10 Things You Didn't Know About Jeepers Creepers
2. The Makeup Effects For The Creeper Were Created By An Emmy-nominated Artist
The Creeper’s makeup was created by FX artist Brian Penikas, of Make-up & Monsters Studio. Penikas has been in the industry for over thirty years, and his work can be seen in such films as Guardians of the Galaxy, Aliens, Pirates of the Caribbean - and he was even responsible for Dr Evil’s facial scar in Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me!
Brian was nominated for the Best Makeup/Creature FX award at the 2002 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards for Jeepers Creepers, (losing out to Thir13een Ghosts) and went on to receive the same nomination in 2004 for the sequel, (this time beaten by Freddy vs Jason). In 2008 he was nominated for an Emmy for his prosthetic makeup work on Mad Men.
The process for transforming Jonathan Breck into The Creeper could take up to seven hours (especially for the open face effect), with the prosthetics glued and layered to give the amazing final illusion that made him so realistic to look at. Over time, Penikas refined his techniques but it still took at least three hours to obtain the effect. Breck was reportedly shocked the first time he caught sight of himself in the mirror in full makeup as he looked so convincing!
The effects for the final scene were just as impressive, with a cast being made of Justin Long's entire body for his cadaver, which was so anatomically correct it had to be strategically covered up for Long's modesty!