Valuable tips for future celebrity and film makeup artists from the talented Erin Ayanian
In filmmaking, there are many different roles of artists that come together to create the entire project and are crucial to the overall success of the film - including, and very importantly, the Makeup Artist. A Makeup Artist in the film industry works hand in hand with film producers, directors, stylists, camera producers, and actors to create the look that is envisioned for the concept, direction, and storyline of a movie.
If this is the path you're dreaming of, then we are sure you will be interested in knowing Erin Ayanian's successful journey as a Makeup Artist specializing in film! Erin is a California-born celebrity and film makeup artist who is known for her work on Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Neon Demon, Mr. Brooks and The Great.
How did the path to success of this talented Makeup Artist begin? Erin started becoming fascinated with makeup at the age of 7, when her mother started letting her play with hers and occasionally allowing her to experiment with the art of makeup. As a young makeup lover, Erin continued her passion in further developing her eye and hand for makeup application, and spent her teen years painting her friend's faces: “I remember once spending my entire lunch break at school when I was 14 with girls lined up outside the bathroom for me to do their makeup!” Can you imagine how great it was to have a friend in school who had such a talent for makeup? Well, Erin's best friend who was modeling didn't have to imagine this, she knew who could give her a great makeup look for the shoot. In 1994, Erin, who was working in retail at that moment, officially began her journey in the beauty industry.
Like many Makeup Artists, Erin confesses that in the beginning she worked for free on test shoots to acquire photos for her portfolio. “This was back when we carried around actual books with photographs in them! The third time I did a test was the first time I was paid and I got $50. It was nice but I almost didn't care as I was so sure it was what I was meant to be doing.”
Talking about a normal day for a makeup artist, Erin notes that her days are very different depending on the sort of job that she is working on. If Erin is filming, she wakes up between 4:30 and 5am and will work anywhere from 12 to 16 hours, whereas if she is creating makeup for a red carpet event, Erin might start at 4pm and finish by 6:30pm.
As Erin says, her current TV project, The Great, has been an absolute joy to work on. It stars Elle Fanning, with whom Erin has worked with since Elle was 14 years old. Erin confesses that Elle is one of her very favorite people: “Spending hours with her every day is just great. The show has the best cast, the best crew, and we film in London which is one of my favorite places on earth.”
Erin’s first big film booking was creating Lucy Liu's makeup for Charlie's Angels Full Throttle. She had never seen her own work on film before and had no idea of how to break down a script or track continuity. “The first day I had a moment of panic thinking I was in over my head, but a very kind hairdresser, who is no longer with us, took me under her wing and said that she would not let me fail. I still remember how scary it was sitting in a darkened theater waiting to see my work blown up on the big screen in the first dailies. When team Liu got a big cheer when her face came on screen I was so incredibly happy and relieved and I knew this was a job I could do.”
Now Erin thinks that insecurity on set is normal: “It's okay if you are not the best. It's okay if you make a mistake. Do not let insecurity cause you to blame others. Simply fix the problem and learn from it. Quiet grace and dignity will take you far.” Erin is convinced that you have to be brave to be in a business where your art is constantly being held up to scrutiny and it's so easy to compare yourself to the best in the business. One thing to remember is that no one can offer exactly what you do. Your artistic eye and skill set, your personality, your kindness and contributions are singular to you alone so in that way you actually are without competition.
Of course, we could not help but ask Erin for more advice for Makeup Artists starting their journey towards their dreams. Keep and memorize these five valuable non-negotiable items from an experienced professional:
Be punctual always, in fact if you arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your call time, you can be settled and relaxed when people begin to arrive.
DO NOT GOSSIP about your clients. It's tempting to fall into idle chit chat on set but once you have destroyed trust you cannot get it back.
Do your homework. Know about the history of the business you are in. Who are the seminal makeup artists, designers and photographers? Not today's current stars, the greats of the 20th century. It's good to be knowledgeable about a broad spectrum of pop culture, current and past, so that you have reference points and an artistic shorthand to communicate with other creatives.
Be prepared to do whatever is asked of you on set. Many times, a client will ask for something pre-job and then change their mind on the day. You never want to be in a position of having to say that you don't have the correct products or tools on hand. Bring everything you could conceivably need.
Do not participate in the culture of complaint that is rife on most sets. If you are being treated poorly a simple "no" to the appropriate party will suffice.
Plus a little tip from Erin: do not rely on a single alarm to wake you. “Years ago my battery operated alarm clock died in the night and I was 3 hours late to an extremely high profile job. I can still remember the agony of that bumper to bumper drive to work!”
You can find more work from Erin Ayanian on her Instagram - where we are continuously inspired! https://www.instagram.com/erinayanianmonroe/