KUMALASARI TANARA

Kumalasari Tanara is a professional SFX/make up artist that works in film production like The Raid, Killers, Rumah Dara and the upcoming Headshot. She also sells fake blood.

KUMALASARI: "On set we're getting blood smear everywhere, all looking like psycho serial killers and adding more and more blood.. Playing with blood like children.."

[interview.ak / pics.kumalasari tanara docs / August 2016]

So you do lots of bloodwork and gory stuff for The Raid, Killers, Rumah Dara and the upcoming Headshot. What it is like working in a horror and gory action production as sfx/make up artist?

It’s a lot of fun.. That’s all I can say hahaha! I don’t mind getting dirty and messy so the more blood the merrier. It’s great being able to do SFX which started with a simple canvas and turn it into whatever we like accordingly and have people believe it’s the real deal!!

Any interesting stories while working with Gareth Evans or Mo Brothers? 

It’s always big fun and exciting working with the Mo’s and Gareth because they give you a certain freedom to create something  cool and awesome and the brainstorming is always the best part where the ideas usually get bigger and crazier than before.. It’s the creating then seeing it come to live that’s giving you the satisfaction. It’s funny on set getting blood smear everywhere, all looking like psycho serial killers and adding more and more blood.. That makes them happy.. Playing with blood like children.

You also sale fake blood too in PABRIK DARAH. What comes into your mind when you decided to “Let’s sell some fake blood!”?

I wanted to have a good standard for blood that looks real and believable I have always distributed my blood for people who needs it but now I wanted to have it as a brand to be more professional and known to the industry.

How did you get started in the industry and what made you want to become a make-up artist?

I have always been fascinated with make up since I was a little girl.. Starting from playing with my mothers make up and putting them on my brothers at that time which was a lot of fun as children and it continued from watching movies and seeing how normal people could be changed into make-believe characters that can work wonders on the audience. I love the transformation that you could achieve with make up and SFX, so I thought that’s a cool profession.. Doing what you love and getting paid as well to do it.  

Do the writers and directors has strange and specific request abut the amount of blood and gore? Or do you have a creative input as well in that department?

We all work together. Its all about teamwork. I have my ideas and the directors have theirs. We combine them to make the best look possible. Having discussions and cross references and so on.

Your top 5 favorite films of all time?

I would say.. The Story of Us, Pan’s Labyrinth, Lion King, The Little Rascals, Sarafina.

Your favorite SFX/make up artist and their best work in films?

Pan’s labyrinth - Arjen Tuiten, The Godfather - Dick Smith, The Evil Dead - Tom Sullivan, Maleficent - Rick Baker  

The most goriest scene in a film that is your favorite?

The goriest scene in a film for me would be the baby scene in The Serbian movie.  

What's with your fascination with the human anatomy and it's influences in your current works?

Human anatomy is very important to understand in my line of work to make things look as realistic as possible. In my current work it’s crucial because i’m making a prosthetic head and a pregnant belly at the moment. It has to look like the real thing. 

Umm.. The goriest real life situations that you've been into?

Seeing a motorcycle accident where  the driver get’s driven over by the trucks wheel. That’s pretty gory..