"To Da MOON, ALICE!"
		You know, sometimes, when it's just you and your Dad... you need quality time. Away from the distractions of school or work. Just you two out in nature, bonding. Looking at the stars. Seeking answers in the Heavens. And sometimes the answer is "PEEEEEET-THA THYEEEEEM!!!!" This intentionally cheesy homage (fromage?) to Georges Méliès' famous effect from "A Trip to the Moon" was a special Prosthetic created by Rick Lazzarini and The Character Shop, for a Little Caesar's Pizza Ad, directed by Harold Einstein. Production Designer Mark Snelgrove contacted Lazzarini, whom he'd worked with in the past. The first order of business was to determine the size of the moon head itself, so it would not be too big or too small. Next, a life-mold of the actor was created, with this body set at a forward leaning 45 degree angle, so as to give the maximum clearance under the chin for the giant globe. From the body mold, casts which replicated the actor's face and head were duplicated, and upon this, water-based WED clay sculptures were formed into the globe, craters, pocks, and moon-like visage. The end result is an optical illusion; seen from the front, the face looks round and full. Seen in 3/4 or Profile view, the roundness you would expect starts to give way to the actual, more flat-faced, human anatomy beneath. The final construct consisted of two pieces; the outer, firm moon helmet, made from urethane and fiberglass bandage, had a padded interior, and an inner facial Silicone prosthetic, made of soft rubber, to allow for full movement of the actor's expressions and speech. The final paint job was muted and soft, using a palette of light to medium greys, to cue a visual recall of the Méliès' moon-head. A special, adjustable slant board was created, and when draped in black velvet and shot against the night sky, the Moon head appeared to be suspended in the heavens. …and then the actor was allowed to go to SillyTown. It's unexpected, it's a little shocking….and it's quite hilarious!   Check out the ad: Got a Makeup, Puppet, or Creature Effect project where the sky's the limit? Call Rick Lazzarini and The Character Shop. You'll be over the Moon!   (805) 306-9441 lazzwaldo @ mac.com   Home What's New | Features | Commercials | Resume | Realistic | Whimsical | Scary | Animatronics | Prosthetics | Puppets | Waldo ® | Publicity | TCS Fun | FX FAQ | Reference | Contact Us Except where noted, all contents are the property of The Character Shop, Inc. and copyright 2013 Photographs and text may only be re-published with written permission. All rights reserved.