Pro tip: Walk in Through the Back Door of the Film Industry

When I first moved to Nashville nearly 20 years ago, I shared a large 4 bedroom house with roommates who were all aspiring to work in Nashville's early boom of film and television. Specifically my roommate and friend John already had a decent foot in the door as a Production Manager. He had the beginnings of an impressive resume. The Production Manager, or PM for short, I soon learned was the position that held the keys for everyone else. The Production Manager of a film set is the person who assembles the crew. He or she hires everyone. The lighting…
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Alumni Spotlight: Jordan Nicole

1. Tell us a little about what you've been working on since your time at AMUA Since attending The AMUA I have had lots of exciting opportunities working as a freelance makeup artist. Some of my favorite jobs have been working the Mercedes Benz fashion week in New York, being the head of the beauty department for a feature film, doing hair and makeup for Levy's spring and fall catalog, working the Carolina Herrera fashion show at the Symphony Center, and multiple commercials. I am working currently for MHD Cosmetics as a makeup artist for weddings and special events. 2.…
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Alumni Spotlight: Katie Weathers

AMUA Alumni Spotlight: Katie Weathers Tell us about what you’ve been working on since your time at AMUA. Since I graduated from Academy of Makeup Arts Special Effects program in December of 2016, I have worked on one really cool film with a Saw torture feeling to it, and more recently I have been in the AMUA Alumni group helping create two characters for the Game of Thrones convention coming up. You really can't wait for gigs, you have to practice often, tone your skills and keep moving. I have done a demo at the Nashville Haunt convention for AMUA,…
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Alumni Spotlight: Amanda Davis

Tell us about what you've been working on since your time at AMUA. I am predominately a bridal makeup artist, so since AMUA, I have established a business where I am now doing 30+ weddings a year. I also work on photo shoots, and have done quite a few corporate headshot jobs, but my true passion and workload is in bridal. I continue to work on getting my name out there, branding my business and booking events. What's your dream? That is a hard question to answer, because often I feel like I am already living my dream. I am…
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How I Made $40k a Year Working One Day a Week as a Makeup Artist

A makeup artist has many paths they can take in their careers. Possibilities range from film and television to body painting to runway. Most young artists will say they want to do it all, and that experimentation is necessary for an aspiring makeup artist to find where they fit. In my observation though, most people end up finding their niche and sticking to it. While now my personal path is in education, for a long while it was in bridal. People are often surprised at how much money I was able to make in such a short amount of time.…
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Is Instagram Make Up Here To Stay?

It's hard to believe social media as we know it is barely a decade old. Instagram itself was launched in 2010! The era of selfies and makeup tutorials began and inspired a new generation to explore the exciting industry of makeup artistry. It also gave birth to a new style of makeup that we will refer to here as "Instagram makeup." If you are of a younger age, you might not yet have had the experience of watching makeup and fashion trends come and go. Often we look back at the past decade with a little embarrassment. In the 1980s,…
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How A Pro Selects Products For Their Kit

The cosmetics industry has changed a lot in the last 20 years. Our grandmothers had a limited makeup selection. Either they could go to the drug store, or they could go to a high end counter where professionals in lab coats would apply luxury makeup. There weren't a lot of midrange products. Things are quite different today. Now we have large makeup stores that carry a multitude of new and old brands of cosmetics and skin care. Because of this huge selection, it is a common question for up and coming makeup artists: How does a professional select products for…
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Free Workshop Day April 1st – No Joke!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] For the first time in AMUA history- we are presenting totally free workshops at Open House. Why didn't we think of this sooner?! Engage in hands-on workshops led by our amazing faculty. Learn more about the disciplines you're interested in from Beauty & Fashion, Special Effects and Wig & Hair Design. Free Workshops Include: Creature Hair Punching & Furr Life Casting 1920's Glamour Ventilating & Applying a Mustache Styling & Applying a Wig Applying & Blending Foam Latex Prosthetics Hand-laying Facial Hair Applying 3-D Transfers Open House Highlights: Tour our facilities Meet our instructors Talk to recent graduates about their…
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Top 3 Reasons to Go to Professional Make Up School

Top 3 Reasons to Go to Professional Make Up School

1. Clients Want Trained Professionals It’s no news that YouTube and Instagram have profoundly affected the beauty industry. Since YouTube debuted in the mid-2000s, a new generation has become obsessed with makeup products and techniques. Some of them have gathered huge social media followings, while others have managed to cross over into the realm of real-world working makeup artists.  Seeing so much interest in our creative and lucrative field is exciting. It’s also important–now more than ever–for the aspiring artist to understand that this new wave of people has made an already competitive field even more competitive. While it’s popular…
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Why I Love Teaching Make Up

Why I Love Teaching Make Up

By Kevin St James The first thing that I remember being obsessed with when I was really young was monster makeup. There was a book at my neighborhood library about old Hollywood movie stars like Bela Legosi and Lon Chaney, two actors who portrayed Dracula, Frankenstein and the Werewolf. The book focused on the makeup techniques and even had directions to do a Frankenstein makeup with a brown paper bag and paper maché. I made several attempts to do this makeup in the bathroom, much to my mother's dismay. I was quiet messy with it. But my makeup journey really…
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