Bob Keen

By Michael Corvin


      He is the man behind some of Hollywood’s and Britan’s best
make-up effects and monsters.  He was the man who created the
amazing werewolf monsters in Dog Soldiers, created the look of
the demons from Hellraiser and from a young age had a hand in
the effects of such films as The Empire Strikes Back, Alien, and even Superman.  He is Bob Keen, make-
up and visual artist who for more than 40 years has crafted some amazing creatures for film and TV
projects.

     Born in 1960 in the United Kingdom, Bob Keen from a young
age started working in film and enjoyed making monsters.  Although
still a teen, he would go on to be one of the people responsible for
working on Alien and Superman under the tutelage of gifted effects
masters where he learned not only how special visual effects were
done, but how filmmaking in general.  This skill would come into
play years later when he would himself take the reins himself and
direct feature films as well as continue his craft of special effects
and make-up design.

     Keen opened his own special effects company called Image Animation PLC set the Pinewood Studios
in the UK with branches in LA and Toronto Canada.  He has been behind such movie projects as
Lifeforce, Waxworks, Outland, The Dark Crystal, Candyman, Nightbreed, and Little Shop of Horrors.

     Over his career Bob Keen has won and been nominated for
numerous awards for his work.  He and his teams have been
nominated for the Saturn Award for make-up effects and design
for Hellraiser, Hellraiser 3: Hell on Earth, Candyman, and Warlock:
The Armageddon.  In other films, he’s worked on films which in-
clude Highlander, The Never Ending Story, Children of The Corn
2, Proteus, To Catch a Yeti, The lost World, and my favorite were-
wolf movie ever Dog Soldiers.

     Bob Keen’s contribution to the world of cinema and special
effects has made each and every movie he’s been a part of stands out with his little stamp of mastery.  His
work will remain in the minds and hearts of everyone who has seen his work…..even if you’ve never heard
of him.  
Making Monsters:
Spotlight on Hollywood's
Makeup Artists