I love working in all mediums. Being the set of independent films is definitely my favorite place to be, you are allowed more freedom and creativity than on large budget studio produced projects. Music videos are my second favorite. They are like parties! Commercials are the toughest jobs because you have to please a director, the reps from the ad agency, the producers, etc. Episodic television is pretty fun, I work quite regularly on Dawson's Creek and filled in as Key Make up while Kelley Jefferson was on maternity leave last season. I have a degree in theatre so when I break a script down for make up purposes, I tend to look at it from a character's perspective. I try to find out from the talent as well as to what their character is thinking in certain scenes so I can use make up to create a mood more than a look.
What I did with Teri Hatcher on CS was to use darker colors and heavier lines when she was in her city character, when she became more relaxed and began to enjoy the country setting her character landed in, I went softer and used more color. But, Teri is a natural beauty, she needed very little make up at all! She has perfect skin and great features, she needed very little.
Rhoda Griffis who played Chippy was a blast to work on and to work with! She is a vibrant, comically gifted woman. She is currently working on a Hallmark movie of the week here in Wilmington. Chippy was a character in herself so my make up design mirrored her vibrant personality, and wardrobe! Andrea Powell was also a stunning woman to work on. She was as lovely on the inside as she was on the outside.
Absolutely everyone on that project was great! I made some very good friends on that set. And I worked with some terrific and talented women. I have never been on a set with so many intelligent, talented, creative women. Every one from Courtney, the producer to Rebecca the director, to Lisa DeFuso, the 1st AD, to Shannon the production manager to Rachel a grip, was talented, lovely and hard working. It was very inspiring to be around such a superb group of women.
As far as make up products go, I just adore Stila! I used Stila Convertable Color, a creamy blush, to make Teri's fabulous cheeks pop. She's got the greatest bone structure. Her eyes are out of this world! Just one application of Lancome mascara, and wow! And her lips, not much color was needed at all! Clear gloss and she's a knock out! And what a great woman she is! When we were on night shoots, she invited the whole cast and crew back to her condo at Wrightsville beach and cooked breakfast for us! Blueberry pancakes made from scratch! She is so thoughtful as well. She had on a cute pair of sandals one day and I mentioned that I liked them, well, she went out and got me a pair! Her daughter is a living doll as well. She's a terrific mom. I just can't say enough nice things about her. If you haven't seen her in "2 Days in the Valley," you must! What a great performance! She is a fabulous actress as well as a marvelous woman. What made the Chester Story such a special project really was the people. The locations were awesome as well. Our Director of Photography has a very artistic eye and knew how to make the most of the landscape. We used beautiful houses, great waterfront settings, and we were very lucky in that we had beautiful weather. Wilmington is full of scenic settings.
Last year I worked on the Martin Lawrence film "Black Knight" which was shot at some beautiful sites here in town as well as the studio. I loved working on that project. I love the Medieval period and had a blast doing blood and cuts on a myriad of stuntmen. I also worked on a film called "Cabin Fever" last year a that I just adored! It was an indie produced by David Lynch. You can find out more about it on IMDB. Oh, what great make up that one had! I also got work with a fabulous FX make up artist from LA who let me do so many cool things. My two favorite things to do make up wise are working on beautiful people and doing blood & guts! I am a closet B horro flick nut! Well, Scott, I hope my ramblings help you. It was a pleasure to talk about the Chester Story, it was truely a great experience.
