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sirikenobi12 · 2 years

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In Defense of New SW Makeup:

(From a special FX Makeup Artist)

There has been a lot of contention going around with regards to the look of certain characters in the "Disney Canon" - it's all Lucasfilm friends, it's got the same teams George Lucas had...but that's another argument for another day.

I'm not going to harp on the fact why most of these characters can't look like their stylized animated versions because I feel that point has been made by others already, no I am going to point out why they look the way that they do and why it is actually a positive thing.

In the late 2000's (after the prequels) high definition television and film completely changed the Fx Makeup industry, facial prosthetics could not hold up under the now crisp eye of the new technology and it looked incredibly fake on screen - Silicon prosthetics were the exception of course but they were relatively new and VERY expensive and hard to use. And because they were heavier they still didn't work for big pieces like lekkus and other headpieces.

And because of this CGI became the norm for fantasy and horror characters for most (if not all) of the 2010's.

FX makeup artists truly thought their positions were obsolete in this new high-def world and that they would have to settle for B-movies for the rest of their careers.

But then Disney came along with both the MCU The Force Awakens and totally changed the game, they found a way to mix practical effects with digital and made in my opinion a beautiful blend of the two arts in a really wonderful way.

But let's dig into why everyone needs to stop dumping on and instead appreciate these makeups, first off blaming Disney for these makeup choices shows how little anyone knows about the filmmaking process. I have been on multiple film sets where I have had to explain to Directors and Producers why they can't have exactly what they want due to the physical restrictions of makeup applications. Trust me, Disney would rather the fans be happy because it means more money. These were production restrictions and needs for these makeups, not an evil corporate decision.

AHSOKA TANO:

What a GORGEOUS piece of art that is!! It looks like an extension of her head while still holding up to demanding physical stunts. If either her lekkus or montrals had been any longer they would've started bending due to their weight or you would've seen more seams on the prosthetics. They are also painted beautifully and wrinkled just right to show some age on the character.

CAD BANE:

He is TERRIFYING in all the best ways!! People complain that he's not the right color blue but did you take into account that he's standing beneath 2 bright suns in a washed out environment that would reflect off his skin?? He's also aged which most people and creatures lose pigment in their skin tones as they get older.

You probably didn't think about that, but trust me the makeup artist sure did.

GRAND INQUISITOR:

The issues that I'm seeing people have with his makeup are similar to Ahsoka's. But a huge elongated head prosthetic would limit the mobility of your actor/stunt person. I keep seeing it compared to the same species in ROTS, but again keep in mind they didn't have to do stunts, in fact they barely could move. Also, the actor chosen for the role will impact how a prosthetic sits and behaves so maybe we should appreciate a good performance over tearing down someone's hard work.

At the end of the day all of these makeups are fantastic and I'd like to acknowledge the teams of artists and performers who bring these beloved characters to life!! Thank you!

And may the Force be with you!

#star wars #sw positivity #sw positive #lets be a better fandom #fx makeup #movie makeup #the makeup looks amazing #sw makeup #ahsoka tano #cad bane #grand inquisitor

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