The Rural We: Tyler Green
The award-winning special effects artist teaches and creates products at his Whiting Mills studio in Winsted, Connecticut.
For someone who creates scary monsters and special effects makeup, Tyler Green is just about the least frightening person to talk to. Then again, one of his professional goals is to continue to create materials and prosthetics for people who need realistic body parts, because he finds great joy in it — kindness mixed with incredible talent. Green, who grew up and still lives in Litchfield, was a season 6 finalist of SyFy’s "Face Off" series and then an all-star semi finalist. He will be giving an SFX makeup master class at Five Points Arts Center in Torrington on October 21 at 6:30. If you go, you can watch him create a mummy design right in front of you.
I was always a creative kid — I loved monsters and fantasy characters, and was inspired by Jim Henson with his Dark Crystal and Labyrinth characters. I wanted to make monsters like he did. When I was in eighth grade I saw an ad in Fangoria magazine for a special effects makeup program, a two-year degree just outside of Pittsburgh. I geared my entire high school experience knowing I’d go there. I extended my stay to become a certified esthetician, so I could adapt my skills to both makeup and the prosthetic field.
My mom is a nurse, and I was fascinated by the healthcare field. I wanted to get more involved in helping people. For three years I worked a company in upstate New York, where I produced hyper-realistic body parts for amputees and burn victims. It was one of my favorite jobs ever.
"Face Off" was a reality competition on the SyFy cable channel where prosthetic makeup artists compete again each other. In 2014 I was a Season 6 finalist and then was a returning all-star in 2016, where I was again a finalist. That launched my career — I got recognized and networked like crazy. But instead of going to Hollywood, I’ve focused on teaching classes from my studio at Whiting Mills in Winsted. Teaching is my bread and butter. Beginners learn to apply wounds and the advanced students learn about prosthetic design and photo shoots. It’s extremely hands on. People come from all over to take the classes — I’ve had students from LA, Maine and Florida. I’ve also created and sell the Monster Kids Box™ so kids can create monsters at home.
I’ve done film and tv, but the medical and dental route is where I’d love to really push. I’ve worked with a few medical supply companies and created special models and body parts, and trademarked a synthetic skin product (SynSkin®️) used to replicate human flesh. I’ve made dentures, even ears for a gentleman. I meet people missing body parts, and it’s a shock at first, but you get past that, because people are trusting you. Being able to deliver a body part and make that person feel whole again, it’s really emotional and I feel honored to experience that.
I’m still young, and I want to do movies. But I like it here. Family for me is why I didn’t go to Hollywood. There are multi generations living on my family’s 20-acre compound. I’ve been all over, but nothing compares to New England.
