Scratches in the Dark

I was approached by director Charlie Bentley in February 2016, and asked if I would like to create a mutilated dead cat (in a likeness of his own cat, Jerry) for his upcoming horror short, 'Scratches in the Dark'. Even before I read the script, obviously, I was more than happy! The concept of the short and the film itself, which is just 5 minutes, is absolutely excellent - I'm so happy to have met Charlie, and to have been a part of this production. Below is a bit of a 'making of', and if you have 5 minutes to spare and want to see the film, you can do so by clicking here.

Starting with a pre-made skeleton, I took it apart, hinged all the joints and rearranged

Roughed out muscle structures/positions with ladies stockings

Glued everything in place, padded with upholstery foam, then began fur transfer

Hairs around the eyes were laid individually, to match Jerry's little under-eye 'highlight'

Completed Jerry, on-set - he was finished using a mix of rabbit fur transfer/punching, plus airbrushed markings, which were painted on last

Inside Jerry's tummy....! This cavity was filled with offal for the camera

And, as an extra nice bonus....! It's nice to know that something I've been involved in has made an impression on an FX great!