FROM PUS TO WEAVE !

I'm thrilled that our upcoming ‘Careers in Film’ Panel: Hair & Makeup Artists on April 21st, 6pm - 7:30pm at 7th St Market, Charlotte, NC will feature an artist from Local 322, which represents production design crafts, including hair and makeup artists, as well as an artist from the Wigs And Makeup Department at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Years ago, when I ran Brooklyn Young Filmmakers, I produced an annual ‘Careers in Film’ Panel Series, hosted in the Spike Lee Screening Room at Long Island University (Brooklyn campus). I was awed by what I learned from union-level craft artists ! This was brought back to me recently by the fascinating articles on film crafts published in March—the month of the Academy Awards.

A Washington Post article was written as a quiz: ‘Can You Spot The Actor In A Wig ?'’   It featured sixteen actors in character, allowing readers to click and discover whether they were wearing a wig. If they were, the article provided a fascinating breakdown of the techniques used -- from measuring an actor’s head to determining the wig’s density.

Another compelling (and sometimes gross !) article, inspired by Oscar-nominated films that feature special effects makeup and prosthetics—like WICKED, THE SUBSTANCE, and NOSFERATU—was the New York Times' ‘Pus-Filled Injections and Green Witches: Movie Makeup Got Real’   It revealed the intricate techniques behind these transformations, showing just how much artistry goes into crafting unforgettable on-screen looks.

The fact is ‘little’ things that Hair and Makeup Artists also do – from subtly aging an actor ten years to styling an actor’s own hair into a unique do that nails the persona of their character – are also amazing !

Can't wait for our panelists to share their own behind-the-scenes stories of the magic they do !