How to Make a Monster

How to Make a Monster is a 2001 film starring Steven Culp and Clea DuVall. It is the third release in the Creature Features series of film remakes produced by Stan Winston. Julie Strain made a cameo appearance in the film as herself. How to Make a Monster debuted on October 14, 2001, on Cinemax. In 2005, it was nominated for a Hollywood Makeup Artist Award and Hair Stylist Guild Award. Plot Following a disastrous video game test, Clayton Software fires the development team and replaces them with weapons expert Hardcore, game artificial intelligence designer Sol, and sound effects creator Bug. Company CEO Faye Clayton promises $1 million to whoever makes the scariest game, sparking a rivalry amongst the trio. Three weeks later, the programmers try out their game and computer network-integrated motion capture suit with help from company intern Laura Wheeler. However, lightning strikes the building, causing a blackout and wiping their data. Knowing someone has to stay overnight to monitor the backup, the four use the game to decide. Ultimately, Sol is chosen to stay behind. After he inserts his new AI chip into the company mainframe, the suit activates and kills Sol. The following morning, Hardcore and Bug find Sol's body merged to the suit and the backup CD gone. The former attempts to review the security camera's footage, but is attacked by the suit, which decapitates him so it can take his body and weapons to better resemble one of the game's monsters. Upon learning of what happened, Bug theorizes the lightning strike, Sol's chip, and Hardcore's system rewrite caused the suit to believe the real world is part of the game. To stop the monster, Bug, Laura, and Clayton businessman Peter Drummond try to shut down the computer and wipe the game's data. However, the security system malfunctions, trapping them inside. The monster attacks Bug, but he exposes a gas line and uses his lighter to ignite the gas, killing himself and the monster. Nonetheless, it returns to the mo-cap suit and attacks Drummond, but Laura saves him by fighting the in-game monster. She tries to beat the game, but becomes frustrated and hysterical until Drummond suggests she use a virtual reality headset, promising to stay with her while she fights. In the midst of playing though, she realizes he left her before the real world monster returns. She escapes to the kitchen, where she finds Hardcore's PDA contains footage of Drummond stealing the backup CD.