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Transcript: SFX Makeup Artist
Trading Skills: S.F.X Makeup Artist
Descriptive Transcript
[Bright music plays]
A child says, WHEE!
[Logo] “t.v.o kids original.” The animated multicoloured logo bounces onto a white background. The word "kids" has an eye in the orange letter "d" and a smile in the lime green letter "s".
[Child giggling]
[Upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Gears turn on a blueprint.
[Opening credits] T.V.O. kids presents.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah, a girl with long black hair in tight braids, is wearing a pink plaid button-down shirt. Akeylah stands beside Brody, a boy with short, curly brown hair wearing a brown long-sleeved shirt.
AKEYLAH AND BRODY: Welcome to Trading Skills!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah and Brody cross their arms and stand back to back.
AKEYLAH: The show where we take turns…
BRODY: …trying a skilled trade.
AKEYLAH: I'm Akeylah.
BRODY: I’m Brody.
AKEYLAH: A skilled trade is a job that requires a special skill.
DESCRIPTION: Videos show Akeylah and Brody trying different skilled trades. Brody examines a dog and controls an underwater remotely operated vehicle. Akeylah works in a recording studio and a salon and examines a car engine.
BRODY AND AKEYLAH: There are lots of skill trades.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah works on a car engine.
BRODY: And you might find the perfect trade for you!
AKEYLAH: Maybe there's a trade that could change your life.
BRODY: So come with us into the trades.
BRODY AND AKEYLAH: On Trading Skills!
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Wind gusting]
[Spooky music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In the Skills Space, Akeylah steps between two large, fake plants, wearing a shiny red cape with the hood over her head and carrying a basket. A doll with wings dangles from a wire beside her. Akeylah looks around the darkened space and turns to the doll.
AKEYLAH: I'm sorry to say, Pixie, but I fear we're lost in these woods, and darkness is setting in.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Akeylah.
AKEYLAH: What was that?
[Dramatic music plays]
DESCRIPTION: On the other side of the room, Brody stands in a cloud of fake smoke with large, pointy green ears and green makeup. He wears a brown button-down shirt and carries a wooden broomstick as a staff.
[Akeylah laughing]
BRODY: Ah, cut!
[Gentle, funky music plays]
BRODY: Come on, Akeylah, you're supposed to be frightened of me!
AKEYLAH: I'm so sorry, Brody, but your creature costume is more funny than frightening.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah sets her basket down on the worktable and pulls back the hood. Brody joins her.
BRODY: You're right.
DESCRIPTION: Brody shakes off his fake ears.
AKEYLAH: If only there was a tradesperson who could help make your troll look more believable.
DESCRIPTION: The pixie doll swings toward Akeylah.
PIXIE: Oh, but there is, there is!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah and Brody turn toward the pixie. Their gazes widen.
AKEYLAH: Pixie?
PIXIE: Beyond these woods, there lies your wish, a special effects makeup artist named Chris. Go to him before the sun does fade, for he will share the magic of his trade.
DESCRIPTION: In a warehouse workshop, a man with short brown hair and a neatly trimmed goatee turns away from his work on a mask and smiles. The man, S.F.X. Makeup Artist Chris Bridges, wears a light brown and blue plaid button-down shirt over a black shirt.
AKEYLAH: Brody, for the sake of our movie, go!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah takes a step back. Brody steps back into a cloud of smoke. The smoke wraps around him, and he disappears.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle, upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: At Gaslight F.X. Studios, Brody walks up to the front door.
BRODY NARRATING: I was transported to Gaslight F.X. Studios in Toronto to tap into some transformative techniques.
DESCRIPTION: In the front entrance, a wall displays posters for Haunt, Titans, and V.H.S.94. The opposite wall displays silicone masks.
BRODY: Whoa! This place is so cool.
DESCRIPTION: Chris walks up to Brody from the warehouse.
CHRIS: Brody.
BRODY: Hey, Chris!
CHRIS: How are you, man?
BRODY: Doing great. So this is where special effects makeup artists work their magic.
CHRIS: This is where the magic happens.
BRODY: What kind of things do you do here?
CHRIS: We make amazing things for the film and television industry here. Makeup effects, we make props, special creature suits and animatronics. We do it all.
DESCRIPTION: A woman applies makeup to a silicone head. Chris wiggles a giant snake tail. The head of a creature features large horns. Chris opens and closes the mouth of a skull with a remote.
BRODY: Whoa, that sounds unreal. Akeylah and I are trying to make a movie back at the Skill Space, and let's just say our special effects makeup isn't that special. Do you think you could show me a few of your tricks?
CHRIS: It'd be my treat. Let's go.
BRODY: Yeah.
DESCRIPTION: Brody follows Chris into the warehouse.
[Upbeat music]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat plays]
DESCRIPTION: In the warehouse, Chris and Brody walk past various work tables with different projects, including a full-body satyr.
BRODY: Whoa, these things are wild. How do you even come up with the ideas to make these?
CHRIS: Well, every build we do requires a conversation with the director from the project we're working on. We go through their character notes to create digital mock-ups. That way, we can see if the proportions of the actor match up with the design itself.
BRODY: Cool.
CHRIS: Yeah. Tell me about your character, Brody.
DESCRIPTION: At a desk, Chris grabs a tablet.
BRODY: Okay, so I'm supposed to be this creepy, troll-like character that lurks around in the woods.
CHRIS: Okay, tell me a little bit more. Is he dangerous? Is he goofy?
BRODY: No, no, he's more mischievous and misunderstood.
CHRIS: All right, check this out.
DESCRIPTION: Chris taps the tablet screen and shows Brody a picture of himself with pointy ears and iridescent scales around his eyes.
BRODY: Whoa, that's troll-tally awesome. Let's do it.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle, upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Chris leads Brody over to a space with a large work table with various supplies, including a large tub of petroleum jelly, moulds, and a scale. Life casts of multiple different people line a counter against the wall.
CHRIS: Welcome to the silicone zone.
BRODY: Who are your friends, Chris?
CHRIS: These are life casts of some of the actors that we've built prosthetics for. We sculpt right on the actors' life casts so the prosthetics fit perfectly.
DESCRIPTION: Chris holds up a life cast of a hand. Brody spots a pointy-eared cast on the counter.
BRODY: Oh, these ears right here look perfect for my troll fit.
CHRIS: Oh, these are great. I think we have the perfect mould for you. But first, we have to spray and encapsulate. That's a thin layer of plastic that seals the silicone and helps us blend it into the skin.
DESCRIPTION: Brody nods.
CHRIS: Let's go to the spray booth.
BRODY: Let's go!
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Elsewhere in the warehouse, Chris grabs a sprayer from a small booth.
CHRIS: All right, Brody, so the first thing we want to do, fill the gun with the encapsulate materials.
DESCRIPTION: Chris and Brody wear blue disposable gloves and respirator masks. Chris pours encapsulate, a clear liquid, into the sprayer and grabs the ear mould.
CHRIS: We're going to hold the gun about six inches away from the mould. And in back and forth motion, we're going to spray the encapsulate into the moulds.
DESCRIPTION: Chris sprays the mould. Brody sprays another ear mould, sets it down, and gives two thumbs up.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Back in the silicone zone, Chris and Brody wear black disposable gloves.
CHRIS: Okay, now that the moulds are encapsulated, we have to mix our silicone.
BRODY: All right.
CHRIS: I want you to put 29 grams of part A into this cup.
BRODY: Okay.
CHRIS: You're gonna watch the screen on the scale, and you're gonna make sure that 29 grams goes in.
DESCRIPTION: Brody slowly pours a thick, off-white liquid into a paper cup. He scrapes the gooey liquid out of its large container with a large craft stick.
CHRIS: And now we're gonna put 29 grams in part B.
BRODY: Okay.
CHRIS: Put that in this cup.
DESCRIPTION: Chris hands Brody a large container of a brown liquid. Brody scrapes the thick liquid into a paper cup on the scale.
CHRIS: We use the scale so that we can measure both components perfectly. They have to be exact for the silicone to cure. It's a chemical reaction.
DESCRIPTION: Brody mixes the two components, parts A and B, using a craft stick.
CHRIS: Now, as soon as we add both components together, the catalyzing has begun. Now that we're mixing both components of the silicone together, we're actually trapping air in the mixture. We don't want air in the mixture because we don't want air in the final piece that we're going to put on our actor, you. So we need to remove the air using a process called degassing. And here's our degassing chamber.
DESCRIPTION: Chris pulls a large pot with a pressure gauge on a clear lid onto the table
CHRIS: Now put the cup in the pot.
DESCRIPTION: Brody puts the cup of mixed silicone components in the pot.
CHRIS: Now you're going to put the lid on the pot. That seals the pot. So we create our vacuum. The vacuum is what sucks the air out, so you're gonna wanna turn on the pump here.
DESCRIPTION: Brody puts the lid on the pot and starts the pump.
[Pump humming]
BRODY: It's alive!
DESCRIPTION: Chris smiles.
CHRIS: So while the pump is working, it's expanding the air. You can see the bubbles, and then it's released, and now we have a pure batch of silicone that we can pour into the ears.
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks at the silicone mixture through the clear lid.
CHRIS: Turn off the pump.
DESCRIPTION: Brody turns off the pump.
CHRIS: Now, slide this lever.
DESCRIPTION: Chris turns a lever.
[Air hissing]
CHRIS: You can hear all the air rush back into the pot. Now you can take the lid off.
DESCRIPTION: Brody removes the lid.
CHRIS: There you go. The mixture out, and now we have to hurry and pour that into the mould before it sets.
DESCRIPTION: Brody takes the silicone mixture out of the pot. He hurries over to the ear moulds and scrapes the thick mixture into the first mould with a craft stick.
BRODY: Let's go! Let's go!
CHRIS: Scraping the silicone. Okay, so just let the silicone flow out nicely. Okay, now pour some silicone into this side.
DESCRIPTION: Brody pours silicone into the second mould.
BRODY: It's very slow.
CHRIS: Now you're going to take your ear positive, and you're going to lay it into the key.
DESCRIPTION: Brody lays the pointy ear cast, the key, onto the silicone in the second mould.
CHRIS: Like that. Now you're going to take the other side and close it over.
DESCRIPTION: Brody places the first mould over the ear cast and presses it onto the second mould.
CHRIS: Now you can see how the keys work. As you press the mould together, it perfectly fits.
BRODY: Cool.
CHRIS: Yeah.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Tile] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In a lounge, special effect items hang on walls, including ancient weapons, a moose head, and monstrous heads. Brody sits next to a coffee table facing Chris.
BRODY NARRATING: While we waited for my new ears to appear, I wanted to find out what made Chris take up makeup.
BRODY: Thanks for taking the time to sit with me.
CHRIS: Oh, you're very welcome.
DESCRIPTION: Brody shakes Chris’s hand. Chris pulls Brody’s silicone hand off.
CHRIS: Oh, my gosh!
DESCRIPTION: Brody slides his hand out of his sleeve.
[Brody chuckling]
CHRIS: Nice one.
DESCRIPTION: Chris gives Brody the silicone hand, and Brody sets it aside.
BRODY: Yeah. In all seriousness, Chris, I got to know, how did you get into being a special effects makeup artist?
CHRIS: I was about your age. I loved movies, especially monster movies. And it inspired me. I would go home and... draw and create sculptures out of clay. And I began selling my masks to my friends. I realized at an early age that maybe I could turn this into a career.
BRODY: What is it that you love about being an S.F.X. makeup artist?
CHRIS: The creativity of it all. I love being able to use my hands and create things from my imagination and others' imagination.
BRODY: You've done so many amazing projects. What's a career highlight?
CHRIS: Career highlight for me would be working on Star Trek. I love it so much. Also, I won an Emmy, which I'm so proud of.
BRODY: What would you say to a young person who is interested in being a special effects makeup artist?
CHRIS: Practice, practice, practice. If you do something long enough, you will master it.
BRODY: I'm pumped to start practicing.
DESCRIPTION: Brody grabs the silicone hand, then turns the hand to face Chris. Chris high-fives the hand.
CHRIS: Good job.
BRODY: Let's go!
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Elsewhere in the warehouse, Brody sits facing a mirror with the picture of himself with pointy ears and iridescent scales.
BRODY: So, Chris, I'm kind of confused. How are we supposed to get this, to this?
DESCRIPTION: Brody points from the picture to himself.
CHRIS: Well, there's a few ways we could do it. I can hand-paint it with makeup, or I could use a stencil and an airbrush, or we could use transfers.
BRODY: What are transfers?
CHRIS: Let me show you.
DESCRIPTION: Chris grabs a pizza box-sized box with different thin silicone prosthetics.
CHRIS: These are transfers here that we applied to the face, and they're really quick.
DESCRIPTION: Chris peels one of the prosthetic transfers off the inside of the box.
CHRIS: How do you like this scar here?
BRODY: That looks pretty cool.
CHRIS: Ok, so let's put this on you. So we have a special kind of paper that we apply onto the transfer. And we cut this out.
DESCRIPTION: Chris presses the transfer onto a small piece of paper, then cuts around it.
CHRIS: And then we simply put it on your face.
DESCRIPTION: Chris presses the transfer onto Brody’s cheek.
CHRIS: Like that. We use a little 99% alcohol.
DESCRIPTION: Chris pours alcohol onto a makeup sponge and presses the sponge onto the transfer paper on Brody’s cheek. Chris soaks the paper and then peels it off Brody’s cheek, leaving the transfer.
[Brody growling like a monster]
CHRIS: And we soak that through the special paper. It simply peels off. And then we can use our tattoos to give you the fantasy look. This is colour we've printed on paper, on a laser copier.
DESCRIPTION: Chris grabs tattoo paper with iridescent scales and cuts it in half. Chris presses the first half of the tattoo around Brody’s right eye.
CHRIS: We use a little bit of water to soak off the tattoo.
DESCRIPTION: Chris dabs the tattoo with a damp makeup sponge. He peels back the tattoo paper, leaving the tattoo on Brody’s face. Chris then cleans the edges with a cotton swab wet with alcohol.
CHRIS: And we just use a Q-tip with alcohol to clean up the edges. All right, what do you think?
DESCRIPTION: Chris steps back, and Brody looks at his reflection.
BRODY: Spot on.
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks away from the mirror.
BRODY: While Chris sticks on a few more of these transfers, why don't we peel back the layers on the history of special effects makeup?
[Ragtime music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In black and white, Akeylah stirs a mixture. She wears glasses, a lab coat and disposable gloves. In a photo of a black and white film, a vampire points to a staircase covered in cobwebs.
BRODY NARRATING: In the early 1900s, special effects makeup pioneer Jack Pierce used wax, cotton, and rubber to create terrifying transformations for movies like Frankenstein and Wolfman.
DESCRIPTION: Photos show Frankenstein’s monster and the Wolfman. In colour, Akeylah wears a suit and a bow tie in a makeup studio. She presses pieces of foam to her cheeks.
BRODY NARRATING: Advancements with foam latex prosthetics allowed for more facial expressions from the actors wearing them.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah squeezes her eyes closed. She opens them wide and raises her eyebrows. A red curtain replaces the studio behind her.
BRODY NARRATING: In 1981, the Academy Awards handed out the first-ever Oscar for Best Makeup in Film.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah accepts a silver statuette award. In a modern-day lab, Akeylah wears a grey sweater and glasses.
BRODY NARRATING: Modern tools like 3D scanners and printers help streamline designs and builds, while materials like silicone prosthetics and 3D transfers offer quicker and more comfortable applications.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah applies a transfer to the cheek of a mannequin head. In a green screen studio, bright studio lights shine.
BRODY NARRATING: Today's high-resolution cameras and screens require S.F.X. makeup applications to look seamless.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah wears a white T-shirt. She films with a camera and checks a laptop.
BRODY NARRATING: Working together with digital effects, practical jobs can be touched up and enhanced to create jaw-dropping results.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah gives a thumbs up.
[Gentle upbeat plays]
DESCRIPTION: Back in the warehouse at Gaslight F.X. Studio, Chris and Brody walk through the space. Brody adjusts a disposable glove as he follows Chris to the silicone zone. He has iridescent tattoos around both of his eyes.
BRODY: So, Chris, do you think our silicon ears have cured yet?
CHRIS: I think they're ready. Are you ready?
BRODY: I was born ready.
CHRIS: All right.
DESCRIPTION: Chris and Brody carefully pry open separate moulds with flathead screwdrivers.
CHRIS: And then they just come apart like that.
DESCRIPTION: Brody takes the ear key out of his mould.
CHRIS: Great. Just peel off the ear form.
DESCRIPTION: Chris peels the pointy silicone ear off the key in his mould and places it over Brody’s right ear. He adjusts the position of the second ear on Brody’s left ear.
CHRIS: We would just use a little makeup, a little glue on the day. What do you think?
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks at his reflection in a mirror.
BRODY: I think Akeylah's going to freak when she sees this.
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks at Chris and nods.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Dramatic music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In the Skills Space, Pixie dangles beside Akeylah. Akeylah waves, wearing the red hooded cape.
AKEYLAH: Goodbye, sweet troll. You saved my life. I'll never forget you.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah walks away, revealing Brody as a troll in his brown button-down shirt with the iridescent tattoos and pointy silicone ears. Brody nods and walks backward through a cloud of fake smoke and between curtains with a forest design.
AKEYLAH: Cut!
DESCRIPTION: Brody steps out between the curtains.
AKEYLAH: Brody, that was fantastic. Your new troll look really took our movie to the next level.
BRODY: I'll be sure to thank Chris for his special effects makeup guidance once we accept our award for best movie.
AKEYLAH: Ha, you wish.
DESCRIPTION: Brody and Akeylah face forward.
BRODY: And maybe you wish to pursue a career in special effects makeup. It's a trade that just might transform your future.
AKEYLAH: Even if this one's not for you, there are still so many other skill trades that could fit your mould and take you to the top.
AKEYLAH AND BRODY: Bye!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah looks back at Brody and gently touches one of the silicone ears.
AKEYLAH: Your ears look so real!
[Cheerful music plays]
[End credits] Hosts: Brody Agmon, Akeylah James. Tradesperson: Chris Bridges. Written and directed by Maria Bui. Produced by Francis Mitchell, Johnny Mitchell, David Mitchell. Executive Producer Thomas Kritsch. Casting director Carly Granovsky. Education consultant Sara Fewson. Produced in association with t.v.o. kids. Logo: Riverbank Pictures. Copyright 2026 Riverbank Pictures.
Descriptive Transcript
[Bright music plays]
A child says, WHEE!
[Logo] “t.v.o kids original.” The animated multicoloured logo bounces onto a white background. The word "kids" has an eye in the orange letter "d" and a smile in the lime green letter "s".
[Child giggling]
[Upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Gears turn on a blueprint.
[Opening credits] T.V.O. kids presents.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah, a girl with long black hair in tight braids, is wearing a pink plaid button-down shirt. Akeylah stands beside Brody, a boy with short, curly brown hair wearing a brown long-sleeved shirt.
AKEYLAH AND BRODY: Welcome to Trading Skills!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah and Brody cross their arms and stand back to back.
AKEYLAH: The show where we take turns…
BRODY: …trying a skilled trade.
AKEYLAH: I'm Akeylah.
BRODY: I’m Brody.
AKEYLAH: A skilled trade is a job that requires a special skill.
DESCRIPTION: Videos show Akeylah and Brody trying different skilled trades. Brody examines a dog and controls an underwater remotely operated vehicle. Akeylah works in a recording studio and a salon and examines a car engine.
BRODY AND AKEYLAH: There are lots of skill trades.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah works on a car engine.
BRODY: And you might find the perfect trade for you!
AKEYLAH: Maybe there's a trade that could change your life.
BRODY: So come with us into the trades.
BRODY AND AKEYLAH: On Trading Skills!
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Wind gusting]
[Spooky music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In the Skills Space, Akeylah steps between two large, fake plants, wearing a shiny red cape with the hood over her head and carrying a basket. A doll with wings dangles from a wire beside her. Akeylah looks around the darkened space and turns to the doll.
AKEYLAH: I'm sorry to say, Pixie, but I fear we're lost in these woods, and darkness is setting in.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Akeylah.
AKEYLAH: What was that?
[Dramatic music plays]
DESCRIPTION: On the other side of the room, Brody stands in a cloud of fake smoke with large, pointy green ears and green makeup. He wears a brown button-down shirt and carries a wooden broomstick as a staff.
[Akeylah laughing]
BRODY: Ah, cut!
[Gentle, funky music plays]
BRODY: Come on, Akeylah, you're supposed to be frightened of me!
AKEYLAH: I'm so sorry, Brody, but your creature costume is more funny than frightening.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah sets her basket down on the worktable and pulls back the hood. Brody joins her.
BRODY: You're right.
DESCRIPTION: Brody shakes off his fake ears.
AKEYLAH: If only there was a tradesperson who could help make your troll look more believable.
DESCRIPTION: The pixie doll swings toward Akeylah.
PIXIE: Oh, but there is, there is!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah and Brody turn toward the pixie. Their gazes widen.
AKEYLAH: Pixie?
PIXIE: Beyond these woods, there lies your wish, a special effects makeup artist named Chris. Go to him before the sun does fade, for he will share the magic of his trade.
DESCRIPTION: In a warehouse workshop, a man with short brown hair and a neatly trimmed goatee turns away from his work on a mask and smiles. The man, S.F.X. Makeup Artist Chris Bridges, wears a light brown and blue plaid button-down shirt over a black shirt.
AKEYLAH: Brody, for the sake of our movie, go!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah takes a step back. Brody steps back into a cloud of smoke. The smoke wraps around him, and he disappears.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle, upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: At Gaslight F.X. Studios, Brody walks up to the front door.
BRODY NARRATING: I was transported to Gaslight F.X. Studios in Toronto to tap into some transformative techniques.
DESCRIPTION: In the front entrance, a wall displays posters for Haunt, Titans, and V.H.S.94. The opposite wall displays silicone masks.
BRODY: Whoa! This place is so cool.
DESCRIPTION: Chris walks up to Brody from the warehouse.
CHRIS: Brody.
BRODY: Hey, Chris!
CHRIS: How are you, man?
BRODY: Doing great. So this is where special effects makeup artists work their magic.
CHRIS: This is where the magic happens.
BRODY: What kind of things do you do here?
CHRIS: We make amazing things for the film and television industry here. Makeup effects, we make props, special creature suits and animatronics. We do it all.
DESCRIPTION: A woman applies makeup to a silicone head. Chris wiggles a giant snake tail. The head of a creature features large horns. Chris opens and closes the mouth of a skull with a remote.
BRODY: Whoa, that sounds unreal. Akeylah and I are trying to make a movie back at the Skill Space, and let's just say our special effects makeup isn't that special. Do you think you could show me a few of your tricks?
CHRIS: It'd be my treat. Let's go.
BRODY: Yeah.
DESCRIPTION: Brody follows Chris into the warehouse.
[Upbeat music]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat plays]
DESCRIPTION: In the warehouse, Chris and Brody walk past various work tables with different projects, including a full-body satyr.
BRODY: Whoa, these things are wild. How do you even come up with the ideas to make these?
CHRIS: Well, every build we do requires a conversation with the director from the project we're working on. We go through their character notes to create digital mock-ups. That way, we can see if the proportions of the actor match up with the design itself.
BRODY: Cool.
CHRIS: Yeah. Tell me about your character, Brody.
DESCRIPTION: At a desk, Chris grabs a tablet.
BRODY: Okay, so I'm supposed to be this creepy, troll-like character that lurks around in the woods.
CHRIS: Okay, tell me a little bit more. Is he dangerous? Is he goofy?
BRODY: No, no, he's more mischievous and misunderstood.
CHRIS: All right, check this out.
DESCRIPTION: Chris taps the tablet screen and shows Brody a picture of himself with pointy ears and iridescent scales around his eyes.
BRODY: Whoa, that's troll-tally awesome. Let's do it.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle, upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Chris leads Brody over to a space with a large work table with various supplies, including a large tub of petroleum jelly, moulds, and a scale. Life casts of multiple different people line a counter against the wall.
CHRIS: Welcome to the silicone zone.
BRODY: Who are your friends, Chris?
CHRIS: These are life casts of some of the actors that we've built prosthetics for. We sculpt right on the actors' life casts so the prosthetics fit perfectly.
DESCRIPTION: Chris holds up a life cast of a hand. Brody spots a pointy-eared cast on the counter.
BRODY: Oh, these ears right here look perfect for my troll fit.
CHRIS: Oh, these are great. I think we have the perfect mould for you. But first, we have to spray and encapsulate. That's a thin layer of plastic that seals the silicone and helps us blend it into the skin.
DESCRIPTION: Brody nods.
CHRIS: Let's go to the spray booth.
BRODY: Let's go!
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Elsewhere in the warehouse, Chris grabs a sprayer from a small booth.
CHRIS: All right, Brody, so the first thing we want to do, fill the gun with the encapsulate materials.
DESCRIPTION: Chris and Brody wear blue disposable gloves and respirator masks. Chris pours encapsulate, a clear liquid, into the sprayer and grabs the ear mould.
CHRIS: We're going to hold the gun about six inches away from the mould. And in back and forth motion, we're going to spray the encapsulate into the moulds.
DESCRIPTION: Chris sprays the mould. Brody sprays another ear mould, sets it down, and gives two thumbs up.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Back in the silicone zone, Chris and Brody wear black disposable gloves.
CHRIS: Okay, now that the moulds are encapsulated, we have to mix our silicone.
BRODY: All right.
CHRIS: I want you to put 29 grams of part A into this cup.
BRODY: Okay.
CHRIS: You're gonna watch the screen on the scale, and you're gonna make sure that 29 grams goes in.
DESCRIPTION: Brody slowly pours a thick, off-white liquid into a paper cup. He scrapes the gooey liquid out of its large container with a large craft stick.
CHRIS: And now we're gonna put 29 grams in part B.
BRODY: Okay.
CHRIS: Put that in this cup.
DESCRIPTION: Chris hands Brody a large container of a brown liquid. Brody scrapes the thick liquid into a paper cup on the scale.
CHRIS: We use the scale so that we can measure both components perfectly. They have to be exact for the silicone to cure. It's a chemical reaction.
DESCRIPTION: Brody mixes the two components, parts A and B, using a craft stick.
CHRIS: Now, as soon as we add both components together, the catalyzing has begun. Now that we're mixing both components of the silicone together, we're actually trapping air in the mixture. We don't want air in the mixture because we don't want air in the final piece that we're going to put on our actor, you. So we need to remove the air using a process called degassing. And here's our degassing chamber.
DESCRIPTION: Chris pulls a large pot with a pressure gauge on a clear lid onto the table
CHRIS: Now put the cup in the pot.
DESCRIPTION: Brody puts the cup of mixed silicone components in the pot.
CHRIS: Now you're going to put the lid on the pot. That seals the pot. So we create our vacuum. The vacuum is what sucks the air out, so you're gonna wanna turn on the pump here.
DESCRIPTION: Brody puts the lid on the pot and starts the pump.
[Pump humming]
BRODY: It's alive!
DESCRIPTION: Chris smiles.
CHRIS: So while the pump is working, it's expanding the air. You can see the bubbles, and then it's released, and now we have a pure batch of silicone that we can pour into the ears.
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks at the silicone mixture through the clear lid.
CHRIS: Turn off the pump.
DESCRIPTION: Brody turns off the pump.
CHRIS: Now, slide this lever.
DESCRIPTION: Chris turns a lever.
[Air hissing]
CHRIS: You can hear all the air rush back into the pot. Now you can take the lid off.
DESCRIPTION: Brody removes the lid.
CHRIS: There you go. The mixture out, and now we have to hurry and pour that into the mould before it sets.
DESCRIPTION: Brody takes the silicone mixture out of the pot. He hurries over to the ear moulds and scrapes the thick mixture into the first mould with a craft stick.
BRODY: Let's go! Let's go!
CHRIS: Scraping the silicone. Okay, so just let the silicone flow out nicely. Okay, now pour some silicone into this side.
DESCRIPTION: Brody pours silicone into the second mould.
BRODY: It's very slow.
CHRIS: Now you're going to take your ear positive, and you're going to lay it into the key.
DESCRIPTION: Brody lays the pointy ear cast, the key, onto the silicone in the second mould.
CHRIS: Like that. Now you're going to take the other side and close it over.
DESCRIPTION: Brody places the first mould over the ear cast and presses it onto the second mould.
CHRIS: Now you can see how the keys work. As you press the mould together, it perfectly fits.
BRODY: Cool.
CHRIS: Yeah.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Tile] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In a lounge, special effect items hang on walls, including ancient weapons, a moose head, and monstrous heads. Brody sits next to a coffee table facing Chris.
BRODY NARRATING: While we waited for my new ears to appear, I wanted to find out what made Chris take up makeup.
BRODY: Thanks for taking the time to sit with me.
CHRIS: Oh, you're very welcome.
DESCRIPTION: Brody shakes Chris’s hand. Chris pulls Brody’s silicone hand off.
CHRIS: Oh, my gosh!
DESCRIPTION: Brody slides his hand out of his sleeve.
[Brody chuckling]
CHRIS: Nice one.
DESCRIPTION: Chris gives Brody the silicone hand, and Brody sets it aside.
BRODY: Yeah. In all seriousness, Chris, I got to know, how did you get into being a special effects makeup artist?
CHRIS: I was about your age. I loved movies, especially monster movies. And it inspired me. I would go home and... draw and create sculptures out of clay. And I began selling my masks to my friends. I realized at an early age that maybe I could turn this into a career.
BRODY: What is it that you love about being an S.F.X. makeup artist?
CHRIS: The creativity of it all. I love being able to use my hands and create things from my imagination and others' imagination.
BRODY: You've done so many amazing projects. What's a career highlight?
CHRIS: Career highlight for me would be working on Star Trek. I love it so much. Also, I won an Emmy, which I'm so proud of.
BRODY: What would you say to a young person who is interested in being a special effects makeup artist?
CHRIS: Practice, practice, practice. If you do something long enough, you will master it.
BRODY: I'm pumped to start practicing.
DESCRIPTION: Brody grabs the silicone hand, then turns the hand to face Chris. Chris high-fives the hand.
CHRIS: Good job.
BRODY: Let's go!
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Gentle upbeat music plays]
DESCRIPTION: Elsewhere in the warehouse, Brody sits facing a mirror with the picture of himself with pointy ears and iridescent scales.
BRODY: So, Chris, I'm kind of confused. How are we supposed to get this, to this?
DESCRIPTION: Brody points from the picture to himself.
CHRIS: Well, there's a few ways we could do it. I can hand-paint it with makeup, or I could use a stencil and an airbrush, or we could use transfers.
BRODY: What are transfers?
CHRIS: Let me show you.
DESCRIPTION: Chris grabs a pizza box-sized box with different thin silicone prosthetics.
CHRIS: These are transfers here that we applied to the face, and they're really quick.
DESCRIPTION: Chris peels one of the prosthetic transfers off the inside of the box.
CHRIS: How do you like this scar here?
BRODY: That looks pretty cool.
CHRIS: Ok, so let's put this on you. So we have a special kind of paper that we apply onto the transfer. And we cut this out.
DESCRIPTION: Chris presses the transfer onto a small piece of paper, then cuts around it.
CHRIS: And then we simply put it on your face.
DESCRIPTION: Chris presses the transfer onto Brody’s cheek.
CHRIS: Like that. We use a little 99% alcohol.
DESCRIPTION: Chris pours alcohol onto a makeup sponge and presses the sponge onto the transfer paper on Brody’s cheek. Chris soaks the paper and then peels it off Brody’s cheek, leaving the transfer.
[Brody growling like a monster]
CHRIS: And we soak that through the special paper. It simply peels off. And then we can use our tattoos to give you the fantasy look. This is colour we've printed on paper, on a laser copier.
DESCRIPTION: Chris grabs tattoo paper with iridescent scales and cuts it in half. Chris presses the first half of the tattoo around Brody’s right eye.
CHRIS: We use a little bit of water to soak off the tattoo.
DESCRIPTION: Chris dabs the tattoo with a damp makeup sponge. He peels back the tattoo paper, leaving the tattoo on Brody’s face. Chris then cleans the edges with a cotton swab wet with alcohol.
CHRIS: And we just use a Q-tip with alcohol to clean up the edges. All right, what do you think?
DESCRIPTION: Chris steps back, and Brody looks at his reflection.
BRODY: Spot on.
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks away from the mirror.
BRODY: While Chris sticks on a few more of these transfers, why don't we peel back the layers on the history of special effects makeup?
[Ragtime music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In black and white, Akeylah stirs a mixture. She wears glasses, a lab coat and disposable gloves. In a photo of a black and white film, a vampire points to a staircase covered in cobwebs.
BRODY NARRATING: In the early 1900s, special effects makeup pioneer Jack Pierce used wax, cotton, and rubber to create terrifying transformations for movies like Frankenstein and Wolfman.
DESCRIPTION: Photos show Frankenstein’s monster and the Wolfman. In colour, Akeylah wears a suit and a bow tie in a makeup studio. She presses pieces of foam to her cheeks.
BRODY NARRATING: Advancements with foam latex prosthetics allowed for more facial expressions from the actors wearing them.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah squeezes her eyes closed. She opens them wide and raises her eyebrows. A red curtain replaces the studio behind her.
BRODY NARRATING: In 1981, the Academy Awards handed out the first-ever Oscar for Best Makeup in Film.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah accepts a silver statuette award. In a modern-day lab, Akeylah wears a grey sweater and glasses.
BRODY NARRATING: Modern tools like 3D scanners and printers help streamline designs and builds, while materials like silicone prosthetics and 3D transfers offer quicker and more comfortable applications.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah applies a transfer to the cheek of a mannequin head. In a green screen studio, bright studio lights shine.
BRODY NARRATING: Today's high-resolution cameras and screens require S.F.X. makeup applications to look seamless.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah wears a white T-shirt. She films with a camera and checks a laptop.
BRODY NARRATING: Working together with digital effects, practical jobs can be touched up and enhanced to create jaw-dropping results.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah gives a thumbs up.
[Gentle upbeat plays]
DESCRIPTION: Back in the warehouse at Gaslight F.X. Studio, Chris and Brody walk through the space. Brody adjusts a disposable glove as he follows Chris to the silicone zone. He has iridescent tattoos around both of his eyes.
BRODY: So, Chris, do you think our silicon ears have cured yet?
CHRIS: I think they're ready. Are you ready?
BRODY: I was born ready.
CHRIS: All right.
DESCRIPTION: Chris and Brody carefully pry open separate moulds with flathead screwdrivers.
CHRIS: And then they just come apart like that.
DESCRIPTION: Brody takes the ear key out of his mould.
CHRIS: Great. Just peel off the ear form.
DESCRIPTION: Chris peels the pointy silicone ear off the key in his mould and places it over Brody’s right ear. He adjusts the position of the second ear on Brody’s left ear.
CHRIS: We would just use a little makeup, a little glue on the day. What do you think?
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks at his reflection in a mirror.
BRODY: I think Akeylah's going to freak when she sees this.
DESCRIPTION: Brody looks at Chris and nods.
[Upbeat music plays]
[Title] Trading Skills.
[Dramatic music plays]
DESCRIPTION: In the Skills Space, Pixie dangles beside Akeylah. Akeylah waves, wearing the red hooded cape.
AKEYLAH: Goodbye, sweet troll. You saved my life. I'll never forget you.
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah walks away, revealing Brody as a troll in his brown button-down shirt with the iridescent tattoos and pointy silicone ears. Brody nods and walks backward through a cloud of fake smoke and between curtains with a forest design.
AKEYLAH: Cut!
DESCRIPTION: Brody steps out between the curtains.
AKEYLAH: Brody, that was fantastic. Your new troll look really took our movie to the next level.
BRODY: I'll be sure to thank Chris for his special effects makeup guidance once we accept our award for best movie.
AKEYLAH: Ha, you wish.
DESCRIPTION: Brody and Akeylah face forward.
BRODY: And maybe you wish to pursue a career in special effects makeup. It's a trade that just might transform your future.
AKEYLAH: Even if this one's not for you, there are still so many other skill trades that could fit your mould and take you to the top.
AKEYLAH AND BRODY: Bye!
DESCRIPTION: Akeylah looks back at Brody and gently touches one of the silicone ears.
AKEYLAH: Your ears look so real!
[Cheerful music plays]
[End credits] Hosts: Brody Agmon, Akeylah James. Tradesperson: Chris Bridges. Written and directed by Maria Bui. Produced by Francis Mitchell, Johnny Mitchell, David Mitchell. Executive Producer Thomas Kritsch. Casting director Carly Granovsky. Education consultant Sara Fewson. Produced in association with t.v.o. kids. Logo: Riverbank Pictures. Copyright 2026 Riverbank Pictures.
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