Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/611826
34 ing in mind that we would be doing a lot of make-up "on the fly," as well as custom prosthetics and blood gags. For quick application, I have found that direct-transfer bondo appliances and traditional out-of-the-kit make-up are my favorite. I have a growing collection of Plat-Sil 10 molds and tin-based silicone plates I've made or received over the years. In addition to these, I had J.D. Bowers make some new sculptures that I molded, and I purchased a couple of stock molds and prosthetics from W.M. Creations as well. We also brought along 50 pounds of dry Kaolin clay and natural cosmetic pigments to tackle tribal- inspired "animal spirit" make-ups. Once abroad, all departments shared the same prep space which was a large auditorium at a seemingly abandoned hotel. All of the stock Dapper Cadaver body parts we purchased were altered here. We seamed, repainted and created specific battle- wound effects using cotton, latex and silicone buildup. The appliance fabrication took place all over my little hotel room. We used 3rd Degree to construct Agu's brother's facial exit wound on a generic vacuform face cast. We made an army of small Plat- Sil 10 molds—gashes, gun shots, machete wounds, etc.—and filled them with a variety of colored bondo to accommodate the different skin tones we encountered. We would store them in pizza boxes, which were abundant, as pizza was the preferred and safest form of nourishment for the crew at the hotel restaurant. Our make-up trailer was a 25-foot box truck with a lift gate that lived a normal life as a furniture truck in Accra. The grip department outfitted it with simple wood shelves on one side and a counter with two workstations on the other. We couldn't work inside the truck, as the temperatures in there would eas- ily exceed 100 degrees. We opted for a pop-up tent, collapsible tables and stackable plastic lawn chairs that we would set up and strike every day. The drives to and from locations, at times, were the scariest I've ever experienced in a transportation van or bus. I am not a traditionally religious person, but I was given the gift of a St. Christopher necklace before leaving for Africa. Many nights in the van ride back to the hotel while being thrown around on the rain-soaked, pitted and treacherous earthen roads, I clutched the pendant and closed my eyes, praying for a safe return. Clockwise from top left: Graphic carnage make-up on a boy and girl; the prep space shared by all departments. Below: A rainstorm.