Making movies or producing television shows is a unique and exciting industry. Most of this is done in Los Angeles or Hollywood, California, especially pertaining to movies. New York City also has some television series that are based there as well as the majority of theatre with Broadway shows performing there. This article will describe some of the different careers that are used for the filming of a movie or a TV show that are somewhat unique. It will discuss anything from a professional make up artist that alters characters looks for a movie using cosmetics to a linguist coach that is needed to teach an actor the proper speech and accent needed to play a part in a film.
With so much computer technology that is available now, audiences are expecting more from films especially in the area of special effects. The special effects category of jobs has grown to be a much larger one with that newer computer assistance. There are people that are special effects engineers and handle all of that type of work, using computer and the green screens to put in things that could not be done by humans in real life. This is used quite a bit in action movies. Many times an actor will look like they are hang gliding off a cliff, for example when they are inside in front of a green screen doing the motions to be inserted into a special effects scene.
Another component of special effects in the motion picture industry as well as on TV programs is the use of a good makeup artist. They are responsible in making an actor look just like the character they are playing which at times is nothing like they appear in real life. One example is the old movie, Tootsie where Dustin Hoffman had to made up as a woman for just about every scene he shot. This had him sitting in the hair and makeup chair for hours every day letting the professional handle the transformation.
To prepare for a movie, many actors must research their character and the setting and story line of the film itself. Often times, actors have to pull off a certain dialect or speech pattern that is nothing like their own voice and this can be quite challenging. For example, you may have an actor that was raised in Texas and has a deep southern American accent and then they need to play a German spy with a thick German dialect. There are special coaches that help actors learn and perfect the accent or speech pattern that is necessary to pull off that role in the movie successfully.
Another entertainment specific job that is needed for filming is the use of stunt men or women. Not only do they have to pull off physically demanding or dangerous stunts, but they also have to look as similar to the actor as possible while they are doing it. This can also be called a body double.
Connor R. Sullivan has researched a professional makeup artist for an article he is writing on the subject of brides preparing for their big day. His wife and daughter ordered Des Moines cosmetics online because of the convenience.