SFX

Special effects makeup is often used in theatre, TV and films, allowing actors/actresses to be transformed into a variety of characters and increase the believability of the different characters. Special effects can be used to make a person look older, younger, injured, alien or abnormal. This type of makeup can be as subtle or dramatic as required.

Special effects makeup has been used around the world for centuries, developing first in ancient Egypt. Romans also used to use lead based makeup and lightened their faces with chalk. In 1914, Max Factor introduced a water based pressed powder that was often used in black and white films. This product is an important part of special effects as it was the first type of makeup to be used in early films and is still produced today. Now brands such as Kryolan, MAC, Ben Nye and Merion are known for their special effects makeup, as well as Max Factor.

Films known to have included special effects makeup include:

• Max factor created the first line of makeup to be used for cinematic makeup. He soon after also created waterproof makeup for the film ‘Mare Nostrum’.
• Phantom of the opera and the Hunchback of Notre Dame – created by Lon Chaney in the 1920’s who is considered to be the father of horror makeup. He used products such as fish skin and wigs.
• 1931 – ‘Frankenstein’ – use of collodion-soaked cheesecloths and greasepaint by artist Jack Pierce. Jack also designed the looks of other characters in films such as ‘The Mummy’ and ‘Wolfman’. 
• 1939 – ‘Wizard of Oz’ was the first film to use prosthetics. 
• 1959 – The first airbrush makeup was used on actors in the film ‘Ben Hur’ using an airbrush mechanism, often of the body. 
• 1966 – The film ‘Star Trek’ was known to have fantasy special effects makeup including creatures such as aliens. 
• 1973 – ‘The exorcist’ by artist Dick Smith. 
• In the 2000’s, CGI (computer generated images) was introduced to assist with special effects makeup, in particular fantasy/sci-fi characters. This technology was used in the film ‘Avatar’. The actors had makers applied for the computer to generate their appearance. Digital technology was also used in the film ‘Forest Gump’.
• 2009 – ‘American Werewolf in London’ by artist Rick Baker.
• 2012 – ‘Face off’

The first special effects makeup artist was Jack Pierce who created a vampire look made famous by the actor ‘Bela Lugosi’. He used products such as latex and rubber. George Westmore was also another artist who invented techniques currently being used today, including the invention of false lashes.

Example of SFX makeup

Tutorials, M. (no date) Special FX makeup. Available at:
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/267682771579317006/ (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

Frankenstein (1931):

‘Frankenstein is a 1931 horror monster film directed by ‘James Whale’ and adapted from the play by ‘Peggy Webling’, which in turn is loosely based on the novel of the same name by ‘Mary Shelley’. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff and features Dwight Frye and Edward van Sloan. The Webling play was adapted by John L. Balderston and the screenplay written by Francis ‘Edward Faragoh’ and ‘Garrett Fort’ with uncredited contributions from ‘Robert Florey’ and ‘John Russell’. The make-up artist was ‘Jack Pierce’. A huge hit with audiences and critics, the film was followed by multiple sequels and became one of the most iconic horror films in movie history.’

(no date) Available at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_(1931_film (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

“Frankenstein was an amazing project to work on. We had a great opportunity to create a horde of prosthetic Demon characters, an opportunity that you do not often have in this CGI heavy environment. We also created all the Frankenstein monster prosthetics for Aaron Eckhart’s character.

In previous incarnations of the Frankenstein creature, he is always the antagonist, a monster. In this film, the creature is the protagonist, the hero even, and we wanted a design for the creature that, while consistent with him being stitched together using various body parts from different corpses, while also maintaining Aaron Eckhart’s strong aesthetics, helps allow the audience to identify with him, and accept him as the hero.

There is also a progression with his make-up. In the opening of the film he is heavily scarred and monstrous, but over the course of the next 220 years, his scarring slowly becomes less disfiguring. This is not about making the Frankenstein character look frightening and using his physical appearance to scare people and drive the story – his physical disfigurement in this story is there to identify him as the Frankenstein character – it is his branding. But the purpose of the Frankenstein creature goes deeper ‘than the face value” of the character in this retelling, it is his “humanity” that is important and the centre of the film’s journey. The film studio and production were very hands on in this development and wanted to make sure the look fitted into the aesthetic of the story they wanted to tell.

It did take a few iterations to get the Adam/Frankenstein scarring aesthetically pleasing. We did it all sculpturally on a life-cast of Aaron Eckhart. Because it was such a fine line to work out the level of scarring, we all had to see it 3-dimensionally and do several camera make-up tests at varying degrees to make sure the director and studio were happy.

For the first stage scarring, which was more intense, there were 4 major silicone appliances on the face. For the latter stage of the scarring (220 years later), all the scars were individual transfers that we patterned over his face. There were around 9 on Aaron’s face. When we had to add scars to the body it went up to about 30 transfers.

We also designed and created all of the Demon characters. The focus was to try and evolve a large variety of memorable “Demon looks” but to also make sure they felt that they were all visually balanced in concept and design.

Only a few illustrations were supplied to us by the production, so we had to develop the looks using Zbrush concept drawings and 3 dimensional sculpture maquettes. We had to develop a solid design grounding relatively quickly, so director Stuart Beattie could give us his input on what he liked. We were sculpting madly to try and get as many ideas on the table as possible. There were over 30 different designs in the end.

Our designs are trying to maintain a humanity behind all the Demons – they are not crazy illogical creations totally removed from the Human form, but the Human form guiding how far we can take the Demon aesthetic. It gives the characters a stronger presence and allows the audience to relate to them. Stuart wanted that reality in the designs. Elaborate horn designs also helped us create a sense of hierarchy within the Demon realm, with the larger horns given to Demons of more authority and rank.

The initial 3 dimensional sculpture roughs were a blessing and saved us a lot of time as the production build up was slow, as we did not have any actors to work with. Once we finally did get the actors, it was a matter of transferring the looks onto the new actor’s forms – the 3 dimensional sculpture roughs gave our team a solid direction to move from.

The prosthetics were fabricated with a combination of Foam Latex and Silicone appliances. When you start breaking down sculptures into various prosthetic pieces, your workload doubles: sculpture, mould-making and fabrication techniques become more intricate and costly – but you end up with some seamless make-up applications. Also, contact lenses and Demon teeth were designed, with some frightening looks being developed.”

Powered and Interactive, K. (2014) I, Frankenstein makeup FX by makeup effects group. Available at: https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/blog/i-frankenstein-makeup-effects-behind-the-scenes# (Accessed: 15 February 2016). (The above was written from the film’s special effects makeup team)

Frankenstein

(no date) Available at:
http://thepoppingpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/tpp-frankensteinface.jpg (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

Face Off (2012):

‘This is an American reality television game show in which a group of prosthetic makeup artists compete against each other to create prostheses such as those found in science fiction and horror films. Actress ‘McKenzie Westmore’, a member of the Westmore family of makeup artists, serves as the show's host, with judges being Academy Award-winning makeup artist ‘Ve Neill’ and television and film makeup artist ‘Glenn Hetrick’. Creature designer and director ‘Patrick Tatopoulos’ served as judge for the first two seasons, but he was replaced by creature designer and concept artist Neville Page.

Each week, the artists face a "Spotlight Challenge" that tests their artistry and techniques to create a full makeup character to match a theme over the course of 3 days. The first day allows for concept design and sculpting for five hours, a second day of 10 hours for work in finishing the moulding, and a final day of 4 hours in applying the makeup before a one hour "Last Looks" for touch ups. The judges then have the opportunity to look at the makeups from afar and up close, and decide a series of top and bottom looks for the week. One artist will be deemed the winner, sometimes receiving a special bonus prize and one artist will be eliminated from the running for the grand prize.

The Face Off winner receives US$25,000 of ‘Alcone’ makeup, US$100,000 cash prize, and the opportunity to become a guest lecturer at the "Make up for Ever Academy" in New York and Paris, and the Fiat 500.’

(no date) Available at: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_Off_(TV_series (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

Lon Chaney:

‘Lon Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930), born Leonidas Frank Chaney, was an American actor during the age of silent films. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his ground breaking artistry with makeup. Chaney is known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ (1923) and The ‘Phantom of the Opera’ (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces.’

Lon Chaney (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lon_Chaney#Career (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

Jack Pierce:

‘Jack Pierce (born Janus Piccoula; May 5, 1889 – July 19, 1968) was a Hollywood makeup artist best remembered for creating the iconic makeup worn by Boris Karloff in Universal Studios' adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1931), along with various other classic monster make-ups for Universal Studios.’

(no date) Available at:
https://vinnieh.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/miles-and-flora.jpg (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

Dick Smith:

‘Richard Emerson "Dick" Smith (June 26, 1922 – July 30, 2014) was an American special effects make-up artist (nicknamed "The Godfather of Make-Up") known for his work on such films as ‘Little Big Man’, ‘The Godfather’, ‘The Exorcist’, ‘Taxi Driver’, and ‘Scanners’. He won a 1985 Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for his work on Amadeus and received a 2012 Academy Honorary Award for his career's work.’

(no date) Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Smith_(make-up_artist (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

Rick Baker:

‘Richard Baker (born December 8, 1950) is an American special makeup effects artist known for his creature effects. Baker's first professional job was as an assistant to Dick Smith on the film The ‘Exorcist’. He received the inaugural Academy Award for best makeup and hairstyling for his work on An American Werewolf in London. He also created the "Werecat" creature Michael Jackson transforms into in the music video ‘Thriller’. Subsequently, Baker has been nominated for the best makeup and hairstyling Oscar ten more times, winning on seven occasions, both records in his field.’

(no date) Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Baker_(makeup_artist (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

George Westmore:

‘George Henry Westmore (27 June 1879 – 12 July 1931) was a hairdresser who immigrated to the United States with his family, including several relatives who became prominent in Hollywood. Specializing in wig-making and later make-up, he established the first movie make-up department in 1917. In his youth, he spent 18 months in the British Army cavalry during the Second Boer War.’

George Westmore (2016) in Wikipedia. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westmore (Accessed: 15 February 2016).

The different types of special effects makeup include:

• Stage makeup – highly pigmented makeup is often used on stage for the audience to be able to see. Pancake is mostly used to create dramatic effects and emphasise the performer’s facial features. 
• Body painting – this type of art is used to enhance features and create different illusions such as camouflage using products such as liquid latex or rubber. Designs are painted all over the body to resemble tattoos or transform actors/actresses into a specific character. 
• Fantasy – mostly seen on TV or science fiction films. Instead of using rubber, makeup and several other products are used to create more realistic appearances. This type of special effects can be focused on a specific area of the body, e.g. the eyes. 
• Prosthetic – often applied to the body. Achieved by using products such as foam, silicone, rubber, latex and gelatine that are attached to the body using adhesives to create illusions/effects. 

Special effects makeup also consists of using normal traditional makeup such as foundations, eye shadows, lipsticks, blushers, grease paints and aqua colours alongside with adhesives and fixatives which can be very heavy, greasy and irritable to the skin. (They also seem to have more colour, sweat and are often waterproof, requiring special products to remove them). Other products used to create special effects are eye enhancers such as contact lenses, false eyelashes and glasses to enhance the eye area and build character.

Special effects makeup is only complete when accompanied with enhancements such as wigs or loose hair added to the face/body to create illusions. An example of loose hair was shown in the film ‘Lord of the rings’. (Ear props with a layer of cosmetics were also used in this film). Wigs often come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes for specialised characters.