Plausibility of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

[darthgordon]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

If you have an actor with a similar face, small appliances can work to make them look more like the actor. As for a full mask... I don't think this will work. There are over 50 muscles in the human face... you can see them move everytime your face moves. Many of them are very tiny and a prosthetic won't move with them (although silicone will move much better than latex). So you end up with someone that looks more like a wax figure. Of course, characters like Freddy and Palpatine work great because those actors were covered in make-up and appliances to start.

 

[Harmonic_Distortion]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

I think a Fettster quality Reeve mask would freak people out at DragonCon...especially with the rest of the Superman costume.

 

[CB2001]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

Of course, characters like Freddy and Palpatine work great because those actors were covered in make-up and appliances to start.

Actually, the fan film I was the still photographer on, the actor playing Freddy had a mask that was made from a special effects artist who used an actual lifecast of Robert Englund.

I know of another fan film I know about called The Calm that was a crossover between The Terminator and Predator. Though the Predator costume is pretty awesome, for the Terminator, they had mask of Arnold (though, it looks more like a caricature). Though they don't have the film up on YouTube anymore, the making of (which features the mask) is still up: YouTube - The Calm Gag Reel

But the problem with the idea of celebrity prosthetics and mask is this: licensing. They'd have to get permission from the celebrity for it to sell them commercially. If they did, then a lot more fan films could utilize the likeness. But the thing is performance. Bruce Campbell didn't need just makeup to play Elvis in Bubba-Ho-Tep, he had to get the mannerisms down too. The same is true of actors in fan films. You can have anyone in a mask and makeup to look like an actor from a film or TV show. But unless they can perform the role well, then it's pointless. And if the actor/actress looks a bit close to the original actor without makeup is also helpful to them.

 

[Cannon]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

Also make-up can be exceptionally powerful. Check out how this girl transforms herself into an Angelina Jolie lookalike. YouTube - Me as Angelina Jolie !!!A Make-up Transformation !!!!!

Of course, it's a similar situation as prosthetics in needing someone with a similar face shape/features to begin with - this transformation wouldn't have worked if she didn't lips that were a similar size to Angelina's.

 

[the_batdemon]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

Of course, it's a similar situation as prosthetics in needing someone with a similar face shape/features to begin with - this transformation wouldn't have worked if she didn't lips that were a similar size to Angelina's.

Agreed. Looking at her other videos, the most convincing are the ones she shares similar facial features with, like Kardashian. She is good at disguising her features. Reminds me of the girl that transformed into Jared Leto by using make-up.

 

[Deathstalker II]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

It can be done. I did a set of eight prosthetics to turn myself into Army of Darkness era Bruce Campbell for a nerd-con one year, and I turned my brother into Kurt Cobain (complete with shotgun hole - haaa) one Halloween.

 

[apolifka]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

Keep in mind that cultrally we look at people's faces all day whenever we interact with others. In most settings it is expected to maintain eye contact during conversation. Because of this humans have an acute sensitivity to the proportions of facial features, so even if the appliance is very well done it may not be enough to convince viewers.

 

[CAndrewNelson]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

It can be done. I did a set of eight prosthetics to turn myself into Army of Darkness era Bruce Campbell for a nerd-con one year, and I turned my brother into Kurt Cobain (complete with shotgun hole - haaa) one Halloween.

When I was in college studying drama I took a great stage make-up course. Our final exam was to bring in a photo of an actor from a movie and do an exact likeness on ourselves. We were a gung-ho group that always gave 110% so we didn't stop at the make-up. We raided he school's costume department and made ourselves into the characters from head to toe. The end result was impressive. Everyone earned an A for the test. We had people made up as Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein, Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest, Robert Deniro in Raging Bull, Liza Minnelli in Caberat, and others. The trick was (as already mentioned in this thread) to select an actor who you already resembled.

I was the one exception. I choose Groucho Marx from A Night At The Opera who I look nothing like. Look at my avatar, subtract the beard and mustache, and you'll get an idea what I looked like back then. I look nohing like Groucho, plus I'm 6'5". But I pulled it off by using a prostheic nose, cutting my hair & curling it a bit, spraying my hair black, painting on the trademark mustache & eyebrows, adding some glasses, and finding a suit just like Groucho's. The key to it all was getting a suit that was too big for me which made me look smaller. And Groucho always wore baggy suits.

I do agree though, starting with an actor who already looks the par is best.

 

[CB2001]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

When I was in college studying drama I took a great stage make-up course. Our final exam was to bring in a photo of an actor from a movie and do an exact likeness on ourselves. We were a gung-ho group that always gave 110% so we didn't stop at the make-up. We raided he school's costume department and made ourselves into the characters from head to toe. The end result was impressive. Everyone earned an A for the test. We had people made up as Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein, Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest, Robert Deniro in Raging Bull, Liza Minnelli in Caberat, and others. The trick was (as already mentioned in this thread) to select an actor who you already resembled.

I was the one exception. I choose Groucho Marx from A Night At The Opera who I look nothing like. Look at my avatar, subtract the beard and mustache, and you'll get an idea what I looked like back then. I look nohing like Groucho, plus I'm 6'5". But I pulled it off by using a prostheic nose, cutting my hair & curling it a bit, spraying my hair black, painting on the trademark mustache & eyebrows, adding some glasses, and finding a suit just like Groucho's. The key to it all was getting a suit that was too big for me which made me look smaller. And Groucho always wore baggy suits.

I do agree though, starting with an actor who already looks the par is best.

I know exactly how you mean. For our makeup class, we had to do a "period piece" makeup, so I made myself up in the style of Charlie Chaplin, though I don't look anything like him (as you can see in picture one). Honestly, I think I pulled off a better Curly (as I found out when someone put a bald cap on me, as seen in the second picture) than I could a Charlie Chaplin.

 

[Shiney]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

I've heard that one of the most important distances for likeness is the eye, mouth ratios

 

[CAndrewNelson]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

I know exactly how you mean. For our makeup class, we had to do a "period piece" makeup, so I made myself up in the style of Charlie Chaplin, though I don't look anything like him (as you can see in picture one). Honestly, I think I pulled off a better Curly (as I found out when someone put a bald cap on me, as seen in the second picture) than I could a Charlie Chaplin.

You have a rounder face than Chaplin did, but you know what? The essense of Chaplin is in that make-up job, enough so that I thought "Chaplin" even before I read that it was suppose to be him. The Curly Howard make-up definitely works well.

 

[BornKilr]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

They just did an episode of Mythbusters tonight regarding this. They had Jamie and Adam wear silicone masks of each other to see if they could fool people, To a certain degree, it worked. Check it out when it reruns.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

I gotta catch that MB episode. I'd love a good Christopher Walken mask. This is a topic I have shared interest in for a LONG time.

 

[nightowl12020]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

An interesting idea. Ii have often seen lifecasts of famous figures and actors on e-bay, where else of course. It could be a starting point if they have who you're looking for. They're not cheap but not overly expensive, although some are 3/4 size copies and some are full sized, so you have to make sure you read the text.

 

[MaulWalker]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

I would think that a great deal will depend on the underlying bone structure. When doctors perform face transplants, the patient ends up looking more like their old selves, rather than the donor.

 

[Lutso]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

I'm really impressed with the amount of resources that have been presented in this thread.

The general consensus seems to be that it could work within a reasonable range.

I'm really excited to try this. Here's hoping the film I originally posted about will end up getting made, so that we can put this to the test.

Keep the posts coming, there is some awesome discussion here...

 

[Dave Ward]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

The MB episode was great. Folks couldn't tell them apart from a distance. Now, with a film, you're also talking about a very controlled set of circumstances. Imagine a Star Wars fan film, and at one moment, you have a ROTJ robed Luke in the background, it's gonna look like him. Could you have him conduct a long scene in full desert daylight and get away with it in close up? Probably not.

 

[Hermes]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

If we are speaking of the guys in the Classic Trilogy, I have acquired the busts and the rights to cast them that previously belonged to the original sculptor, JRX, who retired from the Star Wars business some time ago, due to some issues that are not to be discussed.

The busts I acquired are - Luke, as he was in A New Hope, Han Solo, Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Emperor Palpatine´s.

The pictures are these -

The reason I hadn´t disclosed that deal before is that I hadn´t paid it in full yet, which came to be some time ago, now I am free to discuss it. The first one I made a mold is Han´s, so if anyone wishes to acquire it, I could make an interest run on the Junkyard to check out whether it´s viable to do that

And now, I post this is because this seems relevant to the topic, and to tell you the truth, I have considered making Palpatine into an appliance, myself, I just have to research the best way to make this appliance, material-wise, and the way to cast this bust, material-wise as well.

I am willing to get some help, if anyone wishes to talk about that part too.

 

[Cirian]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

The Palpatine mask seems to be the one to go with, when trying to make it into something wearable. But I still think the idea of this tread is interesting, it would be cool to see Luke in a fanfilm or something like that. I personally have thought about this a few times and of the possibility of someone pulling this off. It's a fun and interesting topic, and hoping more people would check out the possibility of doing it successfully.

Cirian

 

[mccordia]

Re: Plausability of "Celebrity" prosthetics and masks

Though a bit oversized, a good/great sculpted mask can for sure be uncanny in resembling the actual actor..

Charlie Sheen "Winner" Silicone Mask - YouTube