Case Study Analysis

For this case study, I have chosen to look at Kenneth Diaz, who specialises in make-up and visual effects. The title for my portfolio will be “The Evolution of Vampire Makeup in media over 30 years”, in which my primary focus will be the makeup that Diaz played a prominent role in creating in Fright Night (1985). I will compare this look with five different vampire looks from film and TV. When it comes to makeup and special effects, Diaz has a specialty in tattoo makeup, which has proved useful in several productions that he has worked on. Diaz has received two Oscar nominations for ‘Best Makeup’ for Dad (1989) and My Family, Mi Familia (1995). He however has won an Emmy for the makeup in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 – 1994).

Diaz has been active in the makeup faction of the film industry since 1980, and has done over eighty films and TV shows, including Passion of the Christ and The Pirates of the Caribbean films. Looking at Diaz’s filmography, his aesthetic can only be described as ‘unorthodox’, as his makeup goes beyond the mundane characters for the most part. For example, some of his more unusual makeup looks includes Blade (1998) and obviously Fright Night (1985). His influences appear to be from folklore, as many of the makeup looks are centered around creatures surrounded in mystery. Whilst this isn’t true for each individual production that Diaz has been a part of, as some of his works appear to be more on the normal side of the spectrum.

Bibliography

Ken Diaz – WebMii. 2019. Ken Diaz – WebMii. [ONLINE] Available at: http://webmii.com/people?n=%22Ken%20Diaz%22. [Accessed 12th May 2019].

IMDb. 2019. Ken Diaz – IMDb. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0225004/. [Accessed 12th May 2019]

Memory Alpha. 2019. Ken Diaz | Memory Alpha | FANDOM powered by Wikia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Ken_Diaz. [Accessed 12th May 2019].

Victoria Stansfield. 2019. MINI BIO: Ken Diaz | Victoria Stansfield. [ONLINE] Available at: https://victoriastansfield.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/bio-ken-diaz/. [Accessed 12th May 2019].