Art House Extra | Inside the ‘God-like’ World of Special Effects Makeup

Filmmaking, at its core, is about making things up. So let’s take a moment to honor the makeup artists.

Special effects artist Jake Jackson, a native of Topeka, has carved out a career working on locally produced horror films such as “I Am Lisa” and “Crockpot.” Jackson credits groundbreaking makeup artist Dick Smith with influencing his own gory art.

“I am an advanced student of Dick’s,” Jackson said. “I’ve always admired his work.”

Smith is a little-known legend in the movie business. Among many other credits, he’s the man behind Marlon Brando’s puffy cheeks in “The Godfather” and the spinning, pea soup spewing head in “The Exorcist.”

“There’s magic and wonder, and even something God-like about changing a human face, or an actor, into something entirely different,” Smith once said.

To learn more secrets from the wondrous world of special effects makeup, watch the attached video.