Space Coast / Florida

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FLORIDA TODAY » FLORIDATODAY.COM
NEWS DIRECTOR: MARA BELLABY
MBELLABY@FLORIDATODAY.COM

What I witnessed
during my recent
trip to Puerto Rico
Lifecasting your
John A.
head for art’s sake
Not everyone can withstand globs of goo covering the face for 20 minutes
Torres
NEWS COLUMNIST

Any reservations I harbored about traveling to

Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria
were put to rest by the graciousness, gratitude
and fighting spirit of the people I met on the bat-
tered island.
Landing in Aguadilla, on the western part of the
island, it was immediately clear that the hurricane
spared nothing and no one. The damage sustained
by the airport included twisted hangars, portions
of buildings missing, small planes pushed into
fences.
The U.S. Customs officers — we flew from the
Dominican Republic and had to go through cus-
toms — gave us a bewildered look when we asked
to use the restroom.
“We have no water in the bathroom,” one offi-
cer told us.
The truth is, there was no water anywhere. And
that was probably the hardest thing to come to
grips with during my five-day trip with Titus-
ville’s Joe Hurston and his water purifiers, and
North Carolina pilot David Walen.
Hurston, founder of Airmobile Ministries,
delivered 10 of the life-saving machines but the
island can probably use 10,000. Even if you were
willing and able to pay $100 for a bottle of water,
the few open stores would have to turn you away.
There were no water bottles to be had.
We used Hurston’s machine to clean filthy wa-
ter from an abandoned hot tub for our own per-
sonal use. We drove on roads with no traffic lights.
We slept in hot rooms without electricity. We ate
whatever we could whenever we could. CHRISTINA LAFORTUNE
It was a long couple of days. FLORIDA TODAY
For Puerto Ricans, it has been a long couple of
weeks and there is no end in sight. hanging your ap-

C
pearance can be em-
See Puerto Rico, Page 20A powering. It can be
as simple as choos-
ing a dress and heels
instead of shorts
and flip-flops, wear-
ing vampy red lip-
Questioning by County stick, or trying a different hairstyle.
But what if you want something
Commissioner Tobia even more radical? That’s when you
turn to prosthetics and special ef-
like ‘Perry Mason’ show fects.
You’ve seen it in movies and on
television, in sci-fi and fantasy worlds
POLITICAL SPIN populated with zombies and elves. It’s
DAVE BERMAN TOP: Alan Ostrander of AEO Studios applies the casting mixture not all computer-generated imagery.
over Christina LaFortune’s face. Those are real, human actors trans-
Brevard County formed by special effects makeup,
Commissioner John ABOVE: (From right) Alan Ostrander, along with Ray Asiala and and it all starts with a lifecast.
Tobia isn’t an attorney. Ashley Green of AEO Studios, prepare to do a lifecast mold of What’s a lifecast? It’s a permanent,
He just plays one Christina LaFortune’s head. Christina’s head is seen at right with durable, 3-D copy of an actor’s body
on the County Com- Barfield her head covered in the mixture used in the lifecasting process. part — such as their head — that can
mission. PHOTOS BY CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY be used for sculpting customized
At least that was makeup. Think of a witch’s bumpy
the impression of nose, or an alien’s sleek brow. When
some people who attended the com- See more photos and watch it’s created on a lifecast of the actor’s
mission’s meeting Tuesday night, face, the finished prosthetic makeup
when the discussion came to desig- a video of Christina’s will precisely fit the person’s fea-
nating $14.4 million from the coun- tures, allowing movement and ex-
ty’s 5 percent Tourist Development Isnardi lifecasting experience. Floridatoday.com pression.
Tax for five tourism-focused capital
projects within the county. The tax is See Lifecasting, Page 8A
charged to those who rent hotel
rooms or other short-term rentals.
Within a span of 20 minutes, Tobia
let loose with 34 questions directed
at three county department heads
about the projects, the application Tobia
process, the tourism economic im-

DID IT LAUNCH?
pacts of the projects and other po-
tential funding sources. In many
cases, Tobia launched into a new An Atlas V
question before the county officials rocket seen
finished answering the previous at Cape An Atlas V rocket carrying a secret payload for the National
question. Canaveral Reconnaissance Office was scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral
“Wow,” County Commissioner Jim Air Force
Barfield said when Tobia finally ran Air Force Station at 3:28 a.m. today. It is the fifth attempt after
Station.
out of questions. “I feel like I was in UNITED
weather scrubbed Saturday’s liftoff.
‘Perry Mason’ going through that.” LAUNCH
(Realizing that many people prob- Check with floridatoday.com/space for updates, video and photos.
ALLIANCE

See Political spin, Page 6A

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8A SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 FLORIDA TODAY

NEWS

Lifecasting
Continued from Page 3A

Lifecasting is the duplication of a per-

son’s features from a mold made from
their living body. You’ve probably seen
those kits popular with new parents for
casting babies’ tiny hands or feet, or even
art pieces cast from a model’s body. Those
are made from a lifecast.
As a stage actor, I’m used to changing
my appearance with wigs and costumes,
but I’m ready to take it to the next level.
On my quest for character makeup for
Halloween and cosplay, I turned to Alan
Ostrander, president and creative direc-
tor of AEO Studios.
Looking around his Orlando studio, I
knew I’d come to the right place. Prosthet-
ic body parts litter the worktable, bright
green Shrek heads lurk in a corner. In the
shadow of a tall shelf I see mysterious
items labeled werewolf upper, half-skull,
and beast brow.
Ostrander laughed: “It’s a little differ-
ent. Another day, another dead body! And
that’s what’s fun, we never know what’s
coming next.”
The process is a little daunting. I have
to sit perfectly still for about 25 minutes
while he makes an impression of my head
using prosthetic-grade alginate, which is
like a wet jelly applied over my head, face,
neck and shoulders — with my nostrils Alan Ostrander and Ray Asiala of AEO Studios apply gauze over the casting material on FLORIDA TODAY reporter Christina LaFortune’s head.
left open so that I can breathe. CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY
Then come the plaster bandages over
the wet jelly to make the lifecast very rig-
id. ing. I ask Ostrander for the best strategy. so I try to relax into what I hope is a neu-
“So, I’m guessing, just like a neutral ex- tral expression. Remembering my chin, I
Don’t try this at home pression?” hold my neck straight.
As they tuck my hair under a bald cap, “Exactly,” he replies. “Just natural, My ears are covered, so sounds are
Ostrander’s assistants, Ray Asiala and just like you’re taking a nap.” muffled, although I can still hear Ostran-
Ashley Green, tell me I need to keep my I’ve never actually seen myself taking der patiently talking me through the proc-
neck straight so my cast will have a clean a nap. I suspect I don’t look like Sleeping ess.
chin and jawline. If I ever feel like I can’t Beauty. For all I know, I might look like a I can hear Bailey’s camera shutter
breathe, I should just blow out through drooling, slack-jawed gargoyle. Is that clicking. I’m aware that I must look like a
my nose and give them a hand signal. really how I want to be remembered for bedraggled swamp monster. Oh, boy. Why
Most important, they caution me, I all eternity? am I doing this again?
should not try this at home. With about 15 seconds before the algi-
One thing has been worrying me. 0 MINUTES IN nate sets, Ostrander and Green work
“What happens if I have to sneeze?” The artists start slathering cool, gooey swiftly to make sure it is applied thick
Green smiles, “Don’t think about it!” alginate on me. One focuses on the back of enough, especially around the tip of my
The edges of the bald cap are sealed to my head, another concentrates on my nose. They also reinforce the back of my
my skin. All of my hair is completely cov- face. I can feel it oozing over my head. head where they’ll eventually cut me out FLORIDA TODAY reporter Christina LaFortune
ered. I feel like I’m starting to lose my They work fast to gently press the slip- of the mold. prepares for lifecasting at AEO Studios.
identity. I’m glad I can’t see myself in a pery goop into the contours of my eyes, CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY
mirror, because I might lose my nerve. my cheeks, my mouth, my chin. They cov- 5 MINUTES IN
I’m acutely conscious of my colleague, er the tip of my nose, but leave my nostrils I hear Ostrander’s voice: “OK, so the
FLORIDA TODAY visual journalist Craig open. first step is complete.” without messing up the mold.
Bailey, filming this experience. I have a flash of anxiety. Uh-oh, what I give them a thumbs up. This is going The next step is to apply plaster ban-
I’m also aware that this lifecast is go- face did we decide on? Slack-jawed gar- faster than I expected. The alginate has dages, which will give the alginate
ing to preserve my features in stone per- goyle? Beautiful dreamer? Since my congealed around my head; my face feels
manently. Of course I want it to be flatter- mouth is covered, I can no longer speak, frozen in place. I can even relax a tiny bit Continued on Next Page

FT-0000595790
FLORIDA TODAY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 9A
NEWS

TOP LEFT: Ray Asiala of AEO Studios uses a dryer on a lifecast of FLORIDA TODAY reporter closed eyes, although I’m still encased in
Christina LaFortune. alginate.
I lean forward while Ostrander uses
BOTTOM LEFT: LaFortune was completely covered in plaster to create this life-size bust. scissors to cut a zigzag opening up the
back of the alginate. He’s careful not to
BELOW: Christina covers her eyes as Alan Ostrander and Ray Asiala of AEO Studios clean up cut into the bald cap. It feels like this step
after removing the lifecast mold from her head. is taking forever, but that’s probably be-
cause of my own impatience.

25 MINUTES IN
“OK, at this point, Christina, go ahead
and start making some faces.”
I squinch my face up, and then stretch
it out into a yawn. I can feel the alginate
release from my skin. The more I move
my face, the more the mask pops away.
Ostrander loosens up the back, while I
pull my head out.
I gasp. Light! Air! Reality floods my
senses.
“Aaaah!” I cry. “This is what it feels
CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY like to be born!”
The molding phase of my lifecast is
done. Next, the artists will pour Ultracal
30 cement into the mold, which will take a
full day to cure.

24 HOURS LATER
I return to the studio the next day for
the unveiling of the finished cast. I’m ex-
cited and anxious. What will it look like?
As we peel away the alginate, my fea-
tures start to emerge. The last piece re-
veals my closed eyes. Ah, so that’s what I
look like when I’m asleep!
I’m relieved to note that I look like nei-
CRAIG BAILEY/FLORIDA TODAY ther a gargoyle nor a beauty, but just a
normal person. The cast is incredibly
realistic, right down to the texture of my
Want to learn more? Oh, ha ha. Very funny, guys. Hilarious. skin and the creases on my eyelids. De-
They turn a hair dryer on me — merci- spite trying to stay neutral, I notice that
AEO Studios offers lifecasting services fully without heat — to speed up the dry- my cast has a tiny, enigmatic smile. Just
and classes. Call 407-677-8706 or visit ing of the plaster. It’s weirdly jarring to like Mona Lisa, I think to myself.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALAN OSTRANDER
aeostudios.com. get a blast of air through my nose hole. I have a momentary flash of cognitive
Man, those are words I never thought I dissonance as I see myself the way others
would write. see me, instead of the familiar reversed
Continued from Previous Page own breathing, which now sounds deafen- reflection in the mirror. There is some-
ing. My heartbeat is suddenly loud in my 18 MINUTES IN thing unsettling about seeing my own dis-
structural support. What little translu- ears. Wow, can they hear that pounding on I hear scratching. Someone is writing embodied head, turned to stone, set on a
cent light I could sense before, now goes the outside? I imagine this is like being in on the plaster with a pencil. The sound table.
completely dark as wet plaster strips are a sensory deprivation chamber. resonates inside my mummy wrappings; But I’m excited to think about the cos-
placed over my eyes. I can feel their hands smoothing the I can hear it even over the racket of the tume possibilities for Halloween and cos-
“This is where we get to mummify plaster around my neck and shoulders, hair dryer. I think I hear muffled laughter. play. Now I have a bust to work with for
you!” Ostrander laughs. working out all the errant air bubbles. Os- Are they drawing graffiti on my head? I custom prosthetic makeup.
I wonder vaguely how the Creature trander places a tiny piece of chalky- want to smile in spite of myself, but I can’t And I’m already thinking about what
from the Black Lagoon would look en- smelling plaster over the end of my nose, move my face. else I can do with my stone lifecast. May-
shrouded in bandages. Is mummy better reminding me that I haven’t had to sneeze I’m feeling slightly claustrophobic be I’ll put a red wig and dark glasses on it,
than swamp thing? Either way, this will be … yet. Don’t think about it, I tell myself. now. The layers of plaster are weighing and set it up in front of my computer at
good for Halloween, right? Oh no, now I’m thinking about it. me down, entombing me. work. Then I can go enjoy a delicious
frosty beverage at the beach.
8 MINUTES IN 15 MINUTES IN 20 MINUTES IN I wonder if anyone will notice.
Ostrander tells me, “You are going to Ostrander says, “Now we can say all We are done. The artists lever the back LaFortune hosts “The FLORIDA TO-
start feeling a little bit of weight. It is a lit- kinds of things about her and she can’t half of the plaster layer off my head, DAY Show” on WEFS.
tle heavy. We’ll work as quick as we can.” talk back!” I hear laughter. clamshell-style, and immediately I feel Contact LaFortune at 321-242-3886
He’s not kidding. I feel like I’m being Asiala chimes in, “She looks like she lighter. The front half comes off next. I or clafortune@floridatoday.com.
buried. Sounds are muted, except for my got really good plastic surgery!” can sort of sense daylight through my Twitter: @lafortunec

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