego - Looking for the positives - Music whilst sculpting - Using the same tool to get many results - Sculptures that want to come out - Deadlines - Chisel shape tipped rubber clay shapers Silicone-tipped Clay-Shapers The Kemper...2018-11-261h 08
Battles With Bits of Rubber#37 - The Mighty Don Lanning part 1 If you have any sculpting ambition or love for any monster movies made in the last twenty years, then you should know the name Don Lanning. Not only is he a gifted craftsman who has worked hard for his place, but he is also a gifted teacher who can help make others better, and he is damn fine fella the whole time he is doing it. Don has been working away on productions for years as a hired gun on well know movies such as Hollow Man, Ghosts of Mars, Vanilla Sky, Hellboy...2018-11-261h 04
Stuart Bray#36 - Trailer ChatAfter the madness of Monsterpalooza 2018, we had the chance to grab the gang for a wind down chat to debrief about the trip and talk about what we got up to.
It was a fun time, and I hope the warmth of a truly magical few days comes across, as Todd and I were truly humbled at the non-stop kindness and generosity we were liberally soaked with.
Adrian and I met in 1995 when we both travelled out to LA to take a look at the FX scene and see how it worked at the start of what we hoped to...2018-11-011h 34
Battles With Bits of Rubber#36 - Trailer Chat After the madness of Monsterpalooza 2018, we had the chance to grab the gang for a wind down chat to debrief about the trip and talk about what we got up to. It was a fun time, and I hope the warmth of a truly magical few days comes across, as Todd and I were truly humbled at the non-stop kindness and generosity we were liberally soaked with. Anticlockwise from bottom: Me, Sam Shuck, Adrian Rigby, Eryn Kreuger Mekash and Todd Debreceni hanging out in the magical trailer I stayed in. 2018-11-011h 34
Battles With Bits of RubberSteve LaPorte Steve LaPorte was a joy to speak with. For one thing, he is incredibly talented and has a fantastic body of work. That aside, he also recalls exactly how he got there and can track back the step by step process of how he got there. It’s a wonderful thing when someone can trace back their steps and know how they got to where they have and are keen to help others understand what is important. Steve talks about the importance of knowing how to make things work rather than al...2018-09-0452 min
Battles With Bits of RubberMichael Westmore Makeup Man Michael Westmore has done battle with rubber for a few shows, it's fair to say. With a long career spanning every aspect of makeup, he comes from a several generation deep family which practically bleeds greasepaint. Many know of his work on Star Trek, but the breadth of his experience is quite something. To read more on the subject, check out a brief history of it here, on Wikipedia or track down a copy of 'The Westmores Of Hollywood'. Awared the Academy Award in 1985 for Mask, a moving story of Roy...2018-08-2929 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#33 - FX Contact Lenses Contact lenses are pretty easy to find nowadays. It wasn't always so, and the increased use of lenses has meant an increase in opportunities to have problems with eyes caused by them. We chatted to Cristina Patterson of Eye Ink FX about eye care and lenses, especially in the light of many people around us who had created characters for Monsterpalooza using lenses. Many conventions will have extensive makeup characters with lenses bought online or in costume stores for not a lot of money. These lenses may be available in stores, but is it wise...2018-07-3134 min
Battles With Bits of RubberEp #32 - Allan Apone & Brad Look Respect The Craft! Todd and I had a great morning chatting with Allan A. Apone and Brad Look at MEL headquarters (Makeup Effects Lab) based up in North Hollywood. MEL now occupies a huge area of workshops and produces effects for shows as well as products used by artists in the industry, including PAX paints, baldcaps and appliances. Starting out as a small lab in 1978, it now boasts some 18000 square feet of facility. Their website is MEL Products USA and is worth checking out! Our tour took us from machine shop to...2018-05-271h 16
Battles With Bits of Rubber#31 - Steve Wang One of the great things about Monsterpalooza, and other makeup FX heavy trade shows is you get to meet the people who make a life around doing the work, and who care enough to help others do it too. For my money, this chat with sculpting and creature legend Steve Wang was the most potent use of 20 minutes anyone could have. Steve was in high demand, but Todd managed to get him for a short timeslot on the mic and we jumped straight in with the sculpting talk. I wanted to...2018-05-1930 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#30 - Chris Lyons & Fangs FX Chris and Fangs FX is who we call when we need teeth, but there is a lot more to Fangs FX than just...well...fangs! This is the first of a series of interviews Todd and I did at Monsterpalooza 2018, a three-day event in Los Angeles which was busting at the seams with visitors, demos and vendors. It was amazing, and Todd and I applied my Bela Lugosi makeup for the Rick Baker Tribute on the enormous PPI Premiere Products Inc stand. Blogpost: http://www.learnmakeupeffects.com/fangsfx/ We grabbed Chris for a...2018-05-0329 min
Stuart Bray#29 - Packrat (mini episode)So, this is my turn at soloing for a brief episode of Battles with Bits of Rubber.
And, depending on responses to my musings, perhaps Stuart and I can extend this into a longer broadcast with tips from you all on how to get rid of unwanted and no longer needed stuff.
As usual, you can get the podcast on iTunes/apple podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, Soundcloud....basiclally wherever podcasts are found. Not sure what this podcast nonsense is all about? Email me for help: stuartandtodd@gmail.com
Hi. My name is Todd. And I’m a pack rat.
(Hi...2018-02-2006 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#29 - Packrat (mini episode)So, this is my turn at soloing for a brief episode of Battles with Bits of Rubber. And, depending on responses to my musings, perhaps Stuart and I can extend this into a longer broadcast with tips from you all on how to get rid of unwanted and no longer needed stuff. Hi. My name is Todd. And I’m a pack rat. (Hi, Todd!) Let’s face it, most of us have too much stuff. Stuff we don’t use, stuff we don’t need, and stuff we don’t even rem...2018-02-2006 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#28 - Munich I had the great privilege to be asked to teach some masters degree students at Theaterakademie August Everding in Munich, Germany recently. I had a splendid time! The three students I worked with all had ambitious, figurative projects which they had been working on for some weeks when I arrived for my five day stint there. Daniel Riedl had made a full-size figure leaning out of a bath and was in the final sculpting stages preparing to make ready for moulding. Julian Hutcheson had just moulded his sculpt of a male torso, and in the week we mixed...2018-01-301h 21
Battles With Bits of Rubber#27 - Stu Musings Seven hours is a big time difference to deal with when trying to synchronise a podcast with two people. To help with that, Todd and I figured adding some extra single features to help keep the show moving. ------------------------------------- At Pinewood studios, I was teaching a great class which had me thinking a lot about what we teach and why. I seized the moment to share my observations which briefly were: When and why to premake pieces way in advance versus fabricating something up directly onto the skin. The difference...2018-01-2528 min
Battles With Bits of Rubber#26 - Sangeet Prabhaker: Open Source, Open Mind Most people learn techniques and perfect them. Some people then take those techniques and look at what can be improved. Sangeet falls into this camp. He is now pretty well known for creating high quality prosthetic transfers, moulds made which contain the appliances and are used directly in their application. As far as I can ascertain, this system was developed by Conor O'Sullivan and Rob Trenton and involves making silicone mould inserts which contain the appliances during application, speeding up the process in the chair and allowing multiple appliances to be run from the same sculpt. 2018-01-032h 01
Battles With Bits of Rubber#25 - Chris Dombos: 3D Prince3D printing is having an effect on the way things are made. This episode talks about what those things are, how it benefits us all and how you can get involved. Chris Dombos knows a thing or two about 3D printing, and he is also a massive FX nerd so we got on rather well. Having met him first at LA IMATS in Jan 2017 (I discovered he had some of the original Lost Boys moulds), it made sense to catch up when he came over to London recently. Of course, I figured bring the mic and make...2017-12-271h 41
Battles With Bits of Rubber#24 - Eryn Kruger Mekash This podcast was a lot of fun to do. I met up with the Mekashes (Eryn and Mike) at their hotel as they were over for The Prosthetics Event here in the UK. I was lucky enough to squeeze in a face to face interview and had a frankly wonderful time chatting with a couple of lovely people who also are amazing artists and FX nerds. Listen here, or on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. Soundcloud or whatever podcatcher you like to use. Her credits include TV shows Glee, Nip/Tuck & Movies such...2017-12-191h 52
Battles With Bits of Rubber#23 - 5 THINGS YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW (OR WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE KNOWN) WHEN LEARNING PROSTHETIC MAKEUP5 THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW (OR WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE KNOWN) WHEN LEARNING PROSTHETIC MAKEUP I'm still learning every day. I still make mistakes and I am still worried that every job I am about to start will go wrong. That feeling has never gone away and I suspect it never will. The trick is to get used to the sensation, understand that it isn't abnormal and to get on with the job anyway. There are many things which often get taught again and again at makeup school, but along the way...2017-11-231h 13
Battles With Bits of Rubber#22 - Rob Burns: Cutting EdgeRob Burns makes great sculpting tools because he sculpts and knows what works. Blog post for this episode with video: http://www.learnmakeupeffects.com/rob-burns/ -------------------------------- It helps to know your tools, and in the podcast, he chats about how he started the company and how he paid his dues. We also chat with Mitch of Brick In The Yard again, and we talk about the proliferation of information in the hi-tech age and how having so much information on hand doesn't necessarily mean that it makes it into the brain.2017-11-161h 49
Battles With Bits of Rubber#21 - Allen Hopps: ScaremasterAllen Hopps is the director of Dark Hour, a huge haunt attraction in Plano, Texas. I wanted to take a tour and chat with Allen about what it takes to keep people scared and the business of running a haunt all year round. When people think about creating makeup effects, masks and prosthetics, its usually associated with film and TV shows. In the US, Halloween is pretty big and getting bigger every year. I went for a tour of the huge show floor, and got to see behind the scenes where...2017-08-211h 35Battles With Bits of Rubber#20 - All About Cap PlasticCap plastic is big....and it's not just for bald caps. Cap plastic is so called as it was originally pretty much used only for making bald caps, so those with hair could temporarily be without it. Over the last ten years or so, it's used much more widely as an encapsulant or barrier in a mould so that when silicone gel appliances are cast into it, they come out of the mould with that cap plastic as a surface. This allows glue and makeup to remain attached to it - after all, silicone is...2017-04-031h 05Battles With Bits of Rubber#19 - IMATS LA 2017This podcast episode is the belated accompaniment to the blog post. We had a blast, learned some stuff and made some new friends. It was amazing, and I can't wait until IMATS London when I'll be back! Until then, please enjoy and get in touch with us at stuartandtodd@gmail.com and our facebook page. Please also check out the breakdowns of the makeup demos, there is extensive behind the scenes info on the build of both makeup demos: Demo 1: Worm Infection! Demo 2: Todds' Crazy Eyes! Thanks for listening! ---2017-03-2737 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#18 - All Aboard The Freit Train part 2In part 2 of our discussion, Rob Freitas talks about the value of knowing about the unknowns. He sheds some light on the importance of knowing to look at what was before and honours great artists like Gil Liberto (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0508847/) who does incredible work for the likes of at Joel Harlow (Star Trek, anyone?). Check out this Vanity Fair article about the makeup work on Star Trek: http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/02/star-trek-beyond-makeup. The blog post for this one is here: http://www.learnmakeupeffects.com/all-aboard-the-freit-train-part-2/ When going to trade shows an...2017-03-091h 34Battles With Bits of Rubber#17 - All Aboard The Freit Train part 1 Rob Freitas is one of the best-known mould makers in the industry and has a phenomenal reputation. Not only is he incredibly skilled at making moulds but he has a passion for the provenance of the techniques which he uses and cares deeply to help interested parties understand so they can be better too. He also will redirect much of the attention he gets to his predecessors and those peers whom he feels deserve more attention. It's a very generous attitude which I believe is born out of an unabashed passion for the...2017-03-051h 12Battles With Bits of Rubber#16 - Rob Smith Master Of Blood: Part 2Rob Smith continues his chat with me about foam latex, blood and other FX related goodies. Also, Todd and I talk about our favorite podcasts, and whether or not the word 'mustard' is actually an expression. Todd and I will be at IMATS 2017, 13th-15th Jan 2017. How about that. Email us at the usual address, stuartandtodd@gmail.com2016-12-271h 33Battles With Bits of Rubber#15 - Rob Smith, Master Of Blood: Part 1Blood ! Podcast #15! It's something gets thrown around a lot in film, TV and theatre. There's bad blood, good blood, mudbloods, blood thicker than water and blood brothers. This episode we're talking about blood, and our guest this time is Rob Smith, blood master as well as an all-around effects bod. He also runs a lot of foam, and makes exquisite soft foam appliances which you really need to feel to appreciate. He makes his own pieces but runs a lot of foam for other people, and you'll certainly have seen his work if you've been to the c...2016-12-042h 05Battles With Bits of Rubber#14 - Scanners & SchoonraadsA little look at the influence of digital technology on the practical effects workflow. Bear in mind the problems we try to overcome - namely to create an illusion which appears real such as a decapitation, an injury taking place or some kind of transformation - these issues are the reason that we strive for new and better methods. That desire to create is the wind in the sails, and we have always used the best available to get that. Digital has affected everything, every industry and we have changed along with it. Despite that...2016-11-261h 51Battles With Bits of Rubber#13 - Mitch at Brick In The YardBrick In The Yard isn't the most obvious name to give to a successful FX material supplier. There is a good reason for it though, as you will hear in this podcast. Mitch Rogers is the evil genius behind Brick In The Yard (BITY), one of the largest suppliers of FX materials in Texas and from the store, they ship out all kinds of materials worldwide. Mitch took some time to show me around the shop and hang out so we could talk Gorezone magazine, silicone babies, the craft of making moulds...2016-08-251h 59Battles With Bits of Rubber#12 - Rob BurmanRob Burman is a damned nice fella and kindly took some time to share some of his wisdom, and we are all grateful he did. Thanks, Rob! If you don't know the name 'Burman' then you must be pretty new to the FX world, because frankly the name is as synonymous with makeup and practical effects as The Rolling Stones is to music. (The blog post to accompany this podcast is at http://www.learnmakeupeffects.com/rob-burman/) ) Rob is a third generation Burman, and the name is found in the credits of...2016-08-1849 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#11 - The One With Thomas SurprenantThe last time we talked about making foam latex, the craft and materials involved in actually producing the foam. This time around, we figured it would be a good call to look at painting and art finishing. Painting foam latex is different from painting skin or translucent appliances like silicone or gelatine, as naturally you have to create the appearance of translucency on something which is opaque. Thomas Surprenant is long serving makeup artist with a hefty list of credits, from Deep Space 9, Donnie Darko, The Grinch, X-Men The Last Stand… but not only is he...2016-08-051h 38Battles With Bits of Rubber#10 - Foam Latex: It's Smelly But Good!Podcast #10 - Foam Latex: It's Smelly But Good! Foam Latex was the main material appliances and pretty much anything skin-like was made of for long time. It is only relatively recently that silicone has taken it's place, and with good reason. There are a lot of benefits to silicone as an appliance material, and because of these reasons it may be that if you're new to makeup effects, you may not have yet laid hands on foam pieces. It may be that you'll never want or need to run foam latex yourself, but will apply...2016-07-221h 00Battles With Bits of Rubber#9 - Symmetry, Schools & Fools#9 - Symmetry, Schools & Fools Symmetry in sculpting appliances Whilst teaching a class recently, a student was hung up on getting the nose perfectly symmetrical. I explained as I often do that the human face isn't symmetrical, so going for complete mirror image reflection necessary. That said, asymmetry owing to sloppy work isn't good either - the fact that there is little perfect symmetry in nature doesn't let you off the hook! I remember at college sculpting a full size head and a full size figure from life and using a plumb l...2016-05-1853 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#8 - Start Making & The Lowdown On Cap PlasticBlog post on this podcast is here:
It seems it would be handy to have some sensible steps to actually start making things. So check out the podcast on this very subject and also the lowdown on cap plastic.After all, the longest of journeys start with a single step, so having some steps in mind will help you start if you are not sure where to begin making.One thing to say is that you don’t have to go through all of the processes to begin with. Just sculpting is at least getting you involved in the...2016-04-241h 07Battles With Bits of Rubber#7 - Geoff Portass Interview (pt2)In the second and final part of the interview with Geoff Portass, we talk more Ken Russel, Pinhead and FX stories plus some insights into the right way to go about learning some of this crazy stuff.
Leave feedback and email your technical questions at stuartandtodd@gmail.com
We love to help!
Check out Stuart's Pinewood Studios workshops this year - dates on the website: http://www.learnmakeupeffects.com/workshops/
2016-04-161h 13Battles With Bits of Rubber#6 - Geoff Portass Interview (pt1)Hey folks, it’s just me today as Todd is pretty sick with a bad cold, so get well soon Todd. Hope you get fixed up and back on track soon.
We’ve got a great interview with someone who was the first person I ever got in touch with. Geoff Portass started Image Animation with business partner Bob Keen, and the company worked on some iconic genre movies and shows in the late 80’s and early 90’s. They also spawned the careers of some of the best known fx artists working today.
I still have my...2016-04-101h 27Battles With Bits of Rubber#5 - Colour theory In PracticeColour theory is a crucial part of makeup, especially if you are in the business of trying make a portion of the face out of rubber and make it look like it belongs there and is the same as the real skin which surrounds it.
This podcast accompanies the article we wrote for Neill Gortons 'Prosthetics' magazine, jam packed with tutorials and great behind the scenes goodies for all things prosthetic!
This is especially true when mixing your skin tone into your appliance material in the case of silicone or gelatine appliances.
2016-04-0157 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#4 - Appsolute fools Todd and I have been chatting, as we both let the blogging slip because of work - so we are back with a plan to do more podcasts to give responses to email questions on a regular basis. So, we caught up in this podcast to get the ball rolling again - listen or download it from here. It was recorded on Friday 13th....so it isn't about the movie Friday the 13th, so sorry to the Michael Myers fans.....this time we're talking plaster heads and master moulds, plastiline and apps to help design. ...2016-03-2734 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#3 - Shooting at Meat. No, really.
Read the blog post to accompay this podcast: www.learnmakeupeffects.com/shooting-guns-at-meat
This time we take an interesting approach to capturing the tissue damage caused by gunshots and being able to safely recreate the three dimensional effects by moulding the results.
It's a novel way of testing out some theories. All we need is some sides of meat, a range of firearms, some privacy and an afternoon in the Colorado woodlands. All in the name of FX reference. Fun times!
Got an idea for a podcast episode for us? stuartandtodd@gmail.com
2016-03-1619 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#2 - Lifecasting tips and tricks
Check out the blogpost on this subject too: www.learnmakeupeffects.com/lifecasting-tipstricks/
Lifecasting is an essential, basic skill used in makeup effects and prosthetics - whether to create a custom fit appliance or to make a lifelike prop without sculpting from scratch.
In this podcast, Stuart & Todd share cool tips and tricks about this important yet varied subject.
Got an FX question you want to see covered? Email it to stuartandtodd@gmail.com
2016-03-1544 minBattles With Bits of Rubber#1 - Sticky Situations: The Zen Of Prosthetic Adhesives & Removers This podcast is the first joint blog post venture with Stuart Bray and Todd Debreceni. Todd is author of 'Special Makeup Effects For Stage And Screen', what many consider to be the modern makeup FX bible. Stuart Bray is a working makeup FX artist with many years experience. Credits include 'Saving Private Ryan', 'Shaun of the Dead', 'Dr Who' and more recently 'Game of Thrones'. This one is all about the glues and removers we use with prosthetics. One thing is for sure, people get confused about which is what and why. This...2016-03-1454 min
Stuart BraySticky Situations: The Zen Of Prosthetic Adhesives & RemoversThis podcast is the first joint blog post venture with Stuart Bray and Todd Debreceni, author of 'Special Makeup Effects For Stage And Screen', what many consider to be the modern makeup FX bible.
Stuart Bray is a working makeup FX artist with many years experienc. Credits include 'Saving Private Ryan', 'Shaun of the Dead', 'Dr Who' and more recently 'Game of Thrones'.
If you have any FX questions you would like to see made into a featured blog post, then get in touch: stuartandtodd@gmail.com2013-12-1354 min