make notations, and then I begin breaking it down scene-by-scene and
making a list of requirements. Next, I sketch out initial ideas to show the
director and ensure we're on the same wavelength. Sometimes I'll make
what is called a mock-ette, like a clay illustration."
Bartalos then develops a cost projection to submit or "to see what is
realistic to achieve."
"Once a budget and sketches are approved, I often sculpt another
model before we begin on the full-size work. Then, we set about sculpt-
ing the life-size monsters over armatures and mechanical frameworks.
We bring the actors to the studio early on in the process to take measure-
ments and cast their face and body, and may have them return as work
progresses to ensure pieces fit correctly and work as desired."
Once the sculpture of a face is completed, it is segmented: face, cheeks,
nose, chin, and forehead are separated to make the finished prosthetics
easier to apply. "The sculpture could take up to a week or more, depend-
ing on the complexity of the design; when you segment it, you have
about another week of mold making. After the molds are finished, you
get into running the foam rubber--the foam rubber has four components
that are mixed together in a temperature controlled room and poured
into the high temperature molds. Then the molds are stuck in an oven for
three hours at like 250 degrees. When you open the mold, out come soft
spongy foam rubber pieces. These are the actual prosthetics that will
travel to the set to be applied to the actor. You run as many of these
pieces as you need for shooting days. (Pieces are used once and thrown
away at the end of the day.) If we're shooting three days, we'll run an
extra set as a safety."
Bartalos must arrive on set a couple of hours before shooting begins to
glue the foam rubber prosthetics to the actor's face. "Usually I'm there
the entire day, keeping an eye on the makeup, knowing that the wear and
tear of a day, the actor's facial movements, and heat of the lights takes a
toll on it. You keep your colors and adhesive standing by and you touch
it up, as it needs it.
"You're kind of a pep squad for the actor--this poor guy, buried in all
this rubber for the whole day--you encourage him, or maybe offer a
thumbs up/thumbs down to the different expressions he is trying.
"It is fun to see the actor bring your work to life. It's kind of the punch
line to the whole process."
At the end of the shooting day, it is no small task to remove the special
makeup effect. "A heavy prosthetic makeup can take up to 30 to 40
minutes to be removed. You go in with a skin sensitive oil that breaks
down the adhesive and you slowly work it off the face, so that after a
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