Theater, Movie, and Television Makeup Artists

How important is makeup in theater, movie, and television productions? Truthfully, it is one of the most important aspects of the production no matter what medium is being used.

Think about the scene in the movie "Mrs. Doubtfire" with Robin Williams. Remember when he shows up at his brother's door (his brother is a makeup artist) asking to be transformed into a woman? That transformation happened with makeup, and the makeup was of central importance to the entire basis of the story line.

There are all kinds of demands made of makeup artists. They might need to make an ordinary-looking man into a threatening and scary monster, or they might be asked to disguise a blemish on the skin of an actress who needs to have an absolutely flawless complexion for a close-up scene.

The burning question is often asked, "Is there any living (or dead) actor or actress who had such flawless skin that no makeup was needed?" The answer is a definite NO. Every human has some flaw — some flaws are more minor than others — but there is no such thing as an absolutely flawless complexion. Those flawless complexions you see in the movie close-ups are possible only with the aid of a skilled makeup artist.

Stage, flim, and television critics are, well, critical. They expect the actor or actress to look the same throughout the production. The presentation in any medium needs to appear seamless. Makeup artists are responsible for that seamless appearance of actors and actresses. In the case of movie making, sometimes movies are shot in various locations with various lighting and even at different seasons of the year. The makeup must make the actors and actresses look exactly the same no matter what the circumstances.