ANNA BROWN

Lion King Mask Research

CHARACTERS

• Simba ( Means Lion in Swahili is the title character in the lion king)

• Timon and Pumbaa (Meetkat and Warthog Act)

• Nala ( Simba’s closest friend and later wife)

• Mufasa (Simba’s father• Sarabi (Simba’s Mother)• Zazu (Red Billed horbill)• Rafiki (Meaning Friend in

Swahili Mandrill)• Scar• Shenzi - Hyena• Banzai - Hyena• Ed - Hyena

Stage Versions

Carved painting style

I also like the Maine that is used on this mask. It is very simple and would not weigh very much. Which is an important aspect as mine will be for a child.

As I cannot carve my mask out of wood I am going to concentrate on the mane.

I also like the use of brown materials to have connotations of the lions fur colours. I will use black for Scar.

In the stage version there is a particular reference to the facial features of the actors as well as the face of the characters. The masks are used as a personifications that is enhanced by the actors performance. As lions gain a lot of their personality from the way they move and look I will try and create a distinctive mane that reflects the negativity in the character.

Film Version

In the film version of The Lion King you see the characters through a CGI version. So they all have certain distinctive features that are easy to identify them by. For example the Hyenas have longer faces and shaggy mains where as the male lions have larger faces with smooth mains. For Scar in particular he has a rather long face and a distinctive black shaggy mane that is wild and dark which reflects his personality. He also has angular ears and his eyes are set back in his head and are angled down.

Scar