Reward in realising the vision
Name: Davina Lamont Job: Makeup artist
Q What jobs did you do before this one?
I worked at KFC to get enough money together to study makeup and pay for a whole year studying. After a year I worked at Kirkcaldie and Stains with Lancome . . . soon after I became their makeup artist travelling around New Zealand. I also worked at the Wellington International Airport in their dutyfree store as their makeup representative.
Q Why did you choose a career as a make up artist?
To be honest, I never knew where being a makeup artist could take me. I studied makeup as I thought it would be interesting and fun. I figured maybe I’d work backstage doing makeup for the theatre . . . let’s say I never ended up working in the theatre.
Q Why did you choose Genius?
I had worked with the producer before and he always delivers great scripts. The period going from 1880 to the 1950s was a huge drawcard for me. Also, being able to create an Einstein was a gift.
Q How did you get into your career and when?
I studied makeup for a year at the Design and Art College in Christchurch about 22 years ago. Then I managed to continue upskilling under some amazing and talented makeup artists along the way.
Q What qualifications and training did you need?
It depends on the training school you attend; you can get a certificate of makeup or higher.
Q What personal skills do you need?
Being a hairdresser certainly helps in this industry; an understanding of skin is very important; and knowing how to communicate and deliver.
Q Any physical requirements?
No, you just need to have motivation and desire.
Q What do you do on a daily basis?
I design up and coming characters from the script, have meetings with producers or directors and manage a team of makeup/hair and prosthetics artists. Make up my actors for filming, work on budgets, make orders and follow my actors on to set, wherever that may be.
Q What is the most challenging aspect?
I would say the hours. It’s tough to start at 3am, 4am or 5am and then work anywhere between a 12 and 18hour day for months on end.
Q Are there any particular health and safety issues?
No, but you certainly need to be aware of your surroundings while on set. Depending on your location, you always require good shoes.
Q What is the most interesting assignment you’ve had?
Probably in India. The job was really tough, with an actor in full prosthetics all day, every day, for six months. Dealing with extreme heat and humidity while trying to keep our actor cool and dealing with language barriers. And when a well known actor is on set, hundreds and hundreds of excited fans turn up and swamp the film set . . . it’s fun to watch.
Q How has the job changed since you started?
The digital/HD age has meant makeup artists need to be more precise with their application; we used to get away with a lot on film. Even reading scripts used to be dropped to your house. Now, of course, it comes in on our email. Continuity photos were all taken on Polaroid cameras. The difference in prosthetics materials that are applied to your face and body over the years has changed the most. We now have the means to produce more lifelike appliances, which are easier to apply and paint.
Q What’s something people generally don’t know about the job?
It’s certainly not glamorous and the hours are incredibly long.
Q What are the highs of the job?
Travelling to exciting countries or locations and transforming an actor into a character in the script and it’s exactly what you had envisioned.
Q What are the lows of the job?
I don’t often have any lows, to be honest. I love what I do.
Q What’s the strangest thing you’ve had to do?
Actually, I can’t think of anything strange that comes to mind . . . maybe I’m lucky so far?
Q What is the salary?
It’s not actually a salary, you’re selfemployed, so you work for yourself. It changes from job to job depending on budgets and locations, if you’re working on TV or film or if you’re looking after the whole department or just part of the team. So, the range can be very different.
Q Where will you be 10 years from now?
Absolutely doing what I’m doing now. Hopefully, I’ll still be travelling the world and designing cool characters.