Cory Czekaj
Burbank,CA
Summary
30 Year seasoned veteran with extensive experience at Legacy EFX, recognized for setting a world record in appliance casting. Proven ability to enhance team performance through effective communication and innovative problem-solving. Skilled in project management and budgeting, contributing to multiple Oscar-nominated films and Emmy-winning projects.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Department Head Foam/Silicone/ Casting Department
Legacy EFX
08.2008 - 08.2025
- Attended Department Head meetings with HR, the owners, other department heads, and art leads.
- Assisted the owners with scheduling, department budgets, performed employee interviews, determined team assessments, and was responsible for hiring and end of project layoffs.
- Responsible for time cards, ordering supplies and working with vendors finding new materials and techniques.
- Worked closely with Digital Design and Mold shop to determine how the practical molds and 3d print molds would be designed and executed.
- Worked closely with Mechanical Department to collaborate on how the mechanics would work with our castings in order to have successful runs.
- Attended life casts on the actors to determine master pigments and color matching with the make up artists.
- Set up and trouble shot every single new mold so the team could replicate for future runs.
- Formulated all foam latex run schedules and composed all silicone notes
- Was responsible for working on TEAMS hourly communicating with the Logistics crew, updated my crew with work load changes, and met hourly, daily, and weekly deadlines.
- Constantly performed R and D on silicone systems, clear platinum systems, paint and patch techniques on silicone, foam latex hybrid components, hot melt vinyl, pros aide techniques, and bald cap encapsulant and hybrids.
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Stan Winston Studios
09.2004 - 08.2008
- Accountable for attending Department head meetings.
- Responsible for switching over from tin gel filled silicone appliances, to the modern day platinum gel filled silicone appliances.
- Performed R and D on silicone, foam latex, and pros aide transfers.
Department Head Night Crew Foam Casting
Frontline Designs
07.2006 - 10.2007
- In person casting in the evenings with the night crew, but responsible for the day crew as well. I would evaluate their runs, oversee what the day crew did that day, set up schedules for the following day for them, trouble shoot their formulas and runs. I would spend my first hour there, working with the day crew and get them set up for the next day for when I was at my other job.
Foam Runner
Amalgamated Dynamics Inc.
06.2004 - 09.2004
- Part of a very fast paced team responsible for running dozens of full body creature suits, gloves, masks, feet, and accessories.
- Was Accountable for chemical weigh ups, brush ins, and injections.
Foam Runner/Silicone Caster/Mold Technician
Rick Baker's Cinovation Studio
10.2002 - 06.2004
- Responsible for R and D on latex, cap plastic, and Zeltex encapsulation on silicone appliances
- In charge of changing over from tin silicone appliances, to platinum silicone appliances.
- Foam run weigh ups, and foam casting team member.
- lead silicone appliance caster.
- Mold shop technician using Aerospace materials creating high temp molds.
Foam Runner/Mold Technician
Jim Henson's Creature Shop
09.2001 - 10.2002
- Responsible for creating aerospace high temp molds and cores
- Full body life casting, cast stone mannequins, create full body silicone and fiberglass matrix molds, create fiberglass mannequins with break away arms and legs.
- Foam latex runs and casting assistant.
- Silicone casting technician.
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Kevin Yagher Productions
06.2001 - 09.2001
- Oversaw all of the foam latex appliance castings, gelatin castings, and silicone masks.
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Captive Audience
04.2001 - 06.2001
- Supervised all of the foam latex castings, and weigh ups.
- Set up and trouble shot all of the molds.
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Steve Johnson's XFX
04.1998 - 04.2001
- Was responsible for creating a tin based silicone gel filled appliance running system for the shop.
- Supervised the foam/silicone casting department. Ran appliances, creature suits, and puppets out of foam latex, gelatin, and silicone.
- Was part of the life casting team taking life like head, hands, feet, and full body impressions of actors.
- Created molds of sculptures out of fiberglass, stone, urethane, high temp epoxies, silicone, and silicone matrix.
Owner, Chucklehead Productions LLC
Chucklehead Productions
07.1994 - 04.1998
- Developed an entire latex mask and prop product line that was marketed through the Transworld Halloween Trade show for four years.
- Oversaw the entire season of prototype development, marketing of the product, and the mass production of these products at a warehouse I leased. Supervised employees, trained artists and technicians.
- Was in charge of ordering materials, employee payroll, machinery rental and maintenance, shipping and receiving duties, customer service, customer relations, billing,
Education
High School Diploma -
Hamburg High School
Hamburg, NYSkills
- Set World record for most appliances cast for a single movie
- Instructor on 4 DVD and online courses for Stan Winston School of Character Arts
- Worked on over 100 feature films, over 400 commercials, and over 20 television shows
- Part of several Oscar nominated movies for Make-Up, or Visual Effects Part of several Emmy award winning teams
- SAG Puppeteer and non-union puppeteer on over 100 commercial spots, both domestic and international SAG Puppeteer on 8 movies, and SAG Puppeteer on 6 television shows
Timeline
Department Head Foam/Silicone/ Casting Department
Legacy EFX
08.2008 - 08.2025
Department Head Night Crew Foam Casting
Frontline Designs
07.2006 - 10.2007
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Stan Winston Studios
09.2004 - 08.2008
Foam Runner
Amalgamated Dynamics Inc.
06.2004 - 09.2004
Foam Runner/Silicone Caster/Mold Technician
Rick Baker's Cinovation Studio
10.2002 - 06.2004
Foam Runner/Mold Technician
Jim Henson's Creature Shop
09.2001 - 10.2002
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Kevin Yagher Productions
06.2001 - 09.2001
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Captive Audience
04.2001 - 06.2001
Department Head Foam/Silicone Casting Department
Steve Johnson's XFX
04.1998 - 04.2001
Owner, Chucklehead Productions LLC
Chucklehead Productions
07.1994 - 04.1998
High School Diploma -
Hamburg High School