The next time you watch Spider-Man 2, keep an eye out for Dr. Octopus’ mechanical tentacles.

That’s because Tim Phoenix, a 1994 Chenango Forks High School graduate, helped create the villain’s costume. The 28-year-old special-effects artist worked on designing the tentacles and the mechanics behind their movement and helped with on-screen puppeteering.

"One full-sized tentacle had 75 to 100 segments," Phoenix said. "We worked around the clock, sometimes up for days, trying to get them done for their deadlines. When you’re in, you’re in like a military mission. You can’t leave."

Creating Dr. Octopus’ costume took a little more than a year. Phoenix, who lives in Hollywood but is in Binghamton for the summer visiting family, was involved with sculpting, molding and casting silicone vertebrae for the backbone and tentacles. The design team made thousands of these pieces, and each was then sprayed with a metallic-like paint.

"Bazillions were spent on this movie," Phoenix said. "But the best part about working on that movie is that I was working with some of the most brilliant minds in the world."

The design crew had to take a head-to-toe mold of actor Alfred Molina, who plays the part of the villain. The final costume weighed between 80 and 100 pounds, and Molina would often have to wear it on the set for 10 to 13 hours, Phoenix said.

In addition to Molina’s costume, the artists had to make two more for the stand-in actor and the stunt double.

But Spider-Man 2 is just one of the many films that Phoenix has worked on.

"Every time a movie comes out, I’ll call or e-mail Tim and say, ’That movie is great,’" said Keith Rosko, a Chenango Forks High School art teacher who once taught Phoenix. "And he’ll say, ’Oh, yeah. I worked on that one.’ It’s unbelievable."

Some of Phoenix’s special effects can be seen in White Chicks, Passion of The Christ, The Cat in the Hat, Scooby Doo 2, Van Helsing, both Jeepers Creepers movies and an episode of the WB’s Charmed series.

"Every day is a step ahead," Phoenix said. "Each job will lead to bigger things."

For White Chicks, starring Shawn and Marlon Wayans, Phoenix made multiple prosthetic skins for the actors. The premise behind the story involves two black police officers going undercover as white girls.

Phoenix made a life-size silicone Jesus on a wooden cross for Passion of The Christ; he made cheek bones for some

vampire girls in Van Helsing; and he worked on the prosthetic face piece for actor Mike Myer’s face and on gloves for Thing One and Thing Two in The Cat in the Hat.

"It’s a good feeling, seeing your name in the credits," Phoenix said.

He even, by default, got a bit part in Jeepers Creepers 2. One of the actors wasn’t on the set when they planned on filming a scene in which his character, Dante, gets his head bitten off by the winged, flesh-eating Creeper while inside a school bus. So Phoenix’s body — from the neck down — can be seen in the actor’s place in the finished movie.

But bit parts aside, Phoenix has plenty of artistic work in some new movies opening soon, including M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village. "I made some bones and a red leather cloak thing," he said, adding that he doesn’t yet know how they fit into movie. "They just tell me what to make."

Rosko said that as a high school student, Phoenix was already a strong sculptor and showed great talent in illustrating and drawing.

"He was always ambitious and not one to take the easy way out," he said.

Even though Phoenix is only in Binghamton until September, he’s not taking a break from the movie business. He is currently filming an independent film with some Chenango Forks High School graduates while he’s in town — and even has built a small studio for production purposes.

The movie, which has a $20,000 budget, is called Coloring Book and is a Star Wars spoof. Phoenix plans on entering the finished product into film festivals in Hollywood.

"He is really focusing on his own independent films," Rosko said. "He is very focused and has a lot of drive."

Phoenix said he would like to be able to make his own movies, have his own studio and do his own effects someday.

"I would like to be in charge," he said.