Facades FX is a SFX make-up lab and Creature Design studio operating in Houston, Texas. The studio was founded in 1985 as Nichols Studios, by founder and Key Designer Phil Nichols. He and his sister, Melissa, became partners in Nichols Studios and in 1988, Nichols Studios was renamed Facades Fx. The creative force behind the success of Facades FX lies with its artists.
For the past 25 years, this hyper creative duo has been diligently working in the motion picture and television industry, and professional live theatre delivering quality SFX on every size budget.
In addition to feature film, television, and live theatre projects, Facades FX is also well known for the commercial products Phil (and Melissa) have designed and marketed. For more on these products and the commercial design work of Facades, visit the products page.
PHIL NICHOLS- SFX Make-up and Creature Designer/Artist- Owner
Biography-
Philip L. Nichols, Jr. has been acting, directing, creating monsters, characters, scripts, and creatures since he was 10 years old. He grew up on a steady diet of horror and sci- fi films. A graduate of the prestigious Lon Morris College Theatre School, The University of Houston, and Dick Smith’s Professional Special Effects Make-up School, he has created creatures and designed make-up that is incredibly dynamic while remaining budget conscious.
In 1985 while at The University of Houston Theatre School/Shakespeare Festival he made the prudent decision to “go pro” and formed The Nichols Studio, inviting his sister Melissa to join him. Paying his dues on many theatre productions, Phil eventually segued into Industrial and Commercial film work in 1988, and renamed his studio Facades FX Make-up Lab (FFX studios).
In 1989 He was given his break by local film maker Warren Chaney on a superhero serial epic “Behind the Mask.” The script called for the type of SFX that would appear in projects such as “Mission Impossible” and “Batman" but there was very little preproduction time, and virtually no budget. Nichols (and his partner and sister, Melissa Nichols) rose to the occasion creating all of the prosthetics, villains, victims and heroes make-up FX.
This production opened the door to a lifelong career in special effects excellence. In addition to being a master SFX artist for the motion picture industry, Phil is also a world class sculptor of collector busts and protrait masks. From 1996- 2007 Phil was one of the most prolific collector's masks and busts in the world. He retired from sculpting masks and busts for private collectors in 2007, making his existing pieces highly collectable, as they are the only copies in existence.
FEATURE FILM CREDITS-
- Into the Spider's Web
- Hidden Jungle
- Haunted
- Broken Spur
- Behind The Mask
- Look Who‘s Toxic
- The Trust
- Jason‘s Lyric
- Twisted Fear
- America, a Call to Greatness
- Dark Dancer
- Jacklight
- Rough Riders
- Powder
- Ace Ventura II: When Nature Calls
- Arlington Road
- Killing The Badge
- Cremains
- Grim Weekend aka S*I*C*K /Serial Insane Clown Killer
- Javelina
- Walking Distance aka Paranormal Experiment
- Spoiled Rotten
- Boggy Creek 2010
- Renfield: The Un-Dead
- Midnight Abyss
Professional Associations with SFX/Make-up Artists:
(Either worked with or as personal acquaintance)
- Dick Smith** (The Exorcist, The Godfather, The Hunger, Amadeus)
- John Jackson** (Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mississippi Burning, Schlinder's List, Frieda, CSI)
- Mattew Mungle** (Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mississippi Burning, Schlinder's List, Frieda, CSI)
- Howard Berger (Chronicles of Narnia, Dusk Til Dawn)
- Greg Nicatero (Walking Dead)
- John Carl Beuchler (Troll, Carnosaur)
- Jeff Farley (Puppet Master)
- Michael Westmore** (Star Trek)
- Henry Alvarez (Legend, Hollywood Wax Museum, Alvarez Waxworks)
- Jordu Schell
- Todd McIntosh (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
- Sally J. Harper
- Cheryl P'tak (Batman and Robin,
**-Academy award winners.
Phil Nichols has worked with some noted Hollywood Directors including:
- Doug Mc Henry (Jason’s Lyric, Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Body Count)
- Robert Berge (Keaton's Cop, The Dark Dancer)
- John Milieus (The Wind and The Lion, Conan The Barbarian, Red Dawn, Clear and Present Danger, Rome)
- Victor Salva (Powder, Jeepers Creepers Franchise).
- Mark Pellington (Arlington Road, Cold Case, The Mothman Prophecies)
- Bob Willems (Twisted Fear, S.I.C.K.:Serial Insane Clown Killer, Renfield: The Un-Dead)
- Mel House (Walking Distance, Closet Space, Imago)
- Brian T. Jaynes (Boggy Creek 2010, Humans Vs Zombies)
Phil Nichols has worked with some noted Hollywood Actors including:
- Forest Whitaker
- Jada Pinket (Smith)
- Alan Payne
- Bokeem Woodbine
- Anthony "Trech" Criss
- Susanne Douglas
- Debora Winters
- Charleton Heston
- Mickey Rooney
- Jane Russell
- Gene Autry
- Peter Graves
- Rita Moreno
- Sam Bottoms
- Karen Black
- Francesco Quinn
- Shannon Tweed
- Andrew Prine
- Sean Patrick Flannery
- Mary Stienbergen
- Jeff Goldbloom
- Jim Carey
- Tom Berenger
- George Hamilton
- William Katt
- R. Lee Ermey
- Sam Elliot
- Chris Noth
- Geoffrey Lewis
- Gary Busy
- Titus Welliver
- Mason Gamble
- Jeff Bridges
- Joan Cusak
- Kathy Lampkin
- Glenn Morshower
- Texas Battle
- Damon Lapari
- Cory Hart
- Denise Williamson
- Julin Jean
- Frederick Doss
- Carl Savering
- Shavon Kirksky
- Dixie Carter (Alley Theatre)
- Selma Blair (Alley Theatre)
Special Skills Relative To Field- Studio Arts, Fine Arts, Creative Arts-full training. Costume History, Design, Construct, Engineer, Fabrication, Molding and Tooling, Chemist, Alchemist (resins & casting materials), Foam Latex Technician, Plastics, A & B compounds, 3-Part compounds, Carpentry, Anatomy, Paleontology, Critical Analysis, Practical Analysis.
Additional skills- Actor, Puppeteer, Stage Combat, Fencing, Director, Screenwriter, Producer. Phil is a skilled ventriloquist, having been one of the last students of the legendary ventriloquist master Edgar Bergen. He designs and builds ventriloquist figures and puppets. He is a member of the NAAV (North American Association of Ventriloquists) and practices his art for fun and relaxation.
back to top
MELISSA L. NICHOLS -SFX Artist/ Line Producer- Co-owner
Biography-
Melissa L. Nichols, has been a creative force, along side her brother Philip Nichols, since she was a child. From making home horror movies on a super 8 movie camera, to following in Phil's footsteps and seeking a career in the creative industries, Melissa is seen her brother as a role model and mentor. But she is an accomplished artist in her own right; a 1986 graduate of the
prestigious Aldine Education Center‘s Magnet School Advanced Visual Arts program, Melissa is a Multi-Media designer, as well as special effects makeup artist and creature designer, set designer, and decorator, and special prop mistress with over 25 years experience. She is a one woman art department. In 1985 she helped her brother Phil form and launch The Nichols Studio. Working along side Phil, Melissa paid her dues on many theatre productions and eventually segued into Industrial and Commercial film work.
By 1988 The Nichols Studio was renamed Facades FX Make-up Lab (FFX Studios), and she became the Art Department Director, heading up the art department which would handle design and construction of special models and miniatures, props, wardrobe and sets for film, Television and video productions. In 1989 The Nichols Studio was hired by local film maker Warren Chaney for his superhero serial epic Behind The Mask. There was no time, and no money, and the script called for a cross between Mission Impossible and Bat man. Melissa rose to the occasion creating all of the special props, costume pieces, comic book mock ups, etc. for this ambitious undertaking. This production opened the door to more film work for the Nichols duo.
FEATURE FILM CREDITS-
- Into the Spider's Web
- Hidden Jungle
- Haunted
- Broken Spur
- Behind The Mask
- Look Who‘s Toxic
- The Trust
- Jason‘s Lyric
- Twisted Fear
- America, a Call to Greatness
- Dark Dancer
- Jacklight
- Rough Riders
- Arlington Road
- Killing The Badge
- Grim Weekend aka S*I*C*K /Serial Insane Clown Killer
- Javelina
- Walking Distance aka Paranormal Experiment
- Spoiled Rotten
- Boggy Creek 2010
- Renfield: The Un-Dead
- Midnight Abyss
Melissa Nichols has worked with some noted Directors including:
- Doug Mc Henry (Jason’s Lyric, Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Body Count)
- John Milieus (The Wind and The Lion, Conan The Barbarian, Red Dawn, Clear and Present Danger, Rome)
- Mark Pellington (Arlington Road, Cold Case, The Mothman Prophecies)
- Bob Willems (Twisted Fear, S.I.C.K.:Serial Insane Clown Killer, Renfield: The Un-Dead)
- Mel House (Walking Distance, Closet Space, Imago)
- Brian T. Jaynes (Boggy Creek 2010, Humans Vs Zombies)
Melissa Nichols has worked with some noted Hollywood Actors including:
- Forest Whitaker
- Jada Pinket (Smith)
- Alan Payne
- Bokeem Woodbine
- Anthony "Trech" Criss
- Susanne Douglas
- Debora Winters
- Charleton Heston
- Mickey Rooney
- Jane Russell
- Gene Autry
- Peter Graves
- Rita Moreno
- Sam Bottoms
- Karen Black
- Francesco Quinn
- Shannon Tweed
- Andrew Prine
- Tom Berenger
- George Hamilton
- William Katt
- R. Lee Ermey
- Sam Elliot
- Chris Noth
- Geoffrey Lewis
- Gary Busy
- Titus Welliver
- Mason Gamble
- Jeff Bridges
- Joan Cusak
- Kathy Lampkin
- Glenn Morshower
- Texas Battle
- Damon Lapari
- Cory Hart
- Denise Williamson
- Julin Jean
- Frederick Doss
- Carl Savering
- Shavon Kirksky
- Dixie Carter (Alley Theatre)
- Selma Blair (Alley Theatre)
Special Skills Relative To Field-Fine Arts, Studio Arts, Creative Arts-full training. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite CS4-and up Design Premium Software, Digital Photography, Digital Imaging, Free Hand Illustration (not the software, the actual skill!), Layout, Costume History, Design, Construct, Engineer, Fabrication, Molding and Tooling, Carpentry, Critical Analysis, Practical Analysis.
Additional skills- Actor, Screen Writer, Producer, Self-Defense Instructor,
fight choreographer, skilled in empty hand techniques including soft style, hard style and throwing art techniques, weapons skills: pole arms (spear, bayonet, chung bong, junken, gwan dao), bladed weapons (katana, cutlass) Kobudo (sai, nunchaku, bo, jo, three section staff).
Melissa holds the rank of Kyosanim, 1st degree Black Belt in Chayon-Ryu with world famous martial arts Korean Grandmaster, Kim Pyung-Soo. She is a lifetime member of the International Chayon-Ryu Martial Arts Association, and a member of the Chayon-Ryu Yudanja Whey (Black Belt Association).
back to top
to see the full list of professional credits visit the Facades Fx IMDb profile:
