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Working with other MUAS
- Thread starter desireythemua
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Hi! Welcome to MUT! That's a tricky situation. My motto has always been the more you give the more you shall receive but can totally understand why you would feel the way you do. You have worked hard to get to where you are at your career. Maybe you can mentor her with generalities instead of just telling her exactly all your secrets and maybe point her to other resources that could help her that don't directly involve you. And maybe you can encourage her to keep practicing her skills and more opportunities might open for her. Hope this helps.
Great thread. I am going to hijack it...
Yeah I've been there to what @@Reija is talking about. Years ago I was working at Fashion Week, the agency I was with sent a newbie as one of the artists, she had a very aggressive personality, asking me 20 questions, grilling me on how and why etc. she was definitely a go-getter, the type of person that one would find in the financial management sector. Next thing I know she worked her way into an office management position claiming how she created some of her looks based on my techniques. It takes one bad experience that makes you feel like a chump. Some MuA's become jaded because of it, some not. In my experience, most MuA's become jaded and guarded when it comes to sharing their skill sets. Yeah I was pissed at that, but I let that go. Now I am super selective to whom I share my skill sets with, even on this board I only give generalized solutions and tips. On certain film sets I am even more guarded.
Working in the union film world, I work with a lot of different personality traits. some clash some don't. Because we all work on different sets everyday, the MuA's are cordial. The familiar faces tend to stick together, new faces are figuring out which person to gravitate to. This is really apparent when we sit together on set.
What I do to avoid the drama and the Chatty Cathy's on set, is I set up my set chair on the edge of our Make-up section and right next to the Hair section. So I break the mold and chat with the hair people. I find it saves my sanity. Traditionally Hair, Make-up, and Wardrobe don't mix, we all stick to our own kind. Yes, Hair and Make-up are in the same trailer but we're forced to tolerate each other, - too many big egos. I digress... I find that some senior Hair people are more receptive to me on set and our conversations are pleasant and lighthearted with lots of laughter. But the downside is, is that I am looked upon with suspicion and confusion on both sides. But the end payoff is that we work well together when we do finals.
Thank goodness none of us talk product. I guess it's because we work with it all day, otherwise we'd all go insane. Interestingly the only times we talk product is at the beginning of a show when we build / create a character and their various looks and through camera tests. And how we arrive at what products to use is primarily based on the Head of Department and the Key's product experience, so there is a lot of great back-and-forth, but it's also kept to a minimum. Camera tests tend to be a bit more involved and the final product choice is based primarily on lighting conditions, and this is where drug store brands may do better than their more expensive counterparts... And vice-versa.
At this level, there is a lot of communication based on experience, but there is also big egos that need to be placated. So finding a nice middle ground is best, since not all people are morning people or someone is going through a rough patch in their life, or there is an actor that is being difficult... And how a MuA deals with all of that without being rescued is a big bonus.
Which brings me to... If a Key of HoD has to hold to your hand (repeat something), rescue you, negative critique you, or teach you something, you won't last long. Their job is not to teach, but to delegate. Sure they may show you a trick or two, but Heaven forbid they have to teach you something or negative critique you, that is a death blow.
Yeah I've been there to what @@Reija is talking about. Years ago I was working at Fashion Week, the agency I was with sent a newbie as one of the artists, she had a very aggressive personality, asking me 20 questions, grilling me on how and why etc. she was definitely a go-getter, the type of person that one would find in the financial management sector. Next thing I know she worked her way into an office management position claiming how she created some of her looks based on my techniques. It takes one bad experience that makes you feel like a chump. Some MuA's become jaded because of it, some not. In my experience, most MuA's become jaded and guarded when it comes to sharing their skill sets. Yeah I was pissed at that, but I let that go. Now I am super selective to whom I share my skill sets with, even on this board I only give generalized solutions and tips. On certain film sets I am even more guarded.
Working in the union film world, I work with a lot of different personality traits. some clash some don't. Because we all work on different sets everyday, the MuA's are cordial. The familiar faces tend to stick together, new faces are figuring out which person to gravitate to. This is really apparent when we sit together on set.
What I do to avoid the drama and the Chatty Cathy's on set, is I set up my set chair on the edge of our Make-up section and right next to the Hair section. So I break the mold and chat with the hair people. I find it saves my sanity. Traditionally Hair, Make-up, and Wardrobe don't mix, we all stick to our own kind. Yes, Hair and Make-up are in the same trailer but we're forced to tolerate each other, - too many big egos. I digress... I find that some senior Hair people are more receptive to me on set and our conversations are pleasant and lighthearted with lots of laughter. But the downside is, is that I am looked upon with suspicion and confusion on both sides. But the end payoff is that we work well together when we do finals.
Thank goodness none of us talk product. I guess it's because we work with it all day, otherwise we'd all go insane. Interestingly the only times we talk product is at the beginning of a show when we build / create a character and their various looks and through camera tests. And how we arrive at what products to use is primarily based on the Head of Department and the Key's product experience, so there is a lot of great back-and-forth, but it's also kept to a minimum. Camera tests tend to be a bit more involved and the final product choice is based primarily on lighting conditions, and this is where drug store brands may do better than their more expensive counterparts... And vice-versa.
At this level, there is a lot of communication based on experience, but there is also big egos that need to be placated. So finding a nice middle ground is best, since not all people are morning people or someone is going through a rough patch in their life, or there is an actor that is being difficult... And how a MuA deals with all of that without being rescued is a big bonus.
Which brings me to... If a Key of HoD has to hold to your hand (repeat something), rescue you, negative critique you, or teach you something, you won't last long. Their job is not to teach, but to delegate. Sure they may show you a trick or two, but Heaven forbid they have to teach you something or negative critique you, that is a death blow.
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