The imagination of make-up artists has created some of our most memorable
villains, heroes and aliens. They also make our favorite stars look good on
camera.
Make-up artists apply make-up for stage, film and television actors and
models. They use their skills to make actors look good (or bad), make wounds
and scars look believable and make monsters look frightening. Those involved
in stage, film or television productions help the performer and the director
create a particular look for a character. They're usually given a script and
must decide what tools will be needed to create the desired effect.
The character and time period in which the drama takes place are both carefully
researched. Changes in a character's age or physical appearance must be planned.
Make-up artists also have to take into account what kind of lights will be
used. Application is recorded in detail so that it can be repeated every night
-- for live theater, for instance -- or weeks later, if a film is being shot
out of sequence.
Sometimes, though, a make-up artist is given free rein to create a look
for a particular character. "Star Trek often leaves characters open," says
Hollywood make-up artist Paul Thompson. "For example, your script may say
bug-like creature, and you go from there."
Make-up artists who work for photographers and modeling agencies are called
cosmetic make-up artists. They use make-up to enhance a model's good looks.
The training for doing make-up artistry for film and TV is more in-depth and
generally requires more experience.
Some artists specialize in special effects make-up. That includes blood
and gore make-up and the use of prosthetics, artificial parts that are added
to an actor's body to change their appearance. Examples of prosthetics include
vampire's teeth, head molds, special contact lenses, and nose, cheek and chin
pieces -- basically anything that will change the actor's physical appearance.
"There are lots of companies out there doing that sort of thing," says
Thompson. "If someone is leaning toward more of the make-up effects side of
things, go into one of these places as a runner or mold maker. It's a good
way to get a foot in the door and gain experience."
Nearly all make-up artists work on a freelance basis, meaning they contract
with production companies on each project. Projects can last anywhere from
a day to several years. Employers may be major theater productions, dance
and opera companies, television studios, photographers, modeling schools and
agencies or film production companies.
Make-up artists work both in studios and on location. "I work about 50/50,
between location and studio work," says Thompson. "Film work isn't quite as
glamorous as people think. You wait around a lot. The last film I was on I
sat around for 12 hours and waited for my part to come up. And when my part
came up, we had 10 minutes to do it."
Long hours and lots of standing are part of the job, says make-up artist
Gail Kennedy. ."
The hours a make-up artist works usually depend on when and where the production
is occurring. Artists are usually required to be on location two to three
hours before everyone else. That means a filming day could start as early
as 4 a.m. Television series are usually filmed eight to 10 months out of the
year, and movies can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year to complete.
While there are long hours of sitting and some occasional heavy lifting
involved in this job, physical limitations shouldn't be a problem.
Many make-up artists supplement their incomes by working as costumers,
dressers or general stagehands. Others hold down completely unrelated jobs.
Until a make-up artist establishes a reputation for delivering quality work,
the contracts they receive are usually infrequent and unsteady.
"In the beginning it's difficult, because you're not going to get a job
without experience," says Thompson. "You're going to have to do a lot of student
films. You have to work for free. Just get that stuff on the resume."