On any given day, viewers from across the GTA can tune into CP24 Breakfast to get their daily dose of the city’s political, economic, and entertainment news. And, on any given day, viewers are just as likely to discover the innumerable ways that Toronto is producing world-class talent in a smorgasbord of emerging and established industries.
Our fair city has long been labelled “Hollywood North” – not because it shares the sunny climes of SoCal, but rather because our little burg is admirably equipped to act as a stand-in for many of America’s cities. However one could also make the argument that the reason Toronto sports such an honorific moniker is because year after year, Toronto produces a great deal of the talent that make blockbuster films so memorable.
CP24’s Jamie Gutfreund Witnesses Movie Magic In The Making
To shed a bit of light on Toronto’s exploding makeup and special effects industry, Jamie Gutfreund of CP24 stopped by the College of Makeup Art & Design (CMU) to experience for himself the calibre of talent the school has been internationally recognized for developing, and learned that this summer, the magic of movie makeup is being made available to a younger crowd through special summer camps.
CMU Summer Camps: A Great Way To Test The Waters
Parents looking to enrol their teens in something a little different this summer need look no further than the hands-on summer camps offered by CMU this August. Each camp focuses on different aspects of the makeup industry – so whether your teen is an aspiring fashion makeup artist, or obsessed with some of Hollywood’s more ghoulish monster makeups, CMU College has the summer program that is sure to engage and inspire.
Makeup Summer Camp: August 4-7
Intensive? You bet. This weeklong workshop is geared to motivated teens aged 15-18 that follows all of the fashion industry’s latest trends. This hands-on program covers everything from fundamental to advanced techniques in beauty makeup, with an emphasis on eyeliner detail, brow shaping, highlight and contour and much more.
SPFX Makeup Summer Camp: August 10-14
Anyone who owns a television can attest to the ever-increasing popularity of monster/post-apocalyptic makeups making their way to the screen. The SPFX summer camp offered by CMU helps aspiring movie makeup professionals learn all the classic action movie must-haves from burns to bruises to abrasions and beyond.
Camps Are a Great Introduction to the Industry
Finding ways to fill the dog days of summer for your teen is one thing – there are definitely no shortages of great programs to occupy their time before heading back to school. The benefit associated with enrolling into a program like the ones offered by CMU is that they allow aspiring artists to get a taste of the industry before making a long and expensive educational commitment. Hands-on exposure to techniques and learning from industry professionals can do wonders for fuelling the passion in a teen that perhaps had doubts about what profession they wanted to pursue come graduation.
Beyond Camp – What Can Grads Expect?
These days the reality is that good jobs in any profession are difficult to come by. Admittedly, the professional makeup industry can be competitive, but that doesn’t mean grads won’t be exposed to plenty opportunity. But honestly, just how diverse is the industry?
Courses offered by institutions like these top 5 makeup artist and design schools in Toronto prepare grads for a wide breadth of work that goes well beyond specializing in fashion or gore makeup. Film and television effects are more sophisticated than ever before, and while computer generated effects are used with greater frequency to transport the audience’s imagination, they are also quite expensive and time consuming to produce – meaning that there will always be a need for makeup artists on set.
Theatre productions the world over also use makeup artists to bring characters to life on stage, and hairstyling, prosthetic creation, and creature design all industry standards, and won’t disappear anytime soon.
Becoming a Makeup Master – Learning the Skills, Using the Tools
With any educational endeavour, learning theory is king. But in the makeup industry, theory will only take you so far – you simply have to get your hands dirty. Summer camps like the ones offered by CMU are an excellent starting point for developing a feel for the industry; they help to inspire the next generation of makeup masters that will not only sculpt the future of filmmaking but solidify Toronto’s reputation as being Hollywood North for many years to come.
