In the heart of Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe lies the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience, where masterful monster makers unleash their spectacular talents to transform their guests and inspire them to release their inner love of the Universal Monsters. Here, in Dr. Pretorius’ old laboratory, visitors walk in as a human and walk out as a werewolf, vampire or other monstrous creature — all thanks to the sharp skills of our team member artisans.
Hannah Camarato is one of our Darkmoor makeup artisans and is eagerly awaiting the moment she can welcome travelers to her world. She started at Universal Orlando as a caricature artist before learning the techniques of body makeup and has been painting faces at Universal Orlando Resort for over five years. She brings her skills to Dark Universe to mentor new artists and teach them how to complete over 16 monster looks in their catalogue. “I think I was born to work at this park,” she says. “I’m a big nerd and I love the fantasy genre, so working in Darkmoor is perfect. When I was asked to come work over here, it was the best day ever!”
While the shadowy monster makeup might seem like it’s applied with an airbrush, it’s actually done using a variety of brushes and sponges. Hannah says this technique has been a learning curve for a team who’s used to working with defined shapes and strong lines, but it has been a fun challenge to learn to overcome. “My favorite part of my job right now is seeing my team improve,” she says. “Every time they complete these looks, I see huge progress. I also love how receptive they are to my suggestions, because we have to think differently when we’re doing these applications since we want a very soft, subtle look. I’m excited to transform some guests into monsters.”
After the guests are cloaked in the perfect monstrous disguise, their artisan will ring a bell signifying their transformation is complete. Then, they’ll meet merchandise associate Alex Topolski, another resident of Darkmoor who’s eager to explain to guests that Universal Monsters aren’t as scary as they may think. “I’ll be showing our world travelers that they should learn to live with the monsters, whether they transform into one themselves or buy a monster item or two to show off their fandom,” he explains.
Alex began his Universal Orlando career at The All Hallows Eve Boutique in Universal Islands of Adventure four years ago and is a huge fan of The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Naturally, Dark Universe was his number-one world choice to work in at Epic Universe. “I’ve always really been into all kinds of horror, especially classic horror, and our Universal Monsters are at the forefront of that,” he says. “Some of the first horror movies I ever watched with my dad were ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘The Creature from the Black Lagoon.’ Every time I walk in here, it feels like home.”
Right now, Alex and his fellow merchandise team members are working hard to set up all of the shelves with the products that will be sold to monster-lovers who venture into Dark Universe. He can’t wait for everyone to see the items that will be sold in the world and says that the highlight of his day is when he gets to unbox new merchandise items with his team — who he now refers to as his “monster crew.”
Being surrounded by horror legends in a park that’s redefining what we know about themed entertainment is something that Alex says gives him a daily “pinch-me” moment. “Every day I wake up and I’m very happy to be going to work,” he says. “It’s a whole new feeling of excitement to see this growth, not only in the world I work in, but at the company as well. It’s awe-inspiring to be here, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to be working at Dark Universe.”
While Hannah and Alex may have different roles in Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience, they’re united by their passion for being a significant part of their guests’ journeys through Darkmoor. Hannah says her jaw dropped when she learned how she’ll be able to bring the world of Dark Universe to life and create lifelong memories for monster fans. “Our team members [in the world] will interact differently with them, with new dialogue,” she says. “It’s a huge honor to be a part of this — my role has always been an artist, so to put on an acting hat is so fun.”
Alex agrees, saying he’s eagerly anticipating the moment he’s able to share his knowledge of Universal Monsters with world travelers. “We’ve trained for our roles by watching monster movies and doing monster trivia. We really know all of the Universal Monsters and how they interact with our world,” he says. “My favorite part of my job will be the theming that we’ll get to share with our guests as they come through.”
Making epic connections is what being a team member is all about, and even though Alex and Hannah are so ready to lean into their dark sides, they want you to know that they’re always excited to meet fellow monster-lovers and add new members to their crew. “I love the connections I make through this job,” Hannah says. “Stop by, say hi and get your face painted!”
Tickets for the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience are on sale now for guests ages 5 and up. Plus, other Epic Universe premium products like Universal Express Passes, V.I.P Experiences and My Universal Photos packages are available for purchase. Learn more.