They sculptfaces, add or erase years, create wounds, bruises, or illness, invent or revive entire eras... Behind every character is a makeup artist who brings them tolife on screen. And behind them, the AMC watches over, unites, and defends.
Behind the scenes of French cinema, the Association des Maquilleurs et Maquilleuses de Cinéma (AMC) plays an essential role.
Created to support a profession that lies at the crossroads of craftsmanship, technical skill, and creativity, the AMC brings together those who shape the faces of our imaginations.
Today, we meet Odile Fourquin, renowned makeup artist and active president of theAMC.
A chance to explore the association’s mission, the evolution of the profession, and their recent collaboration with Pics Studio, a creative hub for audiovisual production where expertise comes together and thrives.
Can you introduce the AMC and explain what led to its creation?
The AMC was founded in 2022 to bring together cinema makeup artists.
We were one of the only departments in the industry without a professional association, and that was sorely lacking!
We especially realized it during the Covid crisis, when many institutions weretrying to consult audiovisual technicians to establish new work and hygiene protocols.
That situation triggered the creation of the AMC — an idea we had been considering for years!
Today, the association has 123 members, mostly head makeup artists.
What arethe association’s main missions today?
The primary mission of the AMC is to raise awareness about our craft, highlighting how essential makeup is to the storytelling of a film or TV production.
We also aim to be a place of connection and exchange for all our members, where we share a wide range of information — technical, artistic, and related to our working conditions.
In practical terms, we’ve organized workshops with other departments, such as DITsand assistant directors.
We’re deeply involved in discussions with producers’ unions to add positions toour professional branch.
We plan to offer short training courses and are fighting hard for the creation of a César Award for Makeup and Hair.
Simon Livet (AMC member) and I have been elected to the César Representatives Chamber, and the conversation has progressed significantly (thanks in part to the petition we circulated last year, which gathered over6,300 signatures).
We alsosent out a survey to all our members to get a realistic overview of our profession. Once the results are analyzed, we will share them — including on our website.
What arethe current challenges faced by cinema makeup artists?
Our profession is simply too little known!
We are often contacted far too late in the production process, and our preparation suffers greatly.
Producers rarely anticipate the time we need to fully meet the director’s expectations, the demands of a script, the cost of specific effects or supplies, and the size of the crew required.
They tend to focus on big special effects but often forget that our work — though usually invisible — requires anticipation, testing, and constant collaboration with many departments (direction, production, cinematography, costume, set management…).
How doesthe AMC support the new generation of makeup artists?
The AMC supports young makeup artists by allowing them to join the association (which was originally open only to department heads) — provided they meet the membership criteria.
We share information with them directly and through our website, answer their questions on our WhatsApp group, and allow them to upload their CVs online.
Then, the network takes over — like in any community!
We share names and especially promote members based in regional areas.
As a professional, what still excites you about this career?
It’s apassion that hasn’t left me, even after all these years...
Make up is in my blood (and in my hands!).
A new generation is coming, the wheel keeps turning — but beyond working onset, I truly care about defending the craft I love so much.
How didyour collaboration with Pics Studio come about, and what did it allow you todevelop?
An AMC member was contacted by Pics Studio, who wanted professional insight into the design of their upcoming makeup and hair rooms.
It was perfect timing!
We’re often very disappointed by the conditions in some studios — too little space, poor lighting, lack of storage, or even basic amenities (water, shampoo sinks, power outlets, ventilation, etc.).
We were really happy to finally be consulted and to start a partnership with you.
What are AMC’s upcoming projects, and how can people follow or join the association?
The AMC has many projects ahead:
- Organizing regular meet-ups and workshops, both among members and with other professional associations and partners.
- Enriching our website with articles and interviews of make up artists, professional resources, supplier information, book references, and more.
- Analyzing the results of our industry survey and holding meetings to present the findings and brainstorm ways to improve visibility and working conditions.
- Following up on the César Award campaign.
- Continuing our collaboration with Pics Studio as the construction work evolves…
Membership requirements aresimilar to many professional associations:
- For head makeup artists : 3 feature films or 5 hours of fiction as department head, plus the sponsorship of 2 AMC members.
- For makeup artists : 3 feature films or 5 hours of fiction as makeup artist on the full project, plus the sponsorship of 4 AMC members.