Unit 19 - Riverside Business Park - Station Road - Earls Colne - Essex - CO6 2ER - UK

~ Special Makeup Fx & Prosthetic Artists ~

Makeup Effects and Prosthetic Design, Creation and Application Specialists

Prosthetic and Special Makeup Effects Courses

+44 (0)7870 - 600 273
C/o Mike Stringer

studio@hybridfx.com

From Feature Films and TV series to global Media projects, HYBRID manage the whole process from script

or concept breakdown, Makeup FX design & creation, to on-set Makeup Effects Artists and Fx Supervision.

Our Special Makeup and Prosthetic Effects Courses website;

After over 10 years, Hybrid are proud to continue to offer a range of Special Makeup Effects Courses targeted at all Industry Entrants from pure beginners to the more experienced and Professional Makeup Artists...

From a 'One Day Introductory' Course to the all encompassing ' Six Week Intensive Prosthetic Makeup ' Course

In School & College Summer Holidays (around July) we also run a special 'Three week long Beginners' Course aimed at under 18's (or anyone wanting to learn key skills but can't commit to a longer Course)

Please visit Hybrid Fx School to find out more - www.hybridfxschool.com

or Call , 07870 - 600 273

Hybrid have award winning tutors who have over 20 years of working Film & Tv Makeup Effects and Prosthetics experience.

~ We specialise in the design, creation, application and teaching of Prosthetic and Special Makeup Effects (please click for Credits) ~

- We are the industry leaders in the original development, creation and use of lifelike Silicone Prosthetics -

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Mad Max: Fury Road, shots of our work on the movie..

Hybrid's work revealed on Mad Max: Fury Road - The Latest Mad Max Film Directed by George Miller...

Working to designs by Paul Jeacock - the brilliant conceptual artist for the costume dept' on the production, we sculpted & created some exciting key costume elements for the show starring Tom Hardy which was shot in Namibia in 2012.

The main item being the Breather Mask worn by Hugh Keays-Byrne who plays Immortan Joe (as above & below)...

Please click the image to view the trailer for the movie released in 2015

Sir Alex Ferguson replica made for Manchester United's Museum tour 2013

Hybrid works on new 'Hit & Miss' TV Series for Sky Atlantic...

Naturally, the work we do often has to stay 'under wraps' until a programme or feature film is aired, and this was certainly the case with our creative Fx contributions on 'Hit & Miss'... However, now we can reveal our Severed Head Effects work (further below) we made of the wonderful Vincent Regan who is a key character in the show.

And if you're wondering "where have I seen his face recently", another key role for Vincent was in the 'Snow White & the Huntsman' feature film released in June last year...

Please click on the image above for a glimpse of the trailer

Hybrid Enterprises create ‘Old Age' Character Makeup for ‘Rory' on ‘Dr Who'

Hybrid's latest Prosthetic work was especially interesting as we were asked to ‘age' actor Arthur Darvill for a Neil Gaiman story line in ‘Dr Who'.

Mike Stringer, Prosthetic Designer for Hybrid created the look and style of the aged makeup within a very short timeframe for Episode Four ‘The Doctor's Wife' of the new series currently being aired.

Not being the main prosthetic supplier for the series, it was a privilege to be asked to provide our services for the show and the end character makeup was very well received indeed.

Please click the image for a link to the preview of the Dr Who Episode 'The Doctor's Wife'

New series of 'Anonymous' for RTÉ - Dublin...

Our fifth year of disguising Celebrities started on Monday 7th March, RTÉ TWO at 7.55pm.

The current series now brings our total prosthetic disguise makeup count for the long running show to over 35.  

The new series includes Amanda Brunker, Grainne Seoige, Jedward, Rosanna Davison and Michelle Heaton . 

Kathryn Thomas also takes over hosting as Jason Byrne (the presenter) goes back undercover.

Episode Six: Jason Byrne

For the final episode of this season's Anonymous  we had the pleasure to create another Prosthetic Disguise for the presenter Jason Byrne , turning him into  a hard-of-hearing  elderly N un, Sister Sinead Murphy. Complete with habit and Kathryn Thomas in his ear Jason goes on a mission to spread chaos on the streets  of Dublin as he has the good sister collect money for "iPods For Africa", drive a car on Grafton St, smoke in a shop, do a spot of shop lifting and best of all creates a brand new hidden camera show called "The Not Very Well Hidden Camera Hidden Camera Show" where we let people know in advance that we're about to do a gag on them. Will they take part? Will we still manage to get one over on  them?  This is a moment of telly that proves you might actually be able to fool all of the people all of the time...

Episode Five: Michelle Heaton

This week we turned pop and telly starlet Michelle Heaton into a bloke with a camera as she becomes a paparazzo photographer for the day. She is set loose in Drogheda where she paps the unsuspecting locals, tries to flog a range of Michelle Heaton perfume and gets chucked out of a bed shop...

Later, model Georgia Salpa comes along and helps us set up a pair of former Big Brother housemates and Ireland's own king of reality, Breffny Morgan. And finally, we end with a stunt that sees Jason pretending to be Mary Byrne under a blanket whilst we set up one of Dublin's paparazzi...

Episode Four: Rosanna Davison

In this week's episode of Anonymous we changed former Miss World Rosanna Davison into shy science geek student Aideen Cowley from Tipperary.

Up in Dublin and studying in Trinity Aideen had to try to collect DNA samples from passers by, get a guy to hold her balloons whilst she ran to the loo and to then try and get some guys to go on a date with her. But, best of all, we got her Dad, Chris de Burgh....

Episode Three: Jedward

We turned Jedward into Seanie and Edwina, an old and somewhat confused couple. They didn't see each other during makeup and were then dropped them off in two different parts of a large shopping centre and had them try and find each other.... Later, they set up a bunch of their own fans who thought they were auditioning to be in one of Jedward's videos and they also set up a bunch of smaller kids in the show's first ever G Rated stunt.

Episode Two: Grainne Seoige

Grainne Seoige becomes Gillian Cullen, a pyjama-wearing young one from the inner city. She launches her new range of outdoor PJs as part of her Planet Pyjama range and tries selling them out in Dalkey. She sets up Dragons' Den star Bobby Kerr who thinks he's helping her raise money via a pyjamathon that will see her walk from Dublin to Liverpool in her PJs. Then, for her biggie, she gets her very own sister, Sile, who thinks she's taking part in a pilot show called "Dustin's Bogger Boot Camp" that will see inner city kids move to the country.

Episode One - Amanda Brunker

Amanda turns into Nuala Ni Buachailli - a poet / activist from Galway with a drink problem. She launches a new range of breast milk-based ice cream called "Moody Cow", recruits for a flash-mob, recites her poem "Agus" to anyone who'll listen to it and sets up fellow chick-lit author Marissa Mackle, Sunday World co-worker Daragh Keaney and former minister Nora Owen on a fake radio show - The Kitchen Sink, where she reveals her new puppet-based show.

Here's a glimpse at a new project we're working on, but at this stage we have to keep the details 'under wraps'...

This is a silicone head re-mastered from a life cast clay duplicate, and now awaiting costume.

News Update - Hybrid Nominated for the Makeup Design Entertainment & Non Drama Award

Hybrid are pleased to announce that they have just been nominated for their work on the Wall to Wall - National Geographic Channel programme ‘Stone age Atlantis' which was shot late 2009

This is our fourth nomination in as many years and is greatly appreciated as it validates the company's aim in creating the highest quality effects regardless of budgets.

Our thanks go out to the wonderful Makeup Crew that helped create the many different characters for the programme...

Holly Anderson, Suzanne Bates, Julia Gibbs, and Mike Stringer.

For the 'Stone age' based documentary shot in East Anglia we created and applied all the extensive Neolithic Character Makeup's.

With our Makeup team of four, up to fifteen characters were created each day over the efficient 5 day shoot, from Tribal Elders to Hunter-Gatherers, Fishermen and their children.

A key feature of the shoot was the team's ability to quickly change and re-dress the wigs & beards to adapt makeup designs for each actor to allow them to play multiple character roles over the long and varied historical time periods.

The programme aired on the National Geographic channel in the UK back in April 2010 and May over in the USA.

‘Brilliant Love' has been nominated for the Raindance Award for Best British Independent Feature Film.

It had its world premiere in April 2010 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and was selected for the Edinburgh Film Festival in June 2010, its UK Premiere.

Hybrid were commissioned to provide the key character prosthetics for this great indie feature, which was shot on locations around Newcastle in 2009.

Please click the picture to visit the Praslin Pictures Website and view the trailer

In May this year, we worked with Praslin Pictures designing and applying the Special Makeup Effects work for the above production, a very well researched and produced feature film about the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe - 'The Yorkshire Ripper'.

Hybrid Nominated for RTS 'Team of the Year' Award 2010

Our Prosthetic & Makeup team for the hit BBC2 show 'Undercover Dads' were shortlisted in the Royal Television Society - Yorkshire Awards.

It is always nice to be up for an award but this one is special as it focuses on the team involved in the show, from frontline makeup artists to the clever and talented people that design, sculpt and fabricate our lifelike silicone disguise work.

Big thanks to Dawn, Ricky and Suzanne for pulling long shifts and still managing to create awesome looking 'Mega Nannies'.

Hybrid launch Hybrid Fx School ~ Prosthetic Makeup Effects Courses

Hybrid are proud to offer a range of Special Makeup Effects Courses targeted at all Industry Entrants from pure beginners to the more experienced and Professional Makeup Artists...

From a ' One Day Introductory ' Course to the all encompassing ' Six Week Intensive Prosthetic Makeup ' Course we also run a special ' Three week long Character and Creature Creation ' Course.

Additional weekend ' Advanced Silicone Prosthetic Application ' Courses are also available, suitable for anyone looking to refine and polish their craft, as well as ' Bespoke Courses ' designed and run to order, tailored to suit individuals or small groups

Please Call, 07870 - 600 273

Hybrid have award winning tutors that have over 20 years experience in the Industry and who are all currently working on many well known shows and projects today

Please visit the Hybrid Fx School to find out more - www.hybridfxschool.com

Hybrid ' Undercover '  for Children in the UK

' Undercover Dad's ' originally aired from the 26th July '09 for a 13 week series on BBC Two for CBBC

Hybrid designed & created all the challenging 'Male to Female' transformations required for the show.

From 'Goth Chicks' to 'Floral Ladies', the game for a laugh Dad's underwent a four hour makeup process

so that they could become a 'Mega Nanny' and fool their own children !

Please keep an eye on our BLOG for further updates

Hybrid went 'Anonymous' in the UK

'Anonymous', The New Undercover Disguise Show aired at 6.30pm on Saturday 18th July on ITV.

We were hired to disguise a trio of well known celebrities including Louis Walsh, Jenny McAlpine and Matt Dawson.

A Tiger Aspect Production, it follows on from four successful years of the Irish 'Anonymous' TV show made for RTE.

Both Prosthetic Character and Makeup Artists were supplied by us for the shoot. The Series Producer was Richard Cook.

Hybrid Win the 2008 Craft & Design Award

Mike Stringer, Mike Bates, Kim Freeland and the Hybrid Enterprises team have won this years 'Makeup Design: Entertainment and Non-Drama Productions' Category for their Prosthetic, Makeup and Hair work on the Production 'Sex and the Neanderthals: Revealed' for 'Wall to Wall'

The presentation was at the Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane, London on Monday 24th November, hosted by Fern Britton

“The jury said that the make-up was convincing to such an extent that you forgot you were watching actors in heavy prosthetics and genuinely got involved in the travails of the characters, as you would with any drama documentary.”

We designed and created a range of Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon characters for the science based documentary, supplying the complete Makeup Service for the show from Prosthetics through to Character Makeup and Hair

We'd like to thank our brilliant team for all their excellent work. Specifically -

Kim Freeland, Mark Kilburn, Ricky Leach, Lisa Parkinson and Dawn Whitehead-Binns.

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'Flick' Premiere at the Raindance Festival...

On Friday 3rd October In London, Leicester Square, the retro' 50's Zombie love story 'Flick' was screened for the 1st time.  Starring Faye Dunaway, Hugh O'Connor, Mark Benton, Michelle Ryan and Liz Smith.

We were hired to design and create the Iconic look of the principal character 'Johnny 'Flick' Taylor' played by Hugh O'Conor as well as all the additional Special Makeup Effects for the film. Our in house team handled all the prosthetic makeup applications and Fx Supervision in Wales for the entire shoot over several weeks during 2007.

In March this year we completed shooting on a Project for 'Wall to Wall' titled 'The Neanderthal Code'. The documentary show for 'The National Geographic' was also shown on Channel 5 under the alternate title 'Sex and the Neanderthals: Revealed'.

Neanderthals are the closest relative to modern humans - and the most misunderstood. Once dismissed as backward brutes, now the question is whether they interbred with our ancestors and so whether we are all in part Neanderthal?

We had a very short creation time of around 20 days. The production's needs and the project's development were very 'organic' and we needed to be enormously flexible to facilitate all the creation processes involved to bring the characters to life.

For maximum versatility, we designed and created 3 Different original prosthetic looks that would eventually facilitate 8 different actors faces, ages and genders!

Individual unique teeth designs were created using only 2 versatile, hand made dental plate variations. Copies were then made, adjusted & detailed, and special silicone linings were added to allow an individual, comfortable & safe fit for all the actors involved. 2 original designs were therefore able to fit 8 different actors, 5 of which we'd never met, including a 12-year-old girl.

Our on-set team also designed specific Cro-Magnon (Tribal) Makeup that represented the natural colouration and texture of the materials understood to be used by our ancestors.

Multiple Hair and beard styles were also specifically designed & dressed for each race and gender.

The application of the Prosthetics, hair and makeup had to be completed in 3 hour turn around shifts, starting at 5am for the first group and then a second round of principals straight after, including a child on one day. In reality, a high number of additional 'background' characters were in fact used equally as 'foreground', and our excellent team ensured they all stood up to the level of scrutiny needed, for the show was all shot in HD.

Please click image link below for official Movie Website

'Outpost', the Black Camel Pictures Production with Ray Stevenson, Richard Brake & Enoch Frost.

Grumpy, Fat and very Ancient...

We finished our busy year of 2007 with a welcome return to working with the most amusing Alan Ford as 'Grumpy Santa' for More4, which was Aired over Christmas 2007. A great way to work into Christmas by lovingly applying a selection of very hairy Beards and wig work to Alan, and bringing a rosie glow to his cheeks...

The award winning Ident was expanded as Hybrid were called on this second time to create two new characters, as well as bringing back the original Grumpy and a little foul mouthed Santa Clause. We feel that he liked his new Elf persona, but we weren't too sure about The Reindeer!

The busy end of year rolled over into a mad workshop frenzy as we were running multiple projects at once...

From creating fat prosthetics for the new series of 'Shameless', a new project with Gillian McKeith, as well as six more undercover disguise makeups for the third season of Irish TV hit 'Anonymous', we've also been running a range of Prop's for 'Heartbeat', as well as stunt Guns + makeup Fx for 'Spooks-Code 9'... it has been a frantic few months.

In amongst all of that we had another Bollywood film, a new undercover disguise production and the creation of multiple 'character' makeups that date back to prehistoric times, more on all that soon.

Hybrid Nominated for 2007 Craft & Design Award.

Alongside Davy Jones, Mike Stringer, Mike Bates and the Hybrid team were nominated in November 2007 for the 'Makeup Design: Entertainment and Non-Drama Productions' Category for their Prosthetic work on the BBC2 Comedy series 'Hyperdrive'. Together we Designed and created a host of new Alien Characters again for the second season of the Sci-Fi show.

Click on the image links above to visit the Hyperdrive websites

For Season's 1 and 2 shot in 2005 & 2006 we designed and created a whole host of Prosthetic Alien characters of different races for the comedy series Staring Nick Frost showing on BBC 2. Designs ranged from simple ears and foreheads to very large full head silicone appliances.

Lenny the unhappy Hair Louse for a TV Commercial for 'Full Marks' Hair Shampoo.

Prosthetic Effects included articulated 'Antennae' and a second set of pose-able arms for a whole range of different emotions & poses, all shot against blue screen .

Gandhi My Father - an Anil Kapoor Film.

Makeup Designer - Penny Smith. Prosthetics created & supplied by HYBRID.

Dhoom2 won best makeup for film at the IIFA Awards held in Yorkshire in June 2007.

Here is a selection of the Prosthetic work we contributed to the show for the highly acclaimed lead actor Hrithik Roshan.

- A sample of Prosthetic Effects created for the 'Anonymous' TV show -

Mike Stringer & Mike Bates tending Sean Harris's prosthetic persona for his next scene.

Sean Harris As Craig from the horror feature "Creep"

Athens 2004 Opening Ceremony for The Olympic Games

Full Torso Prosthetic Effect (neck to groin - includes false breasts)

Probably the largest one piece silicone gel filled appliance created to date

Prosthetic Casualty Fx work - 'The Royal'

Crazy Old age characters, created with full head silicone prosthetics for the 2004 Holsten Pils Press and Poster Campaign

Aging character work (20's to 60's) for 'Falling'

'My Parents are Aliens', a "Cute" Gargoyle

Caprice and Craig Charles, Special Make-up designed & applied for the Maverick TV - Channel 4 show

Replacement Silicone Prosthetics for John Rhys-Davies as Gimli the Dwarf, created
for new scenes in the second and third installments of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy

- Sample of HYBRID's Work & Credits -

Film

Mad Max ' Fury Road' - Kennedy Miller Mitchell Services, AUS. - 2012

Krrish 3 - Film Kraft - 2012

Kill List (Ben Wheatley Dir.) - Warp X / Rook Films - 2010

' Peter ' - Praslin Pictures - 2010

Brilliant Love - Pinball Films - 2009

Dil - Bole Hadippa ! - Yash Raj Films Pvt. Ltd - 2009

Chatur Singh Two Star - Mohamad Aslam Prod' - 2008

Kidnap - Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd - 2008

The Descent: Part 2 - Celador Films - 2008

Outpost - Black Camel Pictures - 2007

Flick - Monster Films - 2007

Guru - Madras Talkies - 2007

Dhoom 2 - Yash Raj Films Pvt. Ltd

Minotaur - Meltemi Entertainment

Ghandi My Father - Anil Kapoor Film Co.

Creep - Dan Films

Asylum - Seven Arts Pictures

The Return of the King - New Line Cinema

The Two Towers - New Line Cinema

Sweeney Todd - Size 9 / Box TV, BBC

Coronation Street - Granada

Eleventh Hour - Granada

Falling - Granada / YTV

Max and Paddy's 'Road to Nowhere' - Phil McIntyre Entertainment

Stolen Babies - BBC1

Dead Ringers - BBC

The Baby War - Granada TV

Dead Man Weds - Red Production Co.

I Deal - BBC

Steel River Blues - YTV / Granada Media

Celebrities Disfigured - Maverick TV / Channel 4

Anonymous (Pilot) - Animo TV

My Parents are Aliens - YTV / Granada Media

Saturday Night Takeaway - LWT / Granada

Ancient Egyptians - Wall to Wall / Channel 4

Media & Promotion

Manchester United Football Club - Life Size Sir Alex Ferguson replica for their Museum Tour - 2013

Walking Dead - UK Live Promotion for the USA TV Series - Taylor Herring Public relations -2010

Full Marks Hair Shampoo - TV Department - Creation of 'Lenny the Giant Hair Louse'

The Royal Armouries - Creation of stunt Jousting Lance Coronells & props'

More 4 - Grumpy Santa Idents (Starring Alan Ford)

Cancer Research UK - The Mob Film Co.

Aspire Sporting Academy, Dubai - Capacity World FZ-LLC

Texas, the Band - 'Sleep' Video - Prosthetics for Peter Kay

Louis Axton Electronics - Multimedia Est

The Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, Athens 2004 - Jack Morton Worldwide

Bat Boy - Shaftsbury Theatre, London's West End

Holsten Pils - National Press and Poster Campaign

"Nitty & Gritty" - Stop motion character merchandise development for Border TV

Lifelike 4 Year old Child Figure - Created for the international Artist Adam Fuss (New York)

(a full credit listing can be requested)

Contracts - location work...

We are very accustomed and organised to work with clients internationally.

Please contact our Makeup Fx Designer & Supervisor, Mike Stringer on +44 (0)7870 - 600 273

studio@hybridfx.com

Our silicone face duplication used for the Cover of the 2002 November issue. Our work was also included
as part of their TV channel documentary on "Skin" detailing how humans have learnt to synthesise it.
The Photo taken by Sarah Leen, won 2nd prize in the World Press Photo Awards 2003

Creation & detail of our lifelike faces & heads

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway - A range of characters designed for their "undercover" segment of the show

Under our prosthetic makeup they were able to completely fool both well known TV celebrities and the public into believing they were Old Men, Jamaican Ladies, German Popstars, a Corporate Manager and his mature lady Secretary

All the characters were created and applied by our team using full face silicone prosthetics

Hybrid's Prosthetic Silicone...

Back in 2002 we  developed and refined the Art and Technology of Special Make-up Prosthetics to offer greater realism, comfort, and flexibility.

We use our own specially formulated medical grade (Platinum) silicones to create wonderfully soft and flesh like appliances which react,  move, wrinkle and appear exactly like real skin tissue. The system (designed by ourselves for our own specific prosthetic use) is a safe, reliable, and cost effective alternative to all other translucent prosthetic materials and standard foam latex. It can be used for concepts of ANY size and scale. Our prosthetics are NOT sticky or oily. Over any period of time and condition they don't stiffen, deform, melt, freeze or degrade in any way, and require no special 'on set' treatment or storage considerations - once made, they may be stored indefinitely.

The translucency and softness can be adjusted to replicate any skin type and requirement. From mould to make-up room an appliance can be supplied ready coloured faster than traditional foam latex, with superb edges which blend imperceptibly into the skin with little effort.

Our silicone appliances accept make-up extremely well (including water based products).  Prosthetic make-up literally bonds to the material, ensuring that it does not rub off on the actor or their clothing, and requires minimal on set maintenance.  Likewise, the bond to the skin is extremely tenacious, and absolutely reliable, using any form of prosthetic adhesive, as well as popular, hypoallergenic, NON solvent based brands.

Being extremely comfortable to wear, our appliances warm to the actors skin, and due to their incredible flexibility, are far less like a restricting mask, and more a physical extension of the actors existing features and performance.

Full face silicone prosthetic character showing close-up of fine edge blending around the eye

Pre-production project - Prosthetic and Character effects design

for the un-commissioned Feature Film development by Sheerfilms - 2005

• We specialise in Make-up Fx & Prosthetic work, specifically with silicone to capture the skins natural lifelike translucency

• Other areas of expertise include the design and creation of temporary prosthetic dental work, caps, veneers, fangs, creature teeth etc. We work with both standard dental acrylic materials and precious metals

• Specialist sculpture and model making,  moulding, replication, and prop' creation

• Creatures, Characters, Puppets and Prop' creation in all kinds of specialist materials, foams, rubbers and Silicones.

Full head animatronic creature, rear view of human torso in late stages of decay, and burnt corpse (post car fire)

Since we opened our studio-workshop in '97, we have expanded considerably. The Studio covers several thousand sq. ft  of permanent  working area including centrally heated offices, meeting / presentation facilities, and a specialised life-casting, make-up test and prosthetics department. For particularly large projects, we also have additional adjacent studio space available when required.

Please contact The Hybrid Studio (UK) C/o Mike Stringer - Makeup Fx & Prosthetic Designer, +44 (0)7870 - 600 273

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further and specific information. 

studio@hybridfx.com