Syfy’s Face Off returns for its sixth season January 14, 2014 and, for the first time, the competitors will travel to Tokyo where they will create anime inspired characters based on their own alter egos. The season’s first Spotlight challenge, though, is to create an original take on the Beast of Beauty & the Beast. Among other intriguing challenges: a Medieval dragon warrior that breathes fire and other elements (like fire, or poison); Roald Dahl characters that have been seen onscreem and original wizard characters based on a selection of unique wands.
Host McKenzie Westmore, along with judges Ve Neill (The Hunger Games, The Amazing Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean), Glenn Hetrick (CSI: New York, The Hunger Games, Heroes) and Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus) return, along with world-renowned makeup artist – and McKenzie’s dad – Michael Westmore in his his role as the official contestant mentor. For more details – and a complete list of competitors – check out the press release following the jump.
FACE OFF’S SIXTH SEASON DEBUTS TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 AT 9 PM ET/PT ON SYFY
Face Off’s Boldest and Most Extreme Season to Date Features an Anime Inspired Challenge That Takes the Series to Tokyo, Japan
NEW YORK – November 19, 2013 – Syfy’s smash hit and acclaimed unscripted series, Face Off, is back for a bold and extreme sixth season Tuesday, January 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Fifteen up-and-coming special effects make-up artists are introduced, all eager for the opportunity to achieve success in the competitive special effects makeup field. And in a Face Off first, the contestants travel to the other side of the globe for a special episode shot in Tokyo, Japan, where they are tasked with creating a stylized anime character based on their own alter ego.
Returning to the lab for the new season is actress and host McKenzie Westmore, along with judges Ve Neill (The Hunger Games, The Amazing Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean), Glenn Hetrick (CSI: New York, The Hunger Games, Heroes) and Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus). World-renowned makeup artist – and McKenzie’s dad – Michael Westmore resumes his role as the official contestant mentor.
The guest judges on tap for season six include Oscar winning makeup artist Tami Lane (Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns), Scott Stewart (Sin City, Legion), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), Oscar winning makeup artist Howard Berger (Inglorious Bastards, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), famed creature actor Doug Jones (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth), former Face Off series judge Patrick Tatopolous (Total Recall, 300: Rise of an Empire, Batman vs. Superman), author Roald Dahl’s daughter Lucy Dahl, Oscar and BAFTA winning makeup artist Valli O’Reilly (Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Alice in Wonderland), Len Wiseman (Underworld, Sleepy Hollow), Two-time Oscar nominated makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji (Planet of the Apes, Men in Black, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), anime artist and sci-fi illustrator Hidetaka Tenjin and world famous music producer and DJ, Rusko.
Season six presents the most extreme challenge creative for the series yet, compelling the contestants to push the possibilities in nearly every aspect of their makeups to inspire the most magnificent characters and creatures in Face Off history. The season’s first Spotlight challenge is a Beauty & the Beast makeup in which the contestants must create an original Beast who would live in a chosen castle with its Belle. Additional challenges include the creation of an intricate Medieval dragon warrior that breathes not only fire, but also elements like ice and poison; an outlandish rock ‘n roll guitarist character; an original wizard inspired by an array of unique wands on display; a whimsical creation inspired by Roald Dahl characters that have been written about, but never-before-seen on screen; and a futuristic robot that has replaced humans in the workforce, complete with functional advantages in a particular field. Continuing the Face Off tradition, the season culminates with another visually spectacular and elaborate finale event – an amazing electronic, nightclub-inspired light show featuring the world famous DJ Rusko.
The Face Off contestants will be whittled down week by week, until only three remain for a finale showdown. The winning artist will receive $100,000, a 2014 Fiat and a VIP trip from Kryolan Professional Make-Up to one of their 85 international locations. Kryolan Professional Make-Up continues as the official make-up sponsor of Face Off.
To find out more about the cast of season six, see bios, photo galleries and video, visit www.syfy.com/faceoff. Photography and bios are also available at www.nbcumv.com.
Below are the season six Face Off contestants, all eager to follow in the footsteps of the many talented artists from past seasons who have achieved makeup success in film and television on such projects as The Hunger Games, Oz: The Great and Powerful and The Vampire Diaries.
Name: Bethany Serpico
Age: 22
Hometown: Delaware County, PA
Residence: Astoria, New York
Twitter: @bethanyserpico1
Name: Catherine “Cat” Paschen
Age: 25
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Residence: North Hollywood, CA
Twitter: @catpaschen
Name: Chloe Sens
Age: 21
Hometown: Austin, TX
Residence: Hollywood, CA
Name: Corinne Foster
Age: 26
Hometown: Dublin, CA
Residence: Whittier, CA
Twitter: mrsmakeupfx
Name: Daniel Phillips
Age: 44
Hometown & Residence: St. Clair Shores, MI
Twitter: @DPmakeupstudio
Name: Daran Holt
Age: 40
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Name: George Schminky
Age: 38
Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Residence: Walnut Creek, CA
Twitter: @schminkyfx
Name: Graham Schofield
Age: 29
Hometown: Boston, MA
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Twitter: @GCSFX
Name: Margaret Caragan
Age: 32
Hometown: Vallejo, CA
Residence: Oakland, CA
Twitter: @margaretannem8s
Name: Matthew Silva
Age: 23
Hometown & Residence: Atlanta, GA
Twitter: @Mattsilva
Name: Nicolas “Niko” Gonzalez
Age: 25
Hometown: San German, Puerto Rico
Residence: North Hollywood, CA
Twitter: @nikogonzalezFX
Name: Rashaad Santiago
Age: 24
Hometown & Residence: Bronx, NY
Twitter: @r1a2s3
Name: Tanner White
Age: 26
Hometown & Residence: San Diego, CA
Twitter: @Tan_or_White
Name: Tess Laeh
Age: 24
Hometown & Residence: Littleton, CO
Twitter: @TessLaeh
Name: Tyler Green
Age: 25
Hometown & Residence: Litchfield, CT
Twitter: @WonderbandMan
Face Off is an authentic depiction of the high creative standards necessary for a special effects make-up artist to succeed in their craft. The series debuted in January 2011 as a new reality competition program to critical and ratings success. Season five of Face Off averaged 2.29 million total viewers.
Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Derek Atherton serving as executive producers.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FaceOff-Syfy/
Twitter: @FaceOffSyfy
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Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
Photo by Tommy Garcia/Courtesy of Syfy