SPECIAL EFFECTS IN MUSICALS

[Anchor Lead]

Though rare, a live musical performance also features special effects and special makeup techniques. Take a look at this magical world in musical productions where special effects are used to create imaginary beings, and accentuate stand-out qualities of the characters.

[Pkg]

The title character of the musical "Cyrano," has a single flaw, his huge, ugly nose. This 6 centimeter long artificial nose must stay put on the actor's face for the 3 hour long performance. After 3 months of research, the makeup team created a prosthetic weighing 10 grams.

[Soundbite] KIM SEONG-HYE(MAKEUP ARTIST) : "A soft nose will wriggle about during action scenes but if it's too stiff, it won't move with the facial muscles. It was tough to strike a balance."

Made with inexpensive ingredients, it wears out after two to three performances. When a number of actors play the same character, new types of the artificial nose must be molded to fit each performer. This necessary process is costing the production several hundred million won more for each lead actor. Dinosaurs move about on stage. A total of five baby dinosaurs about a meter long are controlled by actors. In the audience seat, children are mesmerized by the performance using dinosaur dolls with realistic movements. For larger dinosaurs, the actors wear a suit that's 2 meters long and weighs 30 kilograms. Known as animatronics, these models with various tech including motors, move mechanically. Building the special dinosaurs cost around 350 million won.

[Soundbite] YUN MIN-WOO(MUSICAL ACTOR) : "It's actually a very complex machine. Some parts are automated, other parts are manually operated. Eye and neck movement as well as the torso turns are all done manually."

These days, a variety of special effects techniques are employed in not just TV shows and movies but in musicals as well, in order to enhance the quality of productions.