Summer Tips For Special Effects Make-up Artists
How to Survive the Hot Weather in Film Make-up Departments
May 20, 2009
If every special effects make-up job was done in air conditioned studios life would be easy but preparing for summer weather can help to maintain quality.
Working on location or in low budget productions in unusual spaces, the challenges are huge. From perspiring actors to melting materials, there a few things which can be done to help things run more smoothly. This will save money and time, keeping everyone happy and helping the work to look better.
Keeping Actors Cool:
Damp skin and perspiration is the enemy of good special effects make-up. This stops glues drying, makes everything slip off the skin, hinders blending and causes make-up to melt off before the camera starts to roll.
There are a few kit essentials that can help keep actors skin dry even in warm weather.
- Hand held fans are ideal for helping to stay cool in between takes.
- Blotting papers and tissues will blot away shine and perspiration without disturbing make-up.
- Anti shine gels are useful but be careful to only use non-silicone varieties. Otherwise the silicone will coat the skin and make-up will not adhere.
- Cooling cologne sticks or refreshing mists also help to keep a person cool, especially if applied to pulse points. Try Aveda Blue Oil for comfort.
- Cleanse skin well with a clarifying cleanser before starting any effects and use a toner to make sure that oils are removed properly. Do not moisturize in warm conditions or before applying special effects.
- Ensure a ready supply of cool drinks and remember that sitting in prosthetics for a filming day is usually fairly uncomfortable. Added to summer heat, this means that every opportunity should be taken to make an actor feel relaxed.
Keeping make-up cool:
- Anything with a wax base will be oozing in warm conditions and very hard to blend successfully. Cool bags, the kind readily available for picnics are very useful in keeping products chilled. Molding waxes and other special effects materials prone to melting, can be kept in the fridge overnight and then removed to a cool bag for the shoot.
- Look at alternative products; latex or anything which dries and can be molded is better than wax in the heat. Powder colors are better than cream.
General Tips:
- For make-up artists who have hot hands which melt make-up and hinder the application of crisp special effects, keeping a bowl of cold or iced water nearby is the best remedy. Soak hands for a few seconds as often as necesary.
- Make good use of brushes, spatulas and mixing pallets rather than hands in hot weather; this will also add to a repertoire of mark making skills so facilitate creative development.
- Applying special effects can be an intimate affair, especially in warn conditions, so keep some sugar free mints or herbal pastilles to hand.
- If summer air is particularly humid and stagnant, pay special attention to ventilation. It is the responsibility of the make-up designer and production company of films to ensure safe working conditions at all times. In humid weather, an open window in a make-up room is not adequate ventilation for special effects. Whether low budget or not, never endanger your own or actors' health by working in unsuitable conditions.
- Always keep actors and make-up out of direct sun light.
The copyright of the article Summer Tips For Special Effects Make-up Artists in Film/TV Industry is owned by Shefali Choudhury. Permission to republish Summer Tips For Special Effects Make-up Artists in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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