BA (Hons) Hair and Make-up for Screen and Film

UCAS CODE: W452

INSTITUTION CODE: B39

View course on UCAS

A 3 year full-time degree available at:


Do you want to become a make-up artist or hair stylist within the film and TV industry? Are you a hands-on, creative individual who is looking to collaborate with TV crews and filmmakers at a professional level? Our BA (Hons) Hair and Make-Up for Screen and Film degree has been created to provide you with the strongest possible technical and creative skills to work in this flourishing industry. 

There is a growing demand within the UK film and TV industry for professionally ready, technically skilled hair and make-up graduates. Through studying this course, you will gain a firm grasp on the fundamentals of hair and make-up, and learn within an exciting environment of a fully functioning Film School.  

This three-year degree-level course runs adjacently to our Filmmaking and Production Design undergraduate courses, providing you with opportunities to hone specialist hair and make-up skills and test them out in real live film projects.  

Working as part of a wider film crew, you will start building a network of student peers, who will in-turn become valuable contacts as you progress from education into your burgeoning career. 

From the outset, you will gain an understanding of the roles and relationships within the hair and make-up department, and explore its connections to wider film and TV productions. Core modules will introduce you to the fundamentals of the craft and collaborative experiences with fellow students will enhance your creative skills and the ability to support live film projects as they happen, enhancing your understanding of the film and related creative industries.  

By year two, students can begin tailoring their course via optional modules to cater for specific areas of interest such as SFX make-up (special effects), period hair and make-up, prosthetics and applications of both traditional and modern techniques, which you can put into practice with the production of two short form films, one in each semester. 

As you progress into your final year, you will apply your creative skills to inform an in-depth personal design project and the development and production of a final live film in collaboration with fellow students. 

The course will be delivered by experienced industry professionals who combine their academic teaching with relevant and current professional practice to offer students the very latest expert guidance. 

To enable you to become ’set ready’ and be able to successfully navigate within a production setting, you will be allocated a film budget and guided through an extensive green light pre-production process to ensure that you are professionally able to work in industry.

Course Specification

Mode of attendance: Full-time

Length of course: 3 years full-time

Awarding institution: BIMM University

Campus delivery: Brighton

UCAS code: W452

Institution code: B39

Language of study: English

Final award: BA (Hons) Hair and Make-up for Screen and Film

Course Equipment: A Hair and Make Up Kit purchase is required for all students which totals £949. You must have your kit by the start of the course in September, so please ensure your order in plenty of time to allow for processing and delivery.

 

Minimum Requirements

Minimum of 2 A-levels at Grade C or above (64 UCAS points), OR BTEC Level 3 equivalent, and normally three GCSEs at a minimum grade C/4, including English Language.

IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 to be achieved in each band.

 

Applications are welcomed from students who might not have the qualifying entry requirements but can demonstrate a proactive commitment to narrative film, documentary, music promo or some other type of moving image creation, in the moving image disciplines.

All applicants who demonstrate the potential to meet the entry requirements will be asked to submit a portfolio of their own work in support of their application. This can either be done at an applicant day, where applicants showcase their portfolio of work to a specialist tutor and partake in a number of interactive workshops, or through submitting an electronic portfolio to be reviewed by a film tutor. Applicants will be considered who meet the academic entry requirements, demonstrate a good standard of portfolio work and provide a compelling personal statement.

Course Fees

£9,250 per year for UK students, £15,950 per year for EU & International students (subject to review).

Screen and Film School provides access to inhouse kit, equipment and resources for film productions. Also, there are bursaries available to support students dependent on personal circumstances.

Before commencing their studies at Screen and Film School, applicants are required to purchase their own essential materials such as make-up brushes, brush holders, cleaners, scissors, hairclips, IPA, make-up products and other associated equipment. The standard cost for a student kit containing all equipment will be approximately £1,200. Screen and Film School will provide applicants with recommendations on where to purchase such items.

Year 1

All students take the following core modules in their first year of study.

The first Creative Industries module will introduce you to the strategies and tools to set you on the right path toward pursuing a successful career. Whether focused on a particular career goal or considering several future possibilities, you will broaden your knowledge of the opportunities available to you as a future creative industry professional.

During this module you will learn practical and theoretical design principles related to hair and make-up techniques. You will explore how to visualise and develop key skills including research, concept design, breaking down a script and exploration of make-up and hair from around the globe. You will also be introduced to the range of roles and skills within the hair and make-up department on film and TV including the roles of make-up artist, hairdresser, prosthetics artist or continuity, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the profession. What characters will you create? 

This module provides you with a foundational and practical grounding in the methods, techniques and fundamental processes of hair and make-up for film and TV. From working with Afro-textured and Asian hair and skin types to wigs and facial hair and naturalistic make-up to highly stylised looks, it will introduce you to the key skills involved and encourages the development of practical creative practice. This module will also aim to support and develop your problem-solving ability, whilst also introducing you to the importance of working with actors and collaborating as part of a team in film production. 

This will provide you with the chance to apply the skills developed in semester 1 and will develop your critical understanding and advance your hair and make-up practice in the craft and production of a short-form film. You will have a chance to utilise and develop your creative design and technical skills within the collaborative production process and gain understanding of the production cycle in greater depth, from idea development through to the completed edit. You will work with an industry experienced Director, this will also develop your understanding of key production processes in relation to the different specialisms, including pre-visualisation and concept designs, practical application, collaborative working and on-set skills. The outcome can be realised in the following genres: factual & documentary, fictional narrative, short form branded content or advertising, music video or innovative or experimental moving image or animation. 

This module will focus on the practicalities of the hair and make-up department. It will explore scheduling, planning, safety, budgeting, sourcing, time and skill management, including how to work within and manage a team. You will learn how processes need to be realised successfully in order to support the creative vision. You will also explore working on location, key challenges to working in unusual places and how to overcome or mitigate against them and key skills in continuity. 

 You will learn to become proficient in creating core production documents and develop an understanding of scheduling strategies, working on set, crew dynamics and leadership skills. Through this module you will gain specialist industry knowledge, raise your level of professionalism and will develop your ability to communicate and present your work to a high standard.  

SFX (Special Effects) is a key area in creating believable effects within film and TV. This module will introduce you to the design and technical skills that are required to create convincing SFX hair and make-up from cuts and bruises to ageing and breaking down. You will be introduced to working with latex and silicones to create realistic effects. This module will teach the basic skills required within this specialism. Other areas explored within the module include conceptual, abstract and camouflage design and application. This module will provide you with a chance to apply skills developed in Semester 1 realised in the production of a collaborative short film and will develop your critical understanding and advance your filmmaking practice in the craft and production of a short-form film. You will have a chance to utilise and develop your production and technical skills within the collaborative production process and gain understanding of the production cycle in greater depth, from idea development through to the completed edit. This module will also develop your understanding of key production processes in these genres in relation to their production specialism, including idea development, pre-production, production and post-production, collaborative working and the visual realisation of ideas. The outcome can be realised in the following genres; factual & documentary, fictional narrative, short form branded content or advertising, music video or innovative or experimental moving image.

In this module, you will further develop your investigative skills, exploring relevant underlying concepts and principles and interpreting these within the context of your area of study. You will explore the nature of creativity, the wider context of the industry and practice reflective techniques.

You will also evaluate sources and consider issues such as potential biases and cultural diversity. This evaluation will contribute to developing an enhanced awareness of your creative identity and greater insight into the topics that inspire and motivate you. In addition, you will improve your understanding of how your area of interest intersects with the wider creative industry.

Using academic enquiry, you will develop a reflective journal to evaluate your strengths and areas for self-development in relation to your studies, careers and personal aspirations. This investigative work will help establish a connection between the skills you have identified concerning specific careers and areas of the industry, enhancing your understanding of what is required to be a successful professional practitioner.

This module will provide you with a chance to apply skills developed in Semester 1 and will develop your critical understanding and advance your hair and make-up practice in the craft and production of a short-form film. You will have a chance to utilise and develop your production and technical skills within the collaborative production process with the wider film school community and gain understanding of the production cycle in greater depth, from idea development through design and fabrication, filming on location or in a studio through to the completed edit. This module will also develop your understanding of key production processes in these genres in relation to your hair and make-up specialism. The outcome can be realised in the following genres: factual & documentary, fictional narrative, short form branded content or advertising, music video or innovative or experimental moving image or animation. This module will provide you with a chance to apply skills developed in Semester 1 realised in the production of a collaborative short film and will develop your critical understanding and advance your filmmaking practice in the craft and production of a short-form film. You will have a chance to utilise and develop your production and technical skills within the collaborative production process and gain understanding of the production cycle in greater depth, from idea development through to the completed edit. This module will also develop your understanding of key production processes in these genres in relation to their production specialism, including idea development, pre-production, production and post-production, collaborative working and the visual realisation of ideas. The outcome can be realised in the following genres; factual & documentary, fictional narrative, short form branded content or advertising, music video or innovative or experimental moving image.

Year 2

All students take the following core modules in their second year of study, plus two optional modules

Please note that the offering of optional modules in individual Film Schools, in any given academic year, will be subject to the availability of resources and sufficient student interest.

The creative arts have the power to bring people together, unite communities, support mental well-being, raise awareness of social issues and above all, bring joy to many people around the world. In Creative Industries & You 2, you will discover how you can turn your passion and talent into a collaborative project with a positive impact on society. Employing research and networking skills, you will develop a greater understanding of a charity, cause or campaign. In teams of students from all Screen and Film School courses, you‘ll select a cause and identify a way to support its key objectives, either by raising awareness, raising funds or contributing as volunteers. You will be introduced to Screen and Film School’s partner charities but you are also able to find your own, or work independently of an existing organisation. Through this collaborative project, you’ll develop essential interpersonal and communication skills, experimenting with various digital tools for enterprise. You’ll reflect on your own values, applying theories of human psychology to explore how to get the best out of yourself and each other. Building on your industry research skills, you will assess your target audience and define clear SMART targets for your project that will enable you to execute an element of the strategy and evaluate its success. In teams, you will spend time working on your project both in class and in your own time, developing effective collaborative working methods. You’ll record your project activity in your Personal and Professional Development Plan, reflecting on how you have developed and changed over the course of your first year and a half at Screen and Film School. Working with your Personal Adviser you will identify objectives, opportunities and actions that will help you stay on the path to success for the second half of your journey towards becoming a Creative Industries Professional.

This module continues the exploratory work you began in Context & Culture of the Creative Industries. You will directly apply ideas to your own discipline and development, selecting an area of investigation relevant to your own practice, and communicating your argument via your medium of choice. The concepts you encounter will actively critique claims to authenticity and originality; themes you will encounter frequently throughout your career as a Creative Professional. You will debate artistic production, the motivations for it, and the problems of creative autonomy. You will investigate relevant contemporary cultural issues and theories relating to society, race, gender,technology, and the environment to develop your contextual understanding of how these relate to your own creative practice, professional values, and sense of personal agency. You will be encouraged to meet with your Personal Adviser in a 1:1 tutorial to help you reflect on the strengths and areas for development identified in your Personal and Professional Development Plan in first year, tracking your academic progress and setting new actions that will support you to achieve your best work. The research methods and study habits you develop throughout this module will prepare you for next year’s Final Project, in which you will self-direct a significant piece of academic, creative and/or professional practice.

This module will provide you with a chance to apply skills developed in Year 1 and within your optional specialisation modules in Year 2. It will also develop your critical understanding and advance your hair and make-up practice in the craft and production of a short-form film. You will have a chance to utilise and develop your creative and technical skills within the collaborative production process and gain understanding of the production cycle in greater depth. You will also develop your understanding of key production processes in these genres in relation to your production specialism, including idea development, pre-production, production and post-production, collaborative working and the visual realisation of ideas. The outcome can be realised in the following genres: factual & documentary, fictional narrative, short format marketing or advertising, music video or innovative or experimental moving image or animation. 

This module will provide you with a chance to further apply skills developed in Year 1 and within your optional specialisation modules in Year 2 with the production of a collaborative short film. You will have a chance to utilise and develop your production and technical skills within the collaborative production process with the wider film school community and gain understanding of the production cycle in greater depth, from idea development through design and fabrication, filming on location or in a studio through to the completed product. This module will also develop your understanding of key production processes in these genres in relation to your production specialism. The outcome can be realised in the following genres; factual & documentary, fictional narrative, short form branded content or advertising, music video or innovative or experimental moving image or animation.

This module will build on knowledge gained in the Level 4 Core Modules and give you a more advanced insight into historical accuracy with a focus on period hair and make-up in film and TV production. It will enable you to understand the world of historical accuracy, including the history of film and hair and make-up from medieval times, through Victorian and Edwardian eras through to 20th Century styles, in preparation for working on period dramas. You will explore key styles, trends, genres and art movements to contextually support your hair and make-up design ideas

Build on the Level 4 SFX Module, you will be introduced to more advanced design and technical skills that are required to create convincing and believable SFX hair and make-up including scars, cuts and bruises, ageing and breaking down. This module will cover more advanced processes that will ensure that you have the appropriate skills to work at a professional level within this specialism.  

This module builds on the Level 4 Make-Up and Hair essentials module and provides a more specialised foundation in the methods, techniques and fundamental processes of hair dressing and barbering for film and TV. From learning to dress long hair to trimming and learning to cut facial hair to shape, it introduces you to the key skills involved and encourages the development of practical creative practice that will enable you to work with accuracy and speed on set.  

This module builds on the Level 4 Make-Up and Hair essentials module and provides a more specialised foundation in the methods, techniques and fundamental processes of wigs and postiche (hair pieces) in film and TV. From learning to dress wigs and apply bald caps to creating a wig from scratch using traditional methods to application of moustaches and beards and how to clean and care for them. You will learn key design and practical skills whilst developing creative practice in this highly skilled area. 

This module builds on the Level 4 SFX Module. Prosthetics is a key area in creating visual effects within film and TV. This module will introduce you to more advanced techniques including the design and technical skills that are required to create convincing creatures or exaggerated features within the hair and make-up department. You will be introduced to the study of anatomy, sculpting, casting and moulding, working with gelatine, latex and silicones and colouring. At the end of the modules, you will have developed a piece from design through to screen test. 

Design and Digital VFX 1 will build on knowledge gained in the Level 4 Core Modules and give you a more advanced insight into the art of digital VFX within hair and make-up. You will continue to broaden your visual language by exploring skills in photoshop, VFX extensions & matte painting, green screen compositing and keying. You will also explore FX animation, the creation of digital tears, sweat and moving hair, expanding your industry knowledge and providing you with a set of tools to enhance your creative and professional practice. 

This module will build on knowledge gained in the Level 4 Core Modules and give you a more advanced insight into conceptual design within the hair and make-up department. With a focus on the concept and visualisation of contemporary design fields, including high fashion and concept art. It also fosters an appreciation of the art of make-up application to the full body and introduces air brushing as a key skill. It aims to provide you with a unique set of tools to enhance your creative and professional practice.  

This module will build on knowledge gained in the Level 4 Core Modules and give you a more advanced insight into social realism and the use of naturalism within hair and make-up in film and TV production. You will continue to enrich your storytelling ability, broaden your visual language and explore skills across the specialisms. It will enable you to understand the world of the ‘everyday’, including the study of social realism in film and how to achieve effortless accuracy within hair and make-up design, continuity and believability. 

This module will build on knowledge gained in Period Make-Up and Hair 1 will give you a more advanced insight into historical accuracy with a focus on period hair and make-up in film and TV production. You will continue to enrich your storytelling ability, broaden your visual language and explore skills across the specialisms. Through research and development project work, you will learn, employ and present your skills. It will enable you to understand the world of historical accuracy, including the history of film and hair and make-up from medieval times, through Victorian and Edwardian eras, up to 20th century styles, in preparation for working on period dramas. 

This module will build on the SFX and Ageing 1 to introduce you to more advanced design and technical skills that are required to create convincing and believable SFX hair and make-up including scars, cuts and bruises, ageing and breaking down. This module will cover more advanced processes that will ensure that you have the appropriate skills in order to work at a professional level within this specialism.  

Hair Dressing and Barbering 2 will build on the Hair dressing and Barbering 1 module and provide a more specialised foundation in the methods, techniques and fundamental processes of hair dressing and barbering for film and TV. From learning to dress long hair to trimming and learning to cut facial hair to shape, it introduces you to the key skills involved and encourages the development of practical creative practice that will enable you to work with accuracy and speed on set.  

This module builds on the Wigs and Postiche 1 module and provides a more specialised foundation in the methods, techniques and fundamental processes of wigs and postiche (hair pieces) in film and TV. From learning to dress wigs and apply bald caps to creating a wig from scratch using traditional methods to application of moustaches and beards and how to clean and care for them. You will learn key design and practical skills whilst developing creative practice in this highly skilled area. 

This module builds on the Prosthetics 1 module. Prosthetics is a key area in creating visual effects within film and TV. This module will introduce you to more advanced techniques including the design and technical skills that are required to create convincing creatures or exaggerated features within the hair and make-up department. You will be introduced to the study of anatomy, sculpting, casting and moulding, working with gelatine, latex and silicones and colouring. At the end of the modules, you will have developed a piece from design through to screen test. 

 

This module will build on knowledge gained in Design and Digital VFX 1 and give you a more advanced insight into the art of digital VFX within hair and make-up. You will continue to broaden your visual language by exploring skills in photoshop, VFX extensions & matte painting, green screen compositing and keying, stabilising images and motion capture. You will also explore FX animation, the creation of digital tears, sweat and moving hair, expanding your industry knowledge and providing you with a set of tools to enhance your creative and professional practice. 

Once more, this module will build on knowledge gained in Design and Digital VFX 1 and give you a more advanced insight into the art of digital VFX within hair and make-up. You will continue to broaden your visual language by exploring skills in photoshop, VFX extensions & matte painting, green screen compositing and keying, stabilising images and motion capture. You will also explore FX animation, the creation of digital tears, sweat and moving hair, expanding your industry knowledge and providing you with a set of tools to enhance your creative and professional practice. 

This module will build on the knowledge you gained in Realism and Naturalism in Hair and Make-Up 1 and give you a more advanced insight into social realism and the use of naturalism within hair and make-up in film and TV production. You will continue to enrich your storytelling ability, broaden your visual language and explore skills across the specialisms. It will enable you to understand the world of the ‘everyday’, including the study of social realism in film and how to achieve effortless accuracy within hair and make-up design, continuity and believability. 

Year 3

All students take the following core modules in their third (and final) year of study, plus one optional module.

*Please note that the offering of optional modules in individual Film Schools, in any given academic year, will be subject to the availability of resources and sufficient student interest.

This module is the final step in your Film School journey and will support you as you look to enter your chosen field as a creative professional. Drawing on evidence from throughout your time at Screen and Film School you will critically self-evaluate your personal learning journey and industry engagements to date. You will explore concepts and theories of personal and professional development to support, challenge and test your assumptions, to determine your readiness for work in the creative industries. You will have the opportunity to discuss this with your peers and learn from your collective experiences in both small degree path groups and large mixed discipline sessions. With this position in mind, you will then be challenged to create and consolidate creative assets to give you the edge over the competition in your chosen field. Specialist workshops will be offered throughout the module, informed and delivered by our wide – reaching connections and specialist tutors in the creative industries. This culminates in the creation of a portfolio which tells the story of your personal and professional journey so far, communicating your unique professional identity and future career plans in the creative industries.

In this module you will undertake a significant project of your own choosing. It’s your chance to explore your passion within the industry and creative arts: experiment, take risks, strengthen your skills and create a product/cohesive portfolio of work that you are proud to showcase at the end of your degree. This module will support you in consolidating the broad learning and development from the course so far, building a bridge into industry, the workplace and future opportunities. You will be supported to self-direct your own learning through a series of lectures, seminars and 1:1 tutorials with expert supervisors. Primary and action research are supported in this module both through theory and feedback guidance. The series of lectures will provide a strong theoretical understanding of key research methodologies and approaches, and the application of this learning supported through feedback in seminars and tutorials. The foundations for research theory and practice are laid spine modules (as well as some core modules) in both Year 2 and 3.

This module will involve the development of a substantial project of your own choosing. There will be the opportunity to collaborate across the Film School on large scale film productions as a hair and make-up artist or develop a more specialised creative project.  

You will gain an in-depth understanding of your specialism and then implement it within a professional context. You will also develop and refine your collaborative and team working skills through this module. Through the pre-production process you will explore all aspects of development and pre-production relevant to your chosen project. For example: designs, collaboration, planning and logistics, experimentation, fabricating and making.  

Within this module you will be supported with the development of a major project through production, post-production and the final realisation and delivery of the creative outcome. This module builds on and advances your design and development skills that you have been working on during the Pre-production Process Module and supports you to realise this research and idea development. This project represents the culmination of all the technical, logistical and creative development that you have undertaken within your time on the course and supports you in utilising it within a production role. You will have focused on your areas of specialisation in Year 2 and Year 3 and this expert knowledge that you will have developed during these modules will enable you to work successfully at a professional level on this module to create original and innovative work, with skills appropriate to Year 3. The module will also refine your collaboration skills, enabling you to utilise them within a high-end production environment. 

You will chose one of the two optional modules you completed in Year 2 and continue to advance your skillset in your chosen specialism. Please see the list of optional modules under the ‘Year 2’ tab.

All optional modules will be subject to the availability of resources and sufficient student interest. To ensure fairness in regards to you accessing the optional modules that you would like to take, Screen and Film School operates a robust selection process. We ensure that we support you to identify your area of specialist interest and then work with you to secure an optional module of your choice.

Any questions?

For any questions regarding our courses or if you’d like more information on how to apply to Screen and Film School, please contact our Enquiries Team on 01273 840 346 or email [email protected].

 

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