SIDNEY — Nathan Barnes, 36, is a Sidney native that has been competing in the first ever national Face of Horror competition. The Face of Horror contest is hosted by award-winning filmmaker Jim Vendiola and sponsored by Buffalo Bill’s House, the filming location of “The Silence of the Lambs.” One winner will win $13,000, a walk-on role in an independent film, a two-night stay at Buffalo Bill’s House and a photo shoot with Kane Hodder, who portrays Jason Voorhees in “Friday the 13th,” in Rue Morgue Magazine.
The contest started with over 17,000 competitors and is currently in the quarter-finals of the competition. Contestants were originally separated into groups of about 100 each and to move on to the next round a competitor had to continue working to gain votes and stay at the top of their group. In the quarter-finals round, which ends Friday, Oct. 28, contestants must place first in their group to move onto the semi-finals.
Barnes grew up in Sidney and graduated from Sidney High School in 2004 before joining the Navy for four years. After the Navy, Barnes earned his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Phoenix. He has recently returned to school to earn his bachelor’s in film from LA Film School, American Film Institute and will be finishing his degree online at Full Sail University.
Barnes originally found out about the contest via Instagram. He entered the contest due to recent hardships in his life. In the past three years Barnes has lost his older brother and his grandmother, his two youngest daughters experienced immense personal traumas, Barnes went through a cancer scare and the family of seven lost their home. Should he win the contest, Barnes plans to use his winnings to get his family back on their feet.
“This competition to me is kind of like, I think I’ve clung to it more than just as a competition, my way to get away from this real life horror and to delve into not only my career but some fake horror for a little bit… it’s easier to portray horror when you’ve lived through real horror,” said Barnes
As a big fan of Michael Myers and the “Halloween” franchise, most of the photos Barnes and his photographer partner, Tyler Terry, have submitted for the contest are shots of Barnes dressed as Michael Myers. He even made it a family event with his youngest daughter by including her in some of the photos as a seemingly innocent child who is secretly controlling her father, Barnes dressed as Michael Myers, to do her evil bidding.
Barnes is currently in fourth place in his group for the quarter-finals. To move on to the semi-finals round, Barnes needs to move up to first place and remain there until voting ends on Thursday, Oct. 27. The Face of Horror competition is a voting competition and voters are allowed one free vote a day. To see Barnes’ work and vote for him for the next Face of Horror, visit his page at https://faceofhorror.org/2022/nathan-barnes.
