The Magic of Ultra Materials

Have you ever tried to make an actor’s clothes appear wet for hours at a time, all while attempting to cause as little discomfort as possible? Or maybe you’ve battled continuity issues when adding sweat to a t-shirt? You panic as the water bleeds and the sweat area begins to expand. Or perhaps you’ve dealt with the stress of trying to maintain a muddy costume over several days of shooting? Well, thanks to the magic of Ultra Materials™, you can now eliminate these headaches and struggles!

The Magic of Ultra Materials – UltraWet™

With UltraWet™, you’ll never have to douse an actor again!  That’s because this dream product creates super smooth, vibration-resistant, bubble-free water, dew, ice and perspiration effects.  Non-toxic, UltraWet™ can be used on skin, hair, clothing, sets and foam creatures. It’s a thick gel and contains glycerin, which makes it resistant to drying out. We should note that UltraWet™ is also available in a convenient spray formula and can easily be washed off.

The Magic of Ultra Materials – UltraSweat™

The sister product to UltraWet™, UltraSweat™ is made without glycerin so it won’t sting the eyes. Of course, both products offer several different effects (which helps explain why they’re widely used in action films).  Moreover, they can easily be applied in either a thick or thin layer (just add water to thin).

Before shooting close-ups, we recommend coating the skin with an oily substance (such as Bull Frog™ sunscreen) and then spraying a dilute solution of UltraWet™ or UltraSweat™ on top of said oily substance. This will allow you to create a droplet effect.

UltraWet™ and UltraSweat™ are non-toxic and wash off quickly with plain water.

The Magic of Ultra Materials – UltraMud™

UltraMud™ cracks when it dries, just like real mud. Therefore, it’s great for aging costumes. And, importantly, it’s also mineral-based and non-toxic.

In fact, I used this product when I was supervising on Hide and Seek. A large portion of the film was set in the woods (on a rainy night) as well as in a cave. And the script called for both the actors and their costumes to be caked in mud. Moreover, both wet and dry effects were required. I turned to UltraMud™ and it delivered beautifully.

For a thick mud effect, mix about one part UltraMud™ with four parts water. Add tempera paint or MWS powders to obtain your desired color. Let it cure for 2 hours. You may also further dilute to obtain your desired consistency. To achieve a soiled effect, apply dry with a soft brush.

The Magic of Ultra Materials – UltraIce™

UltraIce™ is a water-based gel that resembles an ice effect. It can be tinted by mixing in powdered makeup pigment. And, when applied to clothing, it gives the effect of melting ice crystals. Tommy Boyer, co-owner of MWS used UltraIce™ when he was dressing Richard Gere on The Mothman Prophecies. In the movie, a disaster on a bridge forces Gere’s character to dive into frozen water. Hence, in the aftermath, he must appear cold and wet. The scene was shot over the course of several days. Tommy smartly relied on UltraIce™ to maintain the look. And, naturally, it worked like a charm!