Overview of the role
Hair and make-up supervisors (HMS) are second-in-command to the hair and make-up designer (HMD). They assist with script breakdowns, scheduling, budget management, tracking team hours, and organising additional daily crew as required. They may also attend meetings on behalf of the designer.
In pre-production, supervisors help organise fittings and appointments, including wigs, haircuts, colouring, dental, optical, life casts, and prosthetics. They support hair and make-up tests for artists and performers before principal photography.
Supervisors work closely with the designer to understand the production’s style and specific design requirements, assist in creating mood boards, setting and dressing wigs, ordering stock, and preparing make-up trucks or rooms. They may liaise with the 2nd AD or PC on call sheets and guide the team, covering some of the designer’s responsibilities when required.
In children’s TV supervisors must maintain full continuity for all performers, including child performers, ensuring adherence to child working hours and safeguarding protocols during fittings, tests, and on-set work.
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 scale / budget band / genre of the production.
- Break down the script to identify hair, make-up, prosthetics, and additional team requirements, including stock, equipment, wigs, facial pieces.
- Produce individual artist script breakdowns if required or use the designer’s breakdown.
- Meet with the hair and make-up designer to confirm the overall look and design requirements.
- Determine additional daily crew needs, including grades and rates of pay.
- Research the production’s style, genre, or period and assist the designer in creating mood boards and documentation for the overall production and individual characters/scenes.
- Assist in designing hair, make-up, and prosthetics (if applicable).
- Confirm and coordinate make-up rooms, trucks, dog boxes, and other storage facilities with production and locations; organise loading/unloading schedules.
- Liaise with the location manager to identify potential issues and ensure facilities meet required standards, including general catering.
- Ensure health and safety procedures are followed, including use of PPE, hazardous substances handling, and compliance with legislation in make-up areas and on set.
- Organise specialist requirements (prosthetics, wigs, contact lenses, teeth) and raise purchase orders to meet production deadlines.
- Maintain budget tracking for hair, make-up, prosthetics, assets, tools, equipment, and consumables.
- Review shooting schedules with the designer to ensure feasibility and identify potential issues or required changes.
- Assign set-up and pack-down duties for make-up trucks, rooms, marquees, or dog boxes to juniors/trainees, ensuring organisation of kits, equipment, consumables, and stock.
- Oversee preparation of labels, signage, and identification systems in make-up facilities.
- Coordinate timings for daily schedules and assign responsibilities for continuity files, fittings sheets, photographs, and notes.
- Ensure fittings, tests, and make-up applications for child performers comply with child working hours and safeguarding policies; always have a chaperone present where required.
- Communicate clearly with parents/guardians regarding child performer requirements, allergies, and sensitive skin considerations.
- Plan hair and make-up schedules to allow sufficient time for children’s breaks, travel, and welfare needs.
- Provide clear instructions for production paperwork, budgets, expenditure tracking, and ensure team members understand the systems in place.
- Work with the hair and make-up designer to contact each cast member, artist, or performer in advance to discuss requirements, potential issues (allergies, sensitivities), and suitable products for children’s skin.
- Arrange all fittings, specialist fittings, and hair and make-up tests with the artist/performer and production, ensuring child working hours and safeguarding requirements are adhered to.
- Discuss designs for hair, make-up, and prosthetics (if applicable) for each individual with the designer; assign responsibilities to the relevant hair and make-up team member.
- Ensure the team prepares artist bags with all required stock, including doubles or spares of critical items.
- Supervise the completion of fittings sheets, ensuring photographs and clear notes are recorded, including haircuts, hair colour, wig hire numbers, facial references.
- Ensure wigs and facial pieces are labelled with the performer’s name, correctly dressed, and inventoried, including stock numbers for hired items.
- Maintain clear communication with parents/guardians and chaperones for child performers regarding any special requirements or sensitivities.
- Plan and organise schedules to allow sufficient time for children’s welfare needs, including breaks, travel, and comfort during fittings.
- Organise with the hair and make-up team who will raise purchase orders and manage equipment hire.
- Determine who will carry out inventories of opening stock, incoming stock, general stock checks, closing stock, and the designer’s personal kit.
- If the designer is unavailable, liaise with the 2nd AD or PC to confirm the following day’s call sheet, ensuring correct call times and sufficient time for hair and make-up, including child working hours where applicable.
- Set up production planning sheets if required.
- Work with the designer to manage budgeting and staffing/labour spreadsheets.
- Ensure all departmental time sheets are completed and reviewed prior to the designer’s final sign-off.
- Collaborate with the locations manager to ensure on-location facilities meet all hair, make-up, and child performer requirements for each filming day.
- Assign responsibility for setting up and administering the main team communication group (text or messaging).
- Arrive before the team to review the day’s call sheet and schedule, noting any last-minute changes.
- Ensure all work areas and stations are cleaned, prepared, and fully stocked; verify wigs, facial pieces, and prosthetics are dressed, unblocked, and ready for application before artists/performers arrive.
- Oversee the team during the call, preparing their own assigned artists/performers and answering questions if the designer is unavailable.
- Confirm any ‘fit on the day’ requirements are discussed in advance with the designer, including adjustments for child performers.
- Ensure hair and make-up notes and captures 360 photographs (front, back, sides) are recorded for all artists/performers, alongside continuity notes.
- Maintain awareness of continuity and hair and make-up changes for all artists/performers, not just those directly assigned.
- Prepare a master set bag containing all essential products and equipment for the on-set team.
- At day’s end, ensure trainees and juniors prepare for de-rig: tidy stations, replenish products and materials, and provide hot towels for de-rigging.
- Ensure wigs or facial pieces are cleaned, blocked, and redressed as necessary.
- Prepare small prosthetic pieces required for the following day in advance.
- Ensure all processes account for child performers, including appropriate timing, supervision, and gentle handling of wigs, prosthetics, and make-up.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of hair and make-up supervisor in children's TV.
- Industry experience: apply make-up, prosthetics, and style hair for screen productions.
- Industry awareness: break down scripts and identify required resources.
- Compliance expertise: thorough knowledge of all relevant legislation on working with children including licensing and safeguarding, developing and adhering to compliant schedules and practises and ensuring the team is full briefed.
- Communication: the ability to keep contributors and cast at ease particularly when working with under 18s including very young children and their families.
- Communication and teamwork: ensure the hair and make-up team works cohesively, efficiently, and according to the designer’s requirements.
- Financial: establish and monitor ordering systems for resources and equipment.
- Collaboration: liaise with departments such as script supervision, costume, and 2nd AD regarding design changes and their impact on continuity.
- Attention to detail: monitor hair and make-up continuity for all artists/performers.
- Communication: convey departmental requirements clearly within the team and to artists/performers.
- Leadership and team management: lead the team, uphold standards, and delegate tasks effectively.
- Negotiation: agree on costs, conditions of use, and contract terms with suppliers.
- Teamwork: collaborate within the department and across other departments.
- Problem-solving: identify and resolve issues, implement contingency plans.
- Organisation: ensure smooth operations, with clear roles and responsibilities for all team members.
- Time management: plan and execute work efficiently to meet deadlines.
- Adaptability: respond effectively to changing schedules and production requirements.
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapt positively to shifting priorities, meet deadlines, and proactively explore creative solutions.
- Ethics and integrity: act honestly, inclusively, and in accordance with professional standards.
- Flexibility: listen, learn, and maintain high standards despite changing production needs.