Download Report - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

morning. But now, through the balancing of the
pigments, the photographic value of the make-up
does not change no matter how many times repowdering
becomes necessary.
The shades of brown used on the eye and lips
are prepared from the same pigments as the grease
paint and the powder, only extended to darker
tones. The shadows over the eyelids photograph
soft and natural and the lips appear in a soft dark
grey tone.
We also went very thoroughly into the question
as to what type of base is best suited for the purpose
of Motion Picture make-up. The problem confronting
us was to determine whether the liquid base
(which is also sometimes called as a paste make-up),
or the grease paint were the better,
We have been studying this question {or the past
five years and our present efiorts brought the decision
favoring grease paint make-ups. It may be
well for us to briefly give the reasons why we arrived
at this conclusion.
The liquid or paste make-ups are composed of
water soluble pigments. These pigments often times
become darker after being applied to the face. This
is due to perspiration. It being a fact that no person
perspires evenly on every portion of the face,
we find that in these particular places where the
performer perspires more freely, that the make-up
will often darken'and register spotted and unevenly.
Also, heat and light will draw color from a water
soluble base much quicker than from an oil soluble.
Therefore, there is the ever attendant danger of having
make-ups change during the day and become
either lighter or darker.
A number of well-known cinematographers can
testi{y to the truth of this statement, and in our
experience we know of certain specific instances
where expensive re-takes were necessary for this
reason.
On the other hand, when grease paint is made of
pigments that have been properly extended to their
highest degree, a uni{orniity is obtained that is reliable
and may be depended upon to maintain the
same color value for as long a period as might be
required for photographic purposes. Only in rare
cases have we found grease paint make-up becoming
spotted. It also has been {ound that grease paint
when properly applied photographs as a smooth,
silky skin texture and absorbs sufficient light to keep
it from going flat.
It might be well to state that we have manu{actured
both liquid and grease paint make-ups for the
past twenty years. We do not wish to leave the impression
that liquid make-up should not be used in
motion picture work, as such a statement is not true.
We find that the place where this type of make-up
can be used to great advantage is for making up the
entire bodies; for example, as used in the "Devil
Dancer," "Thief of Bagdad," and various .Arabian
and Indian pictures for creating the native coloring
of various races.
In such cases it is found as an ideal way of creating
the desired coloring effects for such types. However,
for use on the face, we maintain that grease
paint is the sa{est and most reliable form of makeup,
and we do not hesitate to recommend it.
We should also remember that with a grease paint
make-up, the muscles of the face retain their natural
elasticity and the artist does not feel the least bit
conscious of having any make-up on his {ace; whereas,
we often find that liquid make-ups dry and in
drying they contract to the degree that they might
draw up the tender muscles around the mouth and
eyes hnd retard their flexibility.
In closing, we cannot stress the fact too much
that make-up is the greatest aliy of the cinematographer,
and the most pliant tool of the artist. It
is our opinion that the new type of make-up, which
we have spoken of in this article and which we call
Panchromatic make-up, will have a beneficial efiect
upon motion picture photography and should play
an important part in prevention of re-takes.
In portrait photography the photographer touches
up his plates after the sitting is made, but in motion
picture photography the cinematographer resorts to
make-up, to touch up the artist before he is photographed.
We, therefore, {eel that the question of
make-up for Panchromatic film and Incandescent
lighting as well as all other types of film and lighting
systems, can be solved through the use of makeup
of natural skin tones.
We also maintain that a grease paint base is the
proper and most reliable form of make-up that can
be used on the {ace. It is also our contention that
the advent of Panchromatic film and Incandescent
lighting does not mean the elimination o{ make-up,
but that through the use of proper make-up, the
quality of photography can be improved.
Allow us to add that we welcome all suqqestions
{rom anyone in the pro{ession, and we would gladly
go into any problems referring to the Art o{ Makeup
as we feel that such criticisms and suggestions
play an important part in the further development
of this art.
DISCUSSION ON
MR. FACTOR'S PAPER
Mn. Volcr: The meeting is now open for general
discussions. Everyone speaking will kindly first
give his full name and address and affiliation, Society
or corporation.
Mn. Facron: We have some very capable makeup
artists here. Mr. Dudley of the Fox Studio
and Percy Westmore of the First National Studio
have given Panchromatic coloring almost every test'
Other studios have tried it and we have yet to get
the first complaint on Panchromatic make-up going
bad. The actor has a smooth, even skin surface that
we find photographs better than any other.
Mn. Duenav: I would like you to express your
findings on the matter pertaining to the rouges used
{or lip make-up under Mazda lights.
Mn. Facron: When Panchromatic film was
first used, we noticed that wherever red was used,
the red pigment seemed to disappear on the screen.
124 l