Working as a Freelance MUA - TV/Film

No matter your previous experience outside of the television and film, you will always enter the industry as a trainee. You’ll likely not do any makeup at all. Instead you’ll be shadowing a more senior artist, watching and learning. You may be asked to make tea and coffee or take continuity photos.

It may be worthwhile taking extra courses in hair dressing as cutting, styling and dying will all be essential skills needed. Learning how to style all textures of hair - male and female - is one of the most valuable skills you can have in your arsenal when working on a film or TV set. It means you can undertake any task a crowd room supervisor will put to you. Knowing how to apply and style wigs will also come in useful and should you be able to ventilate (knot) that can take you out of the crowd room and into the trailer very quickly! As will a good hair wrap for wigs and bald caps!

A lot of the time, the main cast on a film or tv show will want their principle cast to be natural so it will be down to the ensemble cast to help set the time period of the production with hair, makeup and wardrobe. The makeup designers will work closely with the costume department to create designs that work in harmony. They will draw from their own references; historical paintings or photographs, other films, books etc. for example, the hair and makeup designers of ‘Bridgerton’ pulled influences from the 50’s, modern day styling and oil paintings from the 1700’s. You can see it in the wig designs for the character of Queen Charlotte - excellently portrayed by Golda Rosheuval. Her wigs are a perfect blend of history and modernity, with locks being featured heavily alongside modern bows and traditional barrel curls and waves. Also the designs for the character of Lady Featherington, her wigs and costume were inspired by 50’s fashion with wide necklines, corseted shapes and fringed hair. Historical accuracy isn’t always the most important for film and TV, especially for drama. As long as the looks are rooted in the history, boundaries can be pushed.

The working hours for screen work are long with morning calls starting from 5 or 6am and often not wrapping until late. There’ll be long hours of standing around, watching for touch ups and then resetting and starting over. As a trainee the pay will be low (if there’s any at all!) but the more you network with other artists and department heads the higher up you’ll climb and the salary will follow.

• Blundell, C., Common, G., & Stacey, N. (2021). Disney's "Cruella". Presentation, Zoom.

• Odell, K. (2021). Working In Industry. Presentation, The Sheffield College (Zoom).

• Solari, L., Pilcher, M., & Phillips, A. (2021). Discussions with Delamar: Bridgerton. Presentation, Zoom.