Adhesion Matters

Movie Magic Glue: Adhesives Behind the Scenes in Film

• AdhesionMatters • Season 1 • Episode 32

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Imagine the most stunning zombie makeup, miniature spaceship models, or dramatic set pieces—and think about what actually keeps them together. In this Adhesion Matters episode, we dive into the secret art form of adhesives in Hollywood—where chemistry meets cinematic spectacle.

What You’ll Discover:

  • From Ancient Bonding to Hollywood Innovation
    Learn how adhesives have evolved from basic organic glues used in ancient Egypt to today’s high-performance synthetics—and how each stage of cinema’s journey demanded better stick.
  • Key Adhesive Breakthroughs That Shaped Film
    Discover milestones like early 20th-century dry phenol resin films, pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) that enabled effortlessly repositionable props, and industrial hot melts that revolutionized set building under tight production timelines.
  • Makeup Magic: Prosthetics & Performance
    It’s not just about gluing—it’s about storytelling. We unravel how spirit gum, Pros-Aid, and modern acrylic adhesives let actors emote, transmogrify, and survive long hours under cameras and lights—without ever losing a hair—or a facial appliance.
  • Behind Every Prop & Set: Structural Adhesion
    Explore how prop creators use hot melts to sculpt textures, epoxies for durable objects that withstand action sequences, PVA glues for sanding-ready surfaces, contact cements to build foam armor fast, and spray adhesives that even reduce glare on chrome props.
  • The Invisible Backbone of Movie Magic
    These adhesives don’t just hold things—they enable creativity, dexterity, speed, and realism. From the nimblest prosthetic edge to jumbo set fixtures, adhesives are the silent enabler of illusion.

Why You’ll Love It:

If you’ve ever been fascinated by how behind-the-scenes marvels come to life—whether in gore makeup, sci-fi miniatures, or intricately detailed sets—this episode reveals the molecular-level craftsmanship that brings movie magic into view.

Lucas Adheron:

Welcome to the Deep Dive. We're plunging into the hidden layers of, well, some pretty fascinating topics.

Elena Bondwell:

Bringing you insights you probably didn't know you needed.

Lucas Adheron:

Exactly. So have you ever wondered, like, how a zombie's gruesome face stays put during a chase scene?

Elena Bondwell:

Or how a spaceship model holds together after getting blasted?

Lucas Adheron:

Right. The unsung hero, the silent architect behind all that movie magic is something you probably don't even think about. Adhesives. Glue.

Elena Bondwell:

Today

Lucas Adheron:

we're doing a deep dive into the world of glues in Hollywood. We'll cover everything from the very start of cinema right up to... you know, modern blockbusters.

Elena Bondwell:

And our mission, if you will.

Lucas Adheron:

Our mission is to uncover how these seemingly mundane materials are actually indispensable. They enable pretty much everything you see on screen. Sometimes they even drive the plot.

Elena Bondwell:

It really is incredible. The synergy between material science and filmmaking, it's always been there, like hand in glove. This whole unseen craft of adhesives, it's basically the backbone of cinematic illusion. It makes things feel real, holds effects together, literally.

Lucas Adheron:

Okay, let's unpack that, starting right Right at the beginning. Humans have used adhesives for, what, millennia, long before we really understood the chemistry.

Elena Bondwell:

Oh, absolutely. We're talking basic organic glues.

Lucas Adheron:

Like record show tree sap being used way back, 4000 BC, for fixing pottery.

Elena Bondwell:

Right. And by 2000 BC, there were actual written instructions for making fish glue. Imagine that.

Lucas Adheron:

Wow. And the ancient Egyptians, around 1500 to 1000 BC, they were masters at woodworking, murals, using animal-derived glues. You can even see it in their stone carvings.

Elena Bondwell:

It just shows how universal this need was. Egyptians, Romans, Chinese, they all figured out how to stick things together using biological stuff. It established a sort of technological baseline.

Lucas Adheron:

But what were the real downsides? For, say, early theater or the very first films.

Elena Bondwell:

Well, that's the key thing. These early organic adhesives, they had built-in limitations, big ones for any kind of production. Okay. They were hygroscopic. Fancy word basically means they soak up moisture.

Lucas Adheron:

Ah, right. Not good.

Elena Bondwell:

Not good at all. Imagine a prop or maybe some costume detail. A humid day. A sweaty actor. Disaster. Exactly. The glue shrinks, gets brittle, maybe discolors. Your whole illusion just falls apart mid-show. Fish glue was especially bad for that.

Lucas Adheron:

So that instability, that must have been the push towards finding something better.

Elena Bondwell:

Precisely. That inherent unpredictability drove the search for synthetic alternatives. Filmmakers needed reliability, consistency.

Lucas Adheron:

Which brings us to the early 20th century.

Elena Bondwell:

Yeah.

Lucas Adheron:

A massive shift, right? We start moving away from just using what nature provided.

Elena Bondwell:

Mm-hmm. Synthetics arrive, plastics, resins. It's a whole new ballgame.

Lucas Adheron:

And it's wild how World War I and World War II just accelerated everything. The demands of war really pushed chemical research, didn't they?

Elena Bondwell:

Dramatically. And that had a direct impact on adhesives. A really pivotal innovation was something called the Tego glue film, patented in 1929. Tego glue film. What was special about it?

Lucas Adheron:

It was a dry glue. made from phenol resins, totally different from the traditional wet glues that, like we said, could go bad or be really inconsistent.

Elena Bondwell:

Okay, dry glue, so more stable.

Lucas Adheron:

Way more stable. It offered, and this was huge, unlimited shelf life and consistent quality.

Elena Bondwell:

Right. Think about the film industry starting up. They needed things to be repeatable, reliable props, reliable sets. This kind of synthetic glue allowed for much greater precision. Less guesswork.

Lucas Adheron:

It basically introduced predictability into prop making.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. A huge step forward.

Lucas Adheron:

So the wars pushed the boundaries. And then when things settled down. Did that chemical knowledge just flood into civilian uses? Like, did we get a ton of new glues there?

Elena Bondwell:

Absolutely. The post-WWII era was an explosion. Adhesive diversity, specialization, it all took off, driven by constant progress in industrial chemicals, polymer science.

Lucas Adheron:

So what kind of new categories emerged?

Elena Bondwell:

Well, a big one was pressure-sensitive adhesives. PSAs. Like tape. Sort of, but much more advanced. The marble is they bond with just light pressure. No solvents, no water, no heat. Easy. Okay. And they could be formulated for permanent or removable uses. Think about that on a film set.

Lucas Adheron:

Oh, wow. You could stick something up temporarily.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. Stick a prop somewhere, decide it's wrong, peel it off cleanly, stick it somewhere else. No damage, no residue. Bostik makes some great ones now. Waterborne, UV acrylic. Easy removal is key.

Lucas Adheron:

That must have saved so much time and money and allowed for more flexibility in design.

Elena Bondwell:

Totally. It unleashed a kind of creative spontaneity, changed how fast you could try things out. Dow also makes silicone PSAs that are great for high temps.

Lucas Adheron:

Okay, what else came out of that post-war boom?

Elena Bondwell:

Hot melt adhesives. Glue guns, basically, but industrial strength. They're 100% solid, you heat them up, they melt, you apply, they cool and bond. Instantly.

Lucas Adheron:

Super fast.

Elena Bondwell:

Super fast. Big productivity boost on set. Plus, they generally have lower VOCs, volatile organic compounds, so safer air in studios.

Lucas Adheron:

And versatile.

Elena Bondwell:

Incredibly. Metals, plastics, wood, fabrics, polyurethane, hot melts, PURs are particularly good. Great thermal stability, flexible. They even cure a bit more with moisture from the air.

Lucas Adheron:

So for film props, that means quick assembly and they hold up under hot lights or action.

Elena Bondwell:

You got it. A huge efficiency gain.

Lucas Adheron:

Any others we should know about?

Elena Bondwell:

Silicone adhesives definitely deserve a mention. Their big thing is high temperature resistance, plus they're conformable and strong. You can get adhesion on demand at room temperature without fancy equipment.

Lucas Adheron:

So for really tough jobs.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. Specialized stuff where you need Extreme durability, maybe under really harsh conditions on set, like something that needs to survive being near pyrotechnics or submerged.

Lucas Adheron:

It's amazing. So these specialized synthetics really grew alongside the complexity of filmmaking itself.

Elena Bondwell:

Directly correlated. They gave filmmakers the tools to push boundaries, make things faster, make things possible that just weren't before.

Lucas Adheron:

Okay, let's switch gears. Let's head over to the makeup trailer. Adhesives are just critical there for transforming actors, right?

Elena Bondwell:

Absolutely fundamental. Character creation often... Literally hinges on them.

Lucas Adheron:

So what's the old standby, the one that's been around forever?

Elena Bondwell:

That would be spirit gum, a true theater classic. We're talking documented use since the 1870s.

Lucas Adheron:

Wow, really?

Elena Bondwell:

Yeah.

Lucas Adheron:

It's basically alcohol, SD. Alcohol 35A is typical and a resin. Originally mastics, maybe shellac now, some ethyl acetate.

Elena Bondwell:

And why is it stuck around, pun intended?

Lucas Adheron:

Huh. Well, it dries flat, almost invisible. That's crucial for looking natural on camera. And it holds lightweight things, securely laced beards, mustaches, small prosthetic pieces.

Elena Bondwell:

But it lets the actor move their face.

Lucas Adheron:

That's the genius. It's durable but flexible. It moves with the actor's expression so they don't look like they're wearing a stiff mask. That would totally kill the illusion.

Elena Bondwell:

Makes sense. Did it have to change for things like HD cameras?

Lucas Adheron:

It did adapt. They developed things like TV spirit gum, which has a matte finish to reduce shadows from, say, the lace edge of a beard. And spirit gum pee is stronger for performers who sweat a lot or work in high humidity. doesn't go white.

Elena Bondwell:

So even the classics evolve.

Lucas Adheron:

Yeah.

Elena Bondwell:

Cool. What came next? You mentioned Pros-Aid earlier, the original. Sounds important.

Lucas Adheron:

It was a huge leap. Pros-Aid has a fascinating backstory developed over 30 years ago by Dr. Alfonso DiMeno.

Elena Bondwell:

But not for movies initially. It was for medical prosthetics, attaching artificial limbs and things.

Lucas Adheron:

Oh, interesting. So it was designed with skin contact in mind from the start.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. And that medical origin is key. It means it's non-toxic, non-irritating, completely water-based. It's FDA approved For actors wearing makeup for 12, 14, 16 hours, safety and comfort are paramount.

Lucas Adheron:

Absolutely. And how does it perform?

Elena Bondwell:

It dries clear. It's totally waterproof. Very strong. But crucially, it stays flexible. That's the magic. Prosthetics move naturally with the skin.

Lucas Adheron:

So that's why it became the industry standard.

Elena Bondwell:

Pretty much. It's incredibly versatile, too. Attaching foam appliances, masks, horns, big foam latex pieces, gelatin, encapsulated silicone... It handles it all.

Lucas Adheron:

You mentioned Pax Paint earlier.

Elena Bondwell:

Right. You can thicken Proseid to make Pax Paint. Makeup artists use that to blend edges, fill seams, even paint on realistic scars or textures directly onto the skin or inside molds. It's also the base for prosthetic transfers.

Lucas Adheron:

Transfers, like temporary tattoos, but 3D.

Elena Bondwell:

Sort of, yeah. It streamlines applying complex pieces. Think about the zombie makeup in The Walking Dead. Oh, yeah.

Lucas Adheron:

Or the Na'vi in Avatar. The silicone bodies in The Matrix, Drax's tattoos and scars in Guardians of the Galaxy. Those were transfigurations. Next up,

Elena Bondwell:

liquid latex. The shapeshifter. What's its deal?

Lucas Adheron:

Liquid latex is super versatile. Makeup, body paint, mask making, casting.

Elena Bondwell:

What's it made of?

Lucas Adheron:

It's basically natural rubber latex suspended in water, usually with a little ammonia to keep it stable on the shell.

Elena Bondwell:

And it's key property?

Lucas Adheron:

Shrinkage. It shrinks about 3% when it dries. That tightening creates this amazing second skin feeling. Makes prosthetics look really integrated, very realistic, especially for subtle changes.

Elena Bondwell:

How do artists use it?

Lucas Adheron:

Lots of ways. Building up texture, you can mix it with cotton or tissue to make scars, burns, sealing the edges of latex prosthetics, casting new appliances, even as an adhesive for light things like zippers on costumes.

Elena Bondwell:

How do you get it off?

Lucas Adheron:

You just peel it off, usually. Water doesn't reactivate it once it's dry.

Elena Bondwell:

But latex allergies are a thing, right? A big thing. That's a major consideration. Latex allergies are common, and the ammonia can be irritating, especially to the eyes. You need good ventilation.

Lucas Adheron:

So that pushed innovation, too.

Elena Bondwell:

Definitely. The allergy issue was a big driver for developing alternatives like silicone and gelatin-based appliances and adhesives, safer for more actors. But latex was still huge for things like the White Walkers and Game of Thrones, lots of classic zombie looks.

Lucas Adheron:

So we've got the classics, the workhorses. But surely there are even more specialized glues for really tough film demands. Longwear, sweat, HD cameras.

Elena Bondwell:

Oh, absolutely. The industry has a whole toolkit. Ben Maya Prosthetic Adhesive, for instance. It's strong, water-based, known for being durable and sweat-resistant. Great for latex pieces, clown noses, sticking on little things like rhinestones. Okay. Then there's Graftobian Pro Adhesive. This stuff is really strong. It's a waterproof, medical-grade acrylic emulsion. Dries clear, super powerful, but still flexible. Who

Lucas Adheron:

uses that?

Elena Bondwell:

So these are the heavy

Lucas Adheron:

hitters for modern film makeup. Tailored solutions for specific tough challenges.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. every detail holds up, no matter what the scene demands or how close the camera gets.

Lucas Adheron:

Right. Okay, let's shift focus again. away from actors, toward building the actual worlds. Props and sets. Glues must be just as vital there.

Elena Bondwell:

Absolutely critical. From the tiniest prop detail to massive set structures.

Lucas Adheron:

Let's start with the everyday hero. Hot melt adhesives. Glue guns.

Elena Bondwell:

Indispensable. Their main advantages are speed and versatility. Their thermoclastic polymers, stuff like polyurethane, EVA, polyolefins, melt in the gun cool and hard and fast. Seconds sometimes.

Lucas Adheron:

That speed must be crucial on set.

Elena Bondwell:

It's a huge driver of efficiency Quick assemblies, quick fixes, prop breaks right before a take, glue gun to the rescue, plus long shelf life, fewer VOCs, safer environment.

Lucas Adheron:

And they stick to lots of things.

Elena Bondwell:

Wood, plastics, fabrics, foam, really versatile. But here's a cool thing prop makers do. You can shape the hot glue while it's still warm. Oh yeah,

Lucas Adheron:

like what?

Elena Bondwell:

Create textures... Dripping goo or wounds, maybe alien horns or tentacles, monster fins. You can sculpt with it, basically. Adds instant detail. Cordless guns make it even easier and safer now, too.

Lucas Adheron:

That's clever. Okay, but what about when you need serious strength? when things absolutely cannot fall apart.

Elena Bondwell:

That's epoxy territory, epoxy adhesives and resins. They're usually two-part systems, resin and hardener, that you mix, and they cure at room temperature into something incredibly strong and durable.

Lucas Adheron:

So for bonding parts to take a beating.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. General bonding for wood, metal, plastics, making sure props don't break during fight scenes or stunts. But they're also used heavily for casting.

Lucas Adheron:

Casting?

Elena Bondwell:

Yeah, fabricating rigid or semi-rigid props. You can pour epoxy resin into molds. Sometimes it's filled with aluminum powder. for extra strength or heat resistance, especially if you're making tools like molds for vacuum forming.

Lucas Adheron:

Ah, so you can make multiple identical props.

Elena Bondwell:

Precisely. Crucial for continuity if you need backups or if props are going to be destroyed on camera, think about famous movie props. The Maltese Falcon replica, Indy's Crystal Skull, the Elder Wand from Harry Potter, the Eye of Sauron. Chances are epoxy play a big role in making those solid, detailed items.

Lucas Adheron:

Right, epoxy builds the solid stuff. What about more every day? porous materials, wood, paper, fabric.

Elena Bondwell:

For that, you've often got PVA glues, polyvinyl acetate, think standard white school glue, but often stronger formulations for professional use.

Lucas Adheron:

Okay, the basic white glue. Why is it still used by pros?

Elena Bondwell:

Well, it's economical, it's everywhere, and it works really well on porous stuff like wood, paper, cardboard, fabric. It forms a strong, durable bond, dries clear or translucent, which is good.

Lucas Adheron:

Easy to use too, right?

Elena Bondwell:

Super easy water cleanup. You can even dilute it to use as a sealer or primer on surfaces before painting. The bond is semi-rigid but has some flex. And importantly, once it's cured, you can sand it and paint over it. The glue line disappears.

Lucas Adheron:

So it doesn't mess up the final look.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. Critical for props seen in close-up, like the replica grail diary from Indiana Jones. PVA was used to bond the leather cover to the cardboard structure. Simple, effective, affordable.

Lucas Adheron:

Okay, got it. Now what about contact cement? That sounds intense.

Elena Bondwell:

Yeah.

Lucas Adheron:

Instant permanent bonds.

Elena Bondwell:

It is pretty intense. It's a powerful, usually solvent-based adhesive, very different application method. Also. You apply a thin layer to both surfaces you want to join. Then you let the solvent evaporate until the surfaces are just tacky to the touch. Okay. And you press them together and bam, instant, super strong, permanent bond, no clamping needed usually.

Lucas Adheron:

Wow. So when would you need that kind of speed and permanence on set?

Elena Bondwell:

Rapid assembly is the big one, especially with EVA foam. You know, the stuff used for a cosplay armor lots of movie costumes and props because it's light and easy to shape.

Lucas Adheron:

Yeah, I've seen that.

Elena Bondwell:

Contact cement is the go-to for sticking pieces of EVA foam together quickly and permanently. Think about building orc armor for Lord of the Rings. Lots of shaped foam pieces joined together. Contact cement makes that fast and strong.

Lucas Adheron:

Makes sense. Any downsides?

Elena Bondwell:

The fumes. Because it's solvent-based, the fumes can be strong, often toxic. Definitely need good ventilation or a respirator. Safety first. Also pro tip, apply it after you heat shape your foam because heat can reactivate the adhesive.

Lucas Adheron:

Good to know. Okay, one more category. Spray adhesives. Aerosol cans. Seems like they'd be good for big areas.

Elena Bondwell:

Exactly. Fast. Fast and efficient for covering large or irregularly shaped surfaces. You get nice uniform coverage, which helps get a smooth finish. And they dry quickly. Realistic. Lots of things. Fabric, foam, plastic, metal, wood. Used for upholstery, sticking down insulation, trim, crafts, models, temporary signs. Very versatile.

Lucas Adheron:

Is there an advantage for film specifically?

Elena Bondwell:

A big one is that they come in both repositionable and permanent formulas. The temporary sprays are gold for set dressing. put up wallpaper, posters, fabric. If you need to adjust it, you can peel it off and re-stick it for a short time.

Lucas Adheron:

Flexible.

Elena Bondwell:

Very. And they have another role too, beyond just bonding, aesthetic control. Ever heard of dulling spray? Dulling spray. No. It's often a spray adhesive formulation, but it dries to a removable, cloudy, translucent finish. Cinematographers spray it on shiny surfaces, windows, mirrors, chrome props to kill unwanted reflections or glare for the camera.

Lucas Adheron:

That's clever. So spray adhesives help with both building and controlling the look of the set.

Elena Bondwell:

Yep. Crucial for quick set changes, dressing large areas efficiently, and maintaining those high visual standards. So when you step back and look at it all, this whole journey of adhesives in Hollywood, it really highlights this deep symbiotic link between material science and, well, cinematic art.

Lucas Adheron:

Yeah, it really does.

Elena Bondwell:

From those ancient basic glues to today's super specialized synthetic polymers, adhesives have always been the invisible backbone. They make the illusions believable.

Lucas Adheron:

And the history shows this constant push, right? precisely it's just incredible to think about the sheer range

Elena Bondwell:

yeah

Lucas Adheron:

special effects makeup changing actors keeping them safe making it look real and then props and sets the speed the strength the final look they're involved in everything

Elena Bondwell:

they really are the hidden heroes like you said which brings us to a final thought maybe for you our listener as movies keep evolving as audiences expect more as techniques get more sophisticated, The demand for new adhesives isn't going away, is

Lucas Adheron:

it? No, probably the opposite.

Elena Bondwell:

Right. We'll need glues with maybe even better flexibility for robots or creatures, more durability for insane action sequences, maybe even smarter glues, glues that are kinder to skin for longer prosthetic wear.

Lucas Adheron:

So the innovation continues.

Elena Bondwell:

It has to. So the question is, what's next? What future breakthroughs in adhesive science might unlock the next big leap in movie magic? What do you think filmmakers will be sticking together in 10, 20 years?

Lucas Adheron:

That's great question to ponder. Thank you for joining us on this deep dive into the surprisingly sticky world of Hollywood adhesives. Hopefully you've gained a new appreciation for the science behind the spectacle.

Elena Bondwell:

Yeah, next time you watch a movie, maybe look a little closer. You might just appreciate the unseen science holding all that Hollywood magic together.

People on this episode

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Elena Bondwell

Host
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Lucas Adheron

Co-host

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