Being a make-up artist is great.

Transcription

1 make-up students

2 Being a make-up artist is great. Mixing with the stars, using the most expensive make-up, flying to exotic locations... That s right isn t it? Well it could be for a lucky few, but could you be one of those? Would you prefer to work in the theatre or in special effects? There are so many other things you can do in the world of wigs and make-up. I have written this little book to give you advice and hopefully inspire you to reach your goal. Who knows, it might even open your mind up to something you had never even considered. One thing s for sure, I hope you find it useful! Jackie

3 So what inspired me? It has to be said that I m a child of the 80s. My Mum bought me a make-up book and I would try to copy the looks on my friends with her limited make-up bag. I would also go out wearing her gold cream eye shadow as a lip stick and if this wasn t bad enough, I would outline it in blue eyeliner! After leaving school, I went to Art College where I learnt many aspects of art including life drawing and sculpture. My dream was to work for Jim Henson, the man behind The Muppets, but he also created amazing puppets and animatronics for films such as Labyrinth & The Dark Crystal. I went to The London College of Fashion to study Theatrical Make-up as a way of getting into special effects. Whilst I was there I managed to get a summer job with a fantastic wig company and also in the wig department of The Phantom of the Opera. I have met many amazing people who have inspired me. They have showed me how to do things, how to be professional and work in a team. I have learnt from my mistakes and those of others and I never stop learning. I did manage to do some work for Jim Henson and still have that book!

4 We all start somewhere... College life Being at college gives you a great chance to be creative. Improvise and use products in different ways to make the most of your kit. A lipstick could make a nice cream blusher or lip gloss mixed with powdered eye shadow could give an interesting effect. Collect ribbons from presents, plastic jewels off greetings cards or scraps of lace, in fact anything interesting which you could use in assignments. Take as many chances as you can to get work experience. Finding these opportunities may be down to you so start as you mean to go on and be professional from your first moment of contacting the company. Create a good impression and you might get asked back. Respect your tutors, they are there to HELP you learn, not make your life difficult. They may be asked to decide who gets a job or work experience so impress them! That goes for your peers too as they may help you get contacts, that's how I got my first

5 job on Phantom of the Opera. Look after your kit and it will look after you. A good kit is vital and it WILL cost money. Get used to working to a budget in college by respecting college supplies as it costs them money. The more they have to spend on tissues and cotton wool for example, the less they may have to get something more exciting like special effects. Make sure when you turn up to class you have EVERYTHING you need. Don t expect it just to be there or your tutor to magically produce it from thin air. If you see any professional make-up artist on a film set they carry EVERYTHING! Plasters, insect repellent, deodorant...oh and make-up! Build up a history file so you get to understand hair and makeup styles through the ages. Fill it with pictures and research how make-up was applied. Go to galleries and get a feel for costume as this can help you identify an era. I still use the file I made 20 years ago...

6 Life right after college This is the difficult part. As I see it, there are 2 choices. 1.You have to earn some money so you need a regular job. 2.You make yourself available for any make-up work that comes up. When it comes to getting a job, it is not always what you know, but who you know. There is also an element of right face, right time. In other words, a company may have loads of CV s on file but if they need someone and you were the last person to contact them, you may be the lucky one. It is useful to follow up the companies you have sent the CV s to but be careful to not become a stalker! If you pester too much, it can put them off.

7 Write a CV and make it stand out - Use correct spelling and punctuation and put ALL of your contact details on, including where your live. Do you live in Manchester but could you work in London too? Put your most recent experience first and go for quality not quantity. If you have done two great jobs out of ten for example, focus on the good ones. Be honest & don t exaggerate. If you worked on a TV show was it work experience or as a daily*? Who was the make-up designer? If you are sending a covering letter, do your research and address it to the person that matters. Believe it or not, as a company with 3 female business partners, we have had letters with CV s which start Dear Sirs! *A daily is when you are employed by a TV or film production company as an extra make-up artist or wig person when they have lots of extra people to do, such as a period film with crowd scenes.

8 Presenting yourself once you start to get work Believe it or not, it is not ALL about skill. The right attitude is essential. As a make-up artist you are there to do a job and that job is to give your actor or model the confidence to do what they do. They may use the time you are with them to prepare for their role so don t chatter on about what you did on Saturday night, it can distract them. Do the little things. If the make-up team you are working with is really busy, could you make them a brew or clean their brushes? Does your actor need a drink when they run off stage at the end of a show? The little things can make you stand out. Smile and act confident, even though you may be really nervous. If you need help, ask. If you say yeah I can do

9 that but you plainly can t, you are unlikely to be asked back. So be true to yourself. Remember the saying right face, right time. Well once you start to get work, you become part of a network of make-up artists and wiggies (that s generally how wig assistants are known in the Theatre!). When someone is asked to do a job that they can t, they will often recommend people and that s how your name gets about. For this to work effectively, you need to decide where your base or home will be, for example, if a Hollywood film was to need dailies in your home town, they will potentially phone one make-up artist who will pass on lots of numbers.

10 Student Stories - Lucy After graduating (BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts: Media Make-up) Lucy gained some invaluable work-experience with us and managed to transform her initial dislike of wigs as she gained practical experience in all things wig: setting, dressing, cleaning... Lucy was sent on challenging and exciting Theatre and TV jobs - all very different to the classroom! Since leaving us, Lucy has worked freelance on a variety of contracts - loves the adrenalin rush of theatre and hopes to progress further in the TV industry by getting an assistant job on a series. Lucy s tip:...treat every job like it s the most important you ll ever do - you never know where it's going to lead to. It s a very small industry - if you work hard and treat people well, your name will get passed on for jobs.

11 Student Stories - Jody As a mature graduate with four young children, Jody started later than most, and had to contend with hefty family commitments whilst studying. Jody completed several courses that incorporated cosmetics, hair and SFX but was eager for more. She applied to Wigs Up North for a work placement and had to wait over a year before gaining a position. Jody s drive and enthusiasm helped her learn more technical skills and gain more insight into the many different people involved in the industry. Jody is now freelance and working on photoshoots, bridal make-up and theatre productions and thanks to her time with Wigs Up North is now more confident about offering hair services too.

12 Being employed vs Self-employed To be a make-up artist in film and TV, you really have to be selfemployed or freelance. There are VERY few full-time jobs within television companies anymore. Shows like Hollyoaks or Coronation Street take on freelancers for weeks at a time or blocks of filming. Only the head make-up artists may be employed. The theatre offers more regular work. The wages in theatre will not be as good as film or television but you will be paid regularly. If you tour with a show you will be paid extra to cover your digs (the places you stay as you move around). Working on beauty concessions in stores also offers a regular income. When you are working successfully as a freelance make-up artist, you could earn a good daily wage BUT there is no guarantee of when your next job will come. Get used to saving money that you make when you are doing lots of jobs, to pay for the times when jobs are thin on the ground, or for

13 tax you will need to pay. You can be employed and self-employed at the same time. Contact the Inland Revenue for advice on what you need to do. You will also need to pay National Insurance. Business Link has a good website which is full of information on being self employed. When you are self employed, you need to keep good records. You need keep copies of invoices for any jobs you get paid for and keep all of the receipts for things you buy. These could be for items you buy for your kit, clothes for filming outdoors or your mobile phone amongst other things. You can do this yourself or you may choose to use an accountant.

14 About We are passionate about many things at Wigs Up North wigs, make-up and people to name a few. A real source of pride for us is seeing our work experience students thrive in their career. Since we started in2004, our business has grown and we do so much more than wigs! We listen to our customers and when they asked about make-up, we began to supply it. We now do short courses, college make-up kits and sell our make-up online. Our clients include Manchester International Festival, The RSC and SKY TV whilst our credits include Peter Kay, Shameless and Hustle. We help many private clients with hair loss and amateur dramatic companies across the country hire our wigs. One thing is for sure, no two days are ever the same at Wigs Up North! For more information visit:

15 Useful publications & websites The Stage (newspaper/app/online) Stage Jobs Pro (web) The Knowledge, Kemps and Kays, Contacts all of these are directories which contain information on production companies or freelancers who provide services for film, TV & theatre. BECTU the Union for technicians Model Mayhem NASMAH National Association of Screen Make-Up Artists & Hairdressers Purple Port Free online portfolio hosting Net Model Similar to Model Mayhem Business Link - Website - on our careers page there are hints and tips from other industry professionals about having a career in this industry.

16 Shop Online or in-store, all you need - including product advice People Discover tips, events, stories and a host of other useful information at info@wigsupnorth.co.uk T: T/F: Wigs Up North, Unit 8, Royal Mills 17 Redhill Street, Manchester M4 5BA Wigs Up North 2012