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You have found The Character Shop'sFX FAQ™Yes! Questions to those frequently asked makeup
effects-related questions! last updated 4/8/96 Q. How do I get started in the business? First of all, get the hell out of Jersey! Seriously, the surest way to get into the field is to come out to L.A. And while it would be nice to do so based on an offer of work, it doesn't happen that way. You see, all the folks that do this stuff (sculptors, painters, moldmakers, hair people, mechanics, etc.) are freelancing gypsies, and go where the jobs take them. I never know what my next job is going to be, and when I do, I have to grab the best crew that is available, right away, before someone else does. So, to get the job, it depends on your ease of availability. Living in New Jersey (or Pittsburgh, or Minnetonka) doesn't make it easy for you or the shops that might hire you. Now, I can't definitely promise you work here if you come. "Staff" positions don't really exist, again, most positions are temporary freelance for the duration of the job, then you're out on your butt making phone calls again. But I can guarantee that you will tremendously increase your chances at employment if you do relocate here. If you end up in a shop and they like your style, and the price and the chemistry are right, you just might find yourself a home. Make sure, if you come out, that you come with enough money to live off awhile, addresses of people you know out here who you can mooch off, and/or a willingness to sleep in your car 'til you get established. I'm serious! Q. I'm fresh out of school and want a job in special makeup fx. What do I do? Do you have a portfolio of stuff you've done? No? What are you waiting for, permission? Go get a job at a Burger King or a record store, and get your butt busy in your spare time making stuff. See, there's a big difference between the people who SAY they're interested in the field and the ones who really are. The ones who really are don't let the lack of info or access to proper materials get in their way; they'll make creatures out of bread dough if they have to. You will NOT get a job unless you have good pictures of good work you've done. If you are only starting now, you are already behind. The excellent players in this field are the ones who've been making monsters and monster films since they were 12 years old. So don't even bother us with only a resume and a professed "interest" in the field. We'll want to see those pictures;we'll want to see a good body of work you've done on your own. Where to start? About three years ago. If you can't show evidence of a long-standing passion for this craft, you're probably not meant for it anyway. Q. What will look good in my portfolio/on my resume? Resume, schmesume. A necessary evil. Once you have worked at a number of pro-fx shops, a resume will mean something. What I want to see are pictures. Let's see at least 5 different pieces. Show me great pictures that show off your sculpting, painting,technical or mechanical prowess. Were you working on a self-imposed deadline, or were you able to noodle away on that project endlessly? It makes a difference. Put your name on EVERY page you send to us. Caption your pictures. State clearly what you did or didn't do on a project. I see far too many people with the same pictures of projects who don't volunteer what exactly they did. Be honest. State what you didn't do, and who else worked on it with you. Q. Are there schools there for this type of thing? Sure! How much money does your Dad have? There's Joe Blasco's schools in both Florida and Hollywood, and there's Damon Charles' Institute of Studio Makeup in North Hollywood, CA, and there's the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. All will take big chunks of your money, teach you some rudiments, and convince you you're a seasoned pro ready to make the big bux when you leave. Then you go into the real world and find out how much you really don't know, and you get an attitude adjustment about your pay rate real quick. The best experience is to do it on your own, for community theatre, low-budg videos, etc. The next step is to gain real world experience working in a pro fx shop. But, the schools are better than nothing, if you really can't find the kinds of opportunities that lead to self-learning on real world projects. (But I'd still say you're just not looking hard enough.) Then again, when I open up a school, that will be the one to go to! Q. What are the educational backgrounds of you and your associates? The best I've seen are seat-of-the-pants, learn-as-you-go-folks. There is no one area of schooling that will qualify one for every facet of this multi-disciplinary craft. However, we have hired folks with degrees in and from: art, film, engineering, electronics, and many others. Some of our machinists, welders, and mechanical designers have gone to trade schools, others haven't. Myself, I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and TV (Communication Arts) from Loyola Marymount University, en ah's ken tawks reel guud!. A degree from a liberal arts college will help indicate that you are a learned, intelligent person. A technical degree or certificate from a trade school will indicate that you're technically competent. All that is nice to have, but it shore ain't a prerequisite to get started in *this* business... Q. Can I send you my resume? Maybe get a job at your shop? Of course! You can also find a needle in a haystack! And you can also become the President of the United States, provided you've got the proper background, weather the media storm, and win the election! Now, getting a job at TCS isn't THAT tough, but some times it seems so. First of all, you've got to be qualified. Second of all, I've got to have a position to fill that requires your qualifications. Third of all, you've got to beat out those 30 other people with equivalent or better qualifications. Fourth, you have to be available when I need you, for as long as I need you. Does any of this sound discouraging? Good! If I've discouraged you, then I've done us both a favor! We now both know this isn't really what you want to do, or that you're really not cut out for it, no matter how much you want it. But for those of you who stick it out, who have the talent, who have lucky timing...you will get a job. At my place, Rick Baker's, Stan Winston's, ADI, Steve Johnson's--any of those places. I personally can't think of any job more fun, or one more stressful. Maybe we'll see you in the arena! Q. Can I arrange to have an interview with you? Not normally, no. I only interview when I'm looking to fill a particular position, as it opens up. Otherwise, I'd be interviewing people all day, and quickly forgetting who I just spoke to. But we do accept resumes and color laser copies from your portfolio. Send in your info. It'll go into our computer, and when we're looking for people, your category will come up. You just might get a call! Q. Well, if I can't get an interview, can I at least come by for a visit? Wait, you haven't printed your street address anywhere on your Web pages! Where ARE you guys? You may communicate with us via email to the address at the bottom of the page or snail mail to The Character Shop, P.O. Box 4777, Chatsworth, CA 91311. That's a post-office box. Our actual physical location is not public information. We do not have a walk-in, storefront type of operation. We run a business, not a museum. A private, profit-making venture, not a public library. Can you imagine the credibility we'd have if we had Mr. Spielberg over for a business meeting and we got a surprise visit from some interested genre fan who decided to forego the pleasantries of appointment-making? Or the backlog of undone work if we were to accommodate the many requests to visit? Please respect our ongoing business by not digging for our street address, dropping by unannounced, or asking for tours. Thank you for being considerate. Q. Wow, you sure can get crabby! What about internships? You ARE persistent, aren't you? The only legal, insurable way to be an intern is to actually be enrolled at a college where you will receive credit for the internship and have all sorts of certificates stating as such and that the college will insure you if you chop your hand off and...it's a big mess. If you are thinking about an apprenticeship, then MAYBE we can talk. Ain't no no-pay apprenticeships. If it's not a college thing, then I must pay you as an employee, for Worker's Comp reasons. The double edged sword is this: It's a pain in the ass to train new people. It costs me and my crew in time and money. They make all kinds of time-consuming and material wasting mistakes. BUT! Where else am I going to insure a good stream of well-trained people? So, yes, from time to time, I hire cheap, ambitious, bright, intelligent, hard working beginners. Many work out, many don't. Have you got what it takes? Q. Can you send me more information about what you do? About Creature FX? Well, what's this whole web site, chopped liver? Do you know how long it took to put this together? There's more info here than on any literature we send out by mail! And you want MORE?!?!?? Seriously, our web site and FAQ is all we have to feed that fx appetite, for now. We're going farther than any other creature fx house to educate people about the realities of the business. Given that we are an actual working shop, we get so busy that site updates may not be that frequent. However, it is our intention to maintain the most information-laden site in this field. Your suggestions are welcome, but please be patient, it may take awhile to get back to you or post a page with the info you desperately need. Q. Got any other reference materials, as far as books, magazines, sources? Uh huh! Ayup! That would be the Reference page! Home What's New | Features | Commercials | Resume | Realistic | Whimsical | Scary | Animatronics | Prosthetics | Puppets | Waldo® | Publicity | TCS Fun | FX FAQ | Reference | Feedback Except where noted, all contents are the property of The Character Shop, Inc. and copyright 1995-99 |
