There are a lot of jobs and people set to work behind the scenes of a music video. We were lucky enough to catch up with one such person. Claire Addicott is a make-up artist who has worked with Bullet For My Valentine and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes. She answered a few questions for us, giving us an insight on how to make a career of make-up, what it’s like on the set of a music video and what her dreams and aspirations are.
MOSH: How exactly did you get into your career?
Claire: I started by doing my time on a makeup counter whilst I saved up for formal training. I went to Brushstroke Makeup School, situated within Shepperton Studios, which was a great experience. It’s not everyday you see and hear Matt Smith whistling down the corridor, or walk past Stanley Tucci in the wig room next door. The college got me some work and I was lucky to have some old friends who run a production company called Kode Media, and that was my foot in the door!
M: How long have you wanted to do this?
C: I think forever really. I remember to this day playing around with my mother’s makeup box when I was four or five. I looked awful but had the time of my life playing with all the colours and textures, I think a spark was born from there.
M: From the BFMV and Frank Carter videos, I assume you can do FX make-ups. How tricky is it to apply this well and believably?
C: I did the sfx on the Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes latest video (but another artist applied the sfx on the Bullet ‘Venom‘ video, as I had another job that weekend.) The video for ‘Trouble‘ was actually my first sfx gig. I think the trick with sfx makeup is to learn about the human body. It’s knowing how a bruise will look after 3 hours or three days, but then also being able to put a creative twist on it to follow the directors and your vision. It’s using the right products for the right finish, and also making it look part of the skin… But then also try and make it last for a 13 hour shoot.
M: Are you on set for music videos?
C: Absolutely! Usually there are checks between each take depending on the location. Studio lights produce a lot of heat so you have to mattify your artists often, if it’s raining or windy you have to reset hair and makeup for the purpose of continuity. Often there is a monitor to see what the hair and makeup looks like through the camera lens which is often very different to what the human eye can see. So it’s important to stick around to make sure you don’t have any nasty surprises.
MOSH: What’s the atmosphere like?
C: It really depends on the team. If you’ve worked with people before there’s generally a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. It’s nice being part of a team where it actually feels like it’s a collaborative effort to produce a piece of art. Every band and artist I’ve worked with has been absolutely lovely thus far. For large crowd rooms the atmosphere can be a bit hectic. You can have 15 people sit down in your chair for hair and makeup in a 1 1/2 hour time space and the rest of the team waiting on you to do your thing to start filming.
M: Is there a certain aspect of make-up you are better at/prefer?
C: I’m not sure what I’m necessarily better at, but I love being as creative as I can be. I recently did a video for Massappeals which was full body paint, which had lots of little details which was a lot of fun. I’m currently planning for a video where I’m transferring a painting directly onto a face. I think it’ll be fun to turn a painting 3D, so we shall see how that turns out.
M: Who is your dream musician to work with?
C: That’s a tough one. There are lots of artists out there creating some amazing things with their visuals. I loved what Lady Gaga was doing at the start of her crazy trajectory with Val Garland. The videos that Brook Candy has produced have been incredible and also FKA Twigs has got an amazing image. There’s too much choice! Id love to work with them all one day, also the makeup artists that created those looks, too.
M: How do rock music videos differ from other things you’ve done?
C: The only difference is the theme of the videos. I find as they’re usually a bit darker and edgier, dealing with more subversive issues. The process is still the same for me generally though. Music video shooting days overall are anything up to 13 hours, but seeing the final result is always the most satisfying feeling.
M: Is there any genre of music you’d be particularly excited to be involved with?
C: In terms of creativity and originality from my perspective as a makeup artist and hairstylist, the genre I’d be the most excited to be involved with is pop. It’s the genre that constantly reinvents its own image. The level of artistry, evolution and future-thinking involved is something I would love to be a part of.
