Émilie Hua, the Marseilles make-up pro

Originally from Marseille, Émilie Hua came to the capital to attend the ITM course. It was a good idea, because today she works full-time as a make-up artist for cinema and television, a specialization she now practices in her native region.


How did your professional career start off?
In fact, it was through the ITM school that I found my first real professional experience. I finished my studies in June 99, and in August of the same year, I had a job assisting Dorothée Saïas, chief make-up artist and instructor at the school, on the shoot of the Pagnol trilogy with Roger Hanin. The three films were Marius, Fanny and César, all shot in Marseille, my home town. This experience has conditioned the rest of my career. It’s where I made the professional contacts that led to me specializing in television series and cinema. After that, I went back to Paris to work on a series called “In case of divorce”. I went from there to feature length films and television films like “Fabio Montale” where Alain Delon plays a Marseilles cop. Marseilles again!

For you, what were the most interesting make-up experiences?
The first that comes to mind is RRRrrrr !!!, the film by Alain Chabat with the French acting group Robins des Bois. I hade to make up the whole body to make it dirty, you can just imagine how much work it was! The members of the tribe were supposed to roll in ash: we did their make-up first with an airbrush, then added texture. “White”, the film by Bernie Bonvoisin was also very interesting, with oddball characters like these nuns that we made up like geishas or punks with very electric shades.

Is there a secret to be a good make-up artist for films?
You have to be discreet, sociable, a little bit of a psychologist too, and then be able to adapt to various work environments. For the rest, it is a question of professionalism. While some people say that contacts are essential to succeed in this profession, I would say that you won’t get anywhere without the professional skills expected of a make-up artist.

In your opinion, does the ITM prepare the students well to acquire these professional skills?
ITM is a very good school. First of all because it provides a lot a lot of practical training. The studies are also long term, an essential element to familiarize oneself with the profession. And as well there is all the training on the history of art, plastic arts, and the history of make-up which are also very interesting. If I was in Paris, I would give ITM trainees work. Just to compar, in Marseilles, there is a school I don’t call on because the students’ training isn’t satisfactory.

What are your projects today?
I am currently working on the series “Plus belle la vie” broadcast daily on France3, a national TV station. I also have a contract with the Arkopharma laboratory for the creation of their advertising and packaging. At present my life is in Marseilles where a lot of productions, notably Parisian ones, come to shoot. It is a professional, but also an emotional choice that is likely to last because I’m getting married this year !