Company gives chance to fake your own horrific death

CHARLESTON, Ill. – What’s your favorite scary movie?\nFor roommates Derek Clem and Scott Aigner, the answer was written in the fake blood and man-made intestines staining their clothes – their movie.\nClem and Aigner, both Eastern Illinois University graduate students, received the chance to star in their own personally designed horror-slasher scene, making fake death a reality at Eastern’s Tarble Arts Center in Charleston.\nChicago-based Death By Design Co., stalked Charleston recently, offering individuals the chance to take part in their own death scene of chaotic, horrific, disgusting fun. The company “provides a humorous encounter with death through extreme situations and stunning visuals.”\nAigner and Clem, who both enjoy horror movies, thought it would be interesting to die – on film.\nAigner said starring in his own horror movie is “something I’ve always wanted to do.” He added, “I like how fantastical (horror movies) can be.”\n“It’s another way of self-expression,” Clem added.\nThe death scenes were part of the installation/exhibition/performance titled “Death By Design Stalks Charleston: Postmodern Meets Postmortem. ”\nMichael Watts, director of the Tarble Arts Center, said the purpose of the center’s eGallery is to allow for different, contemporary forms of art, and Death By Design fit that standard.\n“It’s just like any other art form. It helps us realize things in our world and see how maybe other people deal with those issues or questions. Those issues may arise and make us think about who we are and our society,” he said.\nWatts encountered a worm during his death scene, and described the scenes as approaching traumatic events, but still being able to find the humor in them.\nFull of creative – and often gory – ideas, Death By Design’s creators Teena McClelland and Michelle Maynard of Chicago began their company from the idea that “everyone wants to be the person who dies” in horror flicks.\nWhile making her own horror movie, “Throb,” Maynard came across numerous people willing to be in the movie – as long as they got to die.\n“That’s the person everyone remembers. That’s what everyone talks about,” Maynard said.\n“It kind of started with dying in a movie,” McClelland said. “We talked about other people maybe (would) like to see this, and yes, it seems like perhaps they would.” \nThe idea of people starring in their own horror movie then came into play.\nThe company takes care of putting together the set, props (including weapons and faux corpses), makeup, costumes, clean up and all sorts of gooey substances for effects of blood, venom and guts.\nThey offer clients a DVD of their edited death scene that also contains behind the scenes footage and a slideshow of still images.\nThe menu of death scenes at the Tarble included “Killer Clown,” “The Creeping Slime,” and “The Dead Don’t Stay Buried.”\nBoth filmmakers have said reactions concerning their business have varied from “eww to wow,” and that mainly art venues have sought the company out to share in the bloodshed business venture.\n“I think contemporary art’s definition has expanded quite a bit,” McClelland said. “So I think we’re on the right path to making it be some sort of art form.”