Quarantine measures shut down the entire film and entertainment industry in the Philippines. Studios were closed, shoots were cancelled, and film and television practitioners like Rene suddenly found themselves out of work.
“We used to handle two to three shoots weekly but because of the pandemic, we have been out of work since March.”
One afternoon, while Rene and his family were staying home during the lockdown, they thought of creating 3D versions of printed fabric face masks. It was a way for Rene to teach his daughter the art of his craft.
“It was just for fun,” the 50-year-old shares when asked about the inspiration for his prosthetic face masks that have taken the internet by storm.
Their first design was patterned after a zombie’s jawline, complete with teeth dripping with blood and guts. Rene’s daughter posted a picture of it on her social media accounts. Two hours later, the post was shared 1000 times.
His first design went viral after her daughter posted it on social media. Source: Rene Abelardo
“The next day, we were overwhelmed with so many orders that we ran out of stocks,” Rene recalls.
The creative process
It was challenging to respond quickly to the demand.
“We don’t usually have stocks on hand, everything is made to order,” Rene says. “Each piece is handcrafted from start to finish. It sounds easy, but in reality, it’s hard.”
To create one, Rene and his team take an impression from a human head which is sculpted and refined into a design.
Each handcrafted scary mask takes 36 hours to make. Source: Rene Abelardo
They shape a mould around the model, fill it with liquid plastic multiple times, waiting for each layer to dry before adding another.
Then, they add a cloth layer for better stability before pouring the final layer of plastic. After drying overnight, the mask is finalised with hand-painted details.
The designs also bear an unexpected commonality. “They have to be smiling. The smiles enable us to incorporate ventilation holes into our mask designs.”
Rene Abelardo modeling his Joker design2 Source: Rene Abelardo
The intricate designs of Rene’s 3D face masks are proof of the meticulous effort that was put into them. Under the skilled hands of Rene and his team, eye-catching designs of popular Halloween characters, like fierce werewolves, ghastly zombies, and comic book villains, come alive through their masks.
The finished creations cover the entire lower half of a person’s face and are meant to be worn over a conventional cloth mask.
“Kailangan naka-ngisi sila." Source: Rene Abelardo
A new mask design is due to be released soon. This time, Rene and his team are recreating famous personalities.
“We’re currently developing a new design. One of them is a well-known personality here in the Philippines. He has a beard. It’s a secret for now.”
Scare tactics
Rene knows it might take a long time for his old streams of income to come back.
While Metro Manila, his hometown Laguna, and other parts of the Philippines, are now in General Community Quarantine, shoots will certainly be few and far between.
Until then, he’s happy to do be doing what he loves, which is scaring people through his craft. He is also grateful for the chance to support his family of five.
“At this time, do anything to make money. Any skill or craft you know, develop it, and use it.”
Rene Abelardo's handcrafted character mask Source: Rene Abelardo
When asked what motivates him to keep on going, he says: "When you have experienced hunger, you will do anything and everything to prevent your family from experiencing it.”
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