Kathleen Matthews, or Kat Matthews, whichever you prefer, did the Complete Makeup Artist Program at CMU College, and was predominately interested in Film and special effects. Now freelancing in event makeup and bridal for hair and makeup, Kat says she has always loved makeup since she was a little kid. But things got going when she started Theatre and Film here at CMU College, learning and playing with special effects every day, that it has now become her favourite thing as a working artist.
Tell us a bit about your graduation and program.
I was valedictorian, so I had a really good time. We had a really tight knit class, and we had Ryan [Louagie] actually for three different classes consecutively, so we had this really wonderful relationship with the class and our teachers. It was a really special time in my life. I’m still best friends with the person I sat next to on the first day, we sat next to each other every class, we had our stations together, and I was talking to them this morning. I look back really fondly on my time.
It was awesome to get to learn the A-Z of out of kit effects, it’s so much fun. We did Prosthetics and Creature, and I had a great time with both of those as well, getting more practice in sculpting. And that’s also become one of my favourite aspects of makeup, is painting these appliances. You can just create so many cool different things, and seeing them play on camera is really cool. I’ve had a few prosthetics that have shown up in movies that I’ve done, where I get to see them onscreen and it’s really special to look at.
Favourite experience at CMU College?
Meeting my best friend is a good one!
I want to say photoshoot days because I was so proud of the work that I did, and I think all of them came out so well. It felt really special to showcase my stuff. Also, my graduation… Or the day that we did beards was so much fun, because everybody was walking around with a beard on. Or bald cap day. Not to toot my own horn, I did a beautiful job, it was so blended, it had age spots.. it was so funny. All the fun silly ones, those are the really good days.
Do you find that you found yourself prepared when you graduated to walk on a film set?
Yes, I definitely felt like I had a really good handle on the things that would be expected of a young artist. I considered myself really prepared with out of kit effects. I was confident with using the products and creating realistic effects. I knew it was something I could do, and I had experience coming into this from student films. So I had a little bit of what to expect, and then you learn as you go. Creation wise, I felt like I was definitely confident leaving the program with out of kit effect. It’s still a learning process as different sets have different vibes, working in different departments, like if you’re working under somebody or if you’re keying.
You said you were going in to do a film soon?
I’m starting a film on Monday, we’re filming in Toronto. Before that, I’ve done a few shows. I did a lot of CFC shorts after I graduated, the first year that I was working. One of them actually, four years later, became a feature that I was a key for. Fun enough, that’s not why they got me on. I was reading the script and I thought “I know this”. And then we got on the meeting and I asked “did this happen in 2018?”. And they replied yes! That was my first feature key position, and it was top 10 Canadian films at TIFF that year – Learn To Swim. It was the most beautiful experience ever, it was so magical.
Yeah, some film work like that. I’ve worked on some bigger union sets as a daily [but am not a union member]. A lot of indie stuff because I like having creative control. It’s really cool. Indie is a different beast. You’re kind of “making it work” on a different level. And under the restraints, specifically budget restraints, that you have to push yourself. I find I do really well with that because everybody’s coming together to make a specific project sing rather than “there’s 1000 trailers and you’re just just touching up your extras”.
What do you find, a skillset, that’s really helped you be able to get into the industry?
Be a personality hire, make people like you. That’s been the most effective. I am not an efficient or effective grinder, I don’t have that mechanism in me to go out and chase the job. You bring me around because I’m good at my job. Honestly the most important thing I can think of that a makeup artist can be, other than skilled and efficient, is welcoming. Make a safe space for the people onset, for the people on the crew, and specifically with the cast. Half the service that you are providing is daycare for actors. You’re creating these really intimate relationships. You’re helping them build a character, you’re working with direction and with talent to really change how the story is going to show up visually. To do that, you need to have the ability for people to feel comfortable being open with you.
And so that’s been all of my gigs post “having access to the job board”, word-of-mouth. Everything is word-of-mouth for me. I make a relationship with this person and then their friend needs somebody. That’s how most of my consistent clients have come through, one off jobs that I’ve done with someone they know. And now I work with them all the time.
Do you feel that CMU College prepared you for that kind of rapport building?
Yes. It’s tough to say because there’s certain things that are kind of in my wheelhouse as a person. Because this industry is so vast, there are so many ways to work. You can’t really prepare for how to have rapport with people in every facet of the industry because everything is so different. My experience has been tailored to what I’m capable of as a person, so it’s kind of hard to say. But I would say yes, but there’s definitely room for more instruction on how to be respectful and create relationships with people that last a really long time, rather than like just the rules of professionalism. I think for making it lasting profession or a thing that you put your time and energy into, that creating these bonds are really, really important part of that work.
Anything you want to say to anyone thinking of coming to CMU College, or pursuing a career as a makeup artists?
Love it. If you love it, and you love people, this is the job for you.
