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Crowd Hair & Make-up

Processes background cast hair and make-up for crowd days on UK film/TV units — hygiene, continuity and cast ready-times drive the day.

Duties

• Read the call sheet and sides before arriving
• Maintain radio/set etiquette and H&S
• Hand over notes/kit status at wrap
• Crowd processing to brief
• Speed and hygiene under volume
• Liaise Crowd AD and Costume

Reports to

HMU Designer / Crowd supervisor

Works with

Crowd ADs, Crowd Costume, Artists

Career path

HMU Assistant → Crowd HMU → Artist

Day to day

High-throughput looks; keep approved period rules; work with Crowd ADs on waves; maintain hygiene stations.

Call times

HMU call is driven by cast ready-times — often well before unit. Prosthetic/ageing and crowd days need long early prep.

What to wear

Blacks; clean hygienic kit clothes; hair tied back; soft shoes; PPE/gloves for prosthetics as needed.

Tools & kit

Personal kit (common), brushes, hygiene consumables, continuity camera/phone.

Tips

Confirm title, agreement, budget band, prep/wrap and kit fee on the deal memo before accepting. We never invent Bectu figures — check bectu.org.uk ratecards / your branch.

Software

• Crowd lists / Excel
• Call sheets
• Face chart apps / Procreate
• Photoshop / PureRef boards
• Labelled continuity photo folders
• ChatGPT for period/reference research (Designer verifies)

Related roles

Make-up Artist, Hairdresser, HMU Assistant

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