Brian Penikas

For more than 20 years, Brian Penikas has made a career of bringing interesting characters to the screen with the use of Special Make-up Effects. His career began as an assistant and designer to many of Hollywood’s top make-up artists. His early works include “Cocoon”, “Aliens”, and the Oscar winning “Mask” (with Eric Stolz and Cher).

In recent years, as Creative Director for Make-up & Monsters Studios, Brian and his team have contributed their unique skills and talents to notable films such as “BATMAN & ROBIN”, “GALAXY QUEST”, “RULES OF ENGAGEMENT”, “MAN ON THE MOON”, “The GENERAL’s DAUGHTER”, and “STIGMATA”.

Whether creating something as small as a scar for Mike Myers' Dr. Evil make-ups in “AUSTIN POWERS II:The Spy Who Shagged Me” or a nose for Al Pacino in “ANY GIVEN SUNDAY” or something as monumental as the creatures and victims for “JEEPERS CREEPERS 1 & 2 ”, Penikas and his crew approach each project with the same creative enthusiasm and attention to detail that has driven them for over two decades. Every project presents new creative challenges and Brian says he “feeds on” and welcomes those challenges.

What’s Brian do when he’s not creating make-up effects for the cinema? He is the “Keeper of the Glue and Faith” for his group, APEMANIA, a re-enactment/parody troupe that pays tribute to Planet of the Apes. Penikas credits Planet of the Apes as being his inspiration since childhood to pursue make-up and effects as his chosen career. He also says that dressing up as a gorilla with his friends to entertain people is just another defiant excuse to never truly grow up and get a “real job”.