The hair department is responsible for the research, design, the application, maintenance and continuity of hair and wigs during feature film and television productions. Sometimes the hair and make-up departments are not separate, and one department looks after both the hair and make-up requirements.
The work involved ranges from creating contemporary looks to dressing wigs or hair to period styles, and hairdressing aspects like hair cuts, extensions and colouring. All hairstyles then have to be maintained during filming and are photographed and logged for reference. At the end of a day's shoot, wigs and other hair pieces may need to be cleaned and reset.
Hair and make-up are key elements in the overall design of films, creating a look that is appropriate for the characters, time periods, setting and style of the production.
It is advisable to have a qualification in hairdressing. As a hairdressing qualification does not teach wig work or period styling, to be proficient in this area, it requires lots of hands-on industry experience and practice.
The size of the hair department on a film or television production varies, depending on the scale of the production.
The designer (can also be known as head of department, chief or key hairdresser) is the person responsible for the overall design and implementation of the hairdressing and management of the hair department. Key responsiblities include:
There to support and help the Designer carry out the requirements for particular artistes (including principals), from completing the hairstyling, hair cuts and wig dressing, to maintaining hair/wigs throughout the shooting day and any scene-to-scene/time changes in continuity. And at the end of the day, assists in removing wigs etc., clearing up and prepping for the next day.
There to support and help the Designer carry out the requirements for particular artistes (including principals), from completing the hairstyling, hair cuts and wig dressing, to maintaining hair/wigs throughout the shooting day and any scene-to-scene/time changes in continuity. And at the end of the day, assists in removing wigs etc., clearing up and prepping for the next day.
A personal hair artist or hairdresser works closely with a principal actor, overseeing and maintaining their hair requirements for the duration of the production. This could include wigs, toupees, extensions, cuts and colours - all depends what is required.
Whenever an actor is wearing a wig or toupee, it has usually been made by a specialist wig maker. There are "off the shelf" products, but to get a good fit to the actor's head, especially for principal actors, a wig should be specially made.
A handmade wig for television or film consists of a foundation of fine lace that has individual human hairs knotted onto it.
The make-up department is responsible for the research, design, the application, maintenance and continuity of make-up during feature film and television productions. There may be a separate hair department, or just the one department that looks after both the hair and make-up requirements. This depends on the scale (and budget) of the production.
A make-up artist has to create a wide range of looks, from the contemporary to recreating period styles, or transforming an actor's face and body using prosthetics to making it looks as if someone has no make-up on at all. Make-up also includes the application of facial hair, bald caps, tattoos, bodypaint to creating casualty effects such as scars, wounds, injuries and blood. All make-ups then have to be maintained during filming and are photographed and logged for reference.
Make-up and hair are key elements in the overall design of films, creating a look that is appropriate for the characters, time periods, setting and overall style of the production.
It is advisable to have a qualification in hairdressing. As a hairdressing qualification does not teach wig work or period styling, to be proficient in this area, it requires lots of hands-on industry experience and practice.
The size of a make-up department on a film or television production varies, depending on the scale of the production.
The designer (can also be known as head of department, chief or key make-up artist) is the person responsible for the overall design and implementation of the make-ups and management of the make-up department. Key responsiblities include:
The Make-up Artist is there to support and help the designer carry out the requirements for particular artistes (including principals), from completing the make-up to maintaining make-ups throughout the shooting day and any scene-to-scene/time changes in continuity. And at the end of the day, assists in removing make-ups, clearing up and prepping for the next day.
They organise the crowd (or background) artistes make-up, from organising fittings or make-up tests to booking make-up dailies, to prepping crowd tents and organising the supplies needed.
A personal make-up artist works closely with a principal actor, overseeing and maintaining their make-up for the duration of the production. They don't necessarily come under the direction of the designer.
Prosthetics are used to change an actor's face and body for a variety of reasons like ageing, creating aliens or monsters, or to subtly change a person's features to make them look like a historical character.
Prosthetics are also used to create casualty effects and injuries (e.g. broken bones, scars, wounds), any body part to a complete corpse, bones and "blood and guts" effects.
Body painting is the temporary artwork applied direct to the skin. Lasting for several hours, or at most (in the case of Mehndi or "henna tattoo"), a couple of weeks. Body painting that is limited to the face is known as face painting.
To change the appearance of an actor's eye colour or pupil size/shape, contact lenses are custom made by specialist contact makers. It is also a requirement that a contact lens technician is on set to fit the contacts during filming..
Specialist makers will take a mould of the actor's teeth using dental alginate - this ensures the final sculpted fake teeth fit the actor properly, not only for their comfort and safety, but for the realism - HD and closeups are not forgiving!
The following members of MASMAH are available to provide CineMasters classes. For a list of credits, courtesy of IMDb, please click on the link.
This will create a link to IMDb. The Cine Guilds is not responsible for the content of external links
| Stephanie Kay | The Elephant Man; Tales from the Crypt; Never Say Never Again | IMDb Credits |
| Stephanie Kay | The Elephant Man; Tales from the Crypt; Never Say Never Again | IMDb Credits |
| Penny Bell | Agatha Christie:Poirot; Aint' Misbehavin'; Midsomer Murders | IMDb Credits | |
| Sandra Exelby | Back to the Secret Garden; The Brylcreem Boys; Melancholia | IMDb Credits | |
| Vanessa Johnson | The Inspector Lynley Mysteries; Ultimate Force; Lewis | IMDb Credits | |
| Alyn Waterman | Hustle; Rocket's Island; Love and Marriage also Joan Collins personal M/up and hair | IMDb Credits |
| Nick Dudman | Harry Potter (various); Batman Begins; Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade | IMDb Credits |
| Neill Gorton | Dr Who; The Colour of Magic; Saving Private Ryan | IMDb Credits |
| Nick Dudman | Saffron Powell The Mummy | IMDb Credits |