The Importance of a Makeup Artist
Is hiring a makeup artist for a video project essential or optional? There are a few things to consider before you find the answer, but mostly it depends on your vision and the type of video production. Sometimes, we might assume that hiring a makeup artist only makes sense if we want our subject(s) to look fancy on the video and catch a viewer’s eye. That’s not always the case though. Even when you want people on camera to look professional and have minimum makeup, you might need some professional assistance with that as well. Why?
Camera and studio lights often accentuate skin’s imperfections, even if it looks smooth in the daily light. For example, if one has oily skin, it will make their face look shiny under the studio lights. A bit of makeup powder can help the situation though. With this in mind, even a natural look with the minimum-cosmetics-effect might require the help of a makeup artist.
Oftentimes, a camera makes one’s face look “flat.” When shooting in the studio, it is possible to set up the lights in a way that will help to define and accentuate a subject’s face lines. It might be a little bit trickier to get the right definition using natural light (when shooting outside, for example). In either way, involving a makeup artist appears to be a good idea. Professional makeup artists know how to create correct light-and-shade effects with the consideration of your facial anatomy and the light source that is used during the production.
If you are working on a creative project like a music video, commercial, or short feature, having a makeup artist appears to be a necessity. Let’s say you are working on a clothing brand commercial and want your piece to look aesthetically pleasing, colorful, and artistic. So you probably want to add vibrant colors to the way your characters look as well. That’s where a makeup artist will be a must-hire member of your crew.
In the end, you are the one who decides whether to hire a makeup artist for your project or not. There are cases where you might not need one though. For example, if you are using Zoom recordings for remote production, you may not need to worry that your skin imperfections will be noticeable. Otherwise, when filming in the studio, at the office, or any other space, you want to be ready to work with the studio lights and, thus, consider everything that was mentioned earlier. Think about it and maybe you will want to give it a try if you haven’t done that before!