What It Takes Makeup Artist Movie

In November of 2012, nascent makeup artist Amber Talarico thought about writing a book that would educate and inspire similarly aspiring artists. Then the projection transformed into a documentary flick titled What information technology Takes.

"I asked a manager to straight it for me," Talarico recalled. Afterward, this friend of hers suggested that she take the position of director herself.

After shooting footage of her working on motion picture sets—plus a few interviews—that lacked a necessary polished quality, mostly due to sound issues, Talarico re-organized the project and started anew in January of 2013. Through the end of 2014, she chipped away at the budding project, shooting interviews and on-ready footage with the assist of friend Collin Schiffli, a Los Angeles flick crew veteran.

She self-financed her initial shooting days. "Any time I could fund information technology myself, I would requite crewmembers $fifty for three hours of their time," said Talarico. 'People would donate their fourth dimension—a lot were excited about the project."

Finally, Talarico attracted proper financing via executive producer Chris Evitt, banana to Oscar-winning makeup artist Joel Harlow. More than equipment and proper crew came in, just as her own funds were running out. "We were at a complete standstill," Talarico said. "Our executive producer was able to pay for things to be washed on a bigger scale. He believes in the project wholeheartedly."

Sourcing Make-up Make Sponsorships

A primal strategy for producing the picture show: Talarico brought aboard sponsors such as Kat Vond Beauty, likewise every bit makeup school Makeup Designory, where she had been a educatee. Other sponsor brands included Get-go Aid Beauty, Hask Hair, BH Cosmetics, European Body Art and Dermaflage. "I reached out to the people that I was most excited about, the products that I believed in," she said, adding that she worked with lead artist Eric Soto from the Kat Vond arrangement. "They don't test on animals. I believe in their product line. Eric and I created a relationship earlier anything happened with the brand sponsorship."

In the case of Dermaflage, Talarico's friend Kerry Herta opened a door with them. "They sponsored production for our events," Talarico said—screenings and other alive events surrounding the projection. "If we have an effect, I'll give abroad product. That'due south how nosotros apply those sponsorships—to create word-of-mouth."

Amber Talarico (left), director of What it Takes

Talarico was surprised at the doors the financing and sponsorships opened for her film. "I didn't understand that I could achieve things that a person who went to school for motion picture could achieve," she said. Her broad personal network came in handy once more and again. "I told Cary Ayers at the International Makeup Artist Trade Show, at Joel Harlow's booth, 'If you e'er need anyone to assist around your shop, I'd be more than willing.' Cary took me aside and said, 'Hey, I like your ambition. Keep in touch with me.' He was the first person I told near the film, [and] the first person I interviewed. He played a big manus in spreading the word."

Learning her filmmaking craft every bit she endeavored to create her documentary, Talarico interviewed Ayers iii times to get the one that she wanted—the starting time fourth dimension, the audio wasn't working completely; the 2d fourth dimension in that location were photographic camera bug. After Ayers, Talarico, with cinematographer Yousef Arafat, interviewed multiple-Emmy Award-winning makeup artist Eryn Krueger Mekash.

Plying Social Media Connections

Soon, Harlow (who won his All-time Accomplishment in Makeup Oscar in 2010 for Star Expedition) stumbled upon a web log mail that Talarico had written, because Talarico had tagged him on social media. "That's how he got to read it," she said. "He messaged me: 'I actually love this concept.' We started communicating. He'southward an intimidating person because of his caliber of piece of work. I was nervous. That was right around the time I felt comfortable saying I was a managing director."

Through a connection with Lee Joyner, a creative director from Cinema Makeup School, Talarico was later able to connect with three-time Oscar-winning makeup artist Ve Neill and Academy of Move Picture Arts and Sciences makeup branch governor Leonard Engelman. She also contacted agents through proper channels and additional artists via Facebook. "One-half of the people I contacted were through Facebook," she said. "I reached out to [actor] Doug Jones on Facebook; [creative person] Carleigh Herbert came through Facebook."

Navigating Post-Production

Out of 43 people that Talarico interviewed for What it Takes, 26 of them had either won an Oscar, an Emmy or a Makeup Artist and Pilus Stylist Lodge Accolade. By the summer of 2016, three and a half years had transpired between the beginning and concluding interviews for the moving picture. Many interviews were shot on the Ruddy camera and so converted for editing purposes. In post-production, editor Tanner Presswood stitched every interview together in one long cut. What information technology Takes' rough cut was over seven hours.

Obviously, much work nonetheless needed to be accomplished on the project, Talarico recalled. "In the summer of 2016, Tanner stayed at my apartment for ii weeks. We were all trying to make something out of a massive amount of everything. We had to get additional footage into the interviews. Nosotros started filming my department in add-on to what was already filmed: me working at MUD [Makeup Designory], some calls that I made to family unit members, some of the footage of me trying to work out my bills, whatsoever of the street and city footage. [Tanner] did a really good job of putting all of that together in a really artistic manner."

Talarico continued to work with Presswood even later on the editor returned to his native Indiana, where Talarico is besides from. "We did Skype sessions or calls with each other," she said. "I would send him notes. In July of 2016, he did a 45-minute rough cut. At that signal, Chris Labao was a second editor hither in L.A.; he put all of those interviews into identify. The final running time is 66 minutes."

After holding several screenings, Talarico collected feedback and made edits accordingly. So, she shot a final added scene in early 2017. "It was at least a year and a half in mail service-production," she said. "It was 100-pct done at the finish of March, 2017."

Touring with the Film

Once What it Takes was completed, Talarico'due south goal was to get the motion-picture show in front of as many makeup artists equally she could. "Once you lot start getting momentum, you offset seeing different opportunities," she said. "A lot of people who aren't even in the industry took to it. A lot of people, surprisingly, asked me, 'When are you going to make another film?' That was actually flattering and not something I'd actually idea about. The goal is to inspire people on any level, actually."

By spring of 2017, Talarico and producer Kenneth Alexander held four screening events where the flick was showcased at a theater, too including a cocktail session with a makeup demonstration and Q&A after, with makeup giveaways. "Nosotros did this in four cities; we booked it, planned information technology, organized information technology, decorated information technology," Talarico said. "Fort Wayne, Indiana, Seattle, Portland, and a second L.A. screening at Raleigh Studios. Information technology was like going on tour."

Currently, Talarico and Alexander are promoting the film on her YouTube channel with a variety of videos and a podcast on iTunes entitled "Making It Upwardly," discussing freelance ventures as a makeup artist in Hollywood and staying adrift during the hard times. Her blog includes "Artist Feature Fridays," where an aspiring makeup artist is selected each week. Talarico likewise conducts monthly webinars, freely available and alive streaming on the What information technology Takes website. MM

What it Takes is available starting September 1, 2017 every bit an extended DVD and digital download. For information, visit its official website.