Becoming a Movie Make up Artist
Everyday we see beautiful faces on television, in movies, and in print. Although many of them possess natural beauty, they would not be nearly as radiant without the expertise of one of the most important people in Hollywood and beyond the Make-Up Artist.
A career as a make-up artist, particularly in the film industry, can be quite challenging to break into. There are, however, a few simple steps to follow which will increase your chances and have you well on your way to making the stars beautiful. Be forewarned, however, that you will not be working on the big stars right away, even when you finally land a job with a major production company. You will most likely start as a Daily someone who comes in for one or more days of filming when the regular make-up crew simply has too much to handle. From there, if you show great potential, you will become an Assistant Make-Up Artist and will perform much of the make-up application for secondary characters. Finally, with much hard work, you may have the opportunity to become a Key Make-Up Artist, a job in which you design the look for the entire film, make sure your team is working to your satisfaction, and apply make-up yourself, most often to the principal performers.
A career as a movie make-up artist begins with talent. This might be something you naturally possess, or it might be something that you have to learn from scratch. Regardless of whether or not you have the natural eye to be able to mix colors properly or assess the best eyebrow shape, you will still almost always require some basic training to break into the business.
There are several kinds of make-up application that a well rounded film artist should be proficient in. Some of these include basic beauty make-up for film and television, airbrushed make-up, and casualty make-up (cuts, bruises, etc). A background in prosthetics and special effects make-up will also open doors into a completely different, but still make-up related, realm of the film industry. A basic knowledge hair styling may also be an asset on a resume, and assist you in landing jobs faster.
Many schools offer comprehensive courses which cover all areas of make-up, as well as some basic hair design. You can also find module-based courses which will teach you individual skills which, when combined, will make you into a well rounded artist. Whichever option you choose, be sure to always have a camera on hand during class and document your work for use in a portfolio. This will be an invaluable tool in helping you get your first few jobs.
Once you have completed your training, or even during, you will want to begin getting film credits and building a resume. The chances of getting your foot in the door on a major production right away are very slim, but there are always smaller ways to practice your craft. The mostly rewarding maybe working on independent no-budget or low-budget films. It may not pay the bills, but you will make contacts in the business and have credits for your resume. To acquire this type of work, try contacting the Film Production sector of your local college and offer your services for their student-made films. You can also browse online industry job sites such as www.mandy.com, which has job listings available for all film industry professionals.
Other effective ways to practice your craft, build your resume, and round out your portfolio are volunteering to do make-up for a community theatre group or joining a photography networking site, such as www.modelmayhem.com, and offering your make-up expertise on photoshoots.
Once you have a working resume and have spent some time on set, you are ready to move up the ladder! If your lucky, one of your independent film gigs will have put you in touch with someone higher up in the industry or your time spent searching networking sites will have yielded some paying jobs. If not, all is not lost. You already have the working knowledge, now you just need to get your foot in the door!
The best chance you may have, if you don't have a friend in the industry to put in a word for you, is to contact every production company in your area. If you can't get in touch with the Key Make-Up Artist directly, ask to speak to their Production Co-Ordinator or Assistant Production Co-Ordinator who will often pass your resume on to the appropriate person or keep it on file for future use. With your already beefed up resume and a well rounded portfolio, you should be on your way in no time!
Becoming a movie Make-Up Artist certainly isn't as simple as being able to apply make-up to yourself or your friends, but with some training and practice, combined a lot of dedication and persistence, you too could be making the stars glow!
