Q&A with Heather Benson, Creature Designer & Makeup Department Head for THE SHADE

Heather Benson is no stranger to bringing fantastical creations to life, having worked on Insidious: The Red Door, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Birth/Rebirth, American Horror Story, and much more! On The Shade, Heather was responsible for bringing the film's "entity" to life, and we have a behind-the-scenes look at Heather's work, along with a Q&A, where Heather talks about inspirations, getting into the industry, and working on The Shade. Heather also gives advice for horror fans that want to work in the special makeup effects industry.

What movies and/or artists first got you interested in pursuing a career in makeup effects?

Heather Benson: I've always been drawn to transformative storytelling through art, and films like The Thing, Alien, The Fifth Element and Pan's Labyrinth really cemented my passion for makeup effects. Artists like Dick Smith, Rob Bottin, Bart Mixon and Guillermo del Toro, who push the boundaries of creature design and character creation, have been incredibly inspiring to me. Their work showed me how makeup effects can elevate a narrative, making characters both terrifying, fantastical, and deeply emotional.

How did you get your start in special makeup effects?

Heather Benson: I started when I was 15 years old building creatures and monsters in my garage.  From there, I went on to create for independent films and haunted house promotional commercials. With a foundation in fine arts, sculpture naturally lent itself to prosthetic design, where I could bring my understanding of form and texture into creating realistic and fantastical creatures. From there, I transitioned into makeup for film and TV, eventually specializing in prosthetics. My first big break came through networking at Monsterpalooza where I met an incredible artist who gave me an opportunity, eventually acquiring enough days to join the Union.

Over the years, you've worked on an impressive number of movies and shows. What are some of your favorite projects and creations?

Heather Benson: Each project holds a special place in my heart for different reasons, but The Shade is definitely a standout. Being both the makeup department head and creature designer for this film allowed me to fully immerse myself in the creative process, and the intense looks we developed really pushed my skill set.

Another one of my favorites would have to be Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3, I was inspired every day working with so many incredibly talented artists and being around these massive film sets, I felt like I was at home. I had an incredible opportunity of working with one of my mentors, Bart Mixon, on the "High Evolutionary Recorder" and it really felt like a full circle moment for me.

How did you get involved with The Shade, and why did this particular project excite you?

Heather Benson: I was approached by the producer, who had seen my previous work on social media and thought my design style would be a perfect fit for The Shade. What excited me the most was the creative freedom I was given to design the creature from scratch. The script was very atmospheric, with a deep sense of mystery and terror, and I was eager to translate that tension into the visual design of the creature.

Can you walk our readers through the high-level process of creating The Shade's special makeup effects from concept art to application?

Heather Benson: The process started with reading the script and breaking down the characters role and mood with the director to understand the emotional tone we wanted the creature to evoke. From there, I created concept art and drafted initial designs, taking into account the creature’s physicality and how it would interact with its environment. Once the design was finalized and approved, I began the sculpting process from the life cast of our actor/creature performer Charlotte Stickles. With this being her first time she had ever been in full body prosthetics, I wanted to make sure that she was comfortable throughout the entire process. I was given two screen test days to test the movement of the prosthetics and make any final color adjustments before we begin filming. On the day, it took myself and the hair department head/wig designer Michelle Connolly 4 and 1/2 hours to complete the full creature look.

What do you find to be the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of bringing this creature to life?

Heather Benson: The most rewarding part was seeing the creature come to life on set, especially after all the meticulous planning, long hours and hard work we put into bringing the creature to life. Myself, Michelle and Charlotte had such an incredible bonding experience together. There's something incredibly satisfying about watching an actor fully embody a character you've helped create.

The biggest challenge was balancing the practical and digital elements—ensuring the prosthetics were functional enough for the actor's performance while leaving room for any necessary digital touch-ups in post-production.

For our readers that may be interested in pursuing a career in special makeup effects, do you have any recommendations for how they should get started?

Heather Benson: My advice is to build a strong foundation in the arts, whether that’s through sculpting, painting, or drawing. Understanding anatomy and texture is critical. From there, seek out practical experience—whether through internships or independent projects—and don’t be afraid to start small. The indie film circuit is a great place to get hands-on experience. Networking is also key, as many opportunities come from relationships within the industry. And of course, always keep learning, as techniques and tools are constantly evolving.

What projects do you have coming up that you're excited about?

Heather Benson: I'm currently in pre-production for a few exciting projects, a creature feature shooting in Spain next year, and a period crime drama beginning in November. I am also designing a whole new range of creatures for a personal project I have been developing for the past 8 years. I'm also exploring more creature design work in the sci-fi genre, which is always a blast. I am very grateful that I get the opportunity to travel all over the world working with incredibly talented creative artists bringing the script to life through makeup and prosthetic design.