How it started

We were founded by Ellie Rowlands and Nerida Karlen, both immigrants to Canada who bring uniquely diverse skill sets to the world of practical effects. Ellie’s expertise lies in miniatures and props, whereas Nerida brings a new level of artistry to monster makeup. 

By chance, both women moved to Vancouver and crossed paths while working at the same FX shop. Over the years, they have collaborated on many major productions such as Shōgun, Peacemaker, and The Stand- refining their craft and developing an unmatched synergy.

Eventually, they felt it was time to join forces and create something of their own. Empress FX was born from a passion for art, and whilst they continue to push the boundaries of Practical FX they make sure they have a bloody good time doing it!

Nerida Karlen

Founder

Nerida began her Makeup FX journey in Australia, making a name for herself through intricate gore effects and striking creature designs. Over the years, she has since contributed to some of BC's most impressive productions, including ‘SEE’, ‘Deadpool’, and ‘The Grudge’, not to mention the FX for Juno award-winning ‘ARCHSPIRE’s music videos. Nerida’s passion for innovative problem-solving, mixed with an unyielding dedication, makes her a true force in the industry.

CONTACT NERIDA

Ellie ROWLANDS

Founder

Ellie started her career overseas in London, UK. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of departments—set dressing, prop making, and puppetry, to name a few. She has worked on renowned films and shows such as Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Game of Thrones. Her proudest credit to date, however, might just be adding snow to the Hogwarts Castle model. She’s obsessed with all things miniature and with perfecting fine details. Ellie brings unrivalled precision to every project.

CONTACT ELLIE

Our Services

  • We offer bespoke concept design for every project. Our workshop utilizes a specialized technical pipeline to ensure production-ready quality:

    • Sculpting: Traditional clay and digital 3D sculpting.

    • Molding & Casting: Complex matrix molds and high-performance resin/rubber casting.

    • Finishing: Layered painting for skin depth, custom hair punching, and precision fur grooming.

    • Appliances: High-quality encapsulated silicone and foam latex prosthetics.

    • Transformations: Hyper-realistic old age, character likenesses and extreme creature makeups.

    • Specialty Costumes: Custom fabrication of creature suits, pull over masks, and hard-surface armor.

    • On-Set Services: Full pipeline from life-casting to professional on-set application.

    • Mechanical FX: Custom engineering for facial twitches, skeletal rigging, and full-scale motorized creatures.

    • Puppetry: Remote controlled animatronics, rod puppetry, marionette, and stop-motion puppets; includes on-set puppeteering.

    • Taxidermy: Modified taxidermy and realistic "roadkill" replicas.

    • Hero Props: Life-sized weapons, industrial gear, and high-detail items for close-ups.

    • Food Replicas: Hyper-realistic, durable food and organic replicas for "hero" shots.

    • Scale Models: Miniature props, puppeteered miniature creatures and specialized 1/12th scale assets.

    • Techniques: Traditional woodworking combined with modern 3D printing and vacuum forming.

    • Full Scale: Custom set builds for film, TV, and tabletop gaming (DND style).

    • Miniature Sets: Scale environments utilizing forced perspective for cinematic realism.

    • Atmospherics: Detailed weathering, from futuristic cityscapes to post-apocalyptic ruins.

Work With Us