Do You Show Up In Makeup When You Are A Movie Extra

photo of two young women's faces with very subtle makeup

Introduction
General principles
The many reasons you should practice in accelerate
What to bring (and not bring) to the gig
Conclusion

At correct: Examples of subtle makeup that would be fine for background acting: note the fifty-fifty pare tone, subtle eyeshadow and mascara, and subdued lipstick colors. Photo by Hadis Safari via Unsplash.

Introduction

If you lot're reading this, I'm going to guess you got hired as a groundwork role player a/thousand/a actress. Congratulations! And the casting agency told you to evidence up "makeup set up" or "camera ready" but didn't provide whatever boosted guidance, and so you're trying to figure out what that means. This article will describe what's worked for me. (For the purpose of this article, I'yard assuming you already have some experience selecting and applying makeup, and own at least the essential products ー foundation, lipstick, etc. If this isn't the instance, I recommend starting with makeup tutorials on YouTube ー use search terms like neutral, natural, professional person, etc.)

I've been a background actor on about 40 TV shows and movies over the past couple of years, sometimes in a few dissimilar roles inside each show. When I started, I was non an experienced makeup user, but I've spent a lot of time practicing, and trying to get a sense of what the shows' makeup departments are looking for, and now I think I have a good handle on it. I can tell because about of the fourth dimension, when the bear witness's makeup creative person is checking everyone, he or she looks at me and just says "fine for makeup" (or words to that effect) and checks my number off on their list ー meaning that they don't feel the need to alter anything. It's very gratifying to get, in less than ii years, from feeling like a makeup novice to having professional person makeup artists approve your work, including ane who told me, "You did a lovely job on your makeup"!

And I know they're not just approving everyone, considering sometimes they do desire to conform other people's looks. Information technology'due south non tragic to have a makeup creative person add to your makeup ー and it's inevitable that information technology will happen occasionally, because it's impossible to predict exactly what each artist or show will desire ー but if you can arrive wearing makeup they like, information technology saves time for everyone, and you can feel comfy and confident in your makeup all twenty-four hour period.

Below, I've listed everything I can think of that I take into consideration when striving to be "makeup set up" for a background acting chore. These guidelines have been working for me, and I promise you lot'll find them useful too.

General principles

Look modernistic, simply non trendy

Makeup trends change, just similar fashion trends alter. It'south good to take at least a general sense of makeup styles from different eras, to know what the testify's makeup artists are probable to want (or not want) based on the time period of the testify. If you're an experienced makeup user who's gotten into the habit of doing your makeup a particular way for years or decades, I recommend perusing modern makeup products and trends if y'all haven't in a while. You could be doing a vintage expect without even realizing it! (This is a good skill to have if you're cast in a catamenia piece, only yous should know mod styles too.)

That said, you don't want to be too trendy, and habiliment a product or style that's so avant-garde viewers volition be able to place which product, twelvemonth or "influencer" your look originated from. When in doubt, think "timeless dazzler."

Colour choice

Avert extremely bright and bold colors that are likely to jump off the screen ー you're called "background" for a reason. Take a cue from whatever instructions y'all received nigh clothing: if they said "no red shirts" or "no neon colors," they probably won't like red lipstick or neon eyeshadows either.

Lipstick is the colour they're almost likely to be concerned about ー I've been told "bring lipstick options." Own at least a few in whatever colors expect subdued and professional on you lot. I usually clothing mauve, berry, or rosy pink shades.

pink lipstick and other makeup products on a white surface — Photo by Diana Kadreva on Unsplash

Skip the sparkles

Equally of this writing, reflective highlighters are popular. I recommend avoiding these. The same goes for any other makeup (such as eyeshadows) that'south noticeably shiny, glittery, sparkly, etc. I haven't had any complaints most eyeshadows with a slight shimmer, but keep information technology subtle.

Go on it neat and neutral

Your main goal should exist to enhance your own features (or muffle flaws), so that your face up looks its best. You want people to notice how nice you wait, non how your makeup looks. When I'yard doing my makeup before an interim gig, I think about how I would practice it for a job interview at a conservative company: polished and a chip fancier than "everyday" makeup, simply subdued.

Await for visual references

If you're booked on a show where at to the lowest degree some episodes have already aired, await online for images or videos from the bear witness, and run into if you lot can glean anything near the actors' makeup. Does everyone wait glam, natural, or somewhere in between?

You can as well look for images of your role on other shows. For instance, if you were cast as a dr., wait for scenes from any recent medical drama to see what Goggle box doctors typically look like. Note that I said Tv set doctors, because for this purpose, that's more of import than what real doctors look like. Whatever character yous're portraying, yous desire to await like an idealized, TV version of that graphic symbol. Such is the world of amusement.

Look similar your photograph

All that said, remember that yous most likely got cast based on a photo or set of photos that you submitted or that were on file at the casting agency. They'll be surprised if yous show up looking similar you lot've had a complete makeover and look like a different person. When it comes to a background thespian'southward wait, consistency is i of the most important attributes.

Exercise applying and wearing your makeup in advance, if possible

woman applying face powder with a brush while looking in mirror — Photo past Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Do applying

You're almost likely to take a "good makeup day" on the day of the gig if you lot carefully practiced your complete look (using all the exact products you lot're planning to use) on ane or more than days earlier the gig. When you're rushing to go set for a 6 AM call time is non the time to discover out that a makeup item:

is difficult to apply and you wish you had proficient more;
is dried out and unusable (which unfortunately can happen even in an unopened bundle!);
but isn't the color you expected (this is very common);
is incompatible with another product, either by formula (for example, sometimes an oil-based production and a water-based product get patchy when layered together) or by color (for example, a warm pink and a cool pink can await odd together); or
(worst of all) causes an allergic reaction.

Practice wearing

And information technology's not enough to put on the makeup, see how it looks, then immediately have it off. I recommend wearing the makeup equally you become about your daily activities, for at least a few hours, or all day if possible. See how information technology looks and lasts in unlike weather and lighting conditions. Remember that shoot days often stretch to 10, 12, even fourteen hours. While there's probably no makeup that fully lasts and is comfy for that length of time, if i of your products is peculiarly poor for long-term wear, yous want to know earlier yous rely on it for a gig.

When you lot're on set is not the fourth dimension to observe out that a makeup product:

isn't waterproof, and ran due to sweat, rain, or even fog;
faded;
darkened or changed color. This can happen with some blushes and even foundations: they become darker and/or more orangey as you lot wear them, which I've read is due to oxidation (the same reason apples and potatoes turn chocolate-brown). Lipsticks can as well change and darken over time.
moved (such equally eyeshadow flaking onto your cheeks, or lipstick haemorrhage);
looks different than expected in different lighting. For instance, I have a bronzer which seems invisible in indoor calorie-free, but looks very sparkly in sunlight.
is itching or irritating your eyes or skin. You lot don't desire to spend the day with red optics, an itchy confront, or stinging lips!
stains your skin (a potential problem for the next day's gig!) or
is causing you to worry and wonder if there'due south a problem. If y'all've worn the makeup before and can feel confident it looks fine, you lot'll exist able to concentrate on the shoot (or enjoy chatting with other background actors in holding), instead of feeling stressed and wanting to cheque your mirror.

What to bring (and not bring) to the gig

open makeup bag that says "flawless" containing various makeup products and a cell phone — Photo by Jealous Weekends on Unsplash
(Photo for decorative purposes only; I'grand not suggesting yous bring these exact items!)

You don't need to bring a lot. I commonly bring a few makeup items in a modest makeup bag, simply it's very rare that I've been asked to apply or reapply annihilation in one case I'thousand there. Usually the makeup artist or a PA (production assistant) volition instruct lipstick wearers to go on their lipstick with them for impact-ups, and a couple of times I've been asked to employ more than mascara or to powder my nose, simply that'south about it. So I recommend bringing:

lipstick in a small case;
a pulverization compact, and a brush, sponge, or whatever y'all utilize to use it;
a small mirror, if there isn't 1 in your compact;
anything else y'all recollect they might want more of or that you'll need to bear upon up;
anything else they specifically requested (such as lipstick options); and
makeup remover, if there'south a chance they might employ special-furnishings makeup, vintage-mode makeup, or anything else you won't desire to habiliment home. I've had information technology happen that I wanted to take off my makeup at the end of a shoot, but the makeup section already went home, taking their supplies with them, and there was no makeup remover available.

I recommend confronting bringing anything that you'd be very upset to lose, such as an expensive eyeshadow palette. Property areas are often crowded, and at the cease of the day when anybody's tired and rushing to pack up and get out, information technology can be easy to lose or forget a makeup item in the cyclone of people and belongings.

Decision

I promise this was helpful! If you've had experience with makeup for background acting, whether every bit an thespian, makeup artist, casting director, or annihilation else, please experience free to leave a comment with your thoughts. (I trust that yous won't violate whatever NDAs though!) Suspension a leg on your gig!