By Jennifer Hoegg
There is a very unusual basement in a Melvern Square home. On one side of the space is a relaxing day spa, but open the doors into Mark Deveault’s workshop, and you are face to face with Predator.
“That’s my own project,” Deveault said of the sculpture of the alien from the 1987 movie thriller.
The retired military man has several projects on the go and his space is full of the evidence.
To the right, a bin of severed fingers and monsters’ teeth. To the left, what looks like a corpse’s head on top of a cabinet. On the wall, glistening arms of a swamp creature. In between the pieces of gore are paints, foam, silicone and carving tools – all fodder for the two parts of his Trauma-Sim business – casualty simulation and special effects.
Casualty simulation became important to Deveault during his work as an instructor of army medics in New Brunswick. Paramedics, fire departments and other first responders regularly practice their skills in mock-ups and the point of simulations is to make the situation as real as possible. The Afghanistan veteran certainly knows what real trauma situations look like, but the simulation supplies available were nowhere near the real thing.
“I got sick and tired of what was out there,” he said. “It looked phony and cheap.”
So he started to create his own supplies with the help of training through Toronto’s School of Makeup Art in special effects and stage makeup course, including making prosthetics, sculpting and molding mediums, and more.
His expertise and training led to his post-military career with Trauma-Sim.
“You can hire any makeup artist you like,” he pointed out, “but they are trained to do makeup by research. I don’t need to research it, because I have seen it.”
His experience in war zones means he know first-hand what real injuries look like, right down to the “texture, weight, smells of real trauma wound.”
Sleeves of silicone simulate gruesome arm wounds, shiver inducing in their realism, especially when they feature fake knives or simulated glass.
Deveault promises realism that “flicks the brain into the right switch better than dollar store makeup.”
Trauma-Sim has been selling long-lasting, realistic, cost-effective training aids to the Canadian military, he said. Deveault is hoping to bring his work to local first responders after already having success elsewhere.
“I did an exercise with Simcoe County, Ontario, of a mass casualty situation.”
It was so successful, some of the participants believed there were real injuries, he said.
“I want to change how simulation is done,” he said, “don’t go cheap; go real.”
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The more glamourous side of Trauma-Sim fulfils a lifelong dream of Deveault’s: special effects for film projects.
“As a kid I always had a geek interest in it,” he said.
From Dawn of the Dead to Star Wars, “it’s not only gore, it’s the practical effect being done.”
A year ago, a “lucky strike” connected the Kingston-area resident with work on zombie short Katrina’s New Beau, nominated for best short at the Atlantic Film Festival, thanks to a tip from a local makeup artist.
One job led to another and just before Christmas he was set to work with Jason Eisener, of Hobo With a Shotgun fame, on a short. He has also worked on Nova Scotian filmmaker Frank Forestall’s Jack and Jill short and Corridor-screenwriter Josh MacDonald’s Game.
“I’m called a lot for Zombie flicks,” Devault said, “but I can’t wait to get a fantasy gig … with fantasy you can create new life.”
Deveault added a web-series is in development with Halifax-based Draikana Muse and Ar’No Brossard.
“I can’t wait. It’s everything from monsters to zombies, creatures to props,” he said. “Hopefully it will open doors and bring more work.”
Deveault would like to foster local talent in the industry, as well, and is interested in finding mechanical and electrical support for film props from the Valley.
“My main goal is to have an Atlantic effects (industry) so you don’t have to go to Toronto or Montreal … there are a lot of extremely talented people in Nova Scotia.”
As a film crewmember, he can also offer his expertise to directors.
‘There are movies that should have a military consultant,” he pointed out, to tell actors how they should put a beret on to realistic maneuvers.
“I have been a paramedic, medic, I can go on to a movie set and fact check and help out medical needs for the scenario,” as well, he added.
His jack-of-all-trades background is useful in an industry where a great deal is expected from special effects teams on low budgets, he said.
While on-set chaos creates a different sort of stress than a tour of Afghanistan, Haiti or Bosnia, he said, military training has given him the discipline for problem solving.
“I’m all calm under stress.”
He may be grateful for his military career, but Deveault is dedicated to making a career of Trauma-Sim work.
“But it’s not a job if you love it,” he pointed out. “I really see it as a passion.”
“After all the blood is cleared up” after a shoot, he said, “I was like ‘OK, when is the next one.’ ”
