Dan Brownlie is a London-based horror film-maker who has created a range of strange and morbid models, including the bizarre Fetus-stein! We have a chat with him about his amazingly weird designs.
Spooky Isles: Thanks for talking to us Dan, Fetus-stein is really bizarre, and slightly sick – where did you get the idea for it?
Dan Brownlie: I’ve always liked the juxtaposition of horror and innocence and the obscurities of life. When I was a teenager a lot of my art used dolls, I’d steal of my little sisters and fell in love with all things cute with a twist. Killer dolls, clowns, teddy bears and, anyway, I can incorporate them in my work is always floating around my head. I really wanted to start making oddities (like sideshow glass jar attractions) so started thinking through horror characters that I’d like to make fetuses of. The Fiji mermaid fetus was my first idea and Fetus-Stein right after. I’ve got a few more obscure ideas I’m working on too as soon as I have the time.
How long have you been making horror models?
I started sculpting figures this year (2017). Not sure what kicked me into gear or why it was now, one day I just suddenly got the urge. Quite like making masks I had no idea I could do it until I tried (in fact I was always quite adamant that I was pretty useless in 3-D. Just goes to show you should always try new things).
You make fabulously strange masks too – is this something you learned through film making?
I actually bought a mask making kit five years ago as was going to try and get into sfx. It didn’t happen and the entire kit just sat there. Fast forward 1st of January at 1am in the morning. My wife decides she’s to drunk and goes to bed. I’m still very drunk but get the mad urge to be creative, so I dig up the mask making kit and get to work. At 4am I wake up my wife with a sculpt of a clown, she screams and I think “well that’s not bad for a first attempt”. At this point in time my latest film was accumulating funding so I had some artistic time in my hands so just dived into it. Ended up designing and using some of my masks for my feature film The Tombs.
Speaking of your feature film, how is The Tombs going?
Really well, not sure what I can say but it’s looking amazing. The location is fantastic, the cast and crew amazing and Templeheart gave me the freedom to really bring my vision to life. Can’t wait until it’s ready to unleash upon the world.
Give us the details of where people can get your models?
I have an Brand B Masks Etsy Store where I sell all my stuff and also sell bits at films fairs and events which I advertise on my Instagram and Facebook accounts.
