Reddit mentions of Grande Illusions: A Learn-By-Example Guide to the Art and Technique of Special Make-Up Effects from the Films of Tom Savini

When Aaron hacked that zombie I was like "THATS THE ZOMBIE THAT GOT MACHETIED IN DAWN OF THE DEAD!" and my BF was all "Huh?"

I had a book about all the make up effects of Tom Savini when I was a kid and it had a write up of how they did that effect. I watched it many, many times. Backwards, slow motion, etc.. :) I wanted to be a make-up guy so much. :(

Upside is it inspired me to hunt down the book on amazon and buy it again. :) #midlifecrisis

The book: http://www.amazon.com/Grande-Illusions-Learn-By-Example-Technique-Special/dp/0911137009

• I would like to hear good music. Think Goblin in DAWN OF THE DEAD or ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST. Hell, even the Resident Evil 2 video-game soundtrack is eery and effective. Anything that helps to build the atmosphere and tension of the film will be okay, but if I want to listen to it on my way home from work, then you've got it right. Also, '80s-ish is always a plus.
  
  
• I'd like to see some good gore (assuming you're not taking a Hitchcockian approach, i.e. holding suspense higher than violence). Tom Savini is the unchallenged master of gore, so study his techniques. I highly recommend his Grande Illusions books; they give you in-depth explanations and commentary on some of his most famous scenes.
  
  
• I'd like to see some good acting, for a change. Seriously, SyFy is not your role-model here. Raise the bar a bit.
  
  
• Use a good fucking camera! I can not stress this enough; you will lose your audience's attention the second they see that this is shot with a Flip camera.
  
  
• Finally, make the movie a little more complex than your average C-grade horror flick. The only thing (with few exceptions) that keeps people watching those '80s slashers is nostalgia, and you don't have that going for you. Try to mix some culture into the film. I understand that this movie isn't to be taken seriously, but neither was RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, and it boasts an incredible soundtrack, some killer gore (and one of the most iconic zombies in history), and a pristine archival of '80s culture--all of these elements make the film's replay value sky-high. If your film is set in the '60s, make it as '60s-y as possible.
  
  For what it's worth, I think that I speak for the majority of the horrorhounds when I say that those guidelines will make your film a hit ... at least among the niche.

I haven't ever made anything, but it's something I've developed an interest in.

I bought this book by Tom Savini

He's my all time favorite SFX artist so I figured it would be a good place to start.