Exclusive ‘Guardians of The Galaxy’ Interview: David White, Special Makeup Effects Designer

Hollywood is a land of both business men and artists. But the word that may better describe David White is “wizard.” He has helped creating some of the most iconic characters in cinema as a painter, sculptor, animatronics technician and make-up artist. After showcasing his amazing talent in titles like “Return to Oz,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” he decided to open his own company, Altered States FX.

In an exclusive interview for Desde Hollywood, the award winning artist talked about his experience crafting as Special Makeup Effects Designer the unique and beautiful look of the aliens in “Guardians of the Galaxy” (in theaters August 1) .

Nestor Bentancor: Was there a particular influence for your work in this film?

David White: The Natural world is pretty much my favorite place to look for the most cool and extraordinary reference, real creatures that live in the deepest oceans and most remote places on the planet.

How challenging was to get Gamora’s green right on screen?

A real challenge. Green is not just “green.” Some things take time to get the right color balance and Gamora was one of them.

Do you have to consider the use of green/blue screens?

Yes for sure: You are getting all kinds of light and color rebound.

How did you keep Drax’s makeup intact after so much movement?

With very strong glue! And the key was a good preparation of David’s skin.

Was it intentional to keep the villains in a cold/bluish look?

Yes, there was a color relationship. They were carefully considered. Blue was used because of its unique elusive and dangerous quality.

Does the increasing resolution on TV monitor and formats like IMAX put more pressure on artists like you?

Always, but the prosthetic materials we now use are very cutting edge.

Did you need to keep some kind of consistency between this and “The Marvel Cinematic Universe”?

Absolutely!

“Guardians of the Galaxy” opens in theaters on August 1.

“From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits-Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand-with the galaxy’s fate in the balance. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 (Jan. 1969), stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime Rael and Benicio del Toro as The Collector.”