Makeup Movie-Magic
Keying makeup on the set of an indie horror film in December
12/19/24
Day 10/12:
It’s midnight and I’ve been sitting on a cold folding chair for hours, in a tent, by an empty swimming pool in Sun Valley. Doing makeup on a little indie horror movie is not as magical as one might think, especially here. The holiday season is approaching and it’s fifty-four degrees (in LA, that’s fucking freezing.) Maybe it’s so cold because we haven’t moved from video village since lunch (baked potatoes, limp salad, chili, and biscuit pot-pie.) A steady stream of red vines, life savers, diet coke, melted chocolate and coffee are keeping me alive, because calories don’t count on set, nor do our lives before this film started. One more week. Have my private appointments spoiled me? A little bit.
As the days bleed into a bloated December haze, our motley crew has merged into a family of sorts, this happens on most sets by day four, especially within the vanity departments. My department head-fellow witch sister has already taught me so much and she's basically half my age, (she’s a sharp shooter, wise beyond her years Capricorn) After days of working in unspoken hair and makeup tandem with each other (she prefers doing hair but is truly amazing at both) we can now communicate witch style—with solely our eyes. It’s getting late and all I can think about, besides the temporary tattoos I have just applied, is my warm bed back home with my boyfriend, and the heating pad. My eyes glaze over the monitors, as we do take after take of this scene. The first AD’s voice has become ASMR. It feels like we’ve been shooting for ten years, but it’s only day ten. “Last Looks, on set!” Like a marsupial, I sprint with my giant set bag, touching up any sign of fatigue or shine (even though this is a horror film.) We wrap after two AM and I almost fall asleep from exhaustion and remember how old I truly am.
12/20/24
Day 11/12:
Stunts and Gore this week. Luckily, the SFX are not within our department, they are actually spending the money for it. Don’t get me wrong, I often enjoy doing the bloody stuff (I’ve even taught it at Cinema Makeup School) but I’m just not in the mood this week and was relieved to find out it wasn’t our responsibility on this one. It’s now ten PM and we’re back in the tent. My feet are numb, I wish I was magical enough to make the air warmer. My witch sisters and I whisper about our beloved heating pads and form a club. How does it feel so late? Jesus. Maybe it’s from the lack of sleep (four hrs) or that I’m still nauseated from lunch (attempted Asian cuisine today: sickeningly sweet and too oily cabbage, beef and broccoli), luckily, I got non emergency TUMS from the medic. Staring at the monitor, hot hands smooshed to my swollen PMS stomach, I wonder about the writing projects that I’m slowly developing on my own. Thank god my bestie recommended me for this, I needed the work and the feeling of making movies again. It’s not been easy here, in LA these days. Ask anyone in our industry. What does the future hold for us? This remains to be seen.
**
As we approach the witching hour, I notice a strange smell wafting over the motel, from the Sun Valley railroad tracks; like rotten rosemary mixed with something creepy and industrial. We all speculate: Eucalyptus leaves burning on the tracks mixed with oil and burning bodies perhaps? Gross. My stomach turns on my long drive home (much longer than twenty minutes) curling me up through the haunted hills. Through the mist, towards my heating pad, I see a skinny coyote hovering on the side of the road. His flashing eyes and NPR are keeping me awake.
12/21/24
Day 12/12:
Wrap day!!
Hallelujah. We arrive in our pink motel room that we’ve been working in for weeks, with a bounce. We blast the space heater even though it’s not allowed. We smile and laugh. Infused with impending Christmas freedom, we hum as we do our magic. I can’t believe we’ve been shooting this shit for almost two weeks, it seriously feels like a month. Time stretches out on set. I have come to adore some of these people (especially my witches) and the impending end feels bittersweet. It’s always wild how long and fast it all feels, kind of like life, I guess. But this is why we do this, we must savor it.
**
Lunch was rough again today (fatty ribs, overcooked stuff) it was hard to savor. Overheard the director mention the magic words In-N-Out (one of my all time favorite meals) how it may be our second meal later. We discuss this in our makeup room and both decide that it might just be too late at that point to eat burgers, and that I can probably leave early. Part of me is filled with a deep sadness at the thought of leaving our pink motel home. Part of me. This end of the year shoot has been pretty epic in many ways. Who ever thought I’d be discussing the filming of Nightmare On Elm Street with someone who actually made it? I feel a surge of gratitude for this entire struggling production. Best of all, my girls treated to Starbucks. I sip my delicious matcha latte with chai slowly. It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmakkah.
**
It’s almost two AM and the Rosemary stench is back with a vengeance. Our heating pad club commiserates. Then I hear, Martini shot! My heart leaps! This means, that we have finally reached the last shot of the day. Praise the lord. Thankfully, my kit is all packed up. We exchange a knowing look, I can leave now if I want to. Freedom awaits. I hug my witches and bounce… I’ve never been great with big goodbyes.
Back in my car again. That sweet old leather smell. I last look in the rear view mirror and peel away from the old pink behemoth at three miles an hour. Just a little Irish goodbye—makeup movie-magic at its finest.