The art skill of turning one person into another
Print Edition
SCI-FI TV and many movie productions require strong makeup artists to create special-effect characters.
In the Minhang District, one makeup studio has attracted entertainment industry attention after its work for the popular domestic TV sci-fi drama “Once Upon a Time.”
Although the program — not the American show of the same name — received mixed reviews, the look of the characters won widespread praise. The makeup is credited to the AJ TV and Movie Special Effects Makeup Studio in Zhuanqiao Town.
“With makeup, you can turn a beautiful person into an extremely ugly one or make a young man’s face look like a wrinkled old man,” said Yang Mingjian, founder and director of the studio. “Sometimes our work gives me a great sense of achievement.”
The studio, employing about 40 people, has worked on several high-profile movies and TV shows, but “Once Upon a Time” was its big breakthrough. There aren’t all that many sci-fi shows produced in China.
One of the best designed characters in “Once Upon a Time” was “sharkman,” a race that had features of both humans and sharks.
“I received a text from the director once night, telling me that our makeup was so good that extra close-up shots would be written into the script,” said Yang. “That was a great lift to our work.”
Yang, 41, has been in the special effects makeup industry for 11 years. Before that, he was a hair stylist, with many celebrities among his clientele.
One day, while doing the hair for a TV anchorwoman, she told Yang, “If you could also do my makeup, I wouldn’t have to hire two people for my on-air appearance.”
Inspired by that thought, Yang signed up for a course at the Shanghai Theater Academy. His original purpose was to study stage makeup, but the course went beyond that.
“They taught us how to make scars or broken fingers, and how to make fake things look very, very real,” Yang recalled. “I was immediately intrigued.”
After class, Yang collected data from the Internet, bought materials such as latex, resin and paintings and made models to practice special effects makeup.
He conducted more than 500 experiments over a year, with most of them failing. If the material was too hard it wouldn’t look real; if it was too soft, it would quickly fall apart.
During that time, Yang eked out a bare existence, with nearly all his money invested in his new ambition. For a long time, he worried that he wouldn’t be able to afford the rent on an apartment.
“In the end, it was all worth it,” said Yang. “I developed a certain expertise with different materials and the visual effects they could create.”
He got jobs doing makeup for dramas, like making Chinese performers look Western when scripts called for that. Gradually, he also got jobs to do special effects makeup.
The AJ studio was created in 2010 with only three members. To improve his skills, Yang decided to go study in Hollywood for a bit to learn the latest techniques in makeup.
“I was happy to find that my self-taught period was not in vain when instructors in the US said I did a very good job,” said Yang. “At the same time, I learned how to make special effects more efficiently.”
Just how hard is it?
According to Yang, the process includes designing a duplicate of a performer’s head or body with plaster, then using latex or other material to create fake skin, hair or teeth. The final product is “pasted” on the performer.
Yang said any small error in any step can cause a big failure and the process needs to be done extremely carefully and without concern about cost.
“You don’t always make money on every job,” he said. “But you have always have to do your best because you can’t risk your reputation in this industry.”
The AJ studio moved locations three times as jobs increased and the business expanded. From Lujiazui to Xujiahui, the company finally decided to settle in Minhang. The studio now occupies 800 square meters, 16 times larger than when it first started.
“We usually have three to four projects every month, and sometimes even eight at peak times,” said Yang. “Our goal is always to strive beyond our capability and further improve.”
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