• Emmy-winning prosthetics designer Barrie Gower gave us a tour of his workshop BGFX just outside of London
• The team here worked on season 4-8 of the popular HBO series “Game of Thrones”, as well as feature films and TV shows.
• We learned how the Night King makeup is made, as well as wights and White Walkers.
• Visit Insider.com for more stories

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BGFX is run by Emmy-winners Sarah and Barrie Gower, who have worked in the industry for over 20 years, creating prosthetics for “Harry Potter,” “X-Men,” and “Life of Pi.” They are responsible for prosthetics on “Game of Thrones” since season 4.

Barrie took Insider on a tour of their studio, just outside of London.

The bust of the Night King in their studio is a replica being made as gifts. Although we first see the Night King in Season 4 in Bran’s vision, it’s not until “The Door” in Season 6 that we see the up-to-date version performed by actor Vladimir Furdik. The Might King makeup is actually made from silicone, due a process called lifecasting where a sculpt of the actors face is taken and appliances made from molds.

His silicone appliances took around four hours to put on, and weighed 2 to 3 kilos. It took several of the prosethetics team to build the finished look. Originally the design was for him to be topless but this was altered later in the production process.

Silicone masks are also made for giants, such as Wun Wun. His specific mask and hands are made from platinum-based silicone, similar to what is used in the medical industry.

The team had to make hundreds of fake limbs and bodies for battle sequences, such as the Battle of the Bastards. These have hand-punched human hair on them, to give a realistic effect. Veins and wounds are painted on.

The team here took inspiration for the wights from zombies in “The Walking Dead”. They split the wights into three categories: “super fresh” wights, “fresh” wights and “mid decomposed”. Fans should also look out for multiple appearances as wights by the same actors, as stuntman Michael Byrch has appeared in the show no fewer than 12 times.

Dead bodies in the show, such as Jeoffrey and Littlefinger, are made from lifecasting. Busts of Arya and the Hound line the wall of the studio. Arya is featured from when a mask of Walder Frey is made in season 7. The Hound came into BGFX for makeup tests. Four characters hidden behind bags as to keep their identity secret. Whose busts are these?

BGFX are currently working on a number of feature films and television projects.

Produced by Ju Shardlow and Charlie Floyd

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