Syfy Face Off’s Rod Maxwell brings a Flavor Monsters character to life

Self-taught special effects artist and director Rod Maxwell (The Wishing Well), who will be a contestant on season threeof Face Off, has brought to life the "Strawberry Flavor Monster" in a custom vignette for the Syfy original reality competition series.

Teaming up with truth®, the largest national smoking prevention campaign for youth, Rod transformed truth tour rider/manager Edwin Contreras into one of the monsters seen in their game, Flavor Monsters. If you've ever seen the Face Off show then you know these artists are darn talented. And it definitely shows with his transformation of Edwin.

If you haven't been following our coverage of the game, Flavor Monsters is a relatively new game designed to raise awareness of Big Tobacco's use of flavored tobacco to appeal to children.

The Flavor Monsters game transports users into a not-too-distant future where "Flavor Monsters", which are creatures that represent the added flavorings in tobacco, are attacking Earth. Players must work to defeat the multiple types of enemy monsters from invading the city. Levels 1-5 of Flavor Monsters is now available for free for iOS and Android devices.

Over the past few weeks truth® has embarked on a tour around multiple conventions looking to speak directly with teens and young adults – educating them about the marketing tactics of the tobacco industry and the health effects, addictiveness and social consequences of tobacco. At gaming conventions, an interactive booth called "45 Flavors" allows attendees to play the game onsite, get their picture taken with a Flavor Monster, both sample and buy truth-related gear and products, and take part in a special video virtual simulation that will give attendees the experience of being part of the actual Flavor Monsters game.

You can check out the transformation into a Strawberry Flavor Monster here.