It's really about realizing we can own a piece of each other's successes, and in so doing, learn to become successful ourselves. Lois Shelton, Foxglove Films         Erin Sullivan - Tinsley Transfers A Leader in FX Make-up Photos By Wendy Ashford When Seattle's Akina Films needed realistic torture wounds for their lead character in the film “Bullets, Blood and A Fist Full of CA$H”, they turned to their friends at Tinsley Transfers in Van Nyes, California. Christien Tinsley, the owner of Tinsley Transfers (Oscar nominated for his work in The Passion of the Christ) sent his newest talent Special F/X Make-up Artist, Erin Sullivan. Sullivan is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and has been doing F/X for Tinsley since November 2003. “I was always fascinated with make up as a child, probably because my mother didn't allow me to have any make up until I was 13 but that never stopped me from some how getting my hands on it.” Sullivan says. “Halloween was my favorite holiday and I loved the fantasy of dressing up and being a different person or creature. When I was in high school, after re-watching favorite movies from my childhood like Labyrinth, Legend, and The Dark Crystal, I realized how wonderful it would be to create creatures that had such a lasting impact on me.” Sullivan has worked on a broad range of low budget, independent films and shorts (“Girl in 3D”, “Abominable”), and since starting with Tinsley Transfers has made prosthetics for Television ( “Nip Tuck”, “The Shield”, “Into the West”) and Feature Films (“Cat Woman”, “The Island”, “Find Me Guilty”). When interviewed by Women in Film-Seattle's Joy Saez about the pros and cons of being a woman in the F/X industry niche, Sullivan responded, “In a lot of ways it's still a boys' club and sometimes opportunities to be taken seriously and prove yourself to be just as capable as the boys are hard to come by.” She further added, “The pros of being a woman in the industry are being able to prove the boys wrong. I get a kick out of the shock expressed when they find out I can lift a 100lb bag of Plaster or that I'm less squeamish than most of the guys when it comes to reference photos of severe injuries. I figure if I can prove my self capable and shock them now maybe they won't blow off the next woman that comes along that says she can do as good of a job, if not better, than them.” Sullivan admires the women who came before her because their striving for success in the industry and venturing into unknown territories opened doors for future generations of women to follow in their footsteps. Legend is her favorite FX movie. “I love the way the make up accentuates the theme of darkness and light, good and evil, winter and spring, also the different creatures and the fantasy world they in turn create.” Sullivan also hopes to be a mentor to young girls who are interested in the F/X niche in the industry. “I was lucky enough to be raised by a very independent, capable, and stubborn woman who at the age of 25 was a single mother with 2 children. Instead of trying to find another man to take care of her, she decided she needed to be self-sufficient and wanted a better life for herself and her children. So, when I was 4 she went back to college and continued on to Medical School when I was 10.” Her mother's greatest gift to her was teaching her the same self-sufficiency and independence. “Watching her struggle against the odds and succeed was a wonderful example to me growing up - that it didn't matter what sex you were, the important thing is your abilities, to strive for bigger and better things, and not to give up just because things get hard. Because of this example set for me as a young girl I've never let being a woman come into consideration in the goals I've set for myself and whether or not I can complete them.” She hopes to set the same example for other women who may have similar aspirations. “I feel example is the best way to mentor young girls, regardless of the field they are interested in. It is extremely important for all young girls to have strong women role models in their lives like I have, and it is our responsibility to provide this for them and to teach them to not give up on things or sell themselves short because they are women.” Sullivan had a great time working with the Akina Films crew, especially since she loves seeing people so eager to “create”. She admired their drive and devotion of time and energy to Bullets because they believe in the film and want to be part of the process, with little more reward than seeing it succeed. Thanks to Erin's expertise, after 3.5 hours of F/X make-up the actor looked badly beaten and Director Sam Akina was thrilled to see his vision come to fruition. Producer Joy Saez felt the urge to vomit at the site of Erin's creation and sat off-set during the shooting of the scene. You'll have to see the film to catch a glimpse of Erin's finished work. AKINA FILMS LLC JOY@AKINAFILMS.COM AKINAFILMS.COM check out the latest project from Akina Films at Bulletsthemovie.com