How Contact Lenses Are Made For Movies | Movies Insider

Eyeworks for Film has produced contact lenses for "Game of Thrones," "James Bond" movies, and "Star Wars." We visited co-director Sinead Sweeney in London to find out how the lenses are produced and even get fitted with some of our own. Actors wear contacts to change their color pigment, look older, create imperfections, or even transform into another species. Beverly Hills optometrist Reuben Greenspoon is credited with first using lenses to augment a character’s appearance. Greenspoon was tasked with changing an actor’s eyes from natural brown to blue in 1939’s "Miracles for Sale." He created a glazed blue-ceramic material. The lens was attached and run through a kiln to fuse the glass and ceramic together, leaving a round aperture of 4 millimeters through which actor Henry Hull could see. Since hydrogel contact lenses went into mass production in 1971, lenses with simple color pigments have become pretty accessible. But designing and painting bespoke lenses is still an art form. Our lenses were hand-painted by award-winning Cristina Patterson of Eye Ink FX in the US and manufactured by No7.
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How Contact Lenses Are Made For Movies

[@bella-suthirihsai8400]

Shows a bizarre eye *This eye isn't real* Me: Shocker

[@littledreamsanimations3623]

same😂😂

[@ridanoor3228]

Same! 😂

[@Bruhmoment-dv4fp]

Same

[@wallybayola6286]

Same?????

[@jing3463]

Me: ISSA GOAT

[@littledreamsanimations3623]

“These eyes aren’t real, in fact they are contact lenses.” me: "ya no sh*t Sherlock" 😂😂😂

[@clownboy6131]

"Oh here's Sherlock's eyes"

[@guze_wolf9973]

I wanted to say that 😂😂😂😂

[@blumne_lefleura]

when you dont know what to say during an introduction😂😂

[@Nadical]

Oh well I'm sorry Watson!

[@littledreamsanimations3623]

@@blumne_lefleura 😂😂😂

[@ZeppelinPietrPryor]

I can’t believe people had to put glass contacts in their eyes!!

[@heliopolitan444]

Good example of this is the Lost boys. Those vampire eyes were glass contacts 😖

[@bones_man327]

Dang that must hurt!

[@yuitachibana6145]

Pietrina my dad used to have glass contacts when he was younger; crazy right?? He said they didn’t hurt a bit!

[@KoreanAnimeFreakx]

y'all would be surprised. i've put glass contacts on before and it didn't hurt one bit. it's like i didn't even put anything on my eyes. same goes for wearing normal contacts. i'd wear any type of contacts over my eye glasses anyday!

[@ivetignatova2495]

you know it's normal most companies sell contacts with prescription?

[@char5285]

Hold up THEY CHANGED THE EYE COLOR OF A PERSON IN A BLACK AND WHITE MOVIE

[@clairoswife]

thats what i was thinking

[@avocado3-in-182]

Bruh, it’s like washing your hands after taking a shower.

[@lunarbeetlejuice9768]

Also for a matter of contrast. If you look at on set photos for the Addams family tv show that was filmed in black and white, the house is a motley amount of bright and pastel colours so that it doesnt all become one big gray sludge on TV.

[@someperson5015]

@@vanilla-rice-cooker yeah

[@wizardlizard2034]

@@avocado3-in-182 I do that dawg 😐

[@judas4010]

*sees snake eyes* “oh wow those look like Crowley’s eyes..” Optometrist lady: “these are the ones we used on David Tennant.” Me: slsikasjkaskan I KNEW IT

[@wormyvampire]

saaaaaaaame

[@user-sw4ww3ho4q]

I CAME TO SEE IF CROWLEY WOULD BE MENTIONED!!!😆😆😆

[@catharsis2323]

I love how there's two Crowleys now (Good omens and Supernatural) and I have to figure out which one haha

[@bokuto_is_bipolar_af287]

I SAW THEM AND I GOT SO EXCITED WHEN THEY SAID THAT

[@CherryVilla21]

That was me when I saw those eye contacts. So proud that those are Crowley's eyes.

[@andrija9264]

The thing is. What if lenses get stuck. It would be a nightmare.

[@dumpster9048]

It won't as long as you don't sleep in them

[@Irfn-fo3ps]

@@dumpster9048 exactly..

[@miathechihuhua6928]

If it did they would do surgery

[@evanwatling3897]

dumpster even if you sleep in them chances are they won’t get stuck.

[@sgrpwz]

The thing is. Why are you. Talking like this.

[@dilayyilmaz92]

People who make contact lenses for movies and TV shows are my newest addition on my list of professions I never really thought about but I now have a deep appreciation for

[@EmyN]

Dilay Yilmaz Yess and also people that do fake food for movies

[@oliviang2815]

Girl: "Oh my Goodness! I look like a fish!" Me: Aren't those goat eyes?

[@Uncle_Smidge]

Goat eyes are an oval pupil; these look to be based on a cuttlefish. But they do have a similar weird vibe to them, yeah?

[@oliviang2815]

@@Uncle_Smidge Oh I didn't know that. Cuttlefish have such distinctively W-shaped eyes so I thought these were based on either a goat or an octopus. Thanks for clarifying it.

[@cleorubindionela7575]

More like frogs eyes

[@aleksandrafurczon6717]

Horses eyes or goats eyes, but blue ofc

[@dee-jaylibnao8602]

@@Uncle_Smidge i don't think goat eyes are oval

[@Emkito]

"These eyes aren't real" Every 60 seconds a minute passes in Africa

[@malihafaisal1178]

S

[@usernamesmatter]

Maliha Faisal yo mama

[@meggamiauw4266]

Nooo really?!

[@Microwaveswoo]

Emkito OMG rlly? I thought it was 1 second!!

[@inthedwithusadollslife1257]

🤣🤣🤣💀💀💀

[@TheElvenKeys]

Why would they be concerned with changing an actor's eye color from brown to blue in 1939

[@hernameisrio505]

Ikr

[@olivesalad808]

yeah lol

[@emmie9411]

There's still a tonal range though. The variety of shades within the black and white (all the types of grays between) are important in depicting an image. Without enough contrast, the picture can come out muddy in some areas, with all of the light colored objects blending into each other and the darker objects doing the same, so it'd make it harder to see

[@celicobain8270]

Brown looks "flat" while blue has more "depth". It can transform anybody's eyes/look- even in b&w.

[@moonyfoxy876]

@@ChristopherTradeshow bruh lmafo bruh lmfamo lmafo lmfao bruh bruh fmlao rbuh mlafo

[@spankinrainbows1587]

Imagine how uncomfortable they were back then

[@venetiia]

Hope Roseberry my Nan actually used to have hard contact lenses for vision not the look

[@jacc.00]

"you need quite a skilled artist to do these sorts of things" shes complementing herself AND her team. i love it

[@lastc4ress_622]

“These eyes aren’t real in fact they’re contact lenses” *hmm yes the floor here is made of floor*

[@moonbean657]

XD I've seen that A LOT but it's still hilarious "ah yes the floor here is made of floor"

[@goowadeshravni2479]

Sometimes when I close my eyes , I can't see

[@sage_ever_green1793]

Every 60 seconds in Africa, a minute passes.

[@winterandspark9985]

When I cut my hair it’s shorter

[@yahalomren]

@@winterandspark9985 So I'm the only one with their hair getting longer after cutting it? Huh

[@aoarashi3025]

Dear lord those first lenses were creepy

[@victoriansquirrel]

Immediately thought of Good Omens when this popped up in my recommended; turns out this company did work on pretty much everything I ever watched that has characters with more or less weird eyes. You guys are doing an amazing job that my shaky hands could never do. Thanks for contributing to film magic!

[@bastardlly6406]

"These eyes aren't real" This is my new dog, his name is Dog.

[@moments8838]

Why am I watching this, I don’t even wear contact lenses.

[@supermiiemiie5352]

ElmAlph a the exact same thing I asked myself lol

[@hellloooopeopleee]

ElmAlph a same

[@JustinLHopkins]

Uhm, because it’s interesting and learning something new is a good thing.....

[@autumn_leavesx4422]

You don’t need to wear contact lenses to watch this video. Dear god I don’t get these comments.

[@umok5399]

They’re just saying, that it’s weird learning about something you don’t even use.Jeez, you guys are pretty rude.

[@CTGrell]

There it is! Crowley's eyes! I asked around everywhere but now I finally found it! I knew it that it wasn't regular cat eye lens because I have never seen that shade. Although they had to edit it later because it spined a lot. But it still looks good

[@unixanima6500]

5:51. When I saw those lenses, I've immediately paused the video and gave it another look thinking. " What are the chances that those lenses is what David Tennant wore in Good omens"...... ... ... It was revealed it from David Tennant and immediately grin from ear to ear.

[@PortalJay]

SAME I was screaming for a good five minutes

[@ArchivePigeon]

omg saaaame

[@kinkypande5381]

Same

[@shawtyslikeamelody7595]

*good omen theme plays*

[@sunnyafton1598]

I saw them and being such a die hard good omens fan almost screamed

[@ezgigugercinoglu9921]

No one: Lady: “Serpent ones we used for David Tennant in good omens.” Me: freaks out about David

[@noitakuu_art]

Same XD

[@479g-uh5rm]

I freaked out about good omens lmao

[@cocaineenthusiast8373]

i went to the comments just to see if anyone else freaked out

[@jxtearz]

The rule is to always freak out when someone mentions David Tennant.

[@froggietin]

I was dozing off but then heard good omens and David and I jumped up immediately

[@wowlizzy4039]

Her eyes said: 🥺

[@bunnii9397]

🔮👄🔮

[@moonbean657]

Ah yes, next we'll have this 🌍👄🌍

[@Mha_enthusiast0]

Yes 🔥👄🔥

[@marsfeathers]

It's really cool how those contacts help show that our eyes rotate in our head. The horizontal middle part is always parallel to the ground even when she turns her head!

[@melwaters7717]

You are right, the eyes do rotate like that to stabilize our vision, but also consider the lenses are weighted, so that can also be a contributing factor.

[@marsfeathers]

@@melwaters7717 how are they weighted unevenly? Its not that I don't believe u I just don't know how that would work with contacts

[@crystalsugar4136]

Tbh the contact “fish eyes” as she referred to them did not look weird at all to me

[@MissSkullCrusher]

Just looked cute tbh

[@brennagardill9140]

me: *wears contacts everyday to see* them:*acting like contacts are some kind of complicated being*

[@kendra5115]

sameee

[@ElisabethGaffney]

Fr though

[@sharoonjohn3850]

can totally relate....lol

[@acseltar1414]

is it just me or my eyes hurt while watching them put on the lenses.

[@elizann3185]

•Krizeah P.• me too, I wear them and by watching this my eyes got teary 😭

[@fbi7927]

I think its kind of satisfying 😅

[@jemi-active4994]

I mean i wanna pull my eyes out-

[@ElisabethGaffney]

I wear contacts so I didn’t feel uncomfortable watching this but before I did wear them, these things made me feel like that too

[@cakbane_draws]

Same here

[@blue8220]

“These eyes aren’t real” *My LiFe Is A liE*

[@BabbleOn777]

Too bad nobody thought to go back to the legend Lon Chaney Sr. He actually used to make his own ceramic eye caps almost 100 years ago for stage AND screen. The pains that Chaney went through to become a character were phantasmic! He would also keep cotton wool in his cheeks to change his facial structure. But he was one of the first to take a lightbulb, smash it down, and then file it down to fit his eyes. How far we have come!

[@CherryVilla21]

Crowley and David Tennant is mentioned. Good Omens series. Me: Can I hear a "Wahoo"?

[@oliveluvgod9840]

Hannah Summers I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COMMENT ON THAT

[@smolmagicalbean4681]

Wahoo!!

[@captivatingares7429]

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@roentgen822]

I’m dying at this thumbnail lmaoooo

[@hindsightpov4218]

When it came to the black and yellow contact lenses for the Troi and Data characters from Star Trek: TNG, the makeup department painted regular contacts but didn’t use professional eye contact paint. When the actors were finished filming for the day and the colored contacts were put into contact solution, the paint would come off. Marina Sirtis who played Deanna Troi demanded the contacts be made by professionals after that.

[@isabelvenegas7000]

I didn't know marina wore contacts in tng :0

[@avengerwidow9]

crowley's eyes from good omens!!!

[@just.donutssss]

1:29 shes wearing CONTACTS over CONTACTS, how uncomforable must that be

[@leighanneisagoddess4421]

Where?

[@Dinanysos]

Im very sure in this scene they just edited the eyes red and didn't make her wear 2 lenses, since it would be a risk for the eye

[@manoloholaa]

It's very risky to put lenses over lenses because the cornea needs oxygen to function, normal lenses have pores to let the cornea "breathe" and 2 lenses would "suffocate " the eye

[@richardaragon5188]

I accidentally put 2 contacts in 1 eye once when I first started wearing them 2 years ago, it just felt like a thick contact and my vision was very blurry

[@qasim5135]

I've worn multiple contacts at once just to try it and mis different colors

[@cs2712]

Bro I got so excited when they mentioned Crowleys eyes

[@juliakirby6257]

Crowley eyes hell yes

[@kimackerman2183]

That whole shop looks amazing and they've worked with so many celebrities?!

[@emy3454]

I JUST LOVE IT WHEN I SEE MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS UNEXPECTEDLY BECAUSE I WATCHED THIS VIDEO WITHOUT HAVING THE THOUGHT OF THE CHARACTER AND THEN THEY JUST APPEAR AND YOU SCREAM LIKE A FOUR YEAR OLD IN A TOY STORE LMAOOO

[@miab-p6874]

Yes. I was really happy when I saw the ones from Penny Dreadful! :D

[@lilatwyx2789]

"Create imperfections" * shows blind person *

[@sweetnsour3693]

Lol

[@oscara4853]

Storm is not blind

[@smeaglesmegg1243]

@Lila Twyx No blind person has white/grey eyes

[@Gloomyraindrop]

Storm isn't blind but go off

[@okay6470]

Cool, but storm still isn’t blind so

[@nicorichards3643]

I RECOGNIZED THOSE SNAKE EYES I KNEW IT WOW

[@almostwhizzer]

Me: wants to get eye contacts to look like Crowley from good omens * sees how big the contacts are in this video * Me: w e l l *nevermind*

[@vampirelilicios3571]

How did I know they were gonna bring up David Tennant's Crowley HOW DID I KNOW

[@wj2776]

Instead of those imagery creature eye looks, those that mimic eye injuries are more interesting to me. I’ve always wondered how those effects were achieved. It somehow never occurred to me that those were done by lenses.

[@celynangelica]

my eyes automatically teared up for some reason

[@SaFFire123x]

0:33, Now why would you care about the colour of someone's eye in a black& white movie?

[@winterandspark9985]

I’m pretty sure it’s the lightness Like brown is darker than blue so it’s lighter if it’s blue

[@blorppy]

Nobody: Greenspoon : you know color glass in your eyes isn’t such a bad idea

[@Mageneated]

"create imperfections", --> shows halle berry in his most iconic role to date

[@eggandme9083]

so glad Davids lenses were in here, thats the only reason why I clicked no the video

[@muchachitachinita]

*not gonna lie she look good with that contact lense 🤭*

[@archivo9668]

1:01 holy geese that scared the freak out of me

[@Saint.3.3.3]

“Ackwa-man! I am Ackwa-man..”

[@emy3454]

WHEN I SAW THOSE SERPENT-LIKE LENSES I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT ABOUT CROWLEY (DAVID TENNANT FROM GOOD OMENS) AND GUESS WHAT I WAS RIGHT AND I LITERALLY SCREAMED BECAUSE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH OML

[@marrygbg]

Exactly the same happened with me! He is a great actor right?

[@nileshdarunde]

That sage mode contact lenses at the beginning.

[@andreahl3494]

Lolz... I was thinking of octopus but okay. Glad to see another fan here.

[@johnclaridad7143]

Do they also do custom lenses? Might want to order ...

[@cash_eye]

Same

[@PestoPasta666]

I want to know the price point though 😂

[@Brindledpit]

Why is no one talking about how she pronounced aqua man 4:42

[@autumn_leavesx4422]

It was fine

[@Brindledpit]

Hey guys don’t get triggered when I was typing this comment I wasn’t even thinking she was British

[@molo2793]

I thought this was gonna be a black mirror type invention

[@ladybluu]

This eye look @ 6:50 is pretty cool for an everyday look, like one eye would be kind of aesthetic.

[@777violett]

Omg the glass contacts look so painful and uncomfortable

[@lakedentist4819]

me: huh, I wonder if they also made crowley's eyes the video: *shows crowley's eyes* me: oh

[@thakursoham13]

Why I can't see any *SHARINGAN* over there!

[@cashew1388]

Don’t forget the cosplayers. Also, if you wear prescription contacts, it’s normal. I have a set with one blue and red and it changes the colors slightly.

[@chicken.little.kinnie]

Who else did a small happy dance when they heard good omens?

[@LenVrijhof]

Lmao I thought you can put these contacts in during movies, so you don’t get distracted if someone in front of you is on their phone.

[@o.liveil7111]

All I want are the contacts David Tennant used in Good Omens

[@yicel486]

I actually thought Crowley's eyes where edited in the show and not real :'0

[@Doctor-Infinite]

No one: Absolutley No One: Thumbnail: *ANIME EYEEEEESSSSSS*

[@KazzieBB]

You've never seen an anime before if you say that the thumbnail looks like them

[@khatunamezvrishvili6211]

What kind of anime are you watching?

[@bedowedo]

Excuse me? I'm assuming you haven't seen anime before

[@aesthetic3390]

When I saw those yellow eyes I was like. Hey that looks like crowl- HOLY CRUD.

[@explosioninthesky]

But why would they change their eye color in black and white film?

[@gravecode]

you couldn't pay me to put glass in my eye, they were some real troopers in 30's.

[@dumbgayenby]

Her: These eyes aren’t real Me: Wild man

[@strahwaberry7734]

"These eyes arent real" Me:surprised pikachu face

[@Heypeeps10092]

I love how they show Yondu

[@queencityking6145]

As a person who has keratoconus and has to wear scleral lenses, I appreciate this type of art

[@e.j.1018]

"These eyes aren't real, infact there contact lenses" Ah yes, the floor here is made out of floor

[@maenad1231]

0:05 “These eyes aren’t real” Me: “YOU DON’T SAY!”

[@miaflores4207]

Did anyone else notice the “WONDER WOMAN 2020”???

[@EmyN]

Ikr? I wonder what character is going to wear it

[@WickedPhase]

This takes "tinted eyes" to a whole new level lol

[@RandyDRosario]

the craft and detail in movie making is mind blowing.

[@baozi8979]

“These eyes aren’t real” Oh wow I didn’t notice...

[@galaxyuniverse5769]

"These eyes aren't real, in fact they are contact lenses" Me: **Pretends to be shocked** 😱

[@mariascheep]

Me: *puts on contact lenses* Also Me: *rubs eyes* “Ow!”

[@lordeoftheflies1110]

I don’t if it’s because I’m stupid but when I clicked on this video I thought it was going to be about contact lenses that allow you to watch movies.

[@theo8606]

SAME

[@valeriecanedo7850]

Good omens 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

[@simply_daisy7144]

That whole eye exam would lowkey be a great asmr.

[@Kimber_M]

glass contacts I am not surprised. Then they created Gas Permeable. My mom still has to wear them, and she can't change out for something different since the gas permeable has created small ridge in her eyes. She's worn them since the 70s. I am thankful for the new material for contacts. I use my contacts for certain things. But I do really prefer glasses.

[@conormurphy4328]

*ALL HAIL HYPNOTOAD*

[@kjz3245shsjsuw]

Every time i see them wearing dramatic lens I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that feels like

[@LangBellsChannel]

2:57 That sweater is chic

[@oncer010]

Me : ooooh I wonder if they did crowleys eyes Them : serpent eyes for David tennant- Me : :D

[@alfalfalittlerascalfan5022]

Is there a way to get your own custom colored contact lenses? Can you ask the eye doctor for custom colored lenses?

[@randomchannel350]

“these eyes arent real” me: surprised pikachu face

[@kanukulgood]

David Tennant!

[@baicanpop9239]

I never really thought that movies used contact lenses made specific for them. Now that I do I think it's logic, but still amazing.

[@djsantiago2983]

Imagine if someone put it in you eye while you're asleep then wake up looking like that I'll prolly freak out 😂

[@romario4art]

5:34 Where is this charcter from? very cool visual

[@JeffersonWhovianFernandes]

2:00 Billi Piper 💙💙

[@miab-p6874]

Yes!

[@sunnykisses59]

*shows bizarre and unreal eyes* Them: "These eyes aren't real, intact they're contact lenses!" Me: tHeY aReN't? sHocKeR! :O

[@mixdbeautea]

This is making my eyes water 💦

[@demonitize9490]

These eyes aren't real *MY WHOLE LIFE WAS THE TRUTH*

[@meggamiauw4266]

I always wonderd how they made the colored eye lenses from the Flash, now I know! Thanks!

[@miab-p6874]

OMG, is that Billie Piper at 2:00?! On the set of Penny Dreadful?!

[@dooklarue1672]

My eyes are watering just watching this