“Last looks!” or Bring your own

A couple of weeks ago I finished filming a student film. I arrived on set and it was more professional than most. There was an army of crew members, the UPM was amazing, the script was great, and we all knew what was on stand-by and what was on deck.

There were only 5 actors on the few days that I was there and only about 8 actors in the film total. Toward the end of the first night of shooting I realized: I’m the only black guy in this film. And there is nothing wrong with that - if the script is telling a certain story or whatever…it happens. What bothered me was that throughout the night I heard “Last Looks”. I saw the makeup artist rush to put on and touch up makeup on all the actors except me and then yell “All good!” and we proceed to shoot.

Honestly, I would’ve been totally fine not receiving makeup– actually I wasn’t even expecting a makeup artist to be present. But everyone looked great and I’m just thinking – my face is untouched and most likely blemished and oily.

Toward the end of the first night I accidentally made eye contact with the makeup artist while she was finishing up last looks (for everyone else of course). She gave me a weird smirk - it was kind, but definitely uncomfortable - kind of like the smile you give a person at a kiosk that obviously wants you to interact with them but you don’t, or the smile that you give someone when they catch you setting up their surprise party - something like that. I guess she felt bad-ish?

Anyway, I talked to a couple of friends (of color) after the shoot and they said “Yeaaaaaahhhh, black people usually have to bring their own makeup for most of these films. Those are one of the things that are still set in old ways.”

It’s surprising to know that there are makeup artists that go to a shoot prepped for only people with lighter shades of skin. Surprising but reality. Just one of those things… Don’t be oily and blemished. Bring your own makeup. I bought some a few days after the shoot.