Syfy Gives Go-Ahead to Monster Man

NEW YORK: Adding to its slate of original reality programming, Syfy has greenlit the docu-series Monster Man, which goes behind the scenes of a famed Hollywood monster prop workshop.

Gurney Productions, behind Syfy’s Haunted Collector, has received an order for six hour-long episodes. Monster Man spotlights Cleve Hall, who has been in the prop-design business since he was a teenager. Now, his daughters Constance and Elora Hall, his ex-wife Sonja Maddox-Hall and best friends Roy Knyrim and Johnny Saiko join him in creating creatures for Hollywood films.

Production on Monster Man is set to begin shooting next month, with a debut slated for January 2012.

"We are entering the creative world of a very eccentric, artistic family," said Mark Stern, the president of original content at Syfy and co-head of content for Universal Cable Productions. "Cleve and his team will give our viewers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring monster props, puppets and costume pieces to life. But they’re also a family business, so the unusual dynamic between them is half the fun."