by Suzanne Burchett

Chatsworth is home to renowned Make-up Effects and Puppeteering speciality company KNB EFX Group. The founders of KNB EFX Group, Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger met in 1984 working on a film, both doing special effects in Pittsburgh, PA. They became friends and in 1988 decided to open their own company here in Los Angeles. The past 27 years have found the company busy with both film and television projects from all over the world.

Passion and devotion describe their desire to bring realistic effects to the screen. Their work has received accolades, an Academy Award for Best Make-up for THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, and the British equivalent for the same film. They also can claim an Emmy Award to their name for the popular television series THE WALKING DEAD. Greg Nicotero has also directed 9 episodes of this zombie drama while supervising the make-up effects.

This is accomplished in the company’s 20,000 square foot industrial building in Chatsworth. Chatsworth has increasingly become home to many other special effects and production companies. Although you may not see a zombie walking down the street, that truck you pass on the street may have life-like dead bodies or life-size animatronic lion on board.