January 16, 2025 • 35 mins
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Unlock the secrets to making it big in Hollywood as a hairstylist or makeup artist—where talent meets the art of navigating the industry. Gain insights with me, Natalie Driscoll, as I share strategies that transform skilled professionals into indispensable assets on set. Discover the vital role of mastering set etiquette, building trust, and standing firm against disrespect. Learn how industry knowledge, beyond raw talent, keeps you in demand, and become the go-to expert that every production wants on their team.
Journey with me through the adrenaline-fueled tale of crafting a custom men's wig for "American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace" under a crunch-time deadline. Feel the pressure as I, as a newly appointed department head, tackled this seemingly insurmountable task with the help of a dedicated team and a courageous wig maker. Experience the high-stakes environment where composure, teamwork, and innovation come together to meet the expectations of creators like Ryan Murphy. This story highlights the challenges and triumphs that shape a successful career in Hollywood, proving that preparation and problem-solving are key.
Explore the transformative power of wigs and the invaluable influence of mentorship in shaping a successful Hollywood career. Reflect on my Emmy-nominated journey and how social media amplified the recognition of my craft. Delve into the essence of mentorship—how nurturing these relationships can prevent stagnation and spark continuous growth. Learn the art of approaching potential mentors and offering value, fostering a two-way street of learning and support. By embracing feedback and shedding ego, you'll find the path to becoming a better artist and professional.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Hollywood, unscripted, with
Natalie Driscoll.
I'm Natalie, your host, mentorand industry insider.
If you're a hairstylist ormakeup artist dreaming of making
it big in Hollywood, you're inthe right place.
Today I want to talk about oneof the best-kept secrets to
becoming a go-to pro in the filmand television industry.
(00:23):
Talent is critical.
You wouldn't even get in thedoor without it.
Hollywood is swimming in talent.
What really sets you apart,what keeps you in demand, is
your deep industry knowledge,the kind that goes beyond the
chair or makeup kit to show yourunderstanding of how a
production set truly operates.
(00:45):
On today's episode, we'rebreaking down what it means to
be in the know, why that's sohighly valued and, most
importantly, how you can developthis critical industry edge to
elevate your Hollywood career.
Trust me, knowledge isn't justpower, it's career currency.
Alright, grab a pen and paper,but if you're driving, just
(01:08):
focus on the road and let's getinto it.
In Hollywood, trust iseverything, and trust it relies
on three things Practical skills, business knowledge and your
behavior.
Knowledge and your behavior.
(01:29):
Directors, producers,department heads they need to
know you can adapt to theunpredictable chaos that's a
natural part of every production, and that trust doesn't come
from just being talented.
It comes from proving you trulyget how things run on set.
When you're equipped with theright industry knowledge, you're
not just a hairstylist ormakeup artist.
You're someone who anticipatesneeds, makes quick decisions and
(01:52):
collaborates seamlessly withother departments to help the
production run smoothly.
It's not just about knowing howto do the perfect updo or nail
a dramatic aging effect.
It's about being so reliablethat they don't just want you,
they need you.
I can't tell you how many timesI've seen this play out
(02:12):
firsthand On set.
Most of us, at a certain level,can anticipate what's needed for
one another.
It's almost like a rhythm.
But when someone doesn't havethis mindset or skill, it
reflects poorly not just on them, but on the whole department.
Hair and makeup are oftenlumped together, so if one
falters, the other gets blamedtoo.
(02:34):
And listen, don't get me wrong.
I give grace to people learningthe ropes or adjusting to new
skills.
I'm not that big of a hard ass.
I'm not that big of a hard ass.
But when someone is lazy,disengaged or refuses to
anticipate needs, that's whenthe grace ends.
(02:58):
Many of us, myself included,won't hesitate to let someone go
and not call them back.
Reliability and instinct theycome from industry knowledge,
and they're the foundation ofbeing in demand.
Industry knowledge is more thanmastering your specific craft.
It's about knowing how all themoving pieces on set fit
together and working in harmonywith them.
Here are three areas that cantake your reputation from good
(03:20):
to indispensable.
Number one set etiquette.
Hollywood sets are like manycities, with their own
hierarchies and unspoken rules.
Knowing when and how toapproach crew members,
understanding the roles ofdifferent departments and
respecting the chain of commandcan make or break your
reputation.
(03:40):
Professionalism on set meansyou'll get invited back time and
time again, and let me tell you, I've recently had issues or I
shouldn't say recently, I've hadissues for several years now
where someone that's higher thanme they're very high up was
treating me very disrespectfullyand was even threatening me,
(04:06):
and I finally stood my ground.
I stood up for myself and Istill don't know to this day if
it's caused me not to get calledback.
But there comes a time when youcan't be treated
disrespectfully, especially ifyou work your butt off,
(04:28):
especially if you pull thingsout of the air, as I say, my
Mary Poppins bag, when mostpeople wouldn't do it,
especially when you're carryinga lot of the weight of things
within production.
So I don't advocate gettingtreated disrespectfully or
(04:50):
treated with threats.
I could have taken this personto HR on three different
occasions, but I chose not to.
I dealt with it myself withthat person, which I think in
the long run has actually bit mein the butt, but I just didn't
(05:12):
want to bring drama on and Ithought I could handle it myself
.
But time will tell and I willdeal with it and handle it when
the time comes.
It and handle it when the timecomes.
But I'm just.
I'm sharing this because I wantyou to know that I do not
advocate being treated horribly.
(05:32):
There was another time when Iwas working on a lower budget
thing.
I got a major pay cut but Iwanted to help a friend out and
I was assistant departmentheading and there was a director
that treated me well, wasn'tjust me, it was treating the
entire crew horribly, yellingthe f-word and just screaming at
(05:59):
people all the time, and I Ididn't snap in an ugly way, but
they told us to do our job.
And then he came in screamingand yelling and I said, sure,
come in.
And I was just very, I was done.
I was fed up.
At that point we stood aside,let him do his thing.
(06:22):
Then they told us to go aheadand do last looks.
I was doing my last looks andhe literally came up behind me
and I could feel his fingerpoking in the back of my head
and he was screaming.
He's like who is this, who isthis, get her out of here.
And I knew at that moment.
I walked around the corner, Ididn't turn around to him
(06:44):
because I wasn't going to feedinto it and I walked around the
other corner and I told mydepartment head.
I said I'm probably going toget fired and I'm sorry to let
you down, but enough's enough.
This guy is horrible.
He should not be working onsets.
And sure enough, they waitedtill the end of the day.
I was actually driving down theroad and they called and my
(07:07):
department had called and theyfired me.
Well, it's the only job I'veever been fired from.
I turned around, went back, Iwent and talked to the producers
and they were like we don'tcondone this, but we're going to
have to let you go.
And I was like, actually, we'regonna have to let you go.
(07:29):
And I was like, actually, youmaking that move and you doing
this is condoning it.
So you do condone it, and thefact that you guys are allowing
him to treat the entire crew andyourselves so poorly and so
disgustingly says everything tome.
Thank you, good luck with yourproject.
See you later.
I've never seen them again, butagain I had to say something
(07:54):
because I hope that they thoughtthis through and they never
hire that man again.
I can understand that they havea lot of money in the game and
they're going to choose him overtrying to find a new director
or the whole thing getting shutdown.
But I was not going to continuethat.
I'm glad I got fired.
(08:14):
That's why I kind of did what Idid, because I was like I am
not going to stay on thisproject.
It's so toxic, it's disgusting.
So anyways, that story.
I don't tell very many peoplethat, but now whoever listens to
this is gonna know it's not myproudest moments.
But there's a time and a placewhere I personally I'm a fire
(08:36):
sign and I am fire, fire, fire.
I am three fires full-on.
I've learned to control thatfire.
But if you push me, just likethe story I was telling you
before, if you threaten me tomake my life miserable because
I'm trying to do my job and youdon't like hearing no, then I'm
(09:00):
going to stand up for myself.
You're not going to treat melike that.
And the crazy part is thatperson never treated the man
that was in place and in theposition ever when that man said
no all the time.
So there just comes a time anda place where you have to weigh
out, like is this wrong?
(09:21):
I'm not being hotheaded, thisis wrong, I am getting treated
like crap, and so, anyways,again, I didn't cause this crazy
dramatic scene, I just handledit one-on-one.
But you know, we'll see wherethat goes.
Anyways, going back to step twoof where we at Take your
(09:49):
reputation from good toindispensable, yes, so one is
set etiquette, two productiontimelines.
Time is everything inproduction.
If you know which momentsduring the day are
non-negotiable, like a directorshot setup or a talent's call
time, you'll know how toprioritize your tasks better.
Understanding a projectschedule lets you stay ahead and
(10:11):
avoid causing delays, a skillthat makes heads turn, and in my
membership I teach you allabout the call sheet and all of
that.
It's not something I can teachhere on a podcast, but that is
our timeline schedule, and ifyou are able to maneuver through
that and understand timing andchanges and all of this stuff.
(10:35):
It's going to make you standout.
Okay.
Number three problem solvingskills.
What do you do when the leadactor's wig lace tears five
minutes before a close-up?
Knowledge about quick fixes andtroubleshooting common hurdles
will make you a problem solvingpro on set, and nothing speaks
(10:56):
louder to producers than someonewho keeps things moving
smoothly.
I was working on American CrimeStory, the Assassination of
Gianni Versace.
I had just taken over asdepartment head when production
requested or should I saidbegged, because they couldn't
change things around but if Icould get a custom men's wig
(11:19):
made in just seven days and forthose that don't know wigs, they
usually want like three weeks,two weeks minimum to get a wig
made, so seven days was just.
I was like, listen, I'll askthe wig maker.
But and we had to get a fullcustom wig because it was, it
(11:40):
was a men's wig and there's nocheating it.
It's not like I could havegotten a different wig and done
a refront, it had to be so itdidn't like look like a wig,
because we don't do that.
Um, not only did it have to befitted for the first time ever
and designed specifically forthe actor, but it also had to be
ready to shoot the morning ofin the first scene and shoot all
(12:04):
day.
So I called the wig maker and Iwas like, hey, this, this is
what they're asking, this iswhat they're requesting.
Can you do it?
You can say no.
She said yeah, we'll do it, andI was just like, oh my gosh, ok
.
So she did it.
To make matters even moreintense, I only had two hours to
(12:26):
to get the wig in hand thatmorning.
I think it was like at 7 am andI had to get it done before 9
am.
So I had to apply it to theactor, cut and style it on him
and then present it to RyanMurphy, who was the show creator
, before he boarded his plane.
Okay, let me break somethingdown for you.
(12:46):
For a wig, usually it takesseveral fittings to get right,
especially on a men's wig withthe exposed hairline.
Luckily for me, he let me shavehis head, so I didn't have to
worry about that.
Then, because they made it sofast, the whole piece of lace in
the front of the hairline.
It did this rippling thing andso I had to go in and I had to
(13:09):
cut pleats in it to try torelease some of that tension to
not ripple while he was shootingon camera.
So that was another solutionbased thing.
But within those two hours sogoing back, sorry, usually I
have to wash the wig off thisactor, put it on head block, cut
(13:31):
it, style it, try to figure outwhat style I want, style it in
all these little intricate waysso it looks realistic, and then
get him in fit it, see if thehairline needs to be tweaked
which we didn't have to becausehe let me shave it and then cut
it again, style it, figure outwhat looks good on his face
(13:53):
shape and all that.
And then sometimes you have tosend it back to that wig maker,
get tweaks made and then doanother fitting.
So just to give you somecontext of what, if you don't
know wigs, that's usually whatit takes and I had to do it all
in two hours.
So I was like, okay, we'regonna.
I let them know like I'm gonnado my best.
(14:14):
Well, you know most peoplewould immediately say absolutely
not.
This is too much of gambleunder such tight conditions.
But I worked with them and Iknew I love the actor.
So I was just like like, okay,let's do this.
But it was so nerve-wrackingeven though looking back it was,
it's hilarious to visualize ithappening again.
(14:38):
But that morning, not only was Ihaving to do that, but we were
shooting a new flashback sceneset in the 1980s, introducing
the entire family of DarrenCriss' character, who was Andrew
Cunanan.
He was that infamous murderer.
It was a pivotal scene and ifRyan wanted to approve the wig,
(15:00):
it was critical to get it right.
So that morning I had tocompletely rely on my assistant
department head and teammates toensure everything else looked
on point, while I focused solelyon the wig.
I told him I didn't even have asecond to look up or get
distracted.
On top of all that, twoproducers were coming in and out
(15:22):
of the trailer equally nervous,which didn't help because they
were just hovering.
But at one point the actor theactor john john noticed and said
are you okay?
I was cutting, I was trying tocut the lace on the wig and if
you can't see me, sorry, but I'mlike my hands were shaking this
hard and I couldn't even hardlycut the lace on the wig.
(15:43):
And he was like are you okay?
And I was like, no, I have somuch adrenaline going.
It wasn't nerves, it was well,maybe deep down it was nerves at
that point we had been doing so.
It was just.
It was.
We had to move so fast and theadrenaline was pumping so hard I
couldn't stop my hands fromshaking.
(16:04):
So it was hilarious and but itwas just, it was overall.
It was just such a wild timebut in the end ryan was happy.
My team handled it really well.
Everything was on point.
They forgot to bring water toset, which I was like how did
they forget the water?
Because everybody had to besweaty.
But it would.
(16:25):
It all worked out.
It all turned out great.
The scene was shot on scheduleand we pulled it off, and
moments like that remind me justhow crucial preparation,
problem solving and staying calmunder pressure are in this
industry.
So I hope you enjoyed thatstory.
Sometimes I come across thatpicture and I'm like, oh wow, I
(16:48):
did a really great job forhaving two hours to prep that
thing.
But anyways, I wind up gettingto do John John again and
establish his wig for anothershow a couple years later and we
were able to really fine tunethe look of that wig.
He told me at one point on thatshow he's like I love this one
(17:10):
so much more and I was like,yeah, because I had hours, if
not days, to prep this baby.
So anyways, let's move on.
The good news for you is youdon't need decades in the
business to start buildingindustry knowledge.
It took me decades Well, Ishouldn't say decades, because
I've only been in it for 17, 18years but it took me a good
(17:35):
solid decade to really hone theskills but also learn wigs also,
learn period hairstyling alsolearn character.
Work kind of came pretty easilyand naturally we just kind of
take it as it comes.
But the wigs and the periodhairstyling really is a huge,
(17:55):
major one that is highly indemand.
So I highly recommend that, andnot just hairstyling I'm sorry
I talk as a hairstylist, butmakeup as well.
But I just want to share withyou how you can accelerate that
learning curve, because that'sthe whole point of the
membership.
I put together One you canshadow and observe.
You need to volunteer to assiston smaller projects, observe
(18:18):
how other teens operate andfocus on how their roles connect
to yours.
There's so much you can learnjust from watching how people
communicate and manage theirworkflows.
I cannot stress enough howimportant it is to be a sponge.
Do every role day plane foreverto sponge up what you want and
(18:38):
what you don't want, how youwant to be and how you don't
want to be.
Two seek mentorship.
A mentor will teach you thingsyou never figure out on your own
, at least not for a while orwider way, and sometimes not
ever, depending on if you everdo something that you get to do
on set and you learn fromsomeone else.
(18:58):
So, finding a mentor like Isaid, sponging and taking jobs
and sponging off differentmentors is great, and it's not
just about hairstyling or makeup, but about surviving and
thriving in the Hollywoodindustry.
The machine Mentors are yourfast track to learning the
(19:19):
unwritten rules about thebusiness and also about the
technical skills.
Okay, number threeself-directed learning.
You can't wait for experienceto teach you everything From
documentaries to industry booksand even following production
professionals on Instagram.
You have the tools to learn atyour fingertips.
(19:39):
Never stop asking questions andnever stop observing.
I shared a story with you in aprevious episode about getting a
wig-heavy job, even though Ididn't have very much experience
working with them.
Getting that job and mentorshipreally catapult my career to
where it is today.
My department head was so kindand generous to share his
(20:02):
knowledge.
And then, while I was on thatjob, I had a moment where the
wig maker from Canada happenedto visit us on set and it
aligned for me to have apersonal moment and she shared a
lot of her knowledge as well.
So I got to get a one-on-onesession with this incredible wig
maker for her to sharedifferent tips and tricks.
(20:23):
It was just out of the blue.
She wasn't even supposed tocome down, so it was beautiful.
You never know what's going tohappen.
It truly had shaped my careerand made me the artist I am
today.
I absolutely love wigs and, tobe honest, I'm really good at
them.
I've had so many people fromthe crew or actors tell me that
they didn't know actors werewearing wigs until they saw them
(20:45):
without them.
When I was doing impeachment,we got nominated for an Emmy and
I'm not huge into social media.
I know I need to get better atit.
I'm trying, but it's just it'snot really my thing.
I remember my third reached outto me and she was like hey, you
really need to start pushingthings on social media, letting
(21:07):
people know what characters werewearing wigs.
I've been talking to people andthey have no idea that those
people were wearing wigs and Iwas like, oh really.
And so she made me aware, likeit was like the best compliment
ever for me.
But I was like, oh my gosh, ok,I got to get it out there.
So I started posting and tryingto share and tell people who's
(21:30):
wearing a wig and it reallytruly has become.
Wigs have become one of mysuperpowers superpower skills in
the business.
I love them so much and Ireally just love them too
because they can.
You can really transformsomeone into the character,
especially when you're doingperiod hair, because you can
give it any kind the character,especially when you're doing
period hair, because you cangive it any kind of haircut it
(21:52):
needs to make the period lookmore authentic.
Okay, when you combine yourtechnical skills with a deep
understanding of Hollywood'sintricacies, you stop being just
an artist.
You become irreplaceable.
Do you hear me?
You want to be irreplaceable.
Do you hear me?
You want to be irreplaceable.
(22:12):
You want to be so good thatthey can't ignore you.
People recommend you, theyrequest you for projects.
They trust you implicitly andthat's everything Hollywood
loves professionals who bringsolutions, not problems.
Build your knowledge, nurturerelationships and elevate your
(22:32):
craft.
It's the secret sauce to a long, thriving career in this
exciting, sometimes chaotic, butalways rewarding industry.
And you know, as I was sayingthis out loud, hollywood loves
professionals who bringsolutions, not problems.
I just realized like that's notalways true.
Actually, it depends on theperson.
(22:52):
Certain people get away withcausing problems and I shouldn't
say problems problems but theykind of rock the boat or they
have bad behavior and they neverget in trouble.
I've always been told that itwill eventually catch up to them
.
I remember a mentor was likewhether it takes 5, 10, 15 years
(23:16):
, it'll eventually catch up tothem and they won't get hired
back from anybody and we'll see.
But there are certain peoplethat I have seen that just kind
of get carried away or say noall the time or, you know, get
heated and throw fits.
It's not always the case, butthere are times where you'll see
(23:38):
that happening and you're likewhy?
I don't understand why.
Okay, before we wrap up, I wantto go back and dive deeper into
mentors.
Step one the role of a mentorin your career.
Mentors are more than justguides.
They're people who share theirexperiences, offer honest advice
(23:58):
and challenge you to grow.
A mentor's job isn't to handyou success, but to help you
build the foundation for it.
I've had so many mentors in mylife that did this.
They guided me, they correctedme.
They just really helped pavethe way and build my toolkit of
(24:21):
skills, and I've just been sograteful for it.
Okay, two how to find andapproach potential mentors.
Finding the right mentor startswith identifying people whose
careers, work, ethic or valuesyou admire.
Here's how to approachpotential mentors and build
those relationships.
Be respectful of their timewhen reaching out.
(24:44):
Keep your message concise andrespectful.
Express genuine interest inlearning from them without
pressuring them to commit toanything right away.
Always be honest and tell themwhere you're at and never
pretend to know things like justsponge up.
Ask questions, offer valuewhere you can.
Mentorship is a two-way street.
(25:04):
Even if you're early in yourcareer, you can support their
work, promote their projects orassist in small ways.
Plus, you can learn newtechniques, new skills that they
might not be aware of.
The industry is always evolvingand sometimes the mentors are
older and they don't know someof the new techniques.
So it's a win-win.
(25:25):
Help each other out, but don'tbe arrogant and just be
respectful.
Doing this shows gratitude andcommitment to the relationship.
Be patient, patient andconsistent.
Building a mentorshiprelationship takes time.
Don't expect an instantconnection.
Instead, stay consistent andlet the relationship grow
naturally.
(25:46):
There's so many people nowadaysthat just expect you to show
them everything, expect you togive your time.
That's not how it works.
Like, you have to be genuineabout this.
You can't just Like you have tobe genuine about this.
You can't just hey, I meet you,da da, da and then expect
everything right off the bat, orexpect to get a job when you've
met them one time.
(26:07):
No, like, you have to beconsistent about letting them
know like you're interested andyou want to learn.
You're available whenever theyneed help.
Like you'll do anything.
You'll just wash hair or washwigs or clean up and be a PA to
shadow, whatever it is.
Like.
Just show that you're genuineand you care and that you're not
(26:30):
just trying to use them.
All right.
Then the qualities to look forin a mentor.
The right mentor isn't justsomeone with experience.
Look for someone who is patient, open to teaching and genuinely
interested in helping you grow.
A good mentor is someone yourespect and trust and who
challenges you to improve.
(26:51):
Remember, mentors should guideyou, but they won't do the work
for you.
Choose someone who will pushyou and hold you accountable,
which I think I shared I don'tknow what episode.
It was the department head forAmerican horror story.
He saw that I was a turtle.
So he was like, okay, you can't, you're not going to make it in
(27:16):
this industry if you keepacting and behaving like this.
You have to get quicker.
So he wouldn't make me dodrills.
I used to get so frustrated.
I'm like you are so mean.
I don't understand this.
Why are you doing this to me?
Because he knew at the time Iwasn't great at clipper cuts.
Where I went to school theydidn't allow you to even touch a
(27:36):
clipper.
You had to do scissor or combfor everything.
But he knew that I needed toget quicker and I needed to do
it.
So I would have to cut thisman's hair, this clipper cut, in
30 minutes tops and he wouldget really upset if I took 45
minutes and I was like, oh, andI would get frustrated Like, why
(27:57):
are you doing this to me?
Is and I was like, oh, and Iwould get frustrated Like, why
are you doing this to me?
And then, now, looking back, Ireally appreciate that because
he helped me get faster and hehelped me understand what it
takes time wise in this business.
So that's the kind of mentoryou want someone that's really
going to push you and make youget better and not just going to
(28:18):
sugarcoat it and say it's greatand then talk crap about you
behind your back or say thatyou're a horrible hairdresser or
makeup artist.
That happens too, you know.
The other thing I want to sayhere is you have to be receptive
for constructive feedback.
I've worked with many peoplethat get annoyed if I come over
(28:41):
and I tell them that somethingneeds to be tweaked.
Or it's not looking like theright period, or it's just not
looking right.
I'm very delicate with it and Iapproach it in a very
respectful way.
I don't do it in a way that I'mtrying to make people feel bad
about themselves, but for somereason there's been a few people
(29:03):
in my life that anytime you sayanything, they get really
annoyed and then sometimesthey'll go off and they'll do
something completely different.
Don't do that.
Be respectful If you're wantingto grow as a hairstylist,
especially when a departmenthead comes up to you and is
saying, hey, this shape does notlook like the period or hey,
(29:28):
this needs to be tweaked becauseit doesn't match the photo of
the real person or whatever itis.
You need to be receptive of that.
You need to say, okay, you'reright, or okay like.
I'll give you an example.
I had someone where we werematching a real-life character.
(29:49):
I told this person, I said, hey, whenever you go to style this
because I wanted to do one first, but we weren't able to,
time-wise weren't able to, timewise wasn't able to and I said,
okay, put some mousse in it andjust give it a blow dry, because
later on we're gonna, we'regonna grow this character into.
(30:11):
He's gonna be wearing more oflike a rockabilly hairstyle and
then, right now, it needs to bemore natural and stuff cut to.
I didn't get to see how thisperson did it and it went on and
on and on.
There were so many issues withthe actor's hair and it was like
always a problem, like a thing.
It was a thing and I was likewhat is happening here?
(30:33):
Because it shouldn't be havingthis many problems with it?
We'll come to find out.
This hairstylist decided not tolisten to my guidance and was
putting five different productsin this man's hair and I'm like,
okay, this man has fine hair.
It's supposed to look naturaland soft.
(30:54):
No wonder it's been lookinglike this and giving so many
problems and weighing down andconstantly having to touch it or
whatever.
So I kept trying to say, hey,you should probably just use the
mousse and just a hairspraylike a light hairspray.
Wouldn't listen, so it wasconstantly an issue.
Well, one day that person hadto go do something else and I
(31:15):
did the guy's hair.
I did the mousse, did the lighthairspray.
I literally didn't have totouch him up almost all day long
, like he just stayed put, therewas not this fussing and the
actor was getting annoyed by itand all this stuff like it.
Just so sometimes the point ofme telling you this is sometimes
(31:37):
you just got to listen to someadvice and to some guidance and
to some mentorship just becauseyou, whatever reason, whether
it's you're used to beingdepartment heads, or you're used
to making your own decisions,or the person's younger than you
or the same age as you and you,just like they and you guys,
(31:59):
have been doing hair the sameamount of time.
It's an ego thing.
Whatever it is like, let theego out the door.
You have got to allow yourselfto be mentored or keep yourself
open to learning from otherpeople.
Or you're going to stay in thisbox from other people, or
(32:20):
you're going to stay in this boxand I tell my sister this all
the time because she cansometimes lean more towards like
she's got better at it.
But back in the day she was aknow-it-all and she was kind of
closed off to any kind ofconstructive criticism.
Now she's a lot better.
We've had to break down thatego, break down that wall that
was up, and now she's learningmore.
But I always told her youcannot behave like this, or
(32:44):
you're literally gonna staystuck in one place.
Your career might go indifferent places, but as a
artist you're going to boxyourself in and you're never
going to become a better artist,like it's just, you're just
going to stay in one place, okay.
So I kind of went off on atangent there.
(33:06):
But yeah, let me see, let memake sure.
Yeah, okay.
So we're going to wrap this up.
So we're going to wrap this upand let's just go ahead again
(33:27):
and do your key takeaway.
Talent may get you the job, butindustry knowledge is what will
get you called back and alsodissolve your ego, if you have
one.
You really need to work on this.
We all are led by our ego atone point or another, but the
more that you can detachyourself from that ego, the more
you are going to embody all ofthese traits that I'm sharing
(33:52):
with you on these episodes.
Okay, going back to thebusiness skills, the more you
know about set etiquette,timelines and how to adapt, the
more valuable you become, andtrust me, that reputation as a
knowledgeable, reliableprofessional is priceless.
If you're serious aboutelevating your craft and
(34:12):
building a career that lasts inHollywood, I invite you to join
my Hollywood Elite membership.
When you're watching this, itmight be launched already or, if
it's not, you can sign up forthe waitlist to let me know that
you're super interested in it.
It's going to be loaded withmentorship opportunities,
(34:32):
insider insights and in-depthlessons to level up your
knowledge and skills.
If today's episode resonatedwith you, or if you know a
friend that it could help out,be sure to hit that subscribe
button so you never miss a tipand share it with your friend,
because we're all stronger whenwe lift each other up.
(34:52):
Remember, knowledge isn't justpower.
It's the key to your Hollywoodsuccess.
Go out there, create, masterand empower.
See you on the next one.
Welcome back to Hollywood, unscripted, with
Natalie Driscoll.
I'm Natalie, your host, mentorand industry insider.
If you're a hairstylist ormakeup artist dreaming of making
it big in Hollywood, you're inthe right place.
Today I want to talk about oneof the best-kept secrets to
becoming a go-to pro in the filmand television industry.
(00:23):
Talent is critical.
You wouldn't even get in thedoor without it.
Hollywood is swimming in talent.
What really sets you apart,what keeps you in demand, is
your deep industry knowledge,the kind that goes beyond the
chair or makeup kit to show yourunderstanding of how a
production set truly operates.
(00:45):
On today's episode, we'rebreaking down what it means to
be in the know, why that's sohighly valued and, most
importantly, how you can developthis critical industry edge to
elevate your Hollywood career.
Trust me, knowledge isn't justpower, it's career currency.
Alright, grab a pen and paper,but if you're driving, just
(01:08):
focus on the road and let's getinto it.
In Hollywood, trust iseverything, and trust it relies
on three things Practical skills, business knowledge and your
behavior.
Knowledge and your behavior.
(01:29):
Directors, producers,department heads they need to
know you can adapt to theunpredictable chaos that's a
natural part of every production, and that trust doesn't come
from just being talented.
It comes from proving you trulyget how things run on set.
When you're equipped with theright industry knowledge, you're
not just a hairstylist ormakeup artist.
You're someone who anticipatesneeds, makes quick decisions and
(01:52):
collaborates seamlessly withother departments to help the
production run smoothly.
It's not just about knowing howto do the perfect updo or nail
a dramatic aging effect.
It's about being so reliablethat they don't just want you,
they need you.
I can't tell you how many timesI've seen this play out
(02:12):
firsthand On set.
Most of us, at a certain level,can anticipate what's needed for
one another.
It's almost like a rhythm.
But when someone doesn't havethis mindset or skill, it
reflects poorly not just on them, but on the whole department.
Hair and makeup are oftenlumped together, so if one
falters, the other gets blamedtoo.
(02:34):
And listen, don't get me wrong.
I give grace to people learningthe ropes or adjusting to new
skills.
I'm not that big of a hard ass.
I'm not that big of a hard ass.
But when someone is lazy,disengaged or refuses to
anticipate needs, that's whenthe grace ends.
(02:58):
Many of us, myself included,won't hesitate to let someone go
and not call them back.
Reliability and instinct theycome from industry knowledge,
and they're the foundation ofbeing in demand.
Industry knowledge is more thanmastering your specific craft.
It's about knowing how all themoving pieces on set fit
together and working in harmonywith them.
Here are three areas that cantake your reputation from good
(03:20):
to indispensable.
Number one set etiquette.
Hollywood sets are like manycities, with their own
hierarchies and unspoken rules.
Knowing when and how toapproach crew members,
understanding the roles ofdifferent departments and
respecting the chain of commandcan make or break your
reputation.
(03:40):
Professionalism on set meansyou'll get invited back time and
time again, and let me tell you, I've recently had issues or I
shouldn't say recently, I've hadissues for several years now
where someone that's higher thanme they're very high up was
treating me very disrespectfullyand was even threatening me,
(04:06):
and I finally stood my ground.
I stood up for myself and Istill don't know to this day if
it's caused me not to get calledback.
But there comes a time when youcan't be treated
disrespectfully, especially ifyou work your butt off,
(04:28):
especially if you pull thingsout of the air, as I say, my
Mary Poppins bag, when mostpeople wouldn't do it,
especially when you're carryinga lot of the weight of things
within production.
So I don't advocate gettingtreated disrespectfully or
(04:50):
treated with threats.
I could have taken this personto HR on three different
occasions, but I chose not to.
I dealt with it myself withthat person, which I think in
the long run has actually bit mein the butt, but I just didn't
(05:12):
want to bring drama on and Ithought I could handle it myself
.
But time will tell and I willdeal with it and handle it when
the time comes.
It and handle it when the timecomes.
But I'm just.
I'm sharing this because I wantyou to know that I do not
advocate being treated horribly.
(05:32):
There was another time when Iwas working on a lower budget
thing.
I got a major pay cut but Iwanted to help a friend out and
I was assistant departmentheading and there was a director
that treated me well, wasn'tjust me, it was treating the
entire crew horribly, yellingthe f-word and just screaming at
(05:59):
people all the time, and I Ididn't snap in an ugly way, but
they told us to do our job.
And then he came in screamingand yelling and I said, sure,
come in.
And I was just very, I was done.
I was fed up.
At that point we stood aside,let him do his thing.
(06:22):
Then they told us to go aheadand do last looks.
I was doing my last looks andhe literally came up behind me
and I could feel his fingerpoking in the back of my head
and he was screaming.
He's like who is this, who isthis, get her out of here.
And I knew at that moment.
I walked around the corner, Ididn't turn around to him
(06:44):
because I wasn't going to feedinto it and I walked around the
other corner and I told mydepartment head.
I said I'm probably going toget fired and I'm sorry to let
you down, but enough's enough.
This guy is horrible.
He should not be working onsets.
And sure enough, they waitedtill the end of the day.
I was actually driving down theroad and they called and my
(07:07):
department had called and theyfired me.
Well, it's the only job I'veever been fired from.
I turned around, went back, Iwent and talked to the producers
and they were like we don'tcondone this, but we're going to
have to let you go.
And I was like, actually, we'regonna have to let you go.
(07:29):
And I was like, actually, youmaking that move and you doing
this is condoning it.
So you do condone it, and thefact that you guys are allowing
him to treat the entire crew andyourselves so poorly and so
disgustingly says everything tome.
Thank you, good luck with yourproject.
See you later.
I've never seen them again, butagain I had to say something
(07:54):
because I hope that they thoughtthis through and they never
hire that man again.
I can understand that they havea lot of money in the game and
they're going to choose him overtrying to find a new director
or the whole thing getting shutdown.
But I was not going to continuethat.
I'm glad I got fired.
(08:14):
That's why I kind of did what Idid, because I was like I am
not going to stay on thisproject.
It's so toxic, it's disgusting.
So anyways, that story.
I don't tell very many peoplethat, but now whoever listens to
this is gonna know it's not myproudest moments.
But there's a time and a placewhere I personally I'm a fire
(08:36):
sign and I am fire, fire, fire.
I am three fires full-on.
I've learned to control thatfire.
But if you push me, just likethe story I was telling you
before, if you threaten me tomake my life miserable because
I'm trying to do my job and youdon't like hearing no, then I'm
(09:00):
going to stand up for myself.
You're not going to treat melike that.
And the crazy part is thatperson never treated the man
that was in place and in theposition ever when that man said
no all the time.
So there just comes a time anda place where you have to weigh
out, like is this wrong?
(09:21):
I'm not being hotheaded, thisis wrong, I am getting treated
like crap, and so, anyways,again, I didn't cause this crazy
dramatic scene, I just handledit one-on-one.
But you know, we'll see wherethat goes.
Anyways, going back to step twoof where we at Take your
(09:49):
reputation from good toindispensable, yes, so one is
set etiquette, two productiontimelines.
Time is everything inproduction.
If you know which momentsduring the day are
non-negotiable, like a directorshot setup or a talent's call
time, you'll know how toprioritize your tasks better.
Understanding a projectschedule lets you stay ahead and
(10:11):
avoid causing delays, a skillthat makes heads turn, and in my
membership I teach you allabout the call sheet and all of
that.
It's not something I can teachhere on a podcast, but that is
our timeline schedule, and ifyou are able to maneuver through
that and understand timing andchanges and all of this stuff.
(10:35):
It's going to make you standout.
Okay.
Number three problem solvingskills.
What do you do when the leadactor's wig lace tears five
minutes before a close-up?
Knowledge about quick fixes andtroubleshooting common hurdles
will make you a problem solvingpro on set, and nothing speaks
(10:56):
louder to producers than someonewho keeps things moving
smoothly.
I was working on American CrimeStory, the Assassination of
Gianni Versace.
I had just taken over asdepartment head when production
requested or should I saidbegged, because they couldn't
change things around but if Icould get a custom men's wig
(11:19):
made in just seven days and forthose that don't know wigs, they
usually want like three weeks,two weeks minimum to get a wig
made, so seven days was just.
I was like, listen, I'll askthe wig maker.
But and we had to get a fullcustom wig because it was, it
(11:40):
was a men's wig and there's nocheating it.
It's not like I could havegotten a different wig and done
a refront, it had to be so itdidn't like look like a wig,
because we don't do that.
Um, not only did it have to befitted for the first time ever
and designed specifically forthe actor, but it also had to be
ready to shoot the morning ofin the first scene and shoot all
(12:04):
day.
So I called the wig maker and Iwas like, hey, this, this is
what they're asking, this iswhat they're requesting.
Can you do it?
You can say no.
She said yeah, we'll do it, andI was just like, oh my gosh, ok
.
So she did it.
To make matters even moreintense, I only had two hours to
(12:26):
to get the wig in hand thatmorning.
I think it was like at 7 am andI had to get it done before 9
am.
So I had to apply it to theactor, cut and style it on him
and then present it to RyanMurphy, who was the show creator
, before he boarded his plane.
Okay, let me break somethingdown for you.
(12:46):
For a wig, usually it takesseveral fittings to get right,
especially on a men's wig withthe exposed hairline.
Luckily for me, he let me shavehis head, so I didn't have to
worry about that.
Then, because they made it sofast, the whole piece of lace in
the front of the hairline.
It did this rippling thing andso I had to go in and I had to
(13:09):
cut pleats in it to try torelease some of that tension to
not ripple while he was shootingon camera.
So that was another solutionbased thing.
But within those two hours sogoing back, sorry, usually I
have to wash the wig off thisactor, put it on head block, cut
(13:31):
it, style it, try to figure outwhat style I want, style it in
all these little intricate waysso it looks realistic, and then
get him in fit it, see if thehairline needs to be tweaked
which we didn't have to becausehe let me shave it and then cut
it again, style it, figure outwhat looks good on his face
(13:53):
shape and all that.
And then sometimes you have tosend it back to that wig maker,
get tweaks made and then doanother fitting.
So just to give you somecontext of what, if you don't
know wigs, that's usually whatit takes and I had to do it all
in two hours.
So I was like, okay, we'regonna.
I let them know like I'm gonnado my best.
(14:14):
Well, you know most peoplewould immediately say absolutely
not.
This is too much of gambleunder such tight conditions.
But I worked with them and Iknew I love the actor.
So I was just like like, okay,let's do this.
But it was so nerve-wrackingeven though looking back it was,
it's hilarious to visualize ithappening again.
(14:38):
But that morning, not only was Ihaving to do that, but we were
shooting a new flashback sceneset in the 1980s, introducing
the entire family of DarrenCriss' character, who was Andrew
Cunanan.
He was that infamous murderer.
It was a pivotal scene and ifRyan wanted to approve the wig,
(15:00):
it was critical to get it right.
So that morning I had tocompletely rely on my assistant
department head and teammates toensure everything else looked
on point, while I focused solelyon the wig.
I told him I didn't even have asecond to look up or get
distracted.
On top of all that, twoproducers were coming in and out
(15:22):
of the trailer equally nervous,which didn't help because they
were just hovering.
But at one point the actor theactor john john noticed and said
are you okay?
I was cutting, I was trying tocut the lace on the wig and if
you can't see me, sorry, but I'mlike my hands were shaking this
hard and I couldn't even hardlycut the lace on the wig.
(15:43):
And he was like are you okay?
And I was like, no, I have somuch adrenaline going.
It wasn't nerves, it was well,maybe deep down it was nerves at
that point we had been doing so.
It was just.
It was.
We had to move so fast and theadrenaline was pumping so hard I
couldn't stop my hands fromshaking.
(16:04):
So it was hilarious and but itwas just, it was overall.
It was just such a wild timebut in the end ryan was happy.
My team handled it really well.
Everything was on point.
They forgot to bring water toset, which I was like how did
they forget the water?
Because everybody had to besweaty.
But it would.
(16:25):
It all worked out.
It all turned out great.
The scene was shot on scheduleand we pulled it off, and
moments like that remind me justhow crucial preparation,
problem solving and staying calmunder pressure are in this
industry.
So I hope you enjoyed thatstory.
Sometimes I come across thatpicture and I'm like, oh wow, I
(16:48):
did a really great job forhaving two hours to prep that
thing.
But anyways, I wind up gettingto do John John again and
establish his wig for anothershow a couple years later and we
were able to really fine tunethe look of that wig.
He told me at one point on thatshow he's like I love this one
(17:10):
so much more and I was like,yeah, because I had hours, if
not days, to prep this baby.
So anyways, let's move on.
The good news for you is youdon't need decades in the
business to start buildingindustry knowledge.
It took me decades Well, Ishouldn't say decades, because
I've only been in it for 17, 18years but it took me a good
(17:35):
solid decade to really hone theskills but also learn wigs also,
learn period hairstyling alsolearn character.
Work kind of came pretty easilyand naturally we just kind of
take it as it comes.
But the wigs and the periodhairstyling really is a huge,
(17:55):
major one that is highly indemand.
So I highly recommend that, andnot just hairstyling I'm sorry
I talk as a hairstylist, butmakeup as well.
But I just want to share withyou how you can accelerate that
learning curve, because that'sthe whole point of the
membership.
I put together One you canshadow and observe.
You need to volunteer to assiston smaller projects, observe
(18:18):
how other teens operate andfocus on how their roles connect
to yours.
There's so much you can learnjust from watching how people
communicate and manage theirworkflows.
I cannot stress enough howimportant it is to be a sponge.
Do every role day plane foreverto sponge up what you want and
(18:38):
what you don't want, how youwant to be and how you don't
want to be.
Two seek mentorship.
A mentor will teach you thingsyou never figure out on your own
, at least not for a while orwider way, and sometimes not
ever, depending on if you everdo something that you get to do
on set and you learn fromsomeone else.
(18:58):
So, finding a mentor like Isaid, sponging and taking jobs
and sponging off differentmentors is great, and it's not
just about hairstyling or makeup, but about surviving and
thriving in the Hollywoodindustry.
The machine Mentors are yourfast track to learning the
(19:19):
unwritten rules about thebusiness and also about the
technical skills.
Okay, number threeself-directed learning.
You can't wait for experienceto teach you everything From
documentaries to industry booksand even following production
professionals on Instagram.
You have the tools to learn atyour fingertips.
(19:39):
Never stop asking questions andnever stop observing.
I shared a story with you in aprevious episode about getting a
wig-heavy job, even though Ididn't have very much experience
working with them.
Getting that job and mentorshipreally catapult my career to
where it is today.
My department head was so kindand generous to share his
(20:02):
knowledge.
And then, while I was on thatjob, I had a moment where the
wig maker from Canada happenedto visit us on set and it
aligned for me to have apersonal moment and she shared a
lot of her knowledge as well.
So I got to get a one-on-onesession with this incredible wig
maker for her to sharedifferent tips and tricks.
(20:23):
It was just out of the blue.
She wasn't even supposed tocome down, so it was beautiful.
You never know what's going tohappen.
It truly had shaped my careerand made me the artist I am
today.
I absolutely love wigs and, tobe honest, I'm really good at
them.
I've had so many people fromthe crew or actors tell me that
they didn't know actors werewearing wigs until they saw them
(20:45):
without them.
When I was doing impeachment,we got nominated for an Emmy and
I'm not huge into social media.
I know I need to get better atit.
I'm trying, but it's just it'snot really my thing.
I remember my third reached outto me and she was like hey, you
really need to start pushingthings on social media, letting
(21:07):
people know what characters werewearing wigs.
I've been talking to people andthey have no idea that those
people were wearing wigs and Iwas like, oh really.
And so she made me aware, likeit was like the best compliment
ever for me.
But I was like, oh my gosh, ok,I got to get it out there.
So I started posting and tryingto share and tell people who's
(21:30):
wearing a wig and it reallytruly has become.
Wigs have become one of mysuperpowers superpower skills in
the business.
I love them so much and Ireally just love them too
because they can.
You can really transformsomeone into the character,
especially when you're doingperiod hair, because you can
give it any kind the character,especially when you're doing
period hair, because you cangive it any kind of haircut it
(21:52):
needs to make the period lookmore authentic.
Okay, when you combine yourtechnical skills with a deep
understanding of Hollywood'sintricacies, you stop being just
an artist.
You become irreplaceable.
Do you hear me?
You want to be irreplaceable.
Do you hear me?
You want to be irreplaceable.
(22:12):
You want to be so good thatthey can't ignore you.
People recommend you, theyrequest you for projects.
They trust you implicitly andthat's everything Hollywood
loves professionals who bringsolutions, not problems.
Build your knowledge, nurturerelationships and elevate your
(22:32):
craft.
It's the secret sauce to a long, thriving career in this
exciting, sometimes chaotic, butalways rewarding industry.
And you know, as I was sayingthis out loud, hollywood loves
professionals who bringsolutions, not problems.
I just realized like that's notalways true.
Actually, it depends on theperson.
(22:52):
Certain people get away withcausing problems and I shouldn't
say problems problems but theykind of rock the boat or they
have bad behavior and they neverget in trouble.
I've always been told that itwill eventually catch up to them
.
I remember a mentor was likewhether it takes 5, 10, 15 years
(23:16):
, it'll eventually catch up tothem and they won't get hired
back from anybody and we'll see.
But there are certain peoplethat I have seen that just kind
of get carried away or say noall the time or, you know, get
heated and throw fits.
It's not always the case, butthere are times where you'll see
(23:38):
that happening and you're likewhy?
I don't understand why.
Okay, before we wrap up, I wantto go back and dive deeper into
mentors.
Step one the role of a mentorin your career.
Mentors are more than justguides.
They're people who share theirexperiences, offer honest advice
(23:58):
and challenge you to grow.
A mentor's job isn't to handyou success, but to help you
build the foundation for it.
I've had so many mentors in mylife that did this.
They guided me, they correctedme.
They just really helped pavethe way and build my toolkit of
(24:21):
skills, and I've just been sograteful for it.
Okay, two how to find andapproach potential mentors.
Finding the right mentor startswith identifying people whose
careers, work, ethic or valuesyou admire.
Here's how to approachpotential mentors and build
those relationships.
Be respectful of their timewhen reaching out.
(24:44):
Keep your message concise andrespectful.
Express genuine interest inlearning from them without
pressuring them to commit toanything right away.
Always be honest and tell themwhere you're at and never
pretend to know things like justsponge up.
Ask questions, offer valuewhere you can.
Mentorship is a two-way street.
(25:04):
Even if you're early in yourcareer, you can support their
work, promote their projects orassist in small ways.
Plus, you can learn newtechniques, new skills that they
might not be aware of.
The industry is always evolvingand sometimes the mentors are
older and they don't know someof the new techniques.
So it's a win-win.
(25:25):
Help each other out, but don'tbe arrogant and just be
respectful.
Doing this shows gratitude andcommitment to the relationship.
Be patient, patient andconsistent.
Building a mentorshiprelationship takes time.
Don't expect an instantconnection.
Instead, stay consistent andlet the relationship grow
naturally.
(25:46):
There's so many people nowadaysthat just expect you to show
them everything, expect you togive your time.
That's not how it works.
Like, you have to be genuineabout this.
You can't just Like you have tobe genuine about this.
You can't just hey, I meet you,da da, da and then expect
everything right off the bat, orexpect to get a job when you've
met them one time.
(26:07):
No, like, you have to beconsistent about letting them
know like you're interested andyou want to learn.
You're available whenever theyneed help.
Like you'll do anything.
You'll just wash hair or washwigs or clean up and be a PA to
shadow, whatever it is.
Like.
Just show that you're genuineand you care and that you're not
(26:30):
just trying to use them.
All right.
Then the qualities to look forin a mentor.
The right mentor isn't justsomeone with experience.
Look for someone who is patient, open to teaching and genuinely
interested in helping you grow.
A good mentor is someone yourespect and trust and who
challenges you to improve.
(26:51):
Remember, mentors should guideyou, but they won't do the work
for you.
Choose someone who will pushyou and hold you accountable,
which I think I shared I don'tknow what episode.
It was the department head forAmerican horror story.
He saw that I was a turtle.
So he was like, okay, you can't, you're not going to make it in
(27:16):
this industry if you keepacting and behaving like this.
You have to get quicker.
So he wouldn't make me dodrills.
I used to get so frustrated.
I'm like you are so mean.
I don't understand this.
Why are you doing this to me?
Because he knew at the time Iwasn't great at clipper cuts.
Where I went to school theydidn't allow you to even touch a
(27:36):
clipper.
You had to do scissor or combfor everything.
But he knew that I needed toget quicker and I needed to do
it.
So I would have to cut thisman's hair, this clipper cut, in
30 minutes tops and he wouldget really upset if I took 45
minutes and I was like, oh, andI would get frustrated Like, why
(27:57):
are you doing this to me?
Is and I was like, oh, and Iwould get frustrated Like, why
are you doing this to me?
And then, now, looking back, Ireally appreciate that because
he helped me get faster and hehelped me understand what it
takes time wise in this business.
So that's the kind of mentoryou want someone that's really
going to push you and make youget better and not just going to
(28:18):
sugarcoat it and say it's greatand then talk crap about you
behind your back or say thatyou're a horrible hairdresser or
makeup artist.
That happens too, you know.
The other thing I want to sayhere is you have to be receptive
for constructive feedback.
I've worked with many peoplethat get annoyed if I come over
(28:41):
and I tell them that somethingneeds to be tweaked.
Or it's not looking like theright period, or it's just not
looking right.
I'm very delicate with it and Iapproach it in a very
respectful way.
I don't do it in a way that I'mtrying to make people feel bad
about themselves, but for somereason there's been a few people
(29:03):
in my life that anytime you sayanything, they get really
annoyed and then sometimesthey'll go off and they'll do
something completely different.
Don't do that.
Be respectful If you're wantingto grow as a hairstylist,
especially when a departmenthead comes up to you and is
saying, hey, this shape does notlook like the period or hey,
(29:28):
this needs to be tweaked becauseit doesn't match the photo of
the real person or whatever itis.
You need to be receptive of that.
You need to say, okay, you'reright, or okay like.
I'll give you an example.
I had someone where we werematching a real-life character.
(29:49):
I told this person, I said, hey, whenever you go to style this
because I wanted to do one first, but we weren't able to,
time-wise weren't able to, timewise wasn't able to and I said,
okay, put some mousse in it andjust give it a blow dry, because
later on we're gonna, we'regonna grow this character into.
(30:11):
He's gonna be wearing more oflike a rockabilly hairstyle and
then, right now, it needs to bemore natural and stuff cut to.
I didn't get to see how thisperson did it and it went on and
on and on.
There were so many issues withthe actor's hair and it was like
always a problem, like a thing.
It was a thing and I was likewhat is happening here?
(30:33):
Because it shouldn't be havingthis many problems with it?
We'll come to find out.
This hairstylist decided not tolisten to my guidance and was
putting five different productsin this man's hair and I'm like,
okay, this man has fine hair.
It's supposed to look naturaland soft.
(30:54):
No wonder it's been lookinglike this and giving so many
problems and weighing down andconstantly having to touch it or
whatever.
So I kept trying to say, hey,you should probably just use the
mousse and just a hairspraylike a light hairspray.
Wouldn't listen, so it wasconstantly an issue.
Well, one day that person hadto go do something else and I
(31:15):
did the guy's hair.
I did the mousse, did the lighthairspray.
I literally didn't have totouch him up almost all day long
, like he just stayed put, therewas not this fussing and the
actor was getting annoyed by itand all this stuff like it.
Just so sometimes the point ofme telling you this is sometimes
(31:37):
you just got to listen to someadvice and to some guidance and
to some mentorship just becauseyou, whatever reason, whether
it's you're used to beingdepartment heads, or you're used
to making your own decisions,or the person's younger than you
or the same age as you and you,just like they and you guys,
(31:59):
have been doing hair the sameamount of time.
It's an ego thing.
Whatever it is like, let theego out the door.
You have got to allow yourselfto be mentored or keep yourself
open to learning from otherpeople.
Or you're going to stay in thisbox from other people, or
(32:20):
you're going to stay in this boxand I tell my sister this all
the time because she cansometimes lean more towards like
she's got better at it.
But back in the day she was aknow-it-all and she was kind of
closed off to any kind ofconstructive criticism.
Now she's a lot better.
We've had to break down thatego, break down that wall that
was up, and now she's learningmore.
But I always told her youcannot behave like this, or
(32:44):
you're literally gonna staystuck in one place.
Your career might go indifferent places, but as a
artist you're going to boxyourself in and you're never
going to become a better artist,like it's just, you're just
going to stay in one place, okay.
So I kind of went off on atangent there.
(33:06):
But yeah, let me see, let memake sure.
Yeah, okay.
So we're going to wrap this up.
So we're going to wrap this upand let's just go ahead again
(33:27):
and do your key takeaway.
Talent may get you the job, butindustry knowledge is what will
get you called back and alsodissolve your ego, if you have
one.
You really need to work on this.
We all are led by our ego atone point or another, but the
more that you can detachyourself from that ego, the more
you are going to embody all ofthese traits that I'm sharing
(33:52):
with you on these episodes.
Okay, going back to thebusiness skills, the more you
know about set etiquette,timelines and how to adapt, the
more valuable you become, andtrust me, that reputation as a
knowledgeable, reliableprofessional is priceless.
If you're serious aboutelevating your craft and
(34:12):
building a career that lasts inHollywood, I invite you to join
my Hollywood Elite membership.
When you're watching this, itmight be launched already or, if
it's not, you can sign up forthe waitlist to let me know that
you're super interested in it.
It's going to be loaded withmentorship opportunities,
(34:32):
insider insights and in-depthlessons to level up your
knowledge and skills.
If today's episode resonatedwith you, or if you know a
friend that it could help out,be sure to hit that subscribe
button so you never miss a tipand share it with your friend,
because we're all stronger whenwe lift each other up.
(34:52):
Remember, knowledge isn't justpower.
It's the key to your Hollywoodsuccess.
Go out there, create, masterand empower.
See you on the next one.
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