Overview of the role
Hair and make-up designers (HMD) play a key role in any production involving performers, creating styles appropriate to the production’s visual and narrative requirements. They also demonstrate enthusiasm and skill for creating age-appropriate and creative looks for young characters and performers.
In pre-production, the HMD works closely with the director and often the production designer and costume designer, to agree the overall style and look. They break down the script, noting hair, make-up, and prosthetic requirements, and determine the staffing needed to meet the production demands. They ensure designs are feasible within the required timeframes and budget.
The HMD maintains hair and make-up continuity throughout the production, consulting with the director and relevant departments on any required changes. They arrange performer appointments, attend production and HoD meetings, manage the budget and oversee the team to ensure work is completed on time to the required standards and with cohesion and motivation.
When working with children, the HMD ensures appointments and on-set changes comply with child working hours, that chaperones or parents/guardians are present, and that procedures and communications are adapted to safeguard the comfort and welfare of young performers.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the size of the team and the scale and budget of the production.
- Break down the script to determine team size, hair, make-up, and prosthetic requirements, including stock, wigs, hairpieces, facial make-up, equipment and consumables.
- Produce individual artist breakdowns and character-specific requirements where needed.
- Meet with the director, producers, costume designer, production designer and creative teams to agree the overall look and hair/make-up designs.
- Research the style, genre, or period of the production and create mood boards for the production and individual characters/scenes.
- Work with the line producer or PM to confirm departmental crew numbers, dailies, grades and rates of pay.
- Plan make-up rooms, trucks, dog boxes, storage and other facilities with the line producer, PM and location manager.
- Determine if enhanced DBS checks are required and liaise with the production office.
- Consider health and safety legislation, including hazardous substances, equipment, and PPE and ensure the team is fully briefed.
- Identify specialist requirements such as prosthetics, wigs, contact lenses, teeth, and external suppliers, confirming budgets, contracts and lead times.
- Assign responsibilities for the set-up and pack-down of make-up facilities at each location or studio.
- Prepare a budget spreadsheet for hair, make-up, prosthetics, assets, tools, equipment and consumables.
- Review the shooting schedule with the hair and make-up supervisor and 1st AD to ensure viability, flag potential issues and plan for hair and make-up changes.
- Ensure scheduling for child performers complies with child working hours and that chaperones are accounted for in planning.
- Make advance contact with each cast member/artist or their representative to introduce the team, discuss requirements, potential issues (e.g. allergies, product preferences) and recommend products suitable for children’s skin where applicable.
- Produce hair, make-up, and prosthetic designs (if applicable) for each performer and communicate requirements to the responsible hair and make-up team member.
- Assign performers to specific team members for continuity and consistency.
- Ensure a chaperone is present when a child is in the chair.
- Liaise with the hair and make-up supervisor and production team to schedule fittings, specialist fittings (dental, optical, life casts, prosthetics), hair/make-up tests and camera tests.
- Ensure the team prepares artist kits, confirming required stock including doubles or spares for essential items.
- Assign and supervise crowd hair and make-up fittings through the crowd supervisor or hair and make-up supervisor.
- Direct juniors or trainees to prepare continuity folders and fittings sheets during pre-production.
- Confirm that fittings sheets are completed with photographs and detailed notes, including haircuts, colouring, wig hire numbers, facial references.
- Work with the hair and make-up supervisor to assign responsibility for raising purchase orders and arranging equipment hire.
- Check and approve all purchase orders, departmental expense claims, petty cash and company credit card transactions.
- Establish and maintain budgeting and staffing spreadsheets, liaising with the production accounts team to integrate with existing systems.
- Set up production planning sheets if required and ensure all timesheets are completed and reviewed; the HMD carries out the final sign-off.
- Assign responsibility for inventory management, including opening stock, incoming stock, general checks, closing stock and designer-supplied kits.
- Determine production stock requirements and ensure stock levels are maintained, stored correctly and comply with health and safety guidelines.
- Discuss the next day’s call sheet with the 2nd AD or PC to confirm team call times, ensuring sufficient time for hair and make-up and compliance with child working hours.
- Check the day’s call sheet and schedule noting any last-minute changes.
- Ensure all work areas and stations are clean, prepared and fully stocked for the day.
- Confirm wigs, facial pieces, and prosthetics are prepped, unblocked and ready for application before performers arrive.
- Manage the make-up call, ensuring all performers, including those personally assigned to the HMD, are ready on time.
- For same-day fittings or tests, discuss requirements with the director and relevant creatives to confirm the look.
- Ensure a team member documents hair and make-up notes and captures 360 photographs (front, back, sides) of each performer along with continuity records.
- Oversee end-of-day de-rig, ensuring trainees/juniors prepare stations, tidy areas, and have required products, including hot towels for performers.
- Check wigs and facial pieces are cleaned, blocked, and redressed as needed.
Prepare small prosthetic pieces in advance for the following day.
- Review all completed hair, wigs, make-up and prosthetic designs executed by the team.
- Assign team members to record continuity photographs and detailed notes, updating general continuity files and individual artist continuity sheets.
- Ensure any changes to agreed designs or continuity are first approved by the director and producers, then communicated to relevant HODs and the script supervisor.
- For child performers, ensure that chaperones or parents/guardians are present during any changes or photographic documentation.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of hair and make-up designer in children's TV.
- Hair and make-up design and creativity: ability to conceptualise and realise HMD concepts.
- Industry experience: interpret scripts and treatments for hair and make-up, realise designs, identify resources, and oversee implementation.
- Industry awareness: Strong understanding of trends in content for young audiences nationally and internationally.
- Compliance expertise: thorough knowledge of all relevant legislation on working with children including licensing, safeguarding, developing compliant schedules and ensuring the team is full briefed.
- Communication: the ability to contributors and cast at ease particularly when working with under 18s including very young children and their families.
- Financial: establish and manage budgets for resources and equipment.
- Collaboration: liaise with director, producer, and HODs regarding design and continuity.
- Attention to detail: monitor hair and make-up continuity for all performers.
- Communication and teamwork: ensure the team works cohesively, efficiently, and to the design brief.
- Communication: clearly convey department requirements within the team and to performers.
- Leadership and team management: lead the department to deliver work to expected standards.
- Negotiation: agree rates, budgets, and resources with producers and accountants.
- Teamwork: collaborate effectively within the department and with others.
- Problem-solving: address obstacles, implement solutions, and plan contingencies.
- Organisation: ensure smooth operation of the department, clarifying roles and responsibilities.
- Time management: work to pre-determined deadlines efficiently.
- Adaptability: respond effectively to changing schedules and production demands.
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapt positively to shifting priorities and deadlines; proactively explore new ideas and approaches to enhance production outcomes
- Ethics and integrity: act honestly and professionally, maintaining respect, inclusivity, and high ethical standards.
- Flexibility: listen, learn, and maintain high standards despite changing priorities or requirements.