Three-time Emmy Award winning Character FX Artist Todd Masters has been tapped to receive the 2022 “Fright-Time” Award for Lifetime Achievement — as one of Hollywood’s premiere Monster Makers – during an evening ceremony on June 4 at the Monsterpalooza Convention in Pasadena, CA.
Masters is the Founder, President – and “Chief Monster-Maker” – behind MastersFX, one of the entertainment industry’s top Character & Special FX studios, and has a career that spans more than 43 years. Masters started working as a young teenager in the FX industry, making monsters on genre blockbusters such as “Big Trouble in Little China,” “Night of The Creeps,” “Looks Who’s Talking,” and the original “Predator.”
In addition to his three Emmy Award wins, Masters has also won: a Cable Ace Award, a Saturn Award, eight Leo Awards, a Gemini Award, a Screamfest Award, and most recently, a Fangoria Magazine 2022 Chainsaw Award, as well as several other accolades over the years in his role as a director and producer.
“It’s a true honor to receive this Lifetime Achieve Award – especially since many of our MastersFX teammates and alumni — as well as numerous of my Monster-Maker colleagues, fellow FX Studio owners and good friends – will be in attendance,” said Masters. “I like to consider the people in the Special/Character/Makeup FX industry my extended family. In the sincerest sense, we’re ALL ‘Masters’ of our craft!”
In addition to receiving a lifetime achievement award, two panels at Monsterpalooza will spotlight some of MastersFX’s.
On Saturday, June 4 at 3 PM, the multi-award-winning, cult-hit “PG: Psycho Goreman” will be screened in the Monsterpalooza theater auditorium. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the film’s writer/creator/director, Steven Kostanski, who is also a MastersFX/Toronto FX Artist. Joining Kostanski will be Zane Knisely (Supervisor at MastersFX/Toronto Studio) and Graham Chivers (MFX Toronto Prosthetics Artist.) Todd Masters himself will serve as MC of the Q&A session.
On Sunday, June 5, at 1:30 PM, a “The Making of Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight” panel will be held. The session will highlight MastersFX’s work featured in the 1995 film. This panel will be comprised of Masters, actors Billy Zane and Charles Fleischer, and the film’s director, Ernest Dickerson.
Over the weekend, fans will also be able to get a closer look at several iconic props and FX memorabilia created by MastersFX, which will be on display inside the Monsterpalooza Museum. Items on display include a “Demon” from Demon Knight, a number of the characters from “PG: Psycho Goreman,” including Psycho Goreman in his cowboy attire, and items from the TV series “Day of the Dead” and DC’s “Legends of Tomorrow.”
Monsterpalooza 2022 will be held June 3-5, 2022, at the Pasadena Convention Center.
