NEW YORK, NY — Go inside the imaginative and creative world of special effects make-up artistry with Syfy's new reality competition series, "Face Off," premiering Wednesday, January 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Syfy. The series will introduce 12 up-and-coming make-up artists who will face off in Los Angeles in a series of elaborate challenges that will determine just who has the steady artistic hand to be the country's next great SFX artist.

For their first spotlight elimination challenge, the contestants are tasked to imagine an entirely new species, a human/animal hybrid, based on one of three exotic animals that are brought into their workspace lab—a beetle, an ostrich or an elephant. The contestants must work in teams of two to execute their creative visions, utilizing specialized skills including molding, sculpting, prosthetics and an involved application process on live models. Future elimination challenges include application of full body make-up to nude subjects, conceptualizing a creature that would inhabit a newly discovered planet, creating an original horror villain and transforming a "bride" into a "groom" and a "groom" into a "bride."



As a member of the multi-generational family dynasty whose name is synonymous with the make-up effects field, actress McKenzie Westmore brings poise and expertise to her role as host of the series. Judging the competition are some of the most renowned names in the SFX world—three-time Academy Award winner Ve Neill, famed special make-up effects artist Glenn Hetrick and creature designer/film director Patrick Tatopoulos. Their multi-disciplined approach and straight-forward constructive feedback will challenge the contestants and push them to the top of their game.

Throughout the series, some of the industry's most experienced artists will guest judge including Sean Cunningham ("Friday the 13th"), revolutionary body painter Filippo Ioco, Greg Nicotero ("The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe") and Michael Westmore ("Star Trek: The Next Generation").

The 12 "Face Off" artists will be whittled down week-by-week as they compete to outshine their competition. The winning SFX artist will receive $100,000 and a year's supply of make-up courtesy of Alcone.

With their ages and hometowns, the "Face Off" contestants are as follows:

Megan Areford, 24, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Marcel Banks, 24, Tacoma, Washington
Sam Cobb, 32, Decatur, Georgia
Tom Devlin, 29, East Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania
Sergio Cuerra, 31, San Antonio, Texas
Jo Holland, 21, Hilo, Hawaii
Gage Hubbard, 26, Willard, Utah
Frank Ippolito, 32, Cleveland, Ohio
Jessica Kramer, 26, Scottsdale, Arizona
Conor McCullagh, 40, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Anthony Pepe, 35, Queens, New York
Tate Steinsiek, 31, Henryetta, Oklahoma

"Face Off" is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art. The contestants are tasked with elaborate feature challenges including executing full body paint make up on models and creating their own horror villain. Not only will the show incorporate effects make-up, it will include a wide range of skill sets including prosthetics, 3-D design, sculpting, eye enhancers, casting and molding. Each episode involves incredible reveals of the competitors' finished work, and the drama of one contestant being sent home by the panel of expert and celebrity judges. It all culminates in one winner and one grand prize that will launch a career.

"Face Off" is a production of Mission Control Media with Michael Agbabian and Dwight D. Smith serving as executive producers. "Face Off" is set to debut in first quarter 2011 on Syfy.