Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Performing General Physical Activities Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

The Work

The Make-up Artist breaks down the script in order to work to the make-up budget and schedule for the production.  
 
The Assistant works under the instruction of the chief Make-up Artist. The Make-up Artist might delegate to the Assistant work such as administration and paperwork related to the department. The Make-up Artist briefs the Assistant Make-up Artist on the type of make-up required then schedules and assigns personnel to certain actors and/or extras. The Make-up Artist would usually attend to the principal actors and assign an Assistant to minor cast members and extras, depending on the sise of the cast involved in the production.  
 
The Assistant Make-up Artist would see to the make-up requirements of crowds in any scene. The work involves applying all make-up to actors' faces and bodies as required. The make-up may need to be touched up between takes. If it is a period production, the style and type of make-up used at the time must be researched. The work may include helping the chief Make-up Artist in building, applying and removing prosthetic make-up; "ageing" actors; creating or concealing scars, burns and wounds and applying facial hair. The work involved for the Assistant Make-up Artist depends on the nature of the script.  
 
The make-up department works closely with the hairdressing, costume and wardrobe departments, taking account of the requirements of each. The work includes consideration of hygiene, skin problems and allergies that actors may have.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Apply makeup to enhance or alter the appearance of people appearing in productions such as movies.
• Select desired makeup shades from stock, or mix oil, grease, and coloring to achieve specific color effects.
• Duplicate work precisely to replicate characters' appearances on a daily basis.
• Cleanse and tone the skin to prepare it for makeup application.
• Assess performers' skin type to ensure that makeup will not cause break-outs or skin irritations.
• Study production information, such as character descriptions, period settings, and situations, to determine makeup requirements.
• Alter or maintain makeup during productions as necessary to compensate for lighting changes or to achieve continuity of effect.
• Analyse a script, noting events that affect each character's appearance, so that plans can be made for each scene.
• Confer with stage or motion picture officials and performers to determine desired effects.
• Establish budgets, and work within budgetary limits.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

The starting point for employment in the industry is as a Trainee. Applicants should have basic training in make-up or related areas such as Beauty Therapy.

When a Trainee has sufficient experience in film, television and video make-up, they can apply to upgrade to Assistant Make-up Artist. Their experience must include corrective, ethnic and atmospheric make-up; period styles; coping with crowd make-up and various forms of prosthetic make up IFTN.   

Training & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship: Beauty Therapy & Make up artistry NFQ level 5 Search our FET Coursefinder 

FET Centre PLC courses: Make-up Artistry, Beauty Therapy, and Theatrical Make-up NFQ level 5-6 Search our FET PLC coursefinder 

Professional Development 

IFTN Irish Film & Televison Network 

Careersinscreen Screen TechSkillnet

Last Updated: November, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €25k - €34k

Fees will vary depending on type of performance and venue, can average between 200 and 640. 

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Performing Arts in 2018/ Payscale/ Indeed.ie/ Glassdoor.ie / IFTN/ Indeed.ie

Last Updated: February, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment grew strongly between 2021 and 2022, with an additional 7,300 persons employed. As illustrated in the CSO Census data below, employment is spread across a number of roles; since 2016, the strongest growth, in absolute terms, was for graphic designers and authors, writers and translators.

New employment permits issued for this occupation in 2022 were primarily for film/TV and animation/visual effects (VFX) roles but also for linguistics experts in the ICT sector. There was also a high volume of recent job hires in line with the recent employment increase. The data does not point to overall issues with recruitment for these roles.

Skills Gaps in the Irish Animation sector (Animation ireland June 2022). A key central issue was graduate skills in relevant animation software. Specific software requirements and competencies in pipeline and technical specifics were top of the list regarding skills gaps. While studios that produce 2D content have recently moved away from Adobe Animate (Adobe Flash) into Toon Boom Harmony packages, there are a number of studios using less common softwares such as Cel Action and Moho for their 2D content. Studios creating CGI content are largely using Autodesk Maya with some now moving towards open access softwares such as Blender. A massive 50% of Irish animation graduates are working for overseas studios (20%) or working remotely on adult animated content (30%).The remaining 20% of recent Irish animation graduates are not working in the sector.

The Skills Challenge for the Screen Sector in Ireland 2023. Despite the skills shortages there is no effective and efficient way to identify crew who are available for jobs or for crew to be able to identify what positions are available. Recruiting experienced crew is also a major issue. Notwithstanding the current skills shortages, the key message from the interviews and focus groups was that a larger production crew base will be required to meet future live action demand which is probably significantly larger than the size of the existing crew base. Key areas of focus for future skills needs include the areas of skills for sustainability and green production as well as digital and technology related skills, especially in relation to virtual production. 

Note: The following