Filmmaker Johannes Roberts has built a reputation as a master of mayhem in films where killer sharks, zombies, demons, and slashers threaten the innocent and the guilty alike. His latest movie, Primate, promises to be the most shocking, bone-chilling tale he has told thus far, as a group of teens are terrorized when their pet chimp suddenly turns on them.
Amping up the visceral terror with old-school, in-camera special effects and jaw-dropping surprises, Roberts is taking horror to new and ever-bloodier heights.
Director Johannes Roberts on the set of Primate
Roberts and his fellow filmmakers doubled down on the immediacy of the story with a crucial decision early in pre-production. Whenever possible, they used practical, in-camera effects created on set, rather than relying on high-tech visual effects in post-production – a decision Roberts admits was sometimes nerve-wracking. “A movie like this requires a feeling of immediacy,” he says. “We decided to go with practical effects to create a more visceral experience both for the audience and the actors. But the actors had to interact closely with Ben. A real chimp would be a real threat.”
Millennium FX, one of the foremost prosthetics, animatronics, and special effects makeup houses in the world, developed a custom-designed “monkey suit” for actor and movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba to wear as Ben in a stunning live-action performance. “The beauty of their work combined with Miguel’s total commitment to the role and some amazing puppeteering made it possible for us to create some shockingly detailed and graphic sequences,” says Roberts.
Neill Gorton and Kate Walshe, the co-directors of Millennium FX along with Rob Mayor, led the team of more than 50 artists and craftspeople who designed and built Torres Umba’s astonishing chimp suit. “Johannes is a great horror director,” says Gorton. “He understands that the more tangible and in the moment something is, the more powerful it is. Our job was to make Ben seem real, make Ben practical and make Ben sympathetic, but at the same time dangerous. It’s a hugely physical performance so we needed to strike a balance between allowing the actor’s freedom and making it feel real enough to pass muster on the screen.”
Once Torres Umba was confirmed as the performer, the team had five weeks before the first camera tests to develop the prototype. “Time was so tight that for the first test, it was literally held together with string and sticky tape,” says Gorton. “We were building up to the last moment, but when we saw our work combined with Miguel’s fantastic performance, we thought we might just pull this off.”
Every aspect of the design had to be considered, including what color the chimp’s face should be, how long the hair was and the size of its ears. A variety of heads were eventually built, each with a specific purpose. One has the ability to move its mouth and lips. Puppeteers control the eyebrows and the nostrils. Another, used for attack mode, has a big, toothy, open mouth. For tight spaces, they made a hand puppet. A stunt head for a stunt person was made without any of the robotics to protect against injuries.
A team worked constantly until the last day of shooting to make sure the costume stayed in tip-top condition. “For the suit we used hand-dyed yak hair,” Walshe says. “Every strand had to be hand punched into stretch mesh. The direction of the hair had to be perfect. Every morning, we would put the chimp parts on a form of the actor and we’d brush and style and steam it all. It was like a monkey hair salon every day!”
Says Torres Umba, “I was impressed by how visual and evocative it was. The story evolves into a fascinating journey. We connect with Ben as part of the family and then watch in disbelief seeing a loved one transform into a ruthless monster. But they love him and he loves them back, so there’s always the hope he might be okay. That creates a sense of hope that punches you in the face when the violence spins out of control.”
PRIMATE is now showing, only in cinemas. #PrimateMovie
Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International”
