(Exclusive) Martin Testa SPFX Specialist from Fox’s “Almost Human” Visits Style 601

Martin Testa SPFX Specialist from the Team that Brings Us Fox's "Almost Human" Takes a Break from the Wacky World of SPFX and Visits Style 601 At www.style601.com it's all about film+fashion so when Special Effects specialist Martin Testa stop by we all looked around like is this reel (Pun intended lol). Seriously, special effects is the wonder of film, TV, and Gaming. It's the main reason our eyes light up and brains tingle. Martin is a character or better yet a variety of characters but what else should we expect. Those Special Effects can be a little wacky at times as well as the minds that create them. Martin Testa has plenty of experience on those weird SPFX teams so it was a little mind altering speaking with him! Thanks for chatting with me last night. I figured we'd put together something for our readers introducing them to the world of FX! I'll start with a few questions just get to an intro and feel. First of all I'd like to say thanks for stoping by Style601.com. We know you're busy with production and all. Do you mind telling our readers what you do? And what a working day is like! In essence I'm a time chaser, a shot maker. A builder, dreamer, weather maker, mood setter, violence stager. A safety officer. Fire specialist, rigger, tension maker. Film maker. I'm the blood and puke spray, the sweat spray, the bloody body hit, the head shot, the gun flash and the car explosion. The bullet strikes. The house burn, the stunt actor body burn. I'm the reason you cringe and why your expanding dilating pupils pop from your head. I'm the practical Special effects guy. Everything you witness from my Dept, is real! And I work in a world populated by the video game mind set. As if computer generated reality is somehow more real. ?? Lol Any mind blowing moments? What stands out? Lol hmm... How big of an article is this ? I'll tell you simply though, in my world a lot of people work, both in and out of film and TV. And in the video gamer film and TV world. Only the screen shapers work. And most of it screams... A typical day as... ??? The say assistant technician? I get out the gear, set it up, run it or not. Standby, do what I'm told as fast as possible. As best boy? or second? I read the script, study the one liner. Make suggestions, do what I'm told, tell the others what to do. And assist the boss. As the Coordinator? I plan the gags with the director, the Visual fx artist... Hope they spent wisely I understand you worked on "Almost Human" and the "The 100"? Is there any FX that we should keep an eye out for? I've been working on a freelance basis as a Special Effects assistant on 'Almost Human' for a while. However, I've signed non-disclosure agreements, so I can't disclose specifics about the work we've done. That said, this show is a thrill-ride. It's action-packed, and makes me excited each time I'm called back. I'm thrilled to be working with some of the top FX Coordinators in this business. They are masters in the world of SPFX. I'm truly grateful to be a part of this series, in my own small way. I'm driven by the adrenaline rush. It is a thrill ride and a joy to watch each scene come together - the performances are fabulous, and to be perfectly honest, I'm hungry for more. 'The 100', is another new Sci-Fi series. I've only been on the show for a short time, but i can tell you that i think it will be very popular with a younger teen audience. The big action is just ramping up now, and im eager to work hard for the FX team that is covering it. They're another over the top team. Special Fx is really big nowadays with Marvel, Animation, and most big budget films. A lot of the FX come across as natural to a general audience. What happened to obvious Hollywood FX that made us all say only in Hollywood? Everything is so real time. Can't it be a little dangerous? The term "Special Effects" has become blurred. It used to refer to just Practical Special Effects and Make-up FX, but now Visual Effects, which are computer generate effects (CGI) are often referred to under the same label. However, they are created in a very different manner. I live in the world of Practical on-set Special Effects (explosions, bullet hits, smoke, wind and fire, etc.). Our work, combined with the artistry of Make-up FX artists and magnificent creations generated through the Art Department, used to be all that an audience would see. Now, most films, use a combination of both practical effects and CGI. Practical effects, when lit and shot by the best photographers deliver dreamscapes to the audience. This was the 'Wow' factor, of the movies of the past. Hands-on and labor intensive, the geniuses of all those departments created, and still create, monsters and worlds we dream of exploring - as an observer or participant. The first digital Wow factors we saw were in shows like Star Wars, and since then it has snowballed. CGI or visual effects has become a mainstay in the producer's arsenal. They have the ability to create the desired effect, world, monster, robot, dinosaur - whatever a creative team can dream up. One might think that CGI has threatened the world of practical effects to the brink of extinction, but that's not at all the reality. There's been a blending of the two mediums, and today audiences are wowed in ways the filmmakers of old would never have thought imaginable. What was your favorite film growing up? Favourite film ? Hmm Apocalypse Now... Did you always want to work in FX? I never dreamt of becoming a special effects technician. I sort of fell into it backwards. But now I can't even fathom the thought of leaving it. Unless a 6/49 jackpot were to happen, then I might go full on R&D and build all my dream concepts. Which do you prefer Film/TV or Gaming! I have no preference whatsoever ... I love it all ...Film/TV and Gaming! Check out the work of Martin Testa and Fox's "Almost Human" SPFX team Mondays at 8/7c. Also visit DirectHitFx.com for more of Martin's special effects.