Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Hayes.
Natalie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I got started in this industry about 8 years ago, not even on purpose! My boyfriend at the time was a Director in the industry (mainly for commercials and high-level corporate video content). When I closed down a business, I had, it was time to forge a new career path. As he and I were brainstorming about what that path could be, he disclosed that he thought I would be a great fit as a media makeup artist (due to the art college background, intuitive sense of color/design, eye for detail) or a producer (due to the near-OCD organizational habits and attention to detail). As he gave more information on each path, it became clear that, although also interested in producing (which I later got into as well), I was really tailor-fitted out of the box for the makeup side. So, that was it – I invested in private training from a lady who had been in the industry for many years doing makeup for video/print/tv. We spent many hours at her house over the course of a week learning the basics and then, of course, I ended up supplementing that training later with additional training as available. After that, it was off to the races! Fast forward to now, where I’ve been fortunate to have my work shown on many major TV networks such as CBS, ABC, NBC, USA, TLC, Lifetime, MTV, ESPN, TV Guide, A&E, OWN, FOX Sports, MSNBC, HGTV, Bravo, truTV, AMC, INSP, PBS, Univision. Not to mention tons of video content for companies the likes of Delta Airlines, UPS, Liberty Mutual, Cirque du Soleil, Infiniti, IBM, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Toshiba, CAT, Wells Fargo, Avis, Verizon, Hewlett-Packard, Coca-Cola, Havertys, The Home Depot, Golden Corral, AARP, WebMD, Wendy’s, Suntrust Bank, Petco, FDA, Dell, and many more. It’s been a wild, fantastic ride and a real privilege for which I am grateful.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has never been a smooth road, to this day even. Being freelance means no guarantees of when your next job will come. Even the most established makeup artists I know (20+ years in the industry) have slumps without work. It happens to all of us and requires a lot of discipline with income to save during the prosperous times for when those dips occur. The best advice for anyone thinking they might be interested in doing makeup or styling hair for tv/video/film is to read “Becoming Set Ready” first. This book was written exactly for you, to spell out what you would be getting yourself into, what is expected of you on the job, how to meander around a set properly, lingo you’ll be using on walkie-talkies, how to break into tv/video/film, how to build a portfolio for free, etc. After reading this book, you will have a much clearer idea of what this career path is really like so that you can make an educated decision as well as not look like a total newbie on set if you do decide to follow this path.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/becoming-set-ready/id990886914?mt=13
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Natalie Hayes (Media Makeup Artist) – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My specialty and love are doing clean, commercial beauty makeup for TV/video/film/print. Most of what I do is either TV or video but I love all of it. A lot of the everyday for me is just about making someone look their on-camera best, which usually does not involve any glamorous sort of makeup but rather, evening out skin tone, covering blemishes, minimizing shine, accentuating everyday beauty in a conservative and natural and flattering way. I am happy to be able to have such a fun and adventurous job which takes me any number of places and allows interaction with such a vast amount of people and notables- from CEO’s to famous athletes, to musicians, to surgeons, to presidents/politicians, to writers, to famous actors… you name it!
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
For any aspiring tv/video/film makeup artists: invest in professional training for what you are doing. Learn the craft the right way. Not through YouTube or so-called “influencers.” Influencers are often NOT experienced whatsoever in the commercial makeup world. We are dealing with very high-def cameras, etc. and there are techniques and skills to what we do that you will need to learn and master. Never stop learning from those who are next level of where you currently are. And always handle the talent and crew with class and grace.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.MakeupHairArtist.com
- Phone: 404-889-4845
- Email: natalie@makeuphairartist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeupartist_atlanta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtlantaMUA/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HayesMakeupHair
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