Building Ben in horror-mystery 'Primate'

Filmmaker Johannes Roberts has built a reputation as a master of mayhem in films where killer sharks, zombies, demons, and slashers threaten the innocent and the guilty alike. His latest movie, “Primate,” promises to be the most shocking, bone-chilling tale he has told thus far, as a group of teens are terrorized when their pet chimp suddenly turns on them.

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Amping up the visceral terror with old-school, in-camera special effects and jaw-dropping surprises, Roberts is taking horror to new and ever-bloodier heights.

Roberts and his fellow filmmakers doubled down on the immediacy of the story with a crucial decision early in pre-production. Whenever possible, they used practical, in-camera effects created on set, rather than relying on high-tech visual effects in post-production — a decision Roberts admits was sometimes nerve-wracking.

“A movie like this requires a feeling of immediacy,” he says. “We decided to go with practical effects to create a more visceral experience both for the audience and the actors. But the actors had to interact closely with Ben. A real chimp would be a real threat.”

Millennium FX, one of the foremost prosthetics, animatronics, and special effects makeup houses in the world, developed a custom-designed “monkey suit” for actor and movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba to wear as Ben in a stunning live-action performance.

Neill Gorton and Kate Walshe, the co-directors of Millennium FX along with Rob Mayor, led the team of more than 50 artists and craftspeople who designed and built Torres Umba’s astonishing chimp suit.

Once Torres Umba was confirmed as the performer, the team had five weeks before the first camera tests to develop the prototype.

Every aspect of the design had to be considered, including what color the chimp’s face should be, how long the hair was and the size of its ears. A variety of heads were eventually built, each with a specific purpose. One has the ability to move its mouth and lips. Puppeteers control the eyebrows and the nostrils. Another, used for attack mode, has a big, toothy, open mouth.