Brandon Scott Murphree
Makeup Artist, Puppeteer and Special Effects Technician
Chattanooga, Tennessee
November 2011
> 2 weeks ago
0
About Brandon
You don't need a mysterious disease to turn you into a zombie.
You just need Brandon Scott Murphree.
Murphree, a Tupelo native, is one of the top special effects make-up artists in the area.
From ghouls to zombies to aliens to everything in between, Murphree can create it, out of sculpting clay, latex, foam and other tools.
"I like monsters. They're so much fun," the 23-year-old said. "I like something completely detached from humanity."
Murphree's love for special effects came as child.
He was fascinated by dinosaurs, especially after seeing "Jurassic Park."
"I remember being blown away by the special effects. It just blew my mind," he said.
When he was a few years older, he watched the Arnold Schwarzenegger alien movie "Predator," with his mom's friend. A young Murphree was creeped out by the alien.
"He told me, 'Oh no, it's fake. Somebody built that in their garage.' And then it dawned on me that I could build dinosaurs. I had the best of both worlds," he said.
Murphree was hooked.
After his high school graduation, he enrolled in Tom Savini's Special Make-Up Effects Program at the Douglas Education Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. Savini is a special effects legend, having worked on films such as "Friday the 13th," "Dawn of the Dead," "Creepshow" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre II."
While there, he worked with his idols, including Savini and Academy Award-winning artist Dick Smith, who worked on films like "The Exorcist," "The Godfather" and "Amadeus."
Now, Murphree works out of his kitchen, creating monsters and creatures for big and small projects.
"I have this table where everything is confined. I have prop axes and ghoul-y guys like that," he said, pointing to his monster.
He has a few day jobs to pay the bills, but he always has a creature to create. Later this year he'll work on a zombie movie in Chicago, for example.
"If it's not a movie, then it's TV, if it's not TV, then it's a commercial, if it's not a commercial, then it's somebody wanting something for a private collection," he said.
He also teaches workshops on special effects make-up; one of his most recent workshops was for the Tupelo Film Festival.
Murphree can do just about anything on a film set, from grip to sound to lighting to camera - "I'm just a pair of hands," he said - and he can do cosmetic make-up.
Most recently, he has branched out into directing, working with Tupelo director Glenn Payne on "Zion." But special effects make-up is his first love.
"My mother always told me, if you're good at something, never do it for free. That's my goal, is to do this and only this," he said. "It's just as awesome as I always thought it would be, but it is as awesome as I thought it would be because I've always want to do it, and I've always wanted to do it no matter what."
-As written by Sheena Barnett
Badges
Certifications
Links
Credits
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Road to Zion (
2012 )
Film (short) by Shendopen & Distant Lands Prod./Mark Moehle Makeup Department Head -
Grasshopper! (
2012 )
Film (short) by Michael Usry & Ryan Roy Special Effects Makeup/Creature Designer & Creator -
Obsessive Reaction (
2012 )
Film (short) by Weather Art Prod./Will Nichols Special Effects Makeup -
Headrush (
2012 )
Film (short) by Johnson Thomasson Special Effects Makeup -
Zion (
2011 )
Film by Dead Leaf Prod./Glenn Payne Special Effects Makeup Artist -
Haunted (
2011 )
Film by Victor Salva Makeup Assistant -
The Trader (
2010 )
Film by Lucky Studio 13/John Wee Special Effects Makeup Artist -
Room 327 (
2009 )
by Dead Leaf Prod./Glenn Payne Special Effects -
Splatter Movie: The Director's Cut (
2007 )
Film by Happy Clouds Productions/Amy Lynn Best Special Effects Makeup Artist -
Eat'N'Park Invasion of the Fall Specials (
2007 )
Special Effects Makeup Artist -
Its My Party & I'll Die If I Want To (
2007 )
Film by Scotchworthy Productions/Tony Wash Special Effects Makeup Artist
Awards
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Tom Savini's Certificate of Excellence
(2008)
Education
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Douglas Education Center
(2006-2008)
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