An accomplished make-up and special effects artist, Ashley Levy is looking to establish herself in the industry on the heels of some impressive contributions to genre films and series. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, her memories of working on several films and upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Ashley Levy: I’ve had a relationship with oddities, curiosities and eccentricities since birth- I’ve always gravitated towards the macabre and the unsettling. One of my first memories was of a cabinet with glass doors (much like you would use for displaying fine china) my mother had in the living room, where she would store and ogle her hardback, first edition Stephen King collection. My introduction to the horror genre grew into an interest, which then grew into an obsession. My weekly allowance went straight into the pockets of our local Comic Book store, where I would purchase Tales from the Crypt, Tales from the Darkside, and Vault of Horror comics, as they became available.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
AL: My first discovery of the Horror genre was actually Lamberto Bava’s “Demons,” at the age of 5. I had to stay home from school due to Strep Throat, and my mother took me to the local Blockbuster and let me pick out a movie to watch while on bed rest- I was enchanted and obsessed! This later leads to an obsession with the HBO series “Tales from the Crypt,” which was truly my education and teacher of all the cinematic genres that Horror had to offer (my 3rd-grade birthday party was Tales From the Crypt themed, and I was dressed up as the Crypt Keeper!). Through this schooling, I discovered early on that I gravitated heavily towards the Creature, Vampire, and Zombie genres. The love for Dystopian would develop later, as the content became embraced.
Me: When did you first discover a passion for makeup work? Was there a specific appealing aspect to you?
AL: My passion for makeup was an interesting dichotomy- my exposure to Hammer Glamour led me to an obsession towards the balance of Beauty and Beast. I found that the whole story wasn’t being told visually unless the protagonists’ beauty rivaled the antagonists’ grotesque. The film that really made me want to embrace and master both the world of beauty and well as the world of prosthetics/creature creation was “Subspecies.” Radu’s makeup BLEW my mind, and I knew I wanted to be able to tell stories visually, using that medium. However, I couldn’t take my eyes off of Michele, which made me realize I needed to master the art of beauty makeup as well, in order to fully actualize the story.
Me: What was your special training like? What tools and skills did you acquire there that carried over to future projects?
AL: I was very involved in Technical Theatre growing up, where I learned the basics behind design for theatre. Around the time that I was in High School, I began to seek out any and all information I could for special effects makeup. I bought every book I could find (we didn’t have the internet access we do now), and taught myself a lot of my building blocks through trial and error. I ended up getting accepted into the BFA program for Technical Design at the University of Southern California. There, I learned more about the emotional aspects of design based off of introspection, which I would utilize later in my career in the form of working with directors to conceptualize and design looks for their films. After working overseas for a few years doing beauty makeup, I really doubled down on furthering my knowledge and skills in the FX arena when I got back to the states.
Me: If you could be best-described as "in-your-element" working on a set, what would you be performing and why do you feel that way?
AL: I’m most “in-my-element” when I am working with the directors, producers, and/showrunners to develop the overall look and/or design for their project, and then executing the vision. I absolutely adore the research and development process that goes into doing the story justice- any chance to slip in visual metaphors are a DREAM. I’m also happiest when I’m able to witness my team working together to bring it to life. You truly want to have the BEST people by your side, as it is your responsibility to do the visuals justice.
Me: You were involved in the Scream TV series. Is there a difference working on a series compared to a feature film?
AL: Working on a Series versus working on a Film are two totally different beasts. Film involves a lot more prep, and is a lot slower-paced. Television is like being shot out of a cannon- you have a basic visual concept for the overall series, but during filming, you are literally working on an episode at the same time as prepping for the next, and the script often changes overnight. I remember specifically an episode on the First Season where I found out that someone was going to be cut in half down the middle, the night before we shot the first scene, showing the aftermath! You have to think quickly and out of the box in those situations- but most importantly you really have to go with the flow, or risk getting carried away by the current. Running the Makeup and FX Departments of all three seasons of Scream really honed my ability to multitask, micromanage, and organize on a level that is almost criminal.
Me: Having also joined on both of the 'Happy Death Day' films, did your past experiences working with Blumhouse on the series make it easy to work with them on these films?
AL: Blumhouse has always been so good to me- not only do their films focus primarily on the genre that I love the most, but everyone that works on the films are just as passionate about the genre. This shifts it from a simple job into a passionate family affair. Everybody wants to do the film justice because we’ve all dreamed of one day making a horror film when we were younger! It also nurtured our “horror language”, where we could better describe visuals by referencing past movies that only horror buffs would understand (“in regards to blood splatter, let’s go more Argento than Bava”).
Me: You also recently worked on the second season of the show 'Black Summer.' What can you tell us about that project?
AL: Black Summer is by far my favorite project I have ever worked on, and Season Two is going to blow everyone’s minds. I came on in the first season as the Makeup Department Head/Head FX designer. I worked for months with the director/showrunner in prep, developing not only the look of the Zeds, but also creating the disease’s backstory in order to fully make the experience feel real on screen. My team was comprised of some of the best artists I’ve ever worked with, and we all worked on a micro-budget in Calgary, Alberta for 4 months. We were *all* hands-on in regards to creating Zeds in the trailer to turning an actor into a Zed on set, etc. We were slinging both biles and bloods for all orifices of the body, had a constantly supply of prosthetics wounds on us, ready for application at any given minute- we had such a great time doing it, too. By Season Two, we knew exactly what kind of beast we were dealing with, so everything was preplanned and streamlined. Half was actually filmed pre Covid, with the other half during Covid! I can't wait for everyone to see it.
Me: What are some of your memories working on-set of the film? What kind of odd or funny on-set stories do you have about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AL: One of the best things about working on the show is that we all shared a wicked sense of humor, and didn’t mind putting in the legwork in order to pull off the perfect prank. One of my favorite pranks that we pulled off was when we surprised the director by putting a full back tattoo on one of the actors (during a scene where he was shirtless) that was literally a shrine to Nickleback singer Chad Kroeger (who is apparently from Calgary). During the scene, the actor’s back never showed, so the director didn’t realize it until the actor was walking off set with a full back tattoo, that the entire makeup department worked together to create this masterpiece homage. The amount of laughter was directly proportional to the ridiculous amount of time and effort we put into making the tattoo and applying it! Everyone was such a good sport, and it was a great way to lighten the mood on set. Another memory involved our lead, Jaime King, for whom I was her personal makeup artist for during both seasons as well. She was extremely focused and dedicated to her role once she stepped on set, but on the ride to and from we’d take the opportunity to jam to 90’s Alternative at top volume. We’d pull up to set playing music ranging from Rage Against the Machine to Local H, to Hole. There was always a balance on set of hard work and fun.
Me: Lastly, being that this is Women in Horror Month, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
AL: A message I have for any Women in Horror looking to join the industry is, WE’RE WAITING FOR YOU. Women in the SPFX Makeup industry are so rare and few between- we need more of us! If you’re just getting started out, my best advice is to find a mentor that can shape and guide your journey into the industry (I’m in Atlanta, so please don’t hesitate!). This isn’t like any normal industry- as fans of the Horror Genre, we are like a second family to each other. Find your mentors in your area and reach out. We are all part of this Women in Horror group because we have been underestimated for too long in regards to our ability to have an impact on the Genre as well as be trailblazers in it. So let’s all do our part and make sure the future of Horror is solidified with our twisted presences in it.
This interview ran as part of our Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out all of our reviews and interviews about the occasion:
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