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Face Off (American TV series)

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Face Off
Title card for Face Off
Title card
GenreReality
Presented byMcKenzie Westmore
JudgesVe Neill
Glenn Hetrick
Patrick Tatopoulos
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producersMichael Agbabian
Dwight D. Smith[1]
Production locationsLos Angeles, California
Production company42 minutes
Original release
NetworkSyfy
ReleaseJanuary 26, 2011 (2011-01-26)

Face Off is an American reality television series. Twelve contestants compete in special effects makeup challenges. Actress McKenzie Westmore, a member of the pioneering Westmore family of makeup artists, serves as host. Judges are multiple Academy Award-winning makeup artist Ve Neill (Ed Wood, Beetlejuice), television makeup artist Glenn Hetrick (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Babylon 5) and creature designer Patrick Tatopoulos (I Am Legend, Resident Evil: Extinction).[2] Industry figures and artists including Sean S. Cunningham, Filippo Ioco, Greg Nicotero and Michael Westmore will serve as guest judges.[1]

Each week the artists will face a "Spotlight Challenge" and in some weeks a "Foundation Challenge" where the Foundation Challenge winner receives an advantage in the Spotlight Challenge. The Face Off winner will receive $100,000 and a year's supply of makeup,[3] a "grand prize that will launch a career".[4] Face Off premiered January 26, 2011 on Syfy.

Syfy announced March 16, 2011 that Face Off had been renewed for a second season. Casting was slated to begin later the same month.[5]

Contestants

Contestant[6] Age Hometown 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Conor McCullagh 40 Mississauga, Ontario WIN LOW WIN IN HIGH HIGH IN WIN
Gage Hubbard 26 Willard, Utah LOW‡ IN HIGH HIGH IN IN HIGH OUT
Tate Steinsiek 31 Henryetta, Oklahoma HIGH LOW‡ IN HIGH HIGH‡ WIN IN OUT
Samantha "Sam" Cobb 32 Decatur, Georgia IN IN IN IN IN IN WIN‡ OUT
Megan Areford 24 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania IN IN LOW LOW WIN LOW OUT
Tom Devlin 29 East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania HIGH HIGH LOW WIN LOW OUT‡
Anthony Pepe 35 Queens, New York IN WIN LOW LOW HIGH OUT
Kayla "Jo" Holland 21 Hilo, Hawaii LOW HIGH HIGH IN OUT
Marcel Banks 24 Tacoma, Washington IN IN HIGH OUT
Frank Ippolito 32 Cleveland, Ohio HIGH IN OUT
Sergio Guerra 31 San Antonio, Texas LOW OUT
Jessica Kramer 26 Scottdale, Pennsylvania OUT
  The contestant won Face Off.
  The contestant was a runner-up.
  The contestant won a Spotlight Challenge.
  The contestant was part of a team that won the Spotlight Challenge.
  The contestant was in the top in the Spotlight Challenge.
  The contestant was in the bottom in the Spotlight Challenge.
  The contestant was eliminated.
‡ The contestant won the Foundation Challenge.

Episodes

Episode 1: "Welcome to the Jungle"

Animal Team 1 Team 2
Black Beetle Sam & Marcel Frank & Tate
Ostrich Jessica & Jo Anthony & Megan
Elephant Sergio & Gage Conor & Tom
  • Foundation Challenge: Create an original face makeup incorporating at least one item from the introductory reception room
  • Foundation Challenge winner: Gage
  • Spotlight Challenge: In teams of two, create a human-animal hybrid based on either a black beetle, ostrich or elephant
  • Spotlight Challenge winner: Conor
  • Bottom Two Teams: Jessica and Jo, Sergio and Gage (Gage immune from elimination)
  • Eliminated: Jessica

Episode 2: "Naked Ambition"

Contestant Backdrop
Anthony Petrified wood
Conor New Orleans
Frank Elevator
Gage Museum
Jo Ocean
Marcel Waterfall
Megan Abstract colors
Sam Bookcase
Sergio Tornado
Tate Rainforest
Tom Stairway
  • Foundation Challenge: Design an original tattoo that has meaning for you
  • Foundation Challenge winner: Tate
  • Spotlight Challenge: Body paint a nude model for a magazine cover photo shoot
  • Spotlight Challenge winner: Anthony
  • Special Guest Judge: Filippo Ioco
  • Bottom Three: Sergio, Conor and Tate
  • Eliminated: Sergio

Episode 3: "Out of This World"

Teams
Marcel & Gage
Tate & Sam
Tom & Megan
Anthony & Frank
Conor & Jo
  • Spotlight Challenge: Create an alien inspired by the environmental conditions speculated to exist on Gliese 581 g
  • Spotlight Challenge winner: Conor
  • Special Guest Judge: Michael Westmore
  • Bottom Two Teams: Anthony and Frank, Tom and Megan
  • Eliminated: Frank

Episode 4: "Bad to the Bone"

Contestant Movie title Villain Tagline
Anthony London Twilight Mad doctor set in Victorian England The Doctor Is Out... ...Of His Mind
Conor Voodoo Dawn Vengeance demon Death Is Just The Beginning
Gage Cautionary Point Undead lighthouse keeper Heed The Warning
Jo Confession Murderous Nun Confessions Will Not Always Save You
Marcel Final Skate 70s era roller rink operator The Class Of '78 Is Going To Pieces
Megan Chester's Photography Deranged photographer A Picture Says A Thousand Words... His Victims Say None
Sam Baby Doll Porcelain doll-influenced killer Daddy's Little Secret Has Come Back To Play
Tate Him Genetic anomaly Your Mind...His Playground
Tom Teddy Told Me To Child-like; yo-yo weapon It's All Fun And games Till Someone dies
  • Spotlight Challenge: Create a concept for a horror movie with an iconic villain.
  • Spotlight Challenge Winner: Tom
  • Special Guest Judge: Sean S. Cunningham
  • Bottom Three: Marcel, Megan and Anthony
  • Eliminated: Marcel

Episode 5: "Switched and Hitched"

Teams
Conor & Megan
Sam & Gage
Tom & Jo
Tate & Anthony
  • Foundation Challenge: Create a realistic facial hair makeup matching the model's costume
  • Foundation Challenge Winner: Tate
  • Spotlight Challenge: Take an engaged couple and switch their genders
  • Spotlight Challenge Winner: Megan
  • Special Guest Judge: Steve La Porte
  • Bottom Team: Tom and Jo
  • Eliminated: Jo

Episode 6: "The Dancing Dead"

  • Foundation Challenge: Create fake blood using various groceries.
  • Foundation Challenge winner: Tom
  • Spotlight Challenge: Create a zombie character to work in a choreographic routine with the other contestant's creations.
  • Spotlight Challenge winner: Tate
  • Special Guest Judge: Greg Nicotero
  • Bottom Three: Anthony, Tom, Megan
  • Eliminated: Anthony, Tom

Episode 7: "Family Plot"

  • Spotlight Challenge: Use makeup to disguise themselves in front of loved ones.
  • Spotlight Challenge winner: Sam
  • Eliminated: Megan

Episode 8: "Twisted Tales"

Contestant Story
Conor The Frog Prince
Gage Hansel and Gretel
Sam The Little Mermaid
Tate Little Red Riding Hood
  • Foundation Challenge: N/A
  • Foundation Challenge winner: N/A
  • Spotlight Challenge: The last challenge has the Four remaining contestants to create fairy-tale characters, derived from "The Frog Prince," "The Little Mermaid," "Hansel and Gretel" and "Little Red Riding Hood".
  • Spotlight Challenge winner: Connor.
  • Special Guest Judge: N/A
  • Top Four: Connor, Tate, Gage, Samantha.
  • Eliminated: Samantha.
  • Runners-up: Tate, Gage.

Production and development

Syfy began developing Face Off in March 2010 in association with production company Mission Control Media.[7] Syfy confirmed that it had ordered the series in May,[4] and announced the host and judges in November.[2] Producers held open casting calls in Los Angeles and Orlando and accepted audition videos through September 15.[8]

Critical reception

Drawing comparisons to similar fashion- and cooking-themed competition series, Wired.com reviewer Scott Thill found Face Off "more interesting than watching cooks or clothiers create cold fine dining or hot runway messes". In examining hitherto unexamined aspects of pop culture, Face Off helps a television genre Thill categorizes as nearing "creative exhaustion" stay relevant. Thill sharply criticized the series for "mining its subjects for tortured psychodrama", calling it "an uncomfortable viewing experience but also a pathetic commentary on how desensitized we are to pimping out our fellow humans for humiliation".[3] Mike Moody of TV Squad also noted the format similarities to series like Project Runway and HGTV Design Star, dubbing it "pretty routine". He praised the series for highlighting the creative talents of its contestants and the "sharp and articulate" judges.[9] Writing for FEARnet, Alyse Wax found host McKenzie Westmore "a little underwhelming....She comes across as a generic host: pretty girl with a nice smile, whose connection to the industry is tenuous." However, Wax was effusive in praising the contestants, who "creat [sic] a variety of really fascinating creatures, each with their own backstory, displaying an abundance of talent and skill among the competitors". Despite some initial stiltedness, Wax found that the series has good potential.[10] Sharply dissenting was Tom Conroy of Media Life magazine: "The programmers at Syfy should congratulate themselves for finding a competition show that aligns with their brand. That doesn’t mean they had to air it."[11]

Face Off drew an average audience of 1.4 million viewers per episode during season 1.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Syfy's New Reality Competition Series, "Face Off," Premieres Wednesday, January 26 at 10 PM ET/PT". Thefutoncritic.com. 2011-01-05. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  2. ^ a b Rice, Lynette (2011-01-28). "Syfy special effects show 'Face Off' gears up for January premiere". Insidetv.ew.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  3. ^ a b Previous post Next post. "Review: ''Face Off'' Is ''Iron Chef'' for Makeup and VFX Artists". Wired.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  4. ^ a b "Syfy orders new 'Paranormal Witness' and 'Face Off' reality series". Realitytvworld.com. 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  5. ^ a b Syfy Renews 'Face Off'
  6. ^ "''Face Off'' cast". Poptower.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  7. ^ "Marcel Vigneron show among eight new reality shows Syfy developing". Realitytvworld.com. 2010-03-17. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  8. ^ "''Face Off'' profile, MySpace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  9. ^ "Syfy's 'Face Off' Preview: Inside the Art of Making Monsters". Tvsquad.com. 2011-01-26. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  10. ^ "TV Review: Syfy's 'Face Off' Reality Show". Fearnet.com. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  11. ^ Conroy, Tom (2011-01-26). "'Face Off,' a not so inviting challenge". Medialifemagazine.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
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