Do actors need makeup for a war movie?

Hi, I'm making a feature length war movie and was wondering if I need makeup for this movie for my actors. I know if most TV series and movies on wars like this, they usually still use airbrushes on actors to bring out their faces but the majority of people in the war had mud and dirt all over their face.

So is it really necessary to use airbrushes on all of the actors' faces for a movie like this like most TV shows and movies do? Or can I make do without it and other forms of makeup?

Do you plan to smear mud and dirt all over the faces of your actors? Maybe smash em in the face with a hammer to get that bruised cheek?




Technique is not your problem, its the makeup persons problem.
For what its worth, I've never seen an airbrush on set, though Im sure its used. You should probably avoid trying to be too technical about this subject if you want to be taken serious. Its ok to not know the details of something like makeup techniques. Just know what you want to see, have the vision and hire experts to do the rest.

You could make some disheveled and beat up with a simple makeup job. Some smudges of black/brown makeup with perhaps some subtle bruising or blood.

Continuity is really what you want to be keeping track of though. You don't want someone to be squeaky clean in one shot, and dirty in the other. Or a cut to disappear and reappear somewhere else in another shot. Take notes and photos.

I'd argue that smearing mud on an actors face counts as makeup, but it's up to you wether or not you staff the position.

A good MUA is an important member of the team. Like chimp said, continuity is important but an actor in good makeup (and good doesn't mean clean, but a good visual aesthetic that adds to the scene) is another one of the hundreds of things that constitute (almost said make up) a solid, professional production. It could be glaringly obvious that the makeup wasn't done well, or it could be a smaller thing that most people couldn't pinpoint but know something is off.

I think some problems could arise if actors start sweating, or they're greasy from a long day working... It sounds funny but it can make things look less desirable, even if you're going for muddy and dirty.

Personally I think you could get away with mud and dirt, but I assume there's a progress to what's happening in the film, and constantly using mud and such on actors might get pretty crazy after a while depending on what you're doing. And if anyone is sustaining injuries during this war, you really need make-up at that point to sell the flick. Not to mention, as was mentioned above, make-up artists are very valuable to production, and often times (depending on who you have doing what) they can help watch for continuity from your mud on faces and handling that portion with the actors.

Good luck!

Mke up

I am working on a WW2 flick from the Japanese perspective. Only one of my Japanese actors will use false teath. The Japanese lady actresses will use none at all because make up was a rare item for a Japanese combat nurse. I hope this helps yoou.

happyboy88 said:

So is it really necessary to use airbrushes on all of the actors' faces for a movie like this like most TV shows and movies do? Or can I make do without it and other forms of makeup?

Click to expand...

If you put actual mud and dirt on actors that is, technically,
considered makeup. It's also very uncomfortable for the actors
and is inconsistent from set up to set up. So the mud and dirt
you see is often makeup rather then mud and dirt. If you
choose to use actual mud and dirt you will need a makeup
person to apply it, take continuity pictures and reapply it each
shooting day and touch it up between takes in order to keep
the mud and dirt consistent.

It's true, Hyper.u that in WWII make up was rarely used, however
in a movie it takes a skilled makeup artist to apply makeup to an
actor to make them look like they are not wearing makeup. Simply
not using make up often give actors a very flat look on the screen.

It is never "necessary" to use makeup in a movie. But it is almost
always the better choice to get a consistent, realistic look.