Sliders (1995)

Sliders was fairly sparse on episodes needing elaborate special makeup effects, with each episode that did having no makeup effects credits. The episode 'Invasion' is such an example, though being filmed in Vancouver already narrows down the list of suspects!

I suspect the Kromagg makeups in the episode were the work of Toby Lindala, who was based primarily in Vancouver as he worked on The X-Files. In fact, several X-Files Grey masks are actually seen in a display case in one scene of 'Invasion'!

Between the reused X-Files masks and the similarity the Kromagg makeups have to Lindala's alien makeups for The Outer Limits episode 'The Grell', I'm certain that Lindala (or at least a member of his studio) must have worked on this episode.

Location filming for Sliders moved to Los Angeles after the second season completed, which resulted in a variety of makeup effects artists working on assorted episodes. Todd Masters supplied some makeups and puppets for a couple of episodes, such as the slug puppet in 'The Breeder'.

However, certain episodes also required more advanced prosthetic makeups; according to Stephanie Fowler, who was the makeup department head, it was Michael Westmore and Ed

French - who were both providing the makeup effects for Star Trek: The Next Generation and its sequel series - who contributed these makeups.

Fowler specified that Westmore made the pieces but didn't work on-set, with Ed French applying it on-set. In an email to me, French recalled that he had worked on the episode 'State of the ART' (starring Robert Englund of Nightmare on Elm Street fame), supplying assorted light-up prosthetic pieces (the same sort put on Brent Spiner as Data on Next Generation?)

The vampire-like makeups in 'The Last of Eden' must have been Westmore and French's work; sadly I haven't been able to find any behind the scenes photos of these makeups. The makeup design was applied on several performers in the episode.

A lion-like facial appliance was made for Deron McBee as the lion mutant Ceres in 'This Slide of Paradise', and again I wish there was more behind the scenes photos of this makeup!

The last two seasons had their special makeup effects supervised by Bernd J. Rantscheff, his team including Thomas Surprenant and James Rohland. Rantscheff's team redesigned the Kromaggs to be more human-like, now with heavy brows, noses and bald heads.

(I also would like to thank Thomas Surprenant for kindly sending me the behind the scenes photos he took during his time on the series!)

Rantscheff's team also realized the cyborg Eddies in the episode 'California Reich', with a silvery facial prosthetic obscuring the performer's mouth, as well as a half-face makeup applied to Carol Huston as an incomplete Eddie.

Game of Werewolves (2011)

The special makeup effects for Game of Werewolves (originally titled Lobos de Arga in its native Spain, and retitled Attack of the Werewolves in the UK) were made by Dharma Estudio, with heavy involvement from Arturo Balseiro. Balseiro had previously worked on 2010's The Wolfman which could have influenced the 'wolfman' style designs. Several furred bodysuits facial prosthetics fabricated for the film's many werewolves.

Howl (2015)

Originally, Paul Hyett was enlisted to realize the special makeup effects for Howl, having previously designed the special makeup for Neil Marshall's The Descent. Initially, Jon Wright was slated to direct, but when Wright left the project, Howl's producers watched Hyett's The Seasoning House and decided he would be a good fit for the project.

Hyett's first move as director was changing the werewolf designs. Hyett stated in an interview for Clout Communications, 'I changed the creature straight away, Jon wanted more rat-like feral skinny creatures, I’d always wanted to do big, muscly, massive, fuck-ugly werewolves.'

In another interview with Film4 FrightFest, Hyett stated, 'I didn't want big furry, snout ones (...) I thought, feral people that have been bitten by something and start to evolve and mutate over the years. I didn't want to go through the silver bullet, howling at the moon, full moon transformation (...) Once they're bitten, they start to transform, and they never go back'.

Howl's makeup effects were handled by Kristyan Mallett's KM Effects Ltd. Satinder Chumber was credited for key prosthetics, with Mike Burne, Steve Byrne and Rachel Coenan on makeup. Francesco Fabiani, Andy Hunt and Cesar Alonso were credited as sculptors.

The early stages of Ed Speelers' transformation were realized as prosthetic appliances placed on his face and chest; these photos are from the Facebook page of Rachel Coenen

The werewolves were realized sculpted prosthetic suits and facial appliances, with CGI added in post-production. As Hyett stated in Starburst Magazine, 'A lot of people are saying, ‘look Paul has gone old school with these practical effects’ but they’re kind of not. The actors did have prosthetic creature suits but they have lots of 3D elements.

What I did was take everything I knew from those two disciplines. You never want to do a fully CGI creature as it never looks as good so I felt lets have the suit, but I couldn’t have had the triple jointed legs without the visual effects. It’s the same with the opening of the jaw. Anything I couldn’t do with prosthetic I then employed CG.'

Sculpts of Ed Speelers' werewolf chest appliance 

 

A set of four werewolf suits were created; three female werewolf suits named 'Blonde' 'Bald' and 'Hunchback', and a larger male werewolf suit named 'Scar. Francesco Fabiani handled sculpting duties for the 'Bald' and 'Hunchback' werewolf.

The body sculpt for the Bald and Hunchback werewolf suits 

 

Sculpts of the Bald werewolf face appliance 

 

Sculpts of the Hunchback werewolf face appliance 

 

Sculpts of the hand and breast appliances 

 

According to Fabiani in direct messages, one sculpt was used for the bodies of the Bald and Hunchback werewolf suits, each being slightly modified to not be identical, with different hair completing the looks.

The 'Blond' werewolf meanwhile was sculpted primarily by Andy Hunt, and was designed with a leaner, more muscular frame.

Sculpts of the Blond werewolf's suit and face appliance 

 

Francesco Fabiani meanwhile handled sculpting for the 'Scar' werewolf suit; unlike the three female werewolf suits, the Scar suit had its face mostly overlaid with CGI, though a practical head was sculpted regardless.

Unfortunately, Fabiani says he doesn't have images of the head sculpt or mask, which is a crying shame. These behind the scenes images are the clearest so far, and they also show how the film's CGI feet VFX was also achieved.