Episode Transcript
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Elena Bondwell (00:00):
You know those
jaw-dropping moments in movies,
like in Mission Impossible,where an actor just rips off a
face and becomes someone elseentirely?
How did they do that?
It looks so real.
It moves like real skin.
It's not just makeup, right?
It's something else.
Today, we're really going todive deep into that world of
hyper-realistic silicone masksin a film.
Lucas Adheron (00:18):
Yeah, it's
fascinating stuff because what
you're seeing is this amazingblend of pure artistry, but also
some really advanced materialscience and cutting-edge tech
working together.
We'll break down how they gofrom just an idea, maybe a
drawing, to this living,breathing character you see on
screen.
And why silicone?
Why, that's because theabsolute king for this kind of
cinematic magic.
Elena Bondwell (00:40):
Okay, so we're
going to get into how these
second skins are actually made,why they're just so much better
than the older ways of doingthings.
And maybe bust a few Hollywoodmyths, too, about how fast these
things can supposedly bewhipped up.
You're really going to get aninside look at the craft behind
the illusion.
Thinking back, filmmakers musthave struggled for ages trying
(01:01):
to make disguises lookconvincing.
Those early special effects, Imean, they were groundbreaking
for their time, but often lookeda bit, well, clunky, didn't
Lucas Adheron (01:09):
they?
Oh, absolutely.
It was a huge challenge.
Historically, you know, effectsartists would spend hours,
literally hours, building uplayers directly on the actor's
face.
They'd use things like spiritgum that's a kind of sticky glue
cotton, sometimes collodion,which shrinks the skin, and it
all had to be reapplied everysingle
Elena Bondwell (01:26):
day.
Wow.
Lucas Adheron (01:27):
Yeah.
Think about Jack Pierce'sFrankenstein makeup.
Iconic, right?
But that took something likethree hours to put on and maybe
one or two hours just to takeoff.
So moving towards pre-makingpieces, these prosthetics you
could apply more quickly, thatwas a massive leap forward.
Huge improvement in consistencyand just saving time on set.
Elena Bondwell (01:45):
That sounds like
a world of difference.
Really makes you appreciatewhat they can do now.
And that huge leap forward...
It really comes down to onematerial, doesn't it?
Lucas Adheron (01:55):
It really does.
Silicone.
Yeah.
It completely changed the game.
It's basically the peak, thezenith of altering identity on
screen right now.
Its properties are justunmatched.
Elena Bondwell (02:06):
Like what
specifically?
What makes it so good?
Lucas Adheron (02:08):
Okay.
Well, first off, durability.
These things last.
Unlike foam latex, which couldstart breaking down, rotting
even in just a few months,silicone masks can survive for
decades.
That means they can be reused,which is obviously great for
film budgets.
Elena Bondwell (02:21):
Makes sense.
Lucas Adheron (02:22):
Then there's the
real Silicone is incredibly soft
but also strong and reallystretchy.
It behaves a lot like humanskin.
Sometimes can stretch waybeyond their original size and
snap right back without losingshape.
That lets the mask move reallynaturally with the actor's own
expressions.
And it has this kind oftranslucency.
That's super important forgetting that lifelike skin
(02:44):
texture.
Elena Bondwell (02:45):
So it's not just
looking real, it's moving real.
That's the key.
Lucas Adheron (02:48):
Exactly.
And safety is huge, too.
The kinds of silicones theyuse, these platinum cure types,
are certified skin safe.
Actors can wear them for hours,for long shoots, without
issues.
Comfort is vital.
Plus, they're generally easierto work with on set, usually a
simple one-to-one mix, cures atroom temperature, no need for
special ovens like the old foamlatex days.
(03:09):
So once the mask itself ismade, applying it can be super
quick, transforming the actor inseconds sometimes, saves a ton
of production time.
Elena Bondwell (03:16):
OK, that ease of
use makes a big difference on a
busy film set, I bet.
But you mentioned texture andmovement.
How do they get it to not justlook but feel like real skin,
avoid that rubbery look?
Lucas Adheron (03:28):
Ah, yeah, that's
where these special additives
come in.
They're often called deadenersor plasticizers.
What they do is reduce thatsort of typical snapback or
synthetic feel you get withstandard cured silicone.
They make it behave more likeactual human tissue muscle, fat,
skin.
It gives it that subtle give,that little bit of bounce.
It's aiming for a trulybiomimetic result, mimicking
life.
That's crucial for selling theillusion up close.
Elena Bondwell (03:49):
Biomimetic.
Okay, so silicone's the starmaterial.
But turning that raw siliconeinto one of these incredible
masks...
That sounds like where the realmagic, the artistry and the
science collide.
Walk us through it.
How does it actually happen?
It's
Lucas Adheron (04:05):
definitely a
detailed process, a real mix of
skills.
It all kicks off withconceptualization and design.
It starts as an idea, maybesketches, photos.
Artists create detailed conceptart, like a blueprint.
They're thinking not just doesit look cool, but also how will
this function?
How will it move on the actor?
Then that vision gets sculpted.
Elena Bondwell (04:24):
Okay, so you
have the design.
Then
Lucas Adheron (04:26):
what?
Then comes life casting.
This is critical.
You need a perfect 3D copy ofthe actor's face or whatever
body part the prosthetic is for.
So you make a negative molddirectly on the actor.
They might use alginate, that'sa fast-setting goo, captures
amazing detail, but usually justfor one use.
Elena Bondwell (04:40):
Like at the
dentist?
Lucas Adheron (04:41):
Kind of like
that, yeah.
Or skin-safe silicone for areusable mold.
From that negative mold, theycreate a positive cast, a solid
replica, often in plaster orresin.
That positive cast is thefoundation, the base you sculpt
onto.
Elena Bondwell (04:54):
Got it.
So it has to fit the actorperfectly underneath.
Precision seems key.
Lucas Adheron (04:58):
Absolutely
essential.
Next is sculpting theprosthetic.
Using special oil or wax-basedclays, things like Chavant or
Monster clay, the artist sculptsthe new features directly onto
that positive life cast.
These clays hold detail reallywell.
And here's a technical point.
The clay has to be sulfur-free.
Elena Bondwell (05:15):
Why sulfur-free?
Lucas Adheron (05:17):
Because sulfur
messes with the curing of the
platinum cure silicone.
It inhibits it, stops itsetting properly.
You end up with a sticky,gooey, useless mess.
Anyway, the artist sculptseverything, pores, wrinkles,
scars, all the tinyimperfections using specialized
tools.
But maybe the most crucialartistic part here is creating
incredibly thin edges on thesculpture, what they call
(05:38):
feathered edges.
Elena Bondwell (05:39):
Feathered edges.
Lucas Adheron (05:40):
Yeah.
So the final silicone piecewill blend seamlessly onto the
actor's real skin.
No visible line.
Makes it look like it's partthem, not just sitting on top.
Elena Bondwell (05:48):
Ah, clever.
Okay, sculpture's done.
Then you need to make a mold ofthe sculpture.
Lucas Adheron (05:52):
Exactly.
Mold-making time.
And this isn't just a simpleone-piece mold.
For these masks, you need amulti-part mold.
You need an outer mold cavity,the negative shape, and an inner
one, the positive core, oftenusing the actor's life cast as
part of it.
This defines the mask'sthickness.
These molds need to be tough,usually made from epoxy or
fiberglass because they'll beused multiple times.
(06:14):
The building keys, littlebumps, and indents so the pieces
line up perfectly every singletime.
Elena Bondwell (06:19):
Wow, sounds like
engineering as much as art.
And then you finally pour thesilicone.
Lucas Adheron (06:23):
Pretty much.
Casting the silicone mask.
The liquid silicone resin ismixed very precisely often.
That simple one-to-one ratio byweight.
They'll usually vacuum degasit, first put it in a chamber to
pull out all the tiny airbubbles.
You want a perfectly smooth,bubble-free cast.
Then it's carefully poured orsometimes injected into the
closed mold.
And like we said, one big plusis it cures at room temperature.
(06:45):
No ovens.
This is Also, when they mix inpigments for the base skin tone,
maybe thixotropes.
Elena Bondwell (06:50):
Thixotropes.
What are they?
Lucas Adheron (06:51):
They're additives
that make the silicone thicker,
more like a paste.
Useful if you need to brush itonto vertical surfaces in the
mold, for instance.
Elena Bondwell (06:59):
Yeah.
Lucas Adheron (06:59):
And of course,
those deadeners we talked about
to get that realistic tissuefeel.
Elena Bondwell (07:02):
Right.
Okay.
So it cures.
You have the basic mask shape.
What's left?
The finishing touches.
Lucas Adheron (07:07):
Exactly.
Finishing and application.
First, carefully getting it outof the mold, demolding using
release agents so nothing tears.
Then, blending the seams.
If there are any visible edgeswhere the mask meets the actor's
skin, they use a specialsilicone bondo, or adhesive,
often thinned with alcohol, tofeather it out perfectly, make
(07:28):
it invisible.
After that comes the painting.
This is super detailed work.
Using special silicone-basedpaints, they build up thin,
translucent layers of color tomimic veins, freckles, modeling,
sun damage, all the subtletiesof real skin.
Airbrushing, hand painting,sponging, various techniques.
Elena Bondwell (07:44):
So it's layers
upon layers.
Lucas Adheron (07:46):
Layers upon
layers.
and for the ultimate realism,hair punching.
meticulously insertingindividual hairs, eyebrows,
eyelashes, stubble, hairline oneby one into the silicone.
Sometimes they'll addprosthetic teeth or special
contact lenses too.
That's when you really see thecharacter come alive.
It's kind of the Dr.
Frankenstein moment, you know.
Elena Bondwell (08:05):
That whole
process is just incredible.
So meticulous.
Which brings us back to MissionImpossible.
Ethan Hunt pulls off that mask,instant transformation.
It's iconic.
But how much of that specificmovie magic is, well, magic?
Lucas Adheron (08:19):
Yeah, it's a
great question because because
it's so memorable.
Look, those mask maker machinesin the films.
Right.
The ones that seem to 3D printa perfect flexible mask from a
scan in minutes.
That's mostly a storytellingdevice.
Elena Bondwell (08:30):
Mostly fictional
then.
Lucas Adheron (08:31):
Pretty much.
It's a fantastic visualshorthand for the plot rapid
disguise high stakes.
But in reality.
Elena Bondwell (08:37):
You can't just
3D print a flexible wearable
silicone mask like that.
Lucas Adheron (08:41):
Not yet.
No.
You can absolutely 3D scan aface and you can 3D print a
rigid copy which is useful formaking molds or prototypes.
but printing a finished,flexible, hyper-realistic
silicone mask that you can justpull on.
The materials and tech aren'tthere yet for that kind of
instant result.
It'll likely be too fragile orlack the necessary properties.
Elena Bondwell (09:02):
Okay, so the
instant printing is out.
Lucas Adheron (09:04):
Yeah.
Elena Bondwell (09:04):
But the movies
do seem to reflect some real
tech, right?
With the scanning.
Lucas Adheron (09:08):
Oh, definitely.
3D scanning and digitalsculpting are heavily used now
in the design and prototypingstages.
It helps refine the look, planthe mold, streamline things
before you get to the physicalsculpting and casting.
Yeah.
So they're tapping into realadvancements, even if the final
mask creation is still veryhands-on.
Elena Bondwell (09:25):
Right.
So if they're not printing theminstantly, how do they film
those classic mask rip-offscenes?
They look so seamless.
Lucas Adheron (09:31):
That's usually a
clever combination of practical
effects stuff done live on Ah,okay.
Elena Bondwell (10:00):
So editing and
digital tricks play a big role.
Lucas Adheron (10:03):
A huge role,
especially now.
Modern VFX tools likerotoscoping that's digitally
tracing around objects frame byframe and mesh warping, which
lets you distort the imagesmoothly, make those transitions
incredibly convincing.
But filmmakers often still tryto capture as much as possible
practically on camera.
It tends to feel more grounded,more visceral when you have
(10:23):
real elements interacting.
Elena Bondwell (10:24):
And beyond all
the tech, there's the actor's
performance, too.
It's not just wearing a mask,is it?
They have to act through it andsometimes act like someone else
wearing it.
Lucas Adheron (10:32):
You've hit on a
really key point.
It's a layered performance.
An actor wearing a mask whoimpersonates someone else has to
nail the voice, the walk, thetiny mannerisms of the person
they're impersonating.
And the mask has to allow forthat.
It needs to be incrediblyflexible, transmitting the
actor's own subtle facialexpressions underneath so the
performance reads clearly.
(10:52):
Think about Vanessa Kirby inthe latest mission, Impossible,
playing Grace, who'simpersonating the White Widow.
The mask has to be good enoughand flexible enough to let her
performance of Grace acting asWidow come through.
It's demanding.
Elena Bondwell (11:06):
Wow.
Yeah, that adds a whole otherlevel of complexity.
Now, throughout this, we'veheard the name Zermack pop up
regarding materials.
What's their specific role inenabling all this movie magic?
Lucas Adheron (11:17):
Zermack is a
really significant player.
They're a major globalmanufacturer of the kinds of
high quality silicones and alsoalginates that are basically
foundational materials forspecial effects artists.
They've been doing it for over40 years.
supplying materials that meetthese really tough industry
standards.
Elena Bondwell (11:33):
So what kind of
products are we talking about?
Lucas Adheron (11:35):
Well, primarily
they're platinum cure silicones.
These are the RTB2 types, roomtemperature vulcanizing.
Things like their ZA SFX line.
They're known for being easy touse, often that 1.1 mix ratio.
Very ductile, meaning theystretch incredibly well without
tearing, like over 700%elongation for some
Elena Bondwell (11:54):
of them.
700%, wow.
Lucas Adheron (11:56):
Yeah, really
flexible.
Plus, they're skin safe,dimensionally stable, so They
don't shrink much, and they workwell with pigments for
coloring.
They also offer specializedversions like thick sertopic
silicones, those paste-like oneswe mentioned, good for brushing
on.
And they provide all theaccessories artists need,
thickeners, retarders to slowcure time, concentrated color
pigments, silicone oils,everything to fine-tune the
(12:18):
material.
Elena Bondwell (12:19):
And the
alginates do, for the first
step.
Lucas Adheron (12:21):
Right, for that
initial life casting.
They make high-grade alginates,derived from natural stuff like
seaweed, that captureincredibly fine detail for that
first mold taken directly fromthe actor.
Different types for faster orslower setting times, depending
on the need.
Elena Bondwell (12:34):
It really shows
how crucial the right materials
are.
Innovation in chemistry andmaterial science directly feeds
into what artists can achieve onscreen.
It's truly incredible.
So next time you're watching amovie and see one of those
seamless transformations, you'llknow what went into it.
It's not just movie magic.
It's this amazing, painstakingfusion of art, advanced science,
(12:57):
and really clever engineering.
Lucas Adheron (12:59):
Absolutely.
It's that interplay.
The science enabling the art,the art pushing the science, and
the technology bring it alltogether that allows filmmakers
to keep pushing the boundariesof illusion and tell stories in
new ways by, quite literally,changing faces.
Elena Bondwell (13:13):
It really does
make you wonder, though, as this
tech keeps getting better, howclose will we get to those
instant mask machines fromsci-fi?
Maybe not tomorrow, buteventually.
And what kind of stories openup when changing identity
becomes even more seamless,maybe even invisible?
Something to think about.
Well, that's all for this deepdive.
We hope you enjoyed unmaskingsome of the secrets behind
Hollywood's most convincingillusions.
(13:34):
Until next time, keepexploring.