Meet "Team Gay" From Syfy's New Reality Competition "Face Off"

To the glut of reality competition shows, we can add one more, but this one sets itself apart by appealing to the inner fantasy geek in all of us. Okay, the geek in me.

Face Off debuts on Syfy Wednesday night at 10 PM EST, and will "introduce 12 up-and-coming make-up artists who will "face off" in Los Angeles in a series of elaborate challenges that will determine just who has the steady artistic hand to be the country’s next great SFX artist."

Here's a synposis from the show's press release:

"For their first spotlight elimination challenge, the contestants are tasked to imagine an entirely new species, a human/animal hybrid, based on one of three exotic animals that are brought into their workspace lab -- a beetle, an ostrich or an elephant. The contestants must work in teams of two to execute their creative visions, utilizing specialized skills including molding, sculpting, prosthetics and an involved application process on live models. Future elimination challenges include application of full body make-up to nude subjects, conceptualizing a creature that would inhabit a newly discovered planet, creating an original horror villain and transforming a 'bride' into a 'groom' and a 'groom' into a 'bride'."

We reached out to the show to inquire about gay representation, and happily, it turns out there are two members of "Team Gay" competing in the first season.

Marcel is a 24-year-old veterinary assistant from Tacoma, Washington. Here's his profile:

Marcel Banks is a hardcore classic horror film fanatic. His home is covered floor to ceiling with posters and action figures from films like Dr. Phibes and WaxWork. Marcel has worked on a number of independent films, TV shows and photo shoots as a makeup artist.

Growing up, Marcel spent his time watching his beloved horror movies, fascinated by the makeup tricks-of-the-trade. Early on, he had the opportunity to understudy with industry professionals and to experiment and develop his skills in FX make-up. Marcel used the money for his college tuition to invest in makeup supplies and hit the ground running.

And here's Marcel's audition tape: