On his Nerdist YouTube series Bloodworks, Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian goes behind the scenes to learn the nitty-gritty details of the props, special effects, and makeup of movies and TV shows. In his latest episode, Ian chats with Game Of Thrones’ prosthetic makeup designer Barrie Gower about the White Walkers and wights as seen in the show’s iconic episode “Hardhome.” He also gets his own White Walker makeover.
Gower notes that the designers drew inspiration from The Walking Dead, since they’re big fans of the show, but also wanted to make creatures that would feel completely original. For instance, the Night King was designed to look especially regal. As Ian goes through the elaborate process of actually becoming a White Walker, Gower talks through the White Walkers’ aesthetic inspirations (marble, ice crystals, old-age makeup, etc.) and design details (they have a different bone structure than humans). The results are impressive, if a little disconcerting:
This is actually the second Game Of Thrones-centric episode of Bloodworks. Earlier this month, Ian also learned how the show creates other designs, including Wun Wun, that old version of Melisandre, the Children Of The Forest, and the crushable Oberyn Martell head.
