A Day in the Life

Makeup and Hair On location

Time	Activity
07:00	The actors arrive for the contemporary drama. One needs a wig and make-up, another one character make up. We need to get this done swiftly and painlessly so that we can deliver the talent to the set in good spirits.
09:00	On location. We check hair continuity from the previous shoot before we go for the first take.
11:30	They leave, beaming, and looking the part.
11:45	Grab a sandwich as I know I'll probably have to work through lunch.
12:00	Clear up the caravan. It's a bombsite!
12:30	Talk to programme designer about the future scenes
13:00	Make up new artist that's been punched in the face- no not really, he just has to look like that!
13:30	About to grab a coffee. Did I get lunch? Now we're off to a new location out of the rain.
14:00	Twenty people are squeezed into the front room of a tiny farmhouse. Camera man, camera assistants, sound, production manager, sparks, wardrobe, producer and of course the actors and the director!
15:30	Return to first location, phew! Extras arrive for a scene later, they'll have to wait. I've too many people to deal with just now. Apply blood to the nose of man who got punched. He looks awful. Good!
16:30	The wind's coming up so we need lots of clips and spray to hold hair in place.
17:00	Keep an eye on the make up, especially in changing lighting conditions. My assistant prepares the extras rapidly for the next scene.
17:30	Rehearsing the main scene, I can still do some make-up's as long as I keep out of the eye-lines and don't interfere with the rehearsal. Move around quiet as a mouse.
18:30	Crew have wrapped, we remove wigs, make-up (a lot quicker than applying them thank goodness!)
19:00	Clear up and prepare wigs etc. for the next day's shooting.
20:30	Arrive at the pub for a little refreshment with colleagues. Mustn't misbehave, it's another early start tomorrow.

< return to previous menu