Covered in reflective protective gear from head to toe, skilled craftsmen pour molten metal into molds to make the bronze statuettes -- known as "Actors," -- for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The statutes are created a using a lost wax process, according to Angel Meza, manager at the American Fine Arts Foundry.

SOUNDBITE Angel Meza, foundry manager at the American Fine Arts Foundry, saying (English):

"We start with the silicone mold that allows us to reproduce the sculpture in wax. Then this wax gets treated with what we call ceramic mold, it's a ceramic material that will produce the mold that will allow me to pour the statue into bronze. "

After the metal has turned solid, the molds are broken, revealing a golden sculpture underneath. Artists then brush the statuette with a green-black patina. The finished award stands on black granite with a height of 16 inches and weight of 12 pounds.

The SAG awards will be given out in Los Angeles on January 27 in a live telecast on the TBS and TNT networks.