“It was essential for me to be industry-ready when I started my make-up career over a decade ago. I was thrust into this fast-paced world where I needed to produce work quickly and to a high standard. Without my intensive training, I just would not have been able to produce what was needed for any given production and would not have been asked back or referred to other producers. Subsequently, I would have then found it incredibly hard to find work.”
That is the key message from Emma Croft award-winning hair, make-up and make-up FX artist, and, department head. She has over a decade in the field which also includes working with prosthetics and wigs. Amongst her many credits, Emma won Best Styling in a Music Video at the 2018 prestigious UK Music Video Awards for her work on the video ‘If You’re Over Me‘ by Years & Years).
To Emma, her message clearly highlighted the importance for students to be industry-ready from ‘Day One’. She explains that there is often very little time to mentor and train assistants whilst on set so it is imperative they are able to work independently from the minute they step onto a new project. “The industry needs professionals they can rely on to get the job done efficiently and to a high standard; there’s just not enough room for error in our highly-demanding industry.”
Educators play a key role in this. She recalls being thrust into this fast-paced world where because of everything she had learned and practiced from her course, she was able to instantly produce a high standard of work. This then snowballed into being able to build an impressive portfolio and CV which subsequently kick-started a long and fruitful career. She also speaks about how conversations with other hair and make-up artists often turn to discussing the importance of proper training for new students, and how they are often faced with assistants who are not equipped with the skillsets required to get the job done. This is a big frustration for anyone in the industry who is hiring new artists to join their team.
This is why educators are so important. According to Emma, they are essential to securing the future of the industry. “By training up the next generation of artists and teaching students new and improved techniques, we are ensuring that the industry produces nothing but the highest-quality of work, which is essential in keeping the industry alive.” Educators also need to continually excite and inspire students so that the industry remains “a place of love, passion, hard-work and unhindered creativity. It is so important that we as educators and professionals in the industry continue to nurture the passions of students and new professionals as that is the very foundation of what makes the industry great.”
In discussing the value of courses being endorsed by ScreenSkills Select and why she wanted to be involved, she is very clear that “it is so important that students receive the highest-quality training and if I could help in some way to facilitate that, I wanted to jump on board. What ScreenSkills Select does is very important because it ensures that the courses are able to deliver what the industry needs from graduates in order to excel in their field and create the best work possible.”
“It also means that educators should seek endorsement because it is in their best interests to ensure their course meets the standards and they should be confident and proud in the fact that their level of training is improving the industry as a whole. They can also be rest assured that students will flock to their schools from the esteem built from past students; one of the first questions often asked on set is ‘where did you train?’”
She also has wise words for anyone starting at the first stages of their career “Remember why you wanted to train in your field; keep the love and passion alive by fully embracing every aspect of your training and know that the industry needs you to be on top of your game! The rewards will be plentiful if you apply yourself and leave your ego at the door, both in the classroom and on set. Listen and be willing to learn always, even 10, 20 years into your career. There is always something you can learn from someone else so keep your eyes and ears open for these opportunities always.”
Given the huge success Emma is enjoying including working in Los Angeles where is she is now based, her insights are invaluable for both educators teaching the make-up artists of the future and also for those students who want to follow in her footsteps.
Further information about Emma can be found on her website: http://www.emmacroftmakeup.com/