‘The Smallest of problems can turn into mountains if you are not mentally and physically prepared on a shoot. For me, this means starting at the very beginning.
Laying out your kit in a tidy and professional manner so that everything is in reach, leaves you ready to face whatever obstacles production may throw at you!'
Problem - If you are ill prepared and rushed in setting up your kit, then the rest of your makeup can suffer.
This is not a good layout...
Brushes need to be clean, all adhesive pots and other vessels should also be clean, screw top lids easy to remove, not sticky and locked up with detritus from the end of the last shoot ! All labels should be also tidy and easily readable.
This not only aids quick recognition for use, but is also a matter of health and safety so that it is clear what each product actually is. Miscellaneous clear liquids in gummy messy bottles is not acceptable.
Likewise, any colour palettes etc should also be clean and presentable. All this is not just for your personal benefit, though that should be reason enough (a tidy space is a tidy mind and all that), but equally, if not more importantly, it's a matter of hygiene too !
The work you will be doing is on another human being, often an actor, and more often an actor of some standing. They will always feel far better (and safer) about whatever you may be applying to them if it appears to be done cleanly, and in turn professionally.
Solution - First off, arrive at least thirty minutes before your call time. Have a coffee or tea and mentally go through your makeup role for that day. Hopefully, before you set off for the shoot, your boxed kit was already clean and organised ready to go, preferably sorted the night before !
Using a wet pipe or similar, wipe down the work surface you are about to lay your kit out on.
From your box of tissues lay several out on the chosen work surface. Begin to lay out your colours, sponges and general tools required for the work.
Also any powder you may be using during a prosthetic application should be tapped out onto a tissue for easy access when de-tacking blending edges etc.
Brushes for applying and colouring can then be laid out separately.
Clear disposable plastic cups should also be kept handy, these are used to decant a small amount of adhesive at a time, + required thinners etc for use during any prosthetic application. Each cup should be labelled with a marker pen for safe and quick identification. When a cup gets gummy or messed up, you can easily throw it away, get a fresh one, and make a clean start.
This can also be done for Prosthetic Makeup Remover, such as liquid Pro-Clean. Decanting a little at a time will save costly spillages !
Always ensure lids are kept tightly on your main liquid materials.
This not only saves you money if anything's spilt, but equally, it is really difficult (and time consuming, not to mention embarrassing) cleaning up a lot of spilt adhesive, and if that was all you had with you, it could be very difficult to finish your prosthetic application without some glue !
Any Prosthetic items required for the makeup such as Bald Caps, Teeth or actual Prosthetic pieces should also be prepared, trimmed as required and laid out ready for application or test fitting.
Lastly, food, snacks, drinks etc should be kept safely away from the working area (not only your own but also your actor's !)
Tada! A clean and professional layout that will help you work more efficiently, make you stand out from the crowd and put your client at ease :)
Next Month: Coming Soon
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