The Making of Narnia

KNB EFX Group (special makeup/creature/character prosthetics)

KNB EFX Group (special makeup/creature/character prosthetics), formed in 1988 by partners Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero, has become the industry's effects house of choice for astute directors such as Quentin Tarantino ("Kill Bill, Vol. 1 and 2"), Robert Rodriguez ("Spy Kids" trilogy, "Once Upon A Time in Mexico"), Steven Spielberg ("Amistad," "Minority Report") and Jay Roach ("Austin Powers in Goldmember").

Their work includes the Jim Carrey starrer, "Lemony Snickets Series of Unfortunate Events," Rodriguez's "Sin City," Roach's box office comedy sequel smash "Meet the Fockers" and "Serenity" for director Joss Whedon. The company also designed and applied the character makeup on Jamie Foxx, transforming the actor into singer Ray Charles in Taylor Hackford's highly anticipated biopic, "Ray."

The pair formed their partnership after collectively working on Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead II." They continued their affiliation with Raimi on such projects as "Army of Darkness" and "A Simple Plan," and have also maintained their association with director Tarantino beginning with "Reservoir Dogs." They next supplied the creature and special makeup effects on the Tarantino-scripted vampire thriller, "From Dusk 'til Dawn," directed by Robert Rodriguez, which led to their continued association with both filmmakers.

Their innovative makeup effects are also on display in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Boogie Nights," Frank Darabont's "The Green Mile," Eli Roth's horror hit, "Cabin Fever," David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" and Simon Wells' "The Time Machine," which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup. KNB also worked on "The Cell," another Best Makeup Oscar nominee.

KNB also devised both the superhero and the super villain appliances for "Spawn," an ambitious adaptation of Todd McFarlane's best selling comic book, which included the prosthetic make-up and body suits for John Leguizamo's Clown character and a twelve-foot hydraulic puppet of the Violator, Spawn's demonic arch nemesis.

Although most of their work (400 titles) is in the feature film arena, KNB has entered into the television arena, lending their talents not only to "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," but Showtime's "The Outer Limits," FOX-TV's cult-favorite, "The X-Files" and "24," NBC's "Law and Order" and HBO's "Deadwood." The pair won an Emmy for their work on the Sci-Fi Channel's "Dune."

KNB's partners come from disparate backgrounds. Nicotero hails from Pittsburgh, where he began his career under the tutelage of director George Romero and effects master Tom Savini. Berger grew up in Los Angeles and spent his younger years visiting the studios of Oscar winners Stan Winston and Rick Baker, the renowned animatronic and makeup effects innovators, with whom he would later collaborate on "Aliens" and "Men in Black." The company currently resides in a 22,000 sq. ft. studio in Van Nuys, California, with a staff of 82 artists.