‏Vincent J. Guastini‏

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey he started his own Special Make-up effects company at the age of 22, specializing in prosthetics and creature effects, design, and animatronics.The films that was a big influence on his life were Ray Harryhausen effects epics like, The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts, horror films including The Exorcist, & Night Of The Livng Dead as well as space epics like Star War's, however there was one movie that changed his life forever the film was John Carpenter's remake of Howard Hawks film "The Thing"; the film had an effect that changed Vincent's life the moment he saw it. Rob Bottin's work on that film and future films like Joe Dante's "The Howling had an effect on Vincent that would forever change what he would do with the rest of his life. He decided he must do creature effects for a living.Soon after Vincent contacted Oscar winner Dick Smith who also affected Vincent's young growing years scaring him to death as a kid with his work on The Exorcist. After showing Mr. Smith his work and getting Dicks's advice & later his friendship Vincent decided to open up his own studio. Thanks to Mr.Smith's help and recommendations his company soon grew to become one of the top special makeup effects houses on the east coast,he started working with Mr. Smith under his supervision, doing creatures and special make-up effects for the creature of the week TV series in the late 80s called "Monsters" Vincent was soon collaborating designing supervising and creating effects for top Oscar winning effects artists such as Bob Laden, Nick Dudman & Greg Cannom on the film Stephen King's Thinner.Vincent's big breakthrough film came in 1991 when asked to take over the prosthetic effects for Michael Mann's epic remake of "The Last Of The Mohicans" for 20th Century Fox. After this film Vincent went on to supervise and design creature effects for various studio and independent films. Changing his company name from Vincent Guastini Productions to V.G.P. Effects & Design Studio he moved his company to the west coast and is now one of the top effects & design houses.One of Vincent's most challenging projects before moving from the east coast was Darren Aronofsky's film, Requiem for a Dream, in which he had to transform design sculpt and apply with prosthetics Ellen Burstyn into a thinning, decaying women throughout the film. The prosthetic transformation made Vincent an Oscar hopeful that year.Other films include creating the groundbreaking animatronic wings and creature effects in Kevin Smiths film "Dogma", Vincent's work was also nominated for his prosthetic work for TV's "Saturday Night Live" Vincent's other credits include either as an effects technician, or supervisor and designer are, Super Mario Bros The Movie, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey,Childs Play 3, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Virus, Man On The Moon and many others.More recent projects that Vincent has created make-up effects for was the groundbreaking silicone fire victim stunt masks for Clint Eastwood's "Letters of Iwo Jima" and "Flags of Our Father" as well as the highly acclaimed musical fantasy film "The Devils Carnival" and it's sequel and the graphic and highly realistic make-up effects for "Sushi Girl" and the bizarre out of the box creature & make-up effects for the upcoming "V/H/S/ Viral" the third installment to the popular horror franchise. Other films include the Bryan Singer produced horror film "The Taking of Deborah Logan". Where Vincent with the help of prosthetic silicone appliances and puppets transforms actress Jill Larson into a crazed demonic possessed creature.Vincent recently garnered producing credits on a few feature films as co-producer and executive producer, one being the remake of "Silent Night Deadly Night",retitled "Silent Night" Vincent also served as co-producer on the thriller "The Employer" both films starred acting legend Malcolm McDowell, star of Stanley Kubrick "A Clockwork Orange" Vincent's company also did all the special make-up & animatronic effects for the films.Vincent has also made his directing debut in the upcoming horror science fiction anthology film, "The Hellevator Man" due for release in 2015.