Working as a makeup and hair artist in the special fx world is a role that requires a lot of skill and dedication. The special fx world isn't only about doing makeup at Halloween, it involves a great deal of specialist training and development.
While I do carry out work at Halloween creating special fx looks for my clients I am by no means as talented as the hair and makeup artists who specialise in this field.
I have recently had the opportunity to speak to some of the top hair and makeup artists who do work in this field and their skill and talent are absolutely amazing! They are able to design, sculpt, mould, hair punch, paint and create the most amazing creations you would ever see. A lot of the hair and makeup artists who work in special fx have some form of art background, it is a role that is very art based and requires precision work.
The opportunities for the special fx makeup artist are insane, they have the opportunity to work on film, TV, editorial, casualty, army, the list is endless however it is a very niche market and only the best will make it to those roles.
To allow yourself to get the roles within special fx hair and makeup an important tool to have is to have an amazing portfolio of work. This work isn't the usual Halloween special fx looks that are often unrealistic and more beauty based, the work in the portfolio needs to show your skill at creating realistic, life like special fx which an employee will appreciate the skill and work put into that creation. An example of the work you should have within a portfolio would be images of sculpting work, flat plate moulds, prosthetic application, ageing makeup, gender transformation, etc.
Administrative responsibilities as a freelance special fx hair and makeup artist are the same as in any freelance job, you are responsible for your own taxes, your responsible for finding the work that is available, you're responsible for your health and safety in the workplace and are responsible for putting yourself out there and making yourself available for jobs that come up. If you aren't able to do this then working as a freelance hair and makeup artist in any part of the industry isn't going to work. It's down to you as the individual to network with others and to promote your skills and talent to the right people.
Using social media to network with key people within the industry is vital to building relationships and showcasing your skills. Social media has become even more popular in recent years for networking as it allows you to contact people who you may never have been able to in the past, it gives you the space to showcase your skills in a way that promotes you as a hair and makeup artist and gets you noticed within which ever area of hair and makeup you want to work in. However for people working with special fx, it's important to make sure that the content you are sharing does not upset or offend anyone, warnings should always be put on that images contain graphic detail and explain that this is only special fx makeup, some viewers may be caused distress if they see images that are extremely graphic and true to life, so be careful with what images you share and on what platforms, know your audience!
Special fx is an area that is constantly evolving, there are always new techniques and trends that makeup artists will follow, it's important to keep practicing the skills that you currently have and to make sure you keep up to date with new trends, this can be done by reading Prosthetics magazines, following your favourite special fx makeup artists on social media, attending courses online or in person. As with any form of hair and makeup, you need to ensure that you practice your skills, you develop them, and you grow as a person. If you don't do this then you won't be as competent as other makeup artists out there and won't gain as much employment.
So while I absolutely love doing special fx makeup at Halloween, I don't think this is an area that I would personally specialise in. The work involved in creating such amazing looks is insane and I respect each and every special fx makeup artist but it's not for me. While I am creative and artistic in my own right I have nowhere near the skill of the insane special fx hair and makeup artists out there at the minute.