LEADING THE FINE ART OF MAKE-UP INTO THE NEXT MILLENNIUM™
JOE
BLASCO Spotlight on Successpage
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Sheryl Leigh Ptak
, Continued
Q.
What is it like working on
“In Living Color?”
A.
My niche is
making people look like other people. We do a lot of that on
this show. The show requires extensive, but fast character Make-up
. Each episode has different characters. There’s up to
thirty sketches plus the dance numbers. Not much time for sculpting
and prosthetics, except for some recurring characters. Like Arsenio
Hall, M.C. Hammer, Homey the Clown and Fire Marshall Bill. We
often need to create something out of nothing and paint our
heads off. Be quick and spontaneous. We do three shooting days
a week. On Thursday, I fly in from my home in Phoenix to get
next week’s run down. Then on Monday and Tuesday I prep
for everything we shoot over the next three days. On Wednesday,
we tape about five sketches before a live audience. We pre-tape
the most difficult sketches on Thursday. We make up the actors
for their first sketch. Tape it. The actors rush back. We remove
the Make-up and apply the next character. Tape it. We keep that
up for 17 hours! On Friday, we do the dancers In the morning,
pre-tape sketches in the afternoon and do the rest of the live
show that night. It’s Insane! I feel right at home!
Q.
Speaking of insanity.
Who conceived the Fire Marshall Bill look?
A.
It s based on
a funny face that Jim Carey makes. He can roll His lips in so
they disappear and contort his neck so his tendons pop. I accentuate
that bizarre look with Make-up
surface burns
and a bald cap. It s a fine line trying to make a burn victim
humorous. We can’t make it so gruesome that he’s not
likable. At the end of every sketch he’s destroyed and
he reveals his bald head. Each week we put the tufts of hair
In different places. It s a lot of fun for me. Like the time
he does a drop and roll on a classroom floor covered In push
pins. He comes up with push pins stuck all over his face. He
is an hysterical character.
Q.
You’re so enthusiastic. You must really enjoy it.
A.
There’s
nothing better than making a living doing what you love to do.
My family is proud of me and I m proud of my work. It’s
worth all of the long hours. Every job is a new beginning. I’m
very happy.
Q.
What
advice do you have for aspiring Make-up artists?
A.
If you have the
drive and the talent you will work. Don’t give up. Please
remember: You’re only as good as your last job, so stay
humble. You’re working in fantasy land. It’s important
to remember what’s real. And never stop learning. For example,
I’m still learning a lot of lab work from my friend, Matthew
Mungle, another JB graduate.
Q.
What do you
tell someone considering the various Make-up schools?
A.
What other Make-up schools? But seriously . . . check them
all out. There’s a range of approaches and prices. Honestly,
though, the Joe Blasco School is top of the list. He taught
me all aspects of the craft and gave me the tools. I’ve
used everything he taught me. I also use all of his products;
we all do. They are the best. His new prosthetic products
are fantastic!
Arsenio
Hall, M.C. Hammer, Homey the Clown and Fire Marshall Bill. We
often need to create something out of nothing and paint our
heads off. Be quick and spontaneous. We do three shooting days
a week. On Thursday, I fly in from my home in Phoenix to get
next week’s run down. Then on Monday and Tuesday I prep
for everything we shoot over the next three days. On Wednesday,
we tape about five sketches before a live audience. We pre-tape
the most difficult sketches on Thursday. We make up the actors
for their first sketch. Tape it. The actors rush back. We remove
the Make-up and apply the next character. Tape it. We keep that
up for 17 hours! On Friday, we do the dancers In the morning,
pre-tape sketches in the afternoon and do the rest of the live
show that night. It’s Insane! I feel right at home!