Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/933762
40 • THE ARTISAN WINTER 2018 with this deep slit-throat prosthetic that would no doubt need periodic touching up, AND it has to be David's face anyway." Well, we can't hang the actor in a tree all day, so we flew him to LA to get a lifecast for a dummy at Autonomous FX, and he arrived in our trailer curled up in a box, with a gorgeous head of punched hair. We unwrapped him, had him dressed, painted his face with the same stuff we used on David, tucked him into a golf cart right between you and I, and off we went to set. He was too big for the wagon. I remember seeing you do Rosamund Pike's blush in the trailer and not fully understanding the placement until I saw it on the monitors, and eventually, on the big screen. How did you intend it to function as part of her character and what else did you do for her look? JG: Rosamund was playing a rancher's wife and so that blush wasn't a beauty blush, but rather it was strategically placed on her cheeks and her nose to show that she gets some sun despite her pale complexion. I saw pictures of Rosamund when she had gotten a little sun so I was able to choose a color and texture that would look like it was coming from within, not just sitting flat on top of her face. There are many moments in the film where the blush functions as a hot, flushed, has- been-crying tone of pink. I used a transparent gel-like blush in a blood-tone (Venom by DuWop). I wanted to give her eyes a little more definition without using eyeliner or mascara, so I had her blonde eyelashes dyed dark brown once a week. Will you please share your secret contribution to the scene in which Capt. Blocker (Christian Bale) kills one of the fur hunters who raped and beat Rosalie (Rosamund Pike) and the two Cheyenne women? JG: In the script, Capt. Blocker literally cuts off this fur trap- per's genitals as he's killing him, so...we were prepared with the genitals! But let's just say it landed "funny" on the ground when Christian tossed it to the side after exiting the tent, so the director, who was already shocked that we actually made the thing, nixed it after the first shot. Will you also please share how you nearly gave the director Scott Cooper a heart attack? JG: One of his daughters, (they both play Rosalie's daughters in the film), wanted to test her acting skills by seeing if she could trick her dad. She wanted a big cut on her face, so I did it and she ran over to her dad crying in-between takes and Scott flipped out and turned white and I realized I had gone too far. I think he was kinda pissed off at me, don't you think? I apologized a couple times. In your trailer, you never held back from correcting and strengthening your team (everyone on their A-game at all times), but it was also one of the most joyful places I've ever worked (never a dull moment). Explain your thoughts regarding balance of taking the job seriously and having fun. JG: Here is my motto: Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean. You nip things early and lay the ground- work for what you require right out of the gate. Getting hired to department head a film means getting hired to deliver a specific vision. Let your whole team in on that vision and BE specific. Share all your tricks and information. I want a happy make-up trailer and that means I need to enable my whole team to succeed. Once everyone knows the vision and has the confi- dence to create and be the make-up artists that they are, then we get to really start having fun. You've been running make-up departments for 30 years, and you've hired dozens and dozens of people to work on your teams. For those of us who are newer to the department head position, and also for those of us who are aspiring to be great make-up keys, please share what you value the most in your team members. JG: A good department head delegates out, and so I look for people who are hard workers and have a light hand like me. I do a lot of period films, so I need my team to be especially orga- nized, research-oriented and enthusiastic about authenticity. There are so many things to keep on point, and my department is only as strong as its weakest link, so there can't be one. If you don't know how to do something, ask me—do not say you can do something if you can't. No make-up artist should ever be afraid to ask their department head how to do something. I don't ask anyone to do anything that I won't get in there and do right alongside them. My department works for me, but I work for them by protecting them and leading them in the right direction. For example, I might do #1 and #2 on the call sheet, but once I'm done, I'll do everything I can to help my team get through the morning rush with flying colors. I have a vision, but it's not all about MY vision. I think it's more fun to give my team free range to create, so they can really be part of the process. Sometimes it's not exactly what I want, but sometimes it's better! If someone on my team thinks they have a smarter, more realistic or just plain differ- ent way of doing something, I want them to let me know. I might not agree, but I might love it! This is how I learn about new products and techniques. Look, we're all doing what we love so we have that going for us. I try to create a high-func- tioning, hardworking happy make-up trailer. It doesn't always work out that way but that's what I try to do. • Timothée Chalamet. Photo courtesy of Jane Galli.