Almost Human says: (Mon Feb 17 10:55:20 2003 64.171.85.146) [Edit/Delete]

I’m here with Rob Hall, the makeup effects designer for Buffy and Angel. Anyone have any questions for him?

Question: How do you get the vamp face prosthesis to attach? I’ve seen the’Cinema secrets ’site, but it just looks like a painful old tube of mastic... Do you also use specialist contact lenses for the ’wolf eye’ effects when doing the vampires? How long does the transformation take? Do you take facial moulds for the vamp face prosthesis?

Almost Human says: (Mon Feb 17 11:11:28 2003 64.171.85.146) [Edit/Delete]

We usually use one of two medical adhesives, pros-aide or telesis. These are commonly used in the medical industry for attaching medical prosthetics.

Normally we’ll design the contact lenses ourselves in Photoshop, then Doctor Gording hand paints the lenses for our specific needs.

The transformation to vamp face takes about 1 1/2 hours. As far as designing and building them, most are generic, but "hero" characters are usually created specific.

Question: Almost Human/Rob Hall - so how do you unglue it afterwards?

Almost Human says: (Mon Feb 17 11:21:14 2003 64.171.85.146) [Edit/Delete]

Both medical adhesives break down with various solvents such as Isyopropol Myriastate or Supersolve. Both solvents are not harmful to the skin, in fact, they help to exfoliate.

Question: Almost Human - I noticed a scene, when Spike was in vampface, and when he frowned the bumpy forehead frowned too, it moved with his face underneath. That was extremely cool. It made it so much realer.

When I saw those PBP photos, I wondered why they had a doctor there looking at the monsters...

Almost Human says: (Mon Feb 17 11:26:57 2003 64.171.85.146) [Edit/Delete]

That was Dr. Gording, who has to be there to review the contact lens application to make sure that no one’s eyes hurt. That’s standard practice on the set as well.

Almost Human says: (Mon Feb 17 11:33:02 2003 64.171.85.146) [Edit/Delete]

We’re leaving Rob’s house now, so he won’t be answering any more questions (unless he gets really bored being here all alone).

And Rob says thank you for all the questions and comments. And thanks for watching the show.