How Helen got a job making monsters for Doctor Who

9:00am Friday 3rd October 2008

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By Lauren Rogers »

COMING face-to-face with Doctor Who monsters is all in a day’s work for one Worcester woman.

Special effects make-up artist Helen Rowe, of St John’s, Worcester, has helped create some of the scariest aliens and most memorable baddies from the hugely popular BBC show starring David Tennant.

The 25-year-old has worked for award-winning company Millennium FX for more than four years and recently used her skills on the new Harry Potter film.

Miss Rowe, who went to Pitmason Primary School and Christopher Whitehead High School, loved every minute of working on the Half-Blood Prince, due to be released in cinemas next year.

“I worked my socks off in the silicone department producing various pieces, which was brilliant,” she said.

“I really enjoyed my time there and hope to go back sometime soon for the final film.”

Miss Rowe’s first experience of special effects make-up was watching the lavish music video for Michael Jackson’s classic 1980s hit Thriller.

She said: “It was watching that film that made me want to have ago for myself, so in my final year for my GCSE art project I made a very ropey-looking zombie mask.

“After school I didn’t know whether it was something I could do for a living so I went to college and studied graphic design.

“Then I decided to give make-up another go and studies for an HND in theatrical and media make-up and costume.”

Miss Rowe met Neill Gorton, founder of Millennium FX, at a trade show in London and impressed him with her portfolio of work.

She has created silicone masks and models for Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Channel 4’s Gender Swap series and the Catherine Tate Show, as well as Doctor Who.