::Red Lipstick Report

Makeup Artist, Jori Jenae Shares Her HD Makeup Tips

by Tamara Gold

Ask Makeup Artist Jori Jenae about her job and you can hear the excitement in her voice. It’s no coincidence that Jenae keeps finding herself working on Emmy- winning shows such as “The Practice” and “Boston Legal.” Her gracious, fun personality has made her one of Hollywood’s darlings. Not only is Jenae a master at designing makeup to fit perfectly with each actor, she takes it one step further. She’s a stickler for perfect skin. This is especially important to her now as technology becomes more advanced and High Definition, H.D., becomes the standard when filming.

After twenty years on set, you might think a makeup artist would become complacent. Not Jenea! “H.D. is not forgiving. It keeps makeup artists on their toes. H.D. shows every little thing. You can see things you never could before. You have to blend well, go in and check on your actors more often.” According to Jenae, keeping an eye on your actors at all times is important for several reasons. Light reads stronger on the faces of the actors and you may see a “bounce” which can make them look shiny even when they aren’t. Another important difference is in application. “Having a lighter touch when applying make up is crucial.” J enae also stresses the importance of knowing how colors read on H.D. “You need to choose your colors cautiously. Reds are going to look really red. Glosses, really glossy.”

Great skin is the best base for shooting in H.D. Products like P8N8 Oxygen Skin Care (www.p8n8skincare.com) and Skin Color Cosmetics are among her favorites. “Remember there is a beginning, middle and end to every face. Don’t miss a step. Don’t short cut when working with High Definition.” Jenae begins with light therapy and an oxygen treatment for each actor. She uses the zo2ne airbrush oxygen machine (www.zo2ne.com ), a facial system. Next it’s moisturizer and then makeup application. Jenae is a firm believer in prepping the skin and will go to any length to make sure the actor’s skin not only looks good when they are shooting, but insists that all actors faces are cleaned and restored with facial serums at the end of a long shooting day. “When the actor’s skin is in great condition it makes everyone’s job easier.” As far as makeup application goes, she loves the airbrush and uses it on almost everyone. “Every great makeup artist should know how to airbrush. I own four airbrushes. Including a portable, simple one. Airbrushing creates a soft pixelated makeup application that looks natural and reads well on HD.”

One more tip Jenae suggests is working together more closely with the Director of Photography and Gaffer. Working as a team will get the best results for the production and your actors. Taking an interest will help you learn as much as you can about H.D. and your actors will appreciate it. This is one woman who loves what she does and takes pride on making sure each actor who steps into her makeup trailer has the best experience in every way. Jenae also enjoys sharing what she knows with others. Read more about Jori Jenae or contact her at http://www.jorijenae.com
Join Jori in the virtual classroom on January 12th for an in depth class all about High Definition Makeup.

Tamara Gold, The Red Lipstick Reporter and Makeup Artist, has over 20 years of experience working on set as a makeup artist. Her passion is sharing information from the makeup room. Interviewing Industry professionals, reviewing products, along information to help creative professionals follow their dreams and create a financially successful business. www.theredlipstickreporter.com.