Industry Job Focus | SFX Makeup Artist

As one of the premier studio production companies in New York, Broadway Stages works to meet the growing needs of the film and TV industry while also focusing on the needs of our community. We provide the industry with a soundstage or location where they shoot their scenes, but they also need a skilled and experienced workforce. In this series, we look at the various jobs that make a production come to life. We hope it provides insight and encourages you to consider a career in the film and TV industry. This week, we look at the role of special effects makeup artist.

What Does a Special Effects Makeup Artist Do?

With October comes the celebration of Halloween, with many revelers donning creative costumes depicting their favorite characters, creatures, or personas. In honor of this festive time of year, we look at the Film and TV industry role that remarkably transforms an actor’s appearance using special effects makeup (SFX makeup). SFX makeup can range from minimal effects such as bruising or scars to more complex transformations into characters such as monsters, zombies, or other-worldly creatures.

The SFX makeup artist is involved in the pre-production stage, working with the director and production designer to plan the needed designs; and during the production stage, applying the SFX makeup on the actors. Although SFX makeup artists report to the key makeup artist, they also need to coordinate with other departments on set, such as costume and special effects, to make sure the SFX makeup aligns with the work being done by those departments. SFX makeup artists apply makeup and prosthetics for various effects, such as layering color, creating texture and other desired results. See Backstage for a list of some of the tools (such as applicators, stencils, and airbrushes) and techniques (such as creating 3D replicas, latex skin, and crepe hair) that these artists employ.

How Do I Become a Special Effects Makeup Artist?

As with a regular makeup artist on a set, the SFX makeup artist can gain knowledge and skills by attending cosmetology school. However, to learn the techniques used for SFX makeup, specialized training and certificates are available. Production Beast recommends attending SFX makeup schools or classes and watching online tutorials. As for additional skills, SFX makeup artists should be creative, work well with others, and have a strong attention to detail. Those seeking to enter this field should have an SFX makeup kit and a portfolio to display their work. Some ways to gain experience include working on student and theatre productions, as well as practicing makeup techniques on friends. As with most on-set jobs, a good way to enter the field and work one’s way up is to become an assistant to a professional in the field. Backstage recommends ways “to help get your foot in the door” such as searching for jobs online with production companies, theatres, and themes parks; networking at industry events such as comic book and makeup artist conventions; entering competitions; and promoting your online portfolio on social media.

For a fun look at the history of SFX makeup in film, watch this Vanity Fair video. Learn about film and TV industry jobs, training, and more in the Broadway Stages’ Industry Resource Guide. Our guide provides information about industry-focused job posting sites; links to general recruiting sites; education and training programs; and state, city, and borough industry information.