Two years ago I spoke to actor John Otrin regarding his role as Tina’s father, John Shepard, in John Carl Buechler’s 1988 sequel Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. Unfortunately, the interview was never published and remained gathering dust until now. Otrin was suspiciously absent from both Making Friday the 13th and Crystal Lake Memories, as well as not taking part in last year’s documentary His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th, so this is rare treat for fans listen to John Otrin’s experiences with Jason Voorhees.

Did you have any interest in Friday the 13th and slasher movies in general prior to your involvement in The New Blood and what was it about these type of movies that seemed to attract such loyal fans?
“Everyone loves a great story … and everyone loves a great horror film! I remember in high school reading The Modern Prometheus (Frankenstein) by Mary W Shelley. I kept reading the story and I could not put the book down. I think all fans of horror films are very loyal. We grew up watching them, having the tar scared out of us, in the safety of a movie theatre. That’s why my film company, Laddie O Productions, has agreed to “revive” my character in a new graphic novel and film franchise Scattered Bones (El Huesos Regados)

What kind of threat do you think the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise placed on Friday the 13th and what effect did it have on The New Blood?
“I think each new film franchise helps the other. So, it’s all good! Freddy was evil in life and death and Jason became evil only after death.”

How did you first become involved in The New Blood and what were you first impressions of the script? What was it about the movie that appealed to you?
“The casting director (Anthony Barnao) had seen and liked my work and brought me in for an audition for the director (John Carl Buechler). The working title was Birthday Bash and I knew it was a horror movie. Every new film, horror or any genre, is an exciting challenge. So, I was very glad to read this new script for The New Blood and, as a movie, it has stood the test of time with fans.”

Were you hesitant to take a role in a franchise as despised (by critics) as Friday the 13th, and did you have any issues with the level of violence and nudity in the movie?
“No, I wasn’t hesitant at all. (Critics are critical!!! What else is new?) I knew it was a great film franchise and, at the time, I was happy to be part of this new film…. What matters is that the fans enjoyed the movies and have remained loyal.”

How quickly did Kane Hodder settle into the role of Jason and how would you describe your working relationship with him? Did you perform any of your own stunts in the movie?
“The only stunt I did personally was breaking through the wooden boards of the pier and bringing Jason (Kane Hodder) down with a chain to save my daughter, Tina (Lar Park Lincoln). I was impressed with Kane Hodder. Our working relationship was professional and good for both our careers. As for the other stunts… when Kane approached me, I suggested that he handle the more difficult stunts since he was a professional stuntman. But for me, there were two very dangerous stunts, and because of insurance considerations they were handled by two different stuntmen, doubling for me. One was the hydraulic pier, on location in the swamp, where Shepard had to go into cold, alligator-infested water. The other was in a tank in Mobile, Alabama where the guy was weighed down and had to remain underwater for the length of the shot… Both of these were pretty dangerous. I really appreciate what these guys did to make me look good!”

Which special effect would you have said was the most effective and which death was the most disturbing for you?
“I think the most effective special effect for me was in the Director’s Cut of the movie, where I appeared in three different stages of “zombie decay”… But it never was seen in the edited theatrical release. And I guess my own death should have been the most disturbing to me. It certainly disturbed my children, but hey… I enjoyed it.”

What were your thoughts on the rather abstract ending where Tina brings her father back from the dead to pull Jason down into the lake? Do you think that the telekinetic aspect of the script worked well without becoming ludicrous or clichéd?
“The abstract ending resulted from the director not having the final cut of the movie. (You have the picture where Jason and I appear as zombies… one good, one evil… Guess who’s the good guy?) The ratings board didn’t allow John Carl Buechler to include these shots in the final release because of their graphic nature. If the Director’s Cut of the film had prevailed, the telekinetic aspect would have been “crystal” clear.”

How did John Carl Buechler balance his duties as both director and FX artist and was he easy to collaborate with?
“Hey, Carl’s a pro and I have nothing but respect for what he accomplished. He’s great, and I’m proud to have worked together with him on the film.”

Rumour has it there was a deleted ending where Jason jumps out of the lake and attacks a fisherman. Do you know why the filmmakers chose not to use this?
“I don’t remember that scene even being in the script.”

Do you think that the producers were setting up Tina for further battles against Jason or was this movie to be her only story?
“Well, you would have to ask the producers. But from what I saw on location, it appeared to me they were heading toward a future showdown between Jason Voorhees and John Shepard.”

Looking back on the movie twenty years later, are you proud of your involvement in the franchise and how well do you feel The New Blood stands up against other horror movies of the era?
“Proud? Absolutely! Does The New Blood stand up well against other horror movies?? Sure does! – If it didn’t, we wouldn’t be discussing it right now! And Laddie O Productions wouldn’t be developing a new graphic novel and film franchise, Scattered Bones.”

Recently, Dean Lorey made himself available on Formspring to answer any and all questions on his career and of course Jason Goes To Hell questions were asked. Below are some highlights of the questions, with most pertaining to the JGTH.

I am a huge fan of Jason Goes To Hell and your role as the coroner assistant. What were your major contributions to the Jason Goes To Hell script? How did you prepare for an acting gig on a studio film?

I did a big rewrite of JGTH mostly over a weekend. The plot was already set in stone (body-jumping) but I fleshed out a lot of stuff and added the character of Creighton Duke. As for acting in it, I was a nervous wreck and couldn’t remember my dialogue but, since I was also the writer, I just made new stuff up on the day…

For Jason Goes To Hell, what was it like in the makeup chair preparing for your death? How long did it take and were nervous of the appliance of the makeup?

The makeup took about an hour and I wasn’t nervous about the appliance of the makeup, but getting a cast made of my head so they could make the appliance was a little nervewracking. The KNB guys encased my entire head in some cold goop that hardened and stuck straws in my nose so I could breathe.

Since Kane Hodder was stunt coordinator on JGTH, did he work with you on your death scene? How were you picked up to be slammed on the metal table?

I wasn’t actually picked up. I stood on an apple box and was shoved down (and, to this day, it bothers me that I didn’t put my hands out in front of me, which is the most natural reaction in the world) and then they cut to a shot from underneath the grate where I just pulled backwards while wearing the appliance.

If you had the chance, would you act in any other cameo roles in tv shows or films you have written?

I love doing little acting roles! And I actually have a cameo in the next episode of Running Wilde — when Steve is talking to the Romance Novelist… I’m him. We’re talking spin-off.

Since you were part of the creative process on JGTH, did you help with storyboarding scenes or help Adam Marcus on set with trying to figure out how to shoot something from your script?

Didn’t do any storyboarding and mostly went to set for the free food. Adam and I were roommates at the time, so we saw plenty of each other on and off set. And I had more questions than answers, like “why is that guy strapped to that table completely naked?” Adam’s answer: “Because it’s creepy.”

If you had a crack at Jason again, what would you write for his next adventure?

Instead of JGTH, I wanted to do Jason Takes LA. This was fifteen years ago, when the Bloods and Crips were a big deal. I wanted to drop him into the middle of a gang war and have him kill EVERYONE, forcing the gangs to team up to fight him. But Sean went with the body-jumping instead.

What do you think of Adam working on the new Texas Chainsaw film? It is cool that he will have a chance to bring two iconic horror figures to the big screen!

Didn’t know Adam was working on the new Texas Chainsaw but I’m sure he’ll do an awesome job!

Mr. Tait was also very generous in providing us with some never before seen behind-the-scenes photos from his days shooting on the Freddy vs Jason set. So, we hope everyone enjoys his thoughts and also the awesome photos he has provided!

My primary goal when I started was always to act. I loved performing, and I started working at Universal Studios in High school playing Frankenstein and other Classic Movie Monsters, and that is what got me started in acting behind masks and makeup. I became obsessed with playing monsters at an early age. Most recently I have gotten into producing films that I am in. I produced the film One By One: Deaths Door which stars Tony Todd and myself.
 
2. How did you get involved in the Freddy vs Jason production? Had you worked with any of the crew from Freddy vs Jason previously?

I got involved by going through casting. I had gone to several auditions, and call backs and was being considered for the part. Ronny Yu wanted a taller leaner Jason Vorhees. I actually feel bad for Kane Hodder, If I was Kane I would have been upset also if a Director would cast someone else when I had played Jason in so many prior films. Anyway, after weeks had gone by I was told they hired Ken, so I sadly moved on. Then almost a year later they called me for the reshoot.

3. How many days were you on set for filming and what was the typical amount of time and preparation you needed for your scene? What kind of makeup appliances and props were needed for the Jason outift that you were to wear?

I was on the film for a couple days. The water sequence took a lot of preparation. They realized that when I got wet,  I looked too skinny in the clothes, so they had to bulk me up with pads and extra clothing so it would look like I was still big. Being with all this extra weight, one eye covered, a machete in one hand,  Freddy’s head in another hand, and being totally submerged in water, made that scene very difficult. Also, Ronny Yu wanted me to walk like I was walking on land. He wanted it to look like I could walk through the water without it making me rise to the surface. To do this effect, they had a rope tied under water that I held onto with my left hand (with Freddy’s severed head in it also), and I held myself down on the ground so I could pull myself and walk forward.

4. What was your experience working with Director Ronny Yu and also Robert England? Are there any funny or interesting behind the scene stories that you woud like to share?

Working with Robert Englund and Ronny Yu was great. Robert Englund was a class act. He was such a great guy, and we talked about his character, and how he was a huge influence on my acting behind prosthetic fx makeup. It was  a dream come true to work with him. I actually have an emberassing story about Ronny Yu. When I came in to meet him, he was showing me the Jason movements he wanted and he was hunched over and dragging his leg, so I copied him several times, and he kept saying no, no, like this… and he did the same thing. Finally he got called to another room and he limped out. I realized that he had a bad leg and I was imitating it, I felt so terrible.

5. The scene that you are known to be playing Jason is at the very end of the film where Jason emerges from the water with Freddy’s head in his hand. Is that truly the only scene you played Jason? If that is the only scene, were you supposed to appear in other scenes as Jason at one point, but eventually were not needed?

Unfortunately for me, it was the only scene I was hired to do. The test audiences were confused about the original ending, they thought Jason Ritter’s character was becoming Jason. You can see it in the deleted scenes, that is why they decided to reshoot the ending. Originally I was being considered for playing the role of Jason in the entire film. It was actually between me and Ken. When they took the film to Canada, I was out of luck. There was no way they were going to pay for my flight and hotel stay when Ken was a local. Also, Ken is older than me and he was a lot more established in the business than I was at the time.

6. Do you know the circumstances as to why you had to be brought in to play Jason for your scene(s)? Was Ken Kirzinger just not available or were there other reasons?

I heard different information about why Ken didn’t do the shoot. At the time I was told that they were saving money by hiring me locally for the reshoot. Later on I heard he was on another project and couldn’t get out. I am not sure which is the right answer. Maybe Ken would know…
7. What was your overall experience like on filming Freddy vs Jason? Was it an enjoyable and free spirited set and crew?

It was a great experience working on Freddy vs. Jason. It was my first big Feature film, and I was only 24 at the time. I had a person onset who’s only job was to hold my Machete, (She never worked cause I wouldn’t let go of it!) I remember standing in the water with Freddy’s head in my hand thinking: Wow, I am working with Robert Englund and behind the mask of Jason Vorhees! Both of them scared the hell out of me as a kid and they are the two biggest Horror icons of all time!

8. Did you watch Freddy vs Jason and if so, what is your thoughts on the film? Do you follow the franchise at all and have any thoughts to share with the fans?

I have watched Freddy Vs. Jason several times, and I like it a lot. I really like the blending of the two iconic worlds that these two are from. I think it was well done and I still enjoy watching it. I have always been a fan of the franchise and I feel very privelaged to have been a part of it. I wish I could have done more, but at least I got to experience what I did.

9. You recently began attending conventions. What has that experience been like and what do you think of all of the fans that attend to see their favorite actors and artists?

I wrote off conventions in the past and just recently started attending them. I started to get calls for my character in Star Trek and I enjoyed the experience. I used to think conventions were for actors who no longer had a career, but I was wrong. So I hooked up with the best signing agent, Sean Clark at Convention All Stars, and the rest is history. Interacting with fans has been the greatest thing I could have ever done, and I love it. I will always do conventions to stay close to the great fans out there. I have a fan who wants me to play Michael Myers in the next Halloween and he built a Facebook Fan site and made a slideshow of my monster pictures, it is very flattering. I will be at Weekend Of Horrors this weekend and HorrorHound Weekend next month.

10. What do you have in the works right now in Hollywood and what is that one project that you would really like to get done in the industry before it is all said and done?

I am working on a Horror as we speak, playing an Alien creature who lands at a campsite in the mountains of a small town and I wreak Havoc on the campers and town.  Soon I start the new TV Series Teen Wolf, I play the Uber Violent Werewolf in the series, and I just got offered a Lead Monster role in the Hansel And Gretel remake starring Jeremy Renner. The monster will be a huge practical Beast, (NO CGI) and it will be Directed by Tommy Wirkola of Dead Snow.

11. You recently were on set to film scenes for Knights Of Badassdom,’ starring Steve Zahn. Larry Zerner, who was in Friday the 13th Part 3, was also asked to film a scene for the film. Did you happen to be filming the same day he was? Did you two meet and if so, did you two discuss anything related to Friday the 13th or films in general?

Knights Of Badassdom is going to be a cult Horror masterpiece, it is Directed by the talented Joe Lynch and he was great to work with. Unfortunately Larry shot his scenes after I had already left Spokane Washington where the movie was filmed.

Below is a fun excerpt from the David Grove book, Making Friday the 13th pertaining to Marta almost starring in Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood.:

“Another interesting casting note is that Marta Kober, Part 2‘s after-sex impaling princess, was initially offered a part in The New Blood, the casting directors oblivious to the fact that she had starred and been killed in Friday the 13th: Part 2. ‘Yes, my agent actually sent me out to read for The New Blood, and they liked me, and I had the job,’ recalls Kober. ‘They didn’t know I’d been in the previous film, and I felt bad about not telling them so I told them because I knew they would’ve been upset if they’d found out later.’” – pg. 155

So, when I found out that Marta was going to be appearing at the Monster Mania convention a few weeks ago, I asked a big Friday the 13th fan and veteran convention attendee if she could relay some questions for Marta to answer. Big thanks to MrsV for getting Marta the questions in the following Interview.

1. Where did you grow up as a kid and what are some of the crazy stories you have from those days?

I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY. EVERYTHING WAS CRAZY. OUT ALL NIGHT ROAMING STREETS. SINCE I WAS VERY YOUNG I WAS ALWAYS GETTING INTO TROUBLE.

2. Outside of acting, what previously were and currently are some of your passions in life?

I HAPPEN TO WORK FOR DEATHROW AND DEF JAM RECORDS. TLC WAS MY VERY FIRST GIG IN 1991. 10 MILLION RECORDS WITH TUPAC SHAKUR. MUSIC IS MY PASSION AND STILL RECORD EVERY SO OFTEN. THE LATEST STORY IS THAT I PUT OUT PICS WITH DEF JAM AND BAD BOY.

3. How did you get into acting and what were some of the roles you had before joining the cast of Friday the 13th Part 2?

I WON AN EMMY FOR NBC AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL. I WAS IN A HIT OFF BROADWAY SHOW THAT RAN FOR COUPLE OF YEARS. THEN I WAS HIRED FOR FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH AND STARTED MY CAREER. I BELIEVE STEVE MINER AND JOHN SAYLES MOVED TO LA AND HAVE RESIDED ON THE WEST COAST EVER SINCE.

4. How did you learn about the opportunity to audition for Friday the 13th Part 2?  I WAS HIRED STRAIGHT FROM THE OFF BROADWAY SHOW. I BELIEVE, DUE TO MY MUSIC CAREER, THAT I HAVE LOST MANY ACTING JOBS, BUT AM STILL OFFERED JOBS HERE AND THERE.

5. We have heard of some crazy auditions for actors that have tried out for parts in the Friday the 13th franchise. What was the audition process like for you in trying to join the cast of Friday the 13th part 2? Did anything jump out at you that was strange and unusual during your reading and audition?

I WAS ASKED, DO YOU WANT TO WRESTLE? THAT WAS A BIG LAUGH. I WAS AN UNDERAGED EMANCIPATED MINOR AT THE TIME AND A LITTLE EMBARRASSED.

6. After getting the part of Sandra in Part 2, did you know any of the actors beforehand that you were going to be with on the film?

NO. ALL FRESH FACES TO ME AND IT HAS BEEN FUN TO SEE THEM AGAIN.

7. Do you recall how many days you were involved on the shoot for the film and what did you think of the locations you filmed at?

 IT WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS. WE USED THE REAL CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE. WE STAYED IN THE BUNKS. IT WAS LOW BUDGET AND SCARY!

8. I am going to ask you about working with a few of the actors and crew individually, however, overall, how was it to work with the crew during the shoot?

ALL CREWS ARE FUN. AT THE TIME, I MADE A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS.

9. How was your experience working with, at that time, first time director Steve Miner? Was he easy to take direction from and can you recall how he and the rest of the film crew got along?

I BELIEVE HE WAS EASY GOING. IF I RECALL, YOUNG AND FUN MANY YEARS AGO. AS I SAID, IT HAS BEEN FUN TO REUNITE.

10. Although, you had a very brief scene with him, what was it like to work with the late Walt Gorney?

I WORKED WITH MANY OLD ACTORS LIKE JACK WESTIN AND KEENEN IVORY WAYANS. THE STORIES THEY HAVE TAKE MORE THAN ONE DRINK AT THE BAR TO TELL. AND THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE MET WOULD BLOW YOU AWAY.

11. What do you rememeber about your experiences with Stu Charno? His character was a practical joker on film, but did he share the same personality off-screen?

I RAN INTO HIM ONE TIME MANY YEARS AGO. HE IS A CHARACTER. THAT IS ALL I WILL SAY, ON AND OFF SCREEN.

12. Of course I must also ask you about your co-star and on-screen boyfriend Bill Randolph. You both share some pretty intimate moments on screen together. What were your experiences working with Bill on set?

BILL, I JUST SAW. HE IS STILL MARRIED TO THE SAME WIFE AND WE ARE STILL FRIENDS. IT’S FUN TO SEE HIM.

13. You and Bill are involved in one of the most famous scenes in the Friday the 13th film series, which involved both of you being impaled together on a bed. What do you remember about that scene? In particular, what did you endure for the makeup and set up time to get the proper shots for the director?

IT TOOK NINE HOURS TO MAKE THE FAKE BACK, THEN I WOULD SLIDE IN AND OUT UNDERNEATH BILL FOR HOURS OF FILMING ALL DAY. IT WAS GRUELING, BUT IT IS MY CLAIM TO FAME.

14. When the cameras were not rolling, what did you and other cast members do for fun?

WE ATE, DRANK, AND DANCED. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF HOH HON BARS IN THAT TOWN IN CONNECTICUT, IF I REMEMBER. I ALSO REMEMBER ALOT OF PRACTICAL JOKES PLAYED ON THE GIRLS. IT WAS A FUN TIME FIRST FILM!

15. After filming wrapped, what type of wrap party was there and is there any kind of crazy stories from that time?

I BELIEVE THE SCREENING WAS A BIG DEAL. I WENT WITH TOM (MCBRIDE). I BELIEVE I WAS JUST TOLD HE DIED OF AIDS. THAT IS SAD FOR SURE. IT HAPPENED MANY YEARS AGO. I HAD NOT SEEN ANYONE FROM THE FILM IN QUITE AWHILE. LIVES GROW APART AS MANY PEOPLE ARE INTO DIFFERENT THINGS NOW.

16. When did you first see Friday the 13th Part 2 and where? What was your reaction as well as your family and friends’ reaction to your role and the film in general?

I WAS SCARED! IT WAS A 40 MILLION DOLLAR PARAMOUNT HIT. THE FILM IS STILL RECOGNIZED TO THIS DAY. IT WAS THE START OF ALL SLASHER HORROR FILMS, BEGINNING WITH FRIDAY 1 AND 2 AND THEN CAME MORE HALLOWEEN FILMS.

17. Did you keep anything from the film and if so, what is the item(s)?

I KEPT A CALGARY MOUNTY HAT FROM A DIFFERENT FILM AND ALSO KEPT THE HEAD THAT WAS IN THE FRIDGE FROM FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 FOR MANY YEARS. I STOPPED COLLECTING SOUVENEIRS AND ALL GOT LOST ALONG THE WAY.

18. After working on Friday the 13th part 2, you went on to act in a number of television shows and movies through to the mid 1990′s. Afterwards, you seemed to stop acting altogether. Is this actually true and if so, what have you been up to since then.

AS I SAID, I GOT BIG INTO THE MUSIC LABEL OWNED BY ATHLETE, DEATHROW. EVERY SO OFTEN I WILL DO A SMALL PART IN A FILM. I JUST DID A COMMERCIAL IN NEW ORLEANS WITH A COUPLE OF BIG PEOPLE. I HAD A SMALL PART IN THE FILM ‘AMERICAN GANGSTER’ AS WELL AS ‘TRAINING DAY’. BEFORE THAT, I WAS JUST SELLING RECORDS. ALSO, AS I SAID BEFORE, I WAS DEPORTED FROM LONDON IS HOW I WILL PUT IT.

19. You recently attended your first fan convention. What was it like to meet fans in a controlled environment for the first time and what type of questions were you asked?

ALL FANS JUST WANTED A PIC AND AUTOGRAPHS. SINCE I WAS WITH CO-STAR BILL RANDOLPH, THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN. HE IS A SWELL MAN. IT WAS A GOOD TIME!

20. What are your feelings towards the whole Friday the 13th experience? Do you have any regrets towards being in that type of film and did it affect your life afterwards?

EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY HAS DONE HORROR FILMS. I BELIEVE THEY REUSED SOME OF MY SCENES FROM PART 2 IN LATER FRIDAY THE 13TH MOVIES. I WAS PAID FOR THAT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of these questions and good luck with everything you aspire for in life!

Below, Debi discusses her experiences having to deal with her history in Friday the 13th and how that affected her professional life. She also talks about her passion for literature and her new film, which she is directing! Make sure to check out her Facebook account as well as the Facebook and Twitter account for her new film at the end of the interview. Big thanks go to Skarymoviez  for conducting the interview, our visitors for submitting questions and Debi Sue Voorhees for taking the time to answer all of our questions!

1. Let’s go back to the beginning a bit. Tell us how you got started in the business. What made you want to choose a career in acting?

Simply put, I had dreams of being famous, walking down Hollywood Boulevard and seeing my star and hand prints.   

2. You appeared in quite a few episodes of Dallas. That must have been quite a great experience working with all of those celebrities. What was it like working on the series?

Working on the Dallas film set was a blast. Not only did I perform in 7 episodes I also worked as a stand in behind the scenes. Larry Hagman used to sing: DebiSue, I love you… to the tune of Peggy Sue when I walked on set. This was my first glimpse into Hollywood.

3. After Dallas you appeared in Friday The 13th part 5: A New Beginning. What was the audition process like?

I came back to read two or three times. Danny Steinnman wanted me to play the role, but the producer, who hadn’t seen me yet, had chosen someone else. The two went back-and-forth until Danny won.

4. I remember reading about how you were up against John Robert Dixon’s girlfriend for the role of Tina and that there was some conflict between you and her because of the nudity and the sex scene. What do you think you did differently than her to win your role?

Basically, I understood that when Tina told her beau “Fuck you” she was flirting, not angry.

5. Being that you share the last name of the infamous killer Jason Voorhees, do you think that helped you secure your role in the franchise?

It certainly helped me get the interview. That was one of the first things the casting agent mentioned when I came in. “We knew the second we saw that name we had to audition you.”

6. Was there any chemistry between you and John Robert Dixon who played Eddie? He was really good looking and appealing. Since you were shown in all your glory, should John had been shown in all of his? After all, fair is fair!

No chemistry at all, but I don’t know how anyone can feel chemistry on the set. So much is going on, cuts and retakes, move this arm, tilt your head this way. Far too restrictive for chemistry; besides we kissed so much my lips and jaw hurt. I didn’t want to kiss anyone for two weeks.

7. Do you regret all of the nudity you did for your role, or even the role in general now that you look back on it?

Regrets aren’t healthy. I have had some tough times because of that decision, such as being judged unfairly and not being allowed to teach (one of my passions) in high school. I taught British Literature, English, grammar, and journalism in high school for four years. Two school boards exiled me because of it. At one school, some boys got a hold of the tit shots from the film and text messaged them around the school. This was three weeks before my seniors graduated and I wasn’t allowed to stay through the end or sit with my students and fellow teachers at graduation. I still went to graduation and sat in the stands with the public. When the public was allowed to go down to congratulate the kids, I held my head high and tried to find as many of my seniors as possible to congratulate them. That was hurtful, but after only four years I have so many students who have let me know I have made a difference for them. I have so many e-mails and letters that warm my heart. Several of my kids signed a petition on my behalf, wrote letters, and spoke with the principal on my behalf–even several months after there was no hope of my returning. One of my boys gave me a huge hug at graduation and told me how sorry he was. “You have no idea how guilty I feel. You’ve taught me so much and helped me so much.” That meant the world to me. I do not regret the times in my life that have made me who I am. So many live a life of “quiet desperation.” My life has been anything but that. I’ve gone from working as an actress to writing as a journalist for 16 years (last 11 years at the Dallas Morning News) as well as writing fictional screenplays and my novel Memoirs of a Hit Man, to experiencing the joy and pain of teaching teenagers, to coming full-circle back to the film business. So, absolutely, no regrets.

8. At the time, the movie was called “Repetition”. Would you have done the film if you had known it was a sequel to another Friday The 13th?

Actually, I knew it was a Friday the 13th sequel. So, of course, yes I would have.

9. Did you see any of the previous Friday The 13th films?

I’m just too big of a chicken to watch scary movies.

10. Is there anything that you would have changed? More importantly, would you do the same role today if given the chance?

I can’t change the past, so speculating different choices smacks too close to regret.  So, no changes.

11. It was said that Danny Steinnman had shot your sex scene with John in a very graphic way. Most of it had ended up on the cutting room floor. Were you aware of Danny’s background in the porn industry during the production? Do you have any resentment for Danny shooting the scene so long and with such a gratuitous amount of sex?

Rumors are a funny thing. Rarely, do they speak of truth. No the sex scene with John was not shot in a graphic way. It was all make-believe. Danny is a fabulous man—always kind, considerate and always careful that I was covered as well as possible. No I didn’t know about his background in the porn industry, but that would not have changed my thoughts about him. I’ve been judged too much for my past to judge others for their past. In fact, I hope to be able to tell him that I’m directing my first film. I know he’ll be proud of me. He always saw me as more than boobs and legs.

12. Set up your death scene for us. What was the makeup process like for you? Was there anything else shot for your death that didn’t make the final cut or any other scenes that you did that also didn’t make it into the finished product?

All my scenes made it to the final cut. The makeup took forever. The hardest part was when I could no longer see and had to be lead around on set. The fake blood burned my eyes.

13. It must seem strange watching yourself die on screen. What’s it like to see yourself get butchered in such a successful horror movie franchise?

It really didn’t bother me–probably because I was there during the whole process, but my mom took to bed for three days. It traumatized her.
 
14. What was the atmosphere like behind the scenes? Any wild and crazy stories?

We just had a lot of silly moments joking about the “dead” walking around and standing in the lunch line or laughing at the dead chatting with Jason.

15. In the Crystal Lake Memories book by Peter Bracke, Dominick Brascia (Joey) mentions that at first you and he unfortunately had quite a bit of personality conflicts. John Shepard was of course mostly all “Method Acting” throughout the whole shoot and you apparently came to his aide one day when Dominick was being particular obnoxious to him, demanding that he talk and simply “get over that”. He does go on to mention that “from that point on, she was much cooler to me”. What was the particular basis of that on set argument, if you care to divulge that particular information, and are there any hard feelings there that you can remember?

Honestly, I don’t remember that. But we all forget most of the thousands of moments we’ve lived. I just remember that everyone was fun to hang out with on set. I’m not surprised I stood up for John; giving others a hard time isn’t necessary. I liked Dominick, though. He was cool. 

16. Do you keep in contact with any of the other cast members today?

I didn’t know where anyone was until a couple years ago when I attended my first Horror convention. Now I do keep up with a couple cast members on Face book. It was really nice to see them. Everyone has grown into neat individuals.

17. You mention that you were at one point a Playboy Bunny. What was that experience like for you? Did you get to meet Hugh Hefner during this time?

Life in the bunny suit was certainly different. We walked into the club as the girl next door and when we donned the tail and ears we became celebrities. Yes, I met Hugh and went to his L.A. mansion. It was a fantasy that if filmed wouldn’t seem real.

18. After a while, you decided to give up the acting career. What was it that finally made you walk away from it?

Honestly, my biggest desire was to go to college and get my education. I graduated at the top of my class with a journalism degree. That’s an accomplishment that I’m very proud of.

19. Do you think you’d ever give acting a shot again, especially in the horror genre?

I leave all possibilities open. Hey I’ve had my throat slashed, my eyes gouged out, and chest stabbed. I figure I have six more lives to kill.

20. You also went back to school to become a journalist and a writer. Do you find yourself more creative freedom to write, or does acting allow you to express yourself more?

Writing is by far my most creative medium. I have a passion for words. Sit me in a room with paper, pen, a dictionary and I’m content. The other day I was heading to a test shoot for my film Billy Shakespeare that I’m directing and I stopped in this completely out of the way antique shop. It had an encyclopedia-size British Oxford Dictionary set—probably 12 large books in the volume. I was drooling. I sooooo wanted to sit down and just play in the books. I have some great books on word origins and such but that has to be the “granddaddy” of them all. Ultimately, I am a big nerd.

21. Most recently you completed your first novel, Memoirs Of A Hit Man and composed a comic memoir titled Diary of a Mad School Teacher. Tell us a little about these projects and how they came to fruition.

I have put Diary of a Mad School Teacher down to direct my film, Billy Shakespeare. Currently, it’s not complete. I started writing “Diary” to tell about my bizarre experiences teaching. Nothing like teaching misplaced modifiers while your tits are being texted messaged around the class. Yes, I kept my cool. Still teaching high school can rival anything I’ve seen on Hollywood Boulevard such as being accused of being a Satanist and having preachers speak out against me for teaching the classic epic poem Dante’s Inferno, which speaks out for the separation of church and state—hundreds of years before that ideal came to fruition in the U.S. 
The fictional assassin in Memoirs of a Hit Man is a composite character created from three former assassins I have interviewed as a journalist. The story is about one man’s search for his soul and redemption, as well as one man’s connection to his displayed son and grandson—not so much a shoot ‘em up mystery. 

22. In the last 4 years you have taught English, journalism, grammar and punctuation to high school students in Texas and New Mexico. Do any of your students recognize you from your acting days? If so, how do you handle it when they bring up your role in Friday The 13th part 5?

Oh, yes. It became a huge scandal in both towns. I was the girl with the Scarlett Letter. Two school boards kicked me out because of a film that happened almost 30 years ago. It goes back to judging others without really knowing them.

23. You’ve also recently completed your screenplay for Billy Shakespeare. Give us some background on the story and how it came about.

If Shakespeare were alive I’d be his groupy. While studying his works, I fell so in love with his language that I knew I wanted to write something where I could play with his language and the language of the Elizabethan era. Before long I created Billy, a modern reimaging of what the Bard would be like in modern times. For the script I have woven historical facts and events from his plays to create the modern Billy Shakespeare. This comedy of errors asks: What if Shakespeare never lived in the 1600s? What if he were here today in Hollywood peddling his screenplays?

24. Aside from writing the screenplay and producing it, what roles will you be taking on for this movie? Will we be seeing any cameos from you?

I’m directing the film as well. Yes, I do plan on making two cameo appearances. I plan on disguising myself and seeing which of my fans can find me. Sorta like Where’s Waldo?

25. It’s slated for a release date of January 7th, 2024. You must be working very hard to get everything finished in time. What’s the process like for you as a writer and producer versus being an actress in film?

My favorite role right now is working as the film’s director. As a director I get to make all the final creative decisions. I get to work with artists of all types: set designers, cinematographers, make-up artists, actors, etc… It’s like having a playground filled with friends who want to play my favorite game and want to play by my rules. Yep! Pretty cool. Only my friends/crew/cast want to help me create my comic vision.

26. Any final thoughts or words of wisdom to the fans out there reading this?

Everyone gets beat up in this world. Trust me. No exceptions. No, that pretty girl doesn’t have it made; nor does that rich guy. All get knocked around. The strongest do not hit back with force but stand up against the enemy by simply refusing to allow the enemy’s behavior to control your emotions. Staying positive in a sea of venom isn’t always possible, but find your way back to that place as soon as possible. Anger eats away at the one who is angry, not at the enemy.

I’d like to thank you very much for taking the time to answer the questions. It is a real honor to hear from you! We wish you the best of success in your current and future endeavors! 

OFFICIAL DEBORAH VOORHEES FACEBOOK GROUP:

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OFFICIAL BILLY SHAKESPEARE TWITTER ACCOUNT:

http://twitter.com/ShakespeareFilm

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Very soon, site visitor and long time fan SkaryMoviez will be conducting an interview with Friday the 13th: A New Beginning star Debi Sue Voorhees. Her role as Tina is one of the more popular amonst fans of the series and now you have the chance to ask her any question you want. Well, almost any question. You have one week to leave your questions below. Next week we will collect all of the questions here and then Debi Sue will answer them.

We will post the interview the following week and everyone here will have had a part in creating a great interview for the very beautiful and endearing Debi Sue Voorhees!

I asked Crash if he would like to answer some questions about how his passion for his art and the Friday the 13th franchise and how that helped put him into a position that many fans envy and wish they could live every day.

Thanks. I’ve been drawing since I was a kid. My parents still have sketches I did before I even started kindergarten. Thanks to them I had drawings published in a national newspaper when I was 7. As I grew older, if I wasn’t out playing baseball, then chances are I would be in my room drawing. Throughout school I was the kid who always won the “most artistic” awards, poster contests, etc. But my other love was sports, particularly baseball. When I began junior high I started learning more about other aspects of art like sculpting and painting. By the time I was in high school I was sculpting figurines and dabbling in special effects creating gags, simple wounds and Halloween costumes, things of that nature. Later on I knew that I could probably pursue either baseball or art. So I eventually chose art and graduated college with a degree in design.

2. While in school, was there any projects or experiences that you were most proud of being apart of?

Definitely. I had a great art teacher in high school who was also an awesome sculptor (and former green beret too!) He has produced life-sized bronze statues for malls, parks, libraries, etc. In my junior year he had a project fall into his lap for a sculptural piece for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Going before the school board, he suggested that 3 of his best students should be involved in the project. He would oversee it and help out of course. They loved the idea and under his guidance, I and two others got the opportunity to be involved in a big way. My high school worked with our schedules and allowed a final class period at the end of the day for us to specifically work on this sculpture. Early on I was given the task at doing the concept sketch which consisted of 3 life-sized figures; a teacher and two students. Each of us had our own specialty. One was a welder, who welded our armatures for the figures, and I shared sculpting duties with the other. By the time we finished high school, 3 other students were brought on board to finish out the piece. During my first year of college, we took the entire sculpture to a bronzing facility to be bronzed. A few weeks later it was installed in the front of the teaching center and still stands there today along with a plaque listing our names. That was the coolest thing I have ever been involved in. And for those two years I learned a tremendous amount about anatomy, structure, aesthetics and the art of sculpting. More so than any book I ever studied. The hands-on approach at that age was very influential and the final accomplishment was my proudest moment I think.

3. Was your interest always in the horror genre growing up and what kind of horror movies did you enjoy watching the most?

I was lucky enough to grow up in the 80s. I dug everything from Star Wars to superheroes. My first memory of horror was seeing the original Halloween on cable with my dad. I loved being scared, but my dad was good enough to make sure I knew it wasn’t real. I think, later on, the Friday series was really what got me into the horror genre. Of course the 80s was the heyday of the slasher films and it was great. I stuck mainly with the obvious stuff, but we’d rent some of the more obscure titles on VHS from time to time. I can remember seeing The Wizard of Gore and a few of those H.G. Lewis bloodfests along with movies like Silent Night/Deadly Night, Romero’s Dead movies, I Spit on Your Grave, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, etc. One of the coolest things was my parents took my buddy and me to see the original A Nightmare on Elm Street at our local drive-in. It was double-billed with one of those italian zombie flicks. My buddy and I got a big kick out of the zombies stumbling down a hill.

4. What about the Friday the 13th series captivated you and made you a fan of the series for as long as it has? What are your favorite and least favorite movies of the franchise?

The first Friday I saw was part 3 on its initial HBO run after it left theaters. I can remember running back and forth from the living to my bedroom just to see what was going on with this Jason guy. As cliché as it sounds, I guess I was intrigued by that damn hockey mask. I wanted to see what was underneath it. Growing up, I related to the series on one aspect due to the lake setting. I live in the mountains and we are surrounded by woods, lakes, summer camps . . . the whole deal.

My favorite to this day is still Friday the 13th Part 3. Was it the best? Nah. In my opinion that title is given to The Final Chapter. The first four movies are on the top of my list. Aside from the look and feel of them, I dig the “man in the woods” approach and not really seeing the killer until the final reel. I can enjoy watching and can find redeeming qualities in all of the movies except for Jason X. It is definitely on the bottom of my list. As a matter of fact I think all of the New Line Fridays are my least favorites. There’s something cool about that old Paramount logo with the Manfredini soundtrack playing over it to begin the movie. I don’t care if it’s a comedy or drama from Paramount, but every time I see that logo I think Friday the 13th.

5. How did you get into creating replica hockey masks and was it always your intention for your art of creating these masks to grow into what it has become today? What is the Crash Army and is it an extension of your hockey mask making hobby/business?

My buddy and I used to sit in my dad’s cabinet shop and paint those awful mass produced hockey masks in the late 80s. We both made one for every movie at the time. And I don’t mean that as a singular incident. We’d do it all the time it seemed. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered this crazy hockey mask hobby via the internet where you could get a mask that actually looked like the one in movies. At that time there were plenty available, as is now, but I never found one that I was completely satisfied with so I decided to paint my own. From that point it took off. Fast. I was bombarded with requests to paint other fan’s masks with the same attention to detail as I had put into my own. It was great. There was like a whole movement in the hobby after that. I never intended to make anything else out of it. I just loved doing them. The Crash Army came about as a way to show some of the different projects I was going to be working on. I don’t really promote or sell myself or my work anywhere. So it was cool to have a little place of my own. Soon it may be merging into a site for my illustration work. Which is my primary goal anyway. I kind of got sidetracked with hockey masks for a few years.

6. You create replica hockey masks, it is then widely assumed that you are a huge fan of Friday the 13th. Do you only create material for that franchise or do you create pieces for other film series or subjects?

I’ve done pieces for franchises in the horror genre. A few years back I illustrated comic book covers for the Halloween series Halloween: Night Dance. I’m open to anything within the genre. It just so happens that Friday the 13th has been a big part of my work. I have quite a few projects on paper that are totally not related to a hockey mask or a guy named Jason. It’s just finding the time to get to some of them.

7. What process do you go through to create your hockey masks? Do you get a rough mask blank or do you receive your blanks trimmed already?

Almost every blank I use starts out rough. From there I trim off the excess and drill out the vent holes and the eyes. I do a lot of prep work before I even begin painting. I knock down all the rough edges and lightly scuff the surface. In most cases it really isn’t necessary, but it is noticeable in the final product. After I’m satisfied with the mask itself, I’ll lay down the base coat and start detailing after that. The detail work is usually done in stages and sealed between them. Once the final sealer coat is on and dry, I’ll strap the mask and it’s finished. As anyone who paints these things know, we probably put more work and attention into them than the actual movie props have.

8. What’s your favorite part of creating the masks?

I enjoy all aspects of working with the masks. But I really like the steps leading up to painting like trimming, drilling and sanding. This is where the mask takes it shape. Literally. If your final product is to be a part 6 mask, then you’d better have those eye holes cut in the correct shape. To me, the eyes are a big factor in how accurate the mask will look in the end.

9. Have you ever created hockey masks for anyone associated with the Friday the 13th franchise to sell at conventions or be part their private collections? Do you have any contact with people from the series?

Working on the Deluxe Edition DVDs opened up a few lines of communication. I have a few contacts with people associated with the series. Most are casual, but there are a couple or three that I do have listed in my Contact list on my phone. I’ve built hockey masks for A New Beginning director Danny Steinman on a couple of occasions and Richard Brooker owns an early part 3 mask from me. Probably the coolest thing though was having Ted White call me and personally ask me to produce a mask for him. I don’t push my work on anyone, so it was a surprise to answer the phone and hear Ted’s gruff voice on the other line. Along those lines, I also got a phone call from Joe Zito while working on the DVDs. He’s a great guy and even asked if I knew of any additional “missing” or “cut” scenes from his own movie.

10. For those fans that do not know, you were lucky enough to work on the Deluxe Edition DVD’s of “The Final Chapter”, “A New Beginning”, “Jason Lives”, “The New Blood” and “Jason Takes Manhattan”. How did you become involved in working on the creative team that worked on the DVD’s?

I started a blog site about a year before the the DVDs began production called the Crystal Lake Variety Store, which was a direct reference to the cafe/store appearing in Friday the 13th Part 3. With the site, it was my idea and purpose to portray the world of Friday the 13th as realistically as possible and bring it into the “real” world. So I came up with backstories on characters, places and events associated with the series and built imagery around that to enhance and illustrate them. It was all open to so many possibilities. I created anything I could think of to spin off from the movies like video footage being found of police investigations, newspaper headlines, photos of characters early on in their lives and much, much more. While working on the very early stages of the DVDs, Daniel Farrands and company needed a hockey mask to use during production. It just so happened that I had painted a mask for a client that was working with Daniel. He told Daniel about the site and the next thing I knew I was getting a phone call from him. Being a fan of the series himself, Daniel really liked what I was doing on the site with the characters and backstory, etc. It ran parallel with what the production team was planning to include on the DVDs in “mock”-umentary form. So with this opportunity of becoming part of the production team, I not only got to use things I had previously designed, but I produced numerous other graphics, illustrations, masks and ideas as well. That was the beginning of a great friendship and a great working relationship.

11. What did you contribute to the Deluxe DVD Editions and what were you able to obtain from the production of the discs? Specifically, were you privileged enough to have access to the rare behind the scenes photos and slides that were found at the Paramount Studios?

We came up with everything from Jason’s medical papers and skull x-rays down to establishing location shots in the Crystal Lake Massacres: Revisited feature. Before coming onboard the production team, I faithfully recreated almost every newspaper clipping briefly seen in the films. But I actually took it a step further and wrote the articles under the headlines. Most of the screen-used clippings had dummy copy filling up the article. I wrote my own as I thought it pertained to the headlines. Some of those wound up being very useful. Pretty much everything I did ended up in the final cut. Some of which the viewer wouldn’t even notice, like the Eye-On News logo for instance. It’s cool that, being a life-long fan of the series, I was able to invent or interject some lore into it.

Being part of the project, I was able to see submitted items that may not have made it onto the discs. I ended receiving 5 DVDs loaded with photos, scans of articles and handwritten notes, shooting schedules, production art, wrap party invitations, and many more things. There are copies of candid photos from people who worked on the films, etc. And a lot of very interesting behind-the-scenes photos from each film in the series that have never been seen in any publication or production. Some of which would surprise fans. One interesting letter comes from a producer addressed to an agent regarding a potential conflict with the production team and an actor. My favorites are behind-the-scenes snapshots showing what appears to be certain wardrobe and costume fittings from Friday the 13th Part 3.

12. Have you been contacted about working on other genre movies in terms of special effects on movies in-production or help on other special edition releases of DVD’s?

Yes, actually. Most notably I did some work for The Haunting in Connecticut and The Stepfather.

13. What has the experience of making these replica hockey masks and working on the Deluxe DVD Editions the last few years meant to you personally and artisitically? What do you see as your future working within the realm of Friday the 13th?

It’s very fulfilling in the sense that I was able to officially contribute to and be a part of something I grew up watching. Even though it’s probably a very small part. It all takes me back to the days of painting cheap hockey masks or constructing a Jason costume for Halloween. And fans STILL do that to this day!

I have a few illustration projects lined-up pertaining to Friday the 13th that I’d like to get out there and I’d eventually love to do something in an official capacity again. I’ve made some contacts and have a couple of interesting ideas that are being batted around right now. Hopefully we’ll see them take light. Until then, I hope to keep sharing this love of the series with fans around the world through my work and the new website/forum we’ve recently established.

Only a week late with this information, but last weekend Tom Mathews (Tommy Jarvis, Jason Lives) was a guest on Deadpit.com’s Saturday night show. The guys at Deadpit discussed Tom’s role in Return of the Living Dead 1 and 2 as well as Jason Lives. So, if you want a chance to hear Tom Mathews thoughts on the historic and cult Return of the Living Dead series as well as his experiences with filming Jason Lives, click on the banner above to open the broadcast.

To get to the start of the interview, go to 40 minutes 54 seconds. There is some great information about Tom’s start in the industry and everything that has to do with the production process for his most notable films.

Well, I’m mostly self- taught in terms of the sculpting side of it. For overall mask making how-to, I just searched forums, bought handbooks, and watched some instructional videos. It’s really just a matter of artists, or would-be artists, picking up all the necessary information along the way about sculpting, mold making, painting, and whatever other little tricks of the trade, from other artists. Just something you might naturally do in any hobby that requires some level of commitment to detail and process. Mask making tends to be a little of both worlds there, and always learning and doing things to hopefully improve on your next one. I did take a few online courses from a Madame Tussaud’s (Wax Museum) sculptor once, and I wouldn’t mind taking Jordu Schell’s classes sometime when scheduling permits.

2. What made you decide to create sculpts and masks of Friday the 13th characters?

All the potential money to be made, of course! Just kidding. Mask making can be very psychological; the spirit of the subject you choose to sculpt could be lurking just underneath the thin veneer of your socially acceptable personality’s exterior, so maybe it’s more about projection. Maybe I chose Jason or Ralph because I subconsciously desire to inflict sadistic revenge on others, or warn them of their impending doom? Haha sorry. No, seriously though… Quite frankly, making a Jason, Freddy, Michael or Leatherface mask is a pretty well worn cliché in the mask making game nowadays. They’ve all been so overdone, so many times, by a continuum of artists, some people no longer see the point or originality in any of it. Like it or not, they’re classic horror icons that will keep getting churned out , sequel after sequel, remake after remake…though who’s to say how much longer Hollywood can get away with this practice. I find that many collectors favor the “most accurate” representation of any one of the individual film appearance(s) of these characters, thus making one particular mask either highly sought after or at least well received enough to make someone want to buy it from you. The level of detail that goes into making any character likeness, totally or near screen accurate, is what it’s about for me right now. There are some mask artists who cringe when they hear those words, “ screen accurate.” Like if their own personal stamp of creativity isn’t put into the piece then it’s almost some sort of insult. If that’s not their bag, good for them! So far I think I’m a pretty fair way off from claiming even a 95% likeness for sculpts, especially ones that I rush through . As with each one of the major franchise horror characters, Jason’s face changes so much throughout the sequels. I’ve always just wanted to have my own personal take on the look of Jason as he appeared in each film sitting on my shelf, plus the challenge of getting each sculpt to look as accurate as I can get it. I’m not always happy with the outcome, and I consistently find new things I didn’t see the first time around. Other people who see my work in forums will sometimes be very forthcoming with this information, too. Then again, some won’t, and they’ll simply ignore the effort and continue to focus on whatever mask they happen to be partial to. Sometimes I have to sit back and laugh at the ridiculousness of it, but when I do take things seriously online it’s usually a case of people not knowing what the hell they’re talking about, and or because of the amount of time and work that goes into making these things for the unappreciative, passive types (not buyers or customers, people who just seem to refuse to acknowledge you) or because of the hearsay and BS that permeates this hobby. Or people who are cool to you one day, and totally ignore you the next. It can be a very cliquey sort of hobby, and sometimes people seem to spite you in this most subtle of ways, that’s my perception, anyway. It is satisfying though, when people appreciate your work enough to want to display it in their room. I don’t know, I’m just a huge fan of the Friday the 13th series, most especially parts I-VI, I love the atmosphere in these movies. I think it’s the forest setting where the films take place, the feeling of isolation. I also wanted to attempt some of the characters that haven’t been done yet, like Crazy Ralph, Pam Voorhees and Tommy Jarvis. Aside from horror, I’ve always liked the whole ‘80’s camp or summer camp sub genre for some reason. I guess making these things gives me some kind of connection to the time period and locations where these films were made, or at least they remind me of days gone by, you know, my own youthful summer camp experiences, late night Friday the 13th on VHS.

3. What has been your favorite character to create up to this point?

So far, my favorite Friday the 13th character would definitely be my new upcoming part III Jason. It’s my favorite of his looks from all the films. Again, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my first effort. I’ve got a half scale sort of maquette of the part 3 that I’m going to release as a resin bust, and this next part 3 mask sculpt will takes some cues from that while maintaining a sort of “smile in it’s infancy” expression, keeping the focus on the Brooker BTS makeup chair shots. I feel like Jason was laughing at his victims as he killed them throughout part 3, especially Chris Higgins. He’s this hulking, retarded manchild who is easily amused by slaughtering people by the dozen. The part 2 Jason and Crazy Ralph are a close second and third. So far, my favorite non Friday the 13th character I’ve done would be a mask sculpt I did several years ago of Rocky Dennis, the disfigured teen whom the film “Mask” was based on.

4. What type of materials did you have to gather in order to create these masks?

Full head mask making requires basically four things: Clay (water or oil based), a head armature, Ultracal 30 (mold making plaster), and obviously LATEX… five things if you’re trying to achieve a likeness: obtain good reference photographs of your subject from as many angles as possible, that’s always crucial. Of course there’s much more to it than that, as you will need an airbrush, air compressor, latex based mask paints, acrylics, sealers, glues, and a host of other items and materials in order to finish them appropriately. Burlap strips for mold reinforcement, dental acrylic, crepe or different types of hair, plastic eyes, sculpting tools, etc.

5. How did you decide to start the process of creating the sculpts for the masks? Did you create sketches or use reference shots from the movie?

If it’s a movie related character I usually just print off as many reference pictures I can find of them in an image search, use pictures from books, or just pop in whatever DVD and hit pause when it shows a good closeup of the character. Screen caps, so as to go frame by frame if I think I might be missing something. It’s also handy to find a picture of the exact expression you want your sculpture to have, preferably sized to approximate the dimensions of the head you’re working on. Sometimes I’ll get a pic or two blown up that really help in this regard. Having a mirror handy is also good for checking your work. As for other more personally creative types of faces and creatures, sometimes I’ll sketch something out and follow that idea, but l find I’m more interested in likenesses straight from the source.

6. Specifically, can you list out the steps in the molding and sculpting process?

In my case, it was a fairly tedious progression from making a complete mess into a learned skill where I now know what to anticipate. Patience is most definitely key. Obviously you’re going to want to take your time and try to do it right the first time around, but for beginners there’s a learning curve that will depend on your commitment to seeing the project through to completion, with perhaps much frustrating trial and error. When I first started, I flat out sucked at mold making, my masks were too small, my molds would crack, break, leak and spill latex all over the place, I’d get latex and plaster all over myself, and I would get all kinds of air bubbles and bad pulls. Persistence will pay off in the long run. Listing every single step in detail would be overkill here, but here are the basics, courtesy of MonsterMakers.com:

A.) The first step in creating a latex rubber Halloween mask is to sculpt a pattern either in Water based, or Oil-based clay. The clay is applied to a lifecast armature and roughed-out to establish the general shape. Gradually, as the clay is worked by hand, the sculpture begins to resemble your design idea. As the clay sculpture nears completion, sculpting tools are used to sculpt realistic details. The entire sculpting process can take several hours, days, weeks, or months to complete. Once the clay sculpture is finished, it is ready to be molded.

B.) In order to transfer the clay form into latex rubber (RD-407), it is first necessary to make a two piece mold out of an industrial gypsum called Ultra Cal 30. The mold is a perfect three dimensional copy of the sculpture, except in reverse. Gypsum is used because of its porous nature which allows water from the liquid latex rubber to soak into it. To make the mold, a dividing wall is put in place to divide the front and back halves of the sculpture. Gypsum is applied evenly to both halves until a sufficient thickness is achieved. Once the mold is complete, the two halves are separated and the clay is cleaned from the mold. The mold is then placed back together, bound, and made ready for the next stage…

C.) All that remains of our original sculpture is captured in the mold imprint. Our goal now is to recreate the sculpture in rubber. For this we use RD-407, a special liquid latex casting compound called slush latex or mask latex. Mask latex does not require heat to turn into a solid because it is a Room Temperature Vulcanized Rubber (RTV Elastomer), which means it sets and cures at normal room temperature. Pour the liquid mask latex into your mold, allow it to dwell in the mold for a while, then pour the excess material back into your bucket of latex . The latex which remains in the gypsum mold forms a skin that evenly coats the interior of the mold. When this mask latex skin is dry, peel it gently from the mold.

D.) To complete the mask, a rubber-based latex mask paint is applied with an airbrush. Once a color scheme is chosen, an overall color called the base coat is applied first. Next, a shading color is sprayed into all of the lowpoints of the mask to simulate shadows. Highlight paint is used in a similar manner except that it is sprayed onto the highpoints of the mask to simulate light hitting the surface. To finish the mask, eyes and teeth are painted along with any other fine details. Lastly, a protective, clear flexible varnish called Perma-Wet is applied to give a natural (or unnatural, depending on your monster!) shine. This also acts to preserve your mask for years to come.

7. Was your original intent to keep the masks you made and then the hobby progressed into sales? Or has this venture always been something to the effect of half business, half pleasure?

I messed around with sculpting for a few years before I decided to give masks a try. I guess there’s a point where you figure what you’ve made could be good enough to attempt to sell it. As for business or pleasure, it’s a little of both. Honestly, if I could make steady income this way, then what could be a better job? Problem is, it isn’t steady whatsoever. One has to be realistic pertaining to their income and budget, abilities, commitment level, and business sense. That last one was definitely acquired the hard way for me, but I learned from that experience. I always want to keep a finished copy or a blank or two of whatever piece I’ve made, but I always end up selling the stuff I intend to keep.

8. Did you have to take on investors to create these masks or has your work all been independently financed?

It’s all done out of pocket, for the most part. I’ve done a few commissions for other mask artists, though most of my meager body of work thus far has been the result of a desire to prove myself, to myself. I generally don’t like working on something I’m not really into. If I were sculpting for a company doing prototype/design work or whatever, I wouldn’t mind so much. You can probably attest to masks being a fairly expensive hobby, from both from the collector’s side and the mask makers side.

9. What projects do you have on the horizon? Are there going to be anymore non-Jason characters to look forward to?

Yes. I’ve got several sculpts going right now… Currently in the works I have, in various states of progress: Karloff Frankenstein, Lon Chaney Jr. Wolfman, Pam Voorhees (both Betsy Palmer likeness and part 2 decapitated “shrine” version), Boy Jason, new Jason 3, half scale Jason 3, Dr. Zaius from Planet of the Apes, an Alfred Hitchcock mini bust, and a few other surprises. As far as other secondary Friday characters, I’d like to do a Cory Feldman bald Tommy Jarvis, maybe some characters as they appeared in their death scene, like Axel, or even the Chubby Hitchhiker girl from Final Chapter. I wish there were some kind of reference material to do Jason’s Father, Elais Voorhees. Maybe I’ll just make him up or something like Jeremy Bohr did for his JGTH masks.

10. In the end, was all of the work and money spent worth the experience?

Guess I can’t really say until the end! … but my wife would likely give you a big fat NO on that one.

11. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions and I wish you all the luck in the future!

Thanks, see ya at Camp Blood!

I was very happy to complete this interview with Spencer as his scenes in Freddy vs Jason were some of the few moments that gave the film a feeling of a Friday the 13th movie. Blake had interviewed Spencer back in 2024, but even Spencer admits that his answers were a little short. Please read on to hear about some truly awesome stories about his experiences, including his thoughts on Robert England, Ronny Yu, his audition experiences and his thoughts on conventions and the fans.

First of it was Blake ( I believe) who conducted the first interview. Admittedly I’m a bit embarrased by my short answers and irrelivant ramblings, but hey… What can you expect from a 13 year old. Now that I’m 19 I hope to give you something I little more interesting.

My first audition was an interesting one. I waited for quite a while, and no one else was in the waiting room that was my age. I’m still convinced I was the only person who audition for this role (Hah!). The woman who went in before me was actually Odessa Munroe, who got the part of Heather (fondly remembered as the naked girl who went for a swim). The casting director and her had a little confusion when Odessa was told she was supposed to be in a bath robe (I guess for an easy reveal). Odessa apologized and said her agent hadn’t told her of that. I guess she did a great job in the audition room, cause she got the part. I went in after and was given my intructions. She said she would yell at me a bit, calling me names, and when she said ‘monster’ I was supposed to run off. Well I remembered what my acting coach had said. “Be in the moment” Well I got so in to reacting to the names she was calling me, I didn’t even hear her say ‘monster’. She had to say it like 5 times, then clear her throat until I noticed. I thought I screwed it up and wasn’t expecting a callback. Well, I got a callback! For the callback, I waited for at least two hours in the waiting room. Eventually I got called in. I was a little peeved I had been waiting so long (because I forgot my gameboy at home. Thats all that mattered). When I got in the room, they looked at me for a minute, and said – “To tall”. Well being a little cheeky bugger like I was (or still am) I said “Isn’t Jason like 8 feet tall? Wouldn’t he have been a tall kid?” The people in the room nodded their head and agreed with me. The next day I got the part! So I guess being cheeky in life gets you far (Spencer’s Parental Advice)

2. What was it like working for such an established Director in Ronny Yu.

Freddy Vs. Jason is still my only film experience, so I can’t compare him to any other directors. I am more experience in stage, and the direction is very different. But what I can say is that he was a very great guy. Very positive and extremely helpful. He understood I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I remember when we were filming the scene where I was getting pushed into the lake, and I did the first take and he called me over. He showed me the playback and showed me what I was doing wrong. He said that I was “expecting it”, I looked like I was ‘ready’ to get pushed in. For him to talk to me like that was great, and after that I got it (I think! Hah). And when it came time to do the voice over, I was given a call. Ronny said that he wanted me to do it, rather than bring someone else in. And I remember when he was talking to the voice over guy, he was saying “See, I told you we should bring him back”, or something like that. It was a great compliment.

3. How was it to work with a screen legend in Robert England? Is there any fun stories while shooting with him?

I remember saying that he was the kind of guy you wanted as your Dad. Really funny, really great. Really nice. The funniest thing I can remember was when we were filming the scene when he was pushing me under water. The props department had lost the plastic version of his claws, and so he had to use the actual metal ones they used for close ups. I got really nervous, cause they were extremely sharp. We filmed the majority of the drowning scene, and then the stunt double came in. England ended up taking a chunk out of my double’s prosthetics, and the whole makeup had to be re-done. On a side note, my stunt double was about 40 years old. And I totally thought he was lying to me. I said “You’re way to short to be 40“. Well turns out he was. I felt really bad. But Robert was definately a great guy from what I remember.

4. You had mentioned in our previous interview that your make-up sessions consisted of 5 hours to apply the makeup and 1 hour to remove it. Also, you stated that your underwater shoots were hard, because you had dreams of drowning at the time and also dentures that were part of your make-up kept falling out. Which was the more difficult part of role, going through the long make-up application sessions or being submerged in water for so long?

Its not really that they either of them were a negative experience. My call time in Vancouver was at some ridiculous time like 4am or something. Which is about an hour and a half drive from where I lived at the time. So I would basically fall asleep in the make up chair. The makeup artist would be airbrushing my face, and I would be dead asleep. My Mom told me few times I would feel the tickle of the paint spraying on my face, and I would scratch it, or wipe it. Then the makeup artist mouthed “NO!”, and laughed. He didn’t want to wake me up. (The makeup people Bill and Horatio were amazing, by the way). I was in the larger part of the trailer, where everyone got their makeup done, but England had his own partition. He opened up the door a few times to chat with me. I can’t for the life of me remember what we talked about, but it was so nice of him to keep me company. I actually had to sit longer than he did (if I remember correctly), and he said something like “It get easier, don’t worry.” As a minor, I was only allowed to work for 8 hours at at a time. The makeup took up 6. I had about half an hour for lunch, so that was only an hour and a half of filming. If I was legally allowed to work longer, I probably would have been on set for two or three days, rather than about 5. So the makeup actually allowed me to be around for longer, which is not a bad thing. The only negative thing I can say about the makeup is that I wasn’t allowed to eat much. They had an amazingly catered set, chicken and pasta and everything. But because of the makeup that I had on, and the limited amount of time (no room for touch-ups) I had to be extremely careful eating around my makeup. So I was left with Wendy’s chili through a straw. The beans kept getting stuck (Hah!). It was just another thing that added to the experience. I wouldn’t have changed anything that happened. As for the drowning parts, I tried my best, but they had a stunt double just in case. It was tough because my dentures kept falling out, and my contacts kept slipping. The worst part was because water got stuck in the pocket between my real eye and my ‘dead eye’. So the makeup artist had to keep popping out the glass eye and draining it. The only part of my experience that was really hard was getting my head cast for the makeup. I was so afraid of my nose getting covered when they were casting my head. It was really scary. But like I said, it just made the experience that much more memorable.

5. Have you kept up with the franchise and have you seen the new Friday the 13th that was released this year? If so, what did you think of the movie?

I watched a bit of the movie. But I haven’t sat down and watched the whole thing. To be honest, I’m a total wimp when it comes to scary movies. I still hide my face behind my hands and peek through my fingers. To be even more honest, I’m not a huge fan of re-makes. If a movie is going to be re-made, I enjoy when they re-invent it. When they take the original idea, and change it up. Like the new Nightmare on Elm Street, his makeup is different, and I think they’re going to make it a bit different. Or with the Bewitched movie with Nicole Kidman. They took something, and made it new, and current. I don’t know much about the new Friday the 13th, so I can’t comment entirely. But its definately on my list of things to watch. I’ll just keep a pillow close by to bury my face in.

6. Ari Lehman portrayed a yong Jason before the franchise really took off and also during a time when the films in the franchise were villified by society and critics alike. I would guess this made growing up as “the young Jason” a bit more difficult than it is today. What has it been like growing up in todays society, being a young man, having played a young Jason with the films now really embraced by so many as a historical motion picture franchise?

Its never something thats been a huge deal in my life. I loved the experience, and at the time all of my friends were extremely jealous. I was so proud of it, and I told a lot of people. It was difficult being in a movie in general, regardless of the type. Now when it comes up, people are pretty excited. They have a lot of questions, and I’m happy to answer. But I don’t march around announcing I was in a movie for 5 minutes like I did when I was younger. I look back on that moment and am so happy it happened, but its not something I brag about. I would say that the fact that it was Friday the 13th had nothing to do with the acceptance, or the negativaty that I got. My Mom almost said no to the part, because it was a horror movie. There was a lot of convincing on my end, and finally she succomed. She almost didn’t let me see it in theatres either, saying she would make me wait until I was 18. If she had decided on that, I would have just watched it at a friends house like all kids do.

7. You have been confirmed to be attending the 30th Reunion event of Friday the 13th this year. Have you been invited to and attended other conventions? What is your thoughts on the convention scene?

I think its funny. Not in a negative way at all. I simply find it amusing that people spend so much money and time on conventions. That is mainly because I’m not obsessed with the series. But if it was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer convention (my Achillies Heel, and one true childhood obsession), I would be all over that shit. I would line up for hours, I would pay ridiculous amounts of money, I would do anything. The experience of being with other people who love it as much as I do would be so much fun. Being immersed in the cutler. One way or another we’ve all got some television show, celebrity, or film series that we are obsessed with. So I understand it completely. I am also a bit flattered/confused that people want to see me and get my picture. I was in one movie, for less than 5 minutes, yet still people are excited by it. Even this interview. I’m flattered that you want to know my story. But hey, I’m not complaining. I love talking to the fans, and hearing their passion for the series. I don’t go to gloat, or make money… I go to meet the fans, and see the people who love the series. If it wasn’t for them, Freddy vs. Jason would not have existed, and I wouldn’t be writing this right now. I have only been to one other convention, and it was a fairly small one in L.A. It wasn’t extremely successful, and I was extremely ill during. So its hard to have an honest experience of a convention. From what I’ve been hearing this con is going to be a big one. I’m extremely excited. I am talking to a few other people about different conventions at the moment, but so far Friday the 30th is the only one I’m 100% attending.

8. The last time you were interviewed, you mentioned the possibility of attending America’s Dramatical and Music Academy. Have you been able to make this possible and what else does the future hold for you?

That was definately just something I was obsessed with when I was 13. My Mom and I talked about moving to New York and me going to school… but its not feasible at this time. That was just one school I knew of in New York. Between the last interview and now, I’ve been involved in stage productions in my community, still acting, just not in film. Graduated highschool, gotten older, the usual. I’ve also done some directing, and began my own Musical Theatre program. Right now, I’m just about attend school for Theatre in September, and from there on, who knows. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting an agent again, or being teacher. Acting is definately my passion, and whether I’m doing it, or teaching it, I will be involved in it for the rest of my life.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions and look forward to seeing you at the 30th Reunion!

No, thank you! Mainly for listening to my ramblings. I haven’t reflected in my experience on Freddy vs. Jason in quite some time. Its great to think back on such an amazing experience. Like I said, I’m flattered that you contacted me for a second interview. I await a third! I’m always up for a little reminising. See you in August!