THE SEARCH IS BACK ON FOR THE NEXT GREAT ARTIST IN MOVIE MAKEUP MAGIC

SYFY'S HIT COMPETITION SERIES "FACE OFF," DEBUTS ITS FOURTH SEASON TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 AT 9 PM ET/PT

Fourteen Aspiring Special Effects Makeup Artists Join Host McKenzie Westmore and Returning Judges Ve Neill, Glenn Hetrick and Neville Page

World-Renowned Hollywood Makeup Artist Michael Westmore Joins Series As Contestant Mentor

NEW YORK - December 3, 2012 - Syfy's most popular unscripted series, Face Off, returns for its fourth season Tuesday, January 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The season will introduce a highly creative group of special effects make-up artists who will meet face to face in Los Angeles to compete in a series of brilliantly eye-popping challenges that will ultimately determine just who has the artistry and passion to win Face Off.

Face Off is an authentic depiction of the high creative standards necessary for a special effects make-up artist to succeed in their craft. The series debuted in January 2011 as a new reality competition program to critical and ratings success. Season three of Face Off averaged 1.5 million viewers 18-49 and 2.5 million total viewers, making it the #2 cable program in its time period in the key 18-49 demo.

Returning to the lab for the new season is actress and host McKenzie Westmore, along with judges Ve Neill (The Hunger Games, The Amazing Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean), Glenn Hetrick (CSI: New York, The Hunger Games, Heroes) and Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus).

Joining the series as the official contestant mentor is world-renowned Hollywood makeup artist, Michael Westmore. Westmore is a member of a makeup dynasty that dates back to Hollywood's golden age. Westmore has earned a record 42 Emmy nominations and nine wins. The Motion Picture Academy has honored him with four nominations and the Oscar in 1986 for his artistry on the film Mask starring Cher and Eric Stoltz. In addition, Westmore supervised 18 years of Star Trek. He is also the proud father of Face Off host, McKenzie Westmore.

The guest judges on tap for season four bring their perspective and expertise to the challenges and judging panel, with such top industry names as Bryan Singer, Gale Anne Hurd, John Landau, Michael Nankin and John Rhys-Davies.

The level of makeup and skill continues to be raised as this season the contestants are challenged to create fantasy goblin kings, original comic book superheroes, delicious candy creatures, two-headed giants inspired by Bryan Singers' Jack the Giant Killer, Avatar-inspired bioluminescent sea creatures, zombie hordes, and more. All the while the contestants must display an ability to move quickly and under pressure with constant surprises, twists and turns.

The Face Off contestants will be whittled down week by week as they compete to outshine their competition. The winning artist will receive $100,000, a 2013 Fiat 500, and will also be given the opportunity to become a guest lecturer at the MAKE UP FOR EVER Academies in New York and Paris.

To meet the cast of season four, see photo galleries and video, visit www.syfy.com. Photography and bios are also available at www.nbcumv.com. Following are the season four Face Off contestants:

· Alam Park, 25 - Seattle, WA

· Alexandra McCoy, 31 - Orlando, FL

· Autumn Cook, 35 - Pittsburgh, PA

· David "House" Greathouse, 41 - Hometown, Cleveland, OH; Resides in Crestline, OH

· Eric Fox, 37 - Hometown, Georgia; Resides in Riverside, CA

· Eric Zapata, 22 - Hometown, Victoria, TX; Resides in Austin, TX

· J. Anthony Kosar, 26 - Hometown, Lisle, IL; Resides in Westmont, IL

· Jenna Green, 40 - Hometown, Sacramento, CA; Resides in Buda, TX

· Katherine "Katie" Machiek, 26 - Hometown, Owls Head, ME; Resides in Los Angeles, CA

· Kristian Kobzina, 41 - El Segundo, CA

· Meagan Hester, 29 - Hometown, Ossining, NY; Resides in NY, NY

· Michael Garcia, 31 - Austin, TX

· Troy Rivers, 34 - Hometown, Indianapolis, IN; Resides in Avon, IN

· Wayne Anderson, 27 - Hometown, Fort Meyers, FL; Resides in Fullerton, CA

Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Derek Atherton serving as executive producers.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)