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Ever watch a movie or TV show and wonder: Who was the genius behind that impressive makeup job? Well, it might just be your neighbor.
A West Hollywood resident has been featured on each of the last two seasons of Syfy Channel’s“Face Off,” a special effects makeup competition where models are transformed into elaborate, exotic creatures at the hand of prosthetic makeup artists.
Two of those artists, Tara Lang and Rod Maxwell, represented the Creative City in seasons two and three of the hit show, respectively, and took us inside their creative worlds. Within a matter of hours, Lang transformed our own model into a maniacal rabbit.
Each makeup artist approaches a creation differently — but for both it can often be a long, arduous process.
“I really like drawing inspiration from the person’s face,” Lang said. “I like reading scripts and bringing directors’ thoughts to life. If I can’t make my own pieces, I like combining generics to see what I can come up with.”
The most ambitious project of Maxwell’s life, and his crowning achievement, was his short film “The Wishing Well” (2005), in which he wrote, directed and played every role, creating and applying prosthetics and fat suits without any assistance.
“When I create a prosthetic makeup, I like to take time, do research, let the creative process take place,” Maxwell said. “When I created the prosthetics for ‘The Wishing Well’ it sometimes took weeks for me to design a single makeup.”
That’s what makes the Face Off experience such a challenge. Contestants are given up to three days to develop and execute a makeup based on a set of character guidelines. They build molds to create the prosthetic pieces, design the costumes and apply the makeup. Contestants are judged by a panel of experts, with the week’s weakest contestant sent packing.
Both Maxwell and Lang were eliminated in the seventh week, and then were invited back to assist the remaining contestants on the final task.
Originally, both needed convincing just to audition for the show.
“In all truth, I almost didn’t do it,” Maxwell said. “My friends kept telling me to apply, I even got a call from a friend’s little 5-year-old explaining how and why he thought I should be on the show. But the challenges and time limitations on Face Off looked insanely difficult. I didn’t think I could do it.”
A chance meeting with a friend of a friend provided the final push he needed. Maxwell submitted an audition video just before the deadline.
Lang considered applying to be a contestant on the first season but was hired to do another job at the time. She vowed to friends she would audition for the second season if she did not have anything booked.
It was a big leap for Lang, who first moved to California to study business law at Loyola Marymount University, before enrolling at Cinema Makeup School, in Hollywood.
Before her unique career took off, Lang figured she’d do beauty makeup.
“When I went to makeup school they had a special effects class and I thought I might as well give it a try,” Lang said.
Lately, she’s been doing a lot of character makeup — in short, anything that chances the appearance of an actor for the big screen, like adding a beard or altering teeth.
“The new Lincoln movie is a good example. That makeup is amazing and I’m really excited to see it,” she said.
Maxwell, on the other hand, can trace his makeup aspirations back to an early age.
“My very first makeup was Quasimodo that I made from Dick Smith’s monster makeup kit in 5th grade. The kit came with little plastic molds that you could pour melted gelatin into, cool, powder, and apply to your face,” he said. “Although monster makeups were fun, it was really disguise makeups that drew me into the world of special effects makeup.”
“The List of Adrian Messenger” and the “Mission Impossible” television series were early inspirations.
As for their own favorite designs? It’s like asking a parent to name a favorite child. Enough prodding got them to fess up.
For Lang, it was one of her Face Off creations.
“One of my favorite makeups I’ve ever done would have to be the scarecrow,” she said.
“I’d have to say my film ‘The Wishing Well,’ Maxwell said. “It has a little bit of everything I’ve loved working on over the years including prosthetic makeup, visual effects, acting, writing, directing, photography and video game production.”
Both of the makeup artists say appearing on Face Off has opened career doors. Lang has worked on some feature films since competing, and on another Syfy series called “Hot Set.”
“I’ve been fortunate to have a bunch of opportunities come my way thanks to the show,” Maxwell said. “One of the most rewarding so far has been my participation in (the) truth’s tobacco awareness campaign.”
Both agree Face Off was among the best experiences of their lives.
For Lang, it’s given her a new confidence.
“I’d like a nomination of some kind,” she admitted. “It doesn’t have to be an Academy Award, but some kind of makeup award would be the goal.”
