TORONTO -- Naked, headless bodies dangle from the side of a wall on the set of The Strain, but that's not unusual for FX's horror drama, co-created by renowned director Guillermo del Toro.
The show, which follows epidemiologist Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his motley crew of allies as they fight to survive an epidemic of vampirism in New York City, features elaborate special effects and prosthetics. Last season, the grotesque Strigoi -- with their worm-infested bodies, fleshy stingers and atrophied sex organs -- were the stuff of nightmares.
This season, The Strain upped its gore quotient even more by introducing blind vampire children called "feelers," among other macabre surprises, which Mia Maestro (who plays Dr. Nora Martinez) described as "one of the creepiest things I've ever seen."
At the heart of all this horror is the creature shop, where special-effects artists craft character sculptures and props. Here, Mashable got a behind-the-scenes look at the making of big baddie The Master (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes) and his legions of vampires.
Check out photos of The Strain's creature shop, below -- but try not to lose any sleep tonight.
Season 2 of The Strain premieres on Sunday, July 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.