What’s your name/age/job title?  

Amie Wilson, 30, Hair and Make Up Technician for The Royal Opera House.  

Please give us an overview of your average day.  

If we have a show in the evening, we go in around 1 or 2pm to prepare. This can include cleaning and dressing wigs or setting up our make up places and cleaning our brushes from the last night's performance.  

I work mainly on the Royal Ballet productions (the main stage is shared with the Royal Opera). When we don't have a show I work from 10am to 7pm, during which I might be mending or making new pieces of wigs or facial, preparing the wigs and make up designs for an upcoming show, doing wig fittings or make up tests, or I might even be on stage doing rehearsals.  

What’s the most common misconception about your job?   

Everyone presumes that it's glamorous, that we only work on the show itself and that once the show starts we go home. But we’re normally the first to arrive and the last to leave. The hours are long and the job can be quite physical.  

What’s the hardest thing about your role?  

Probably the unsocial hours. It could be worse though and generally people in theatre develop close friendships. It’s the people who make – or break – a job but I'm very fortunate to work with a great team.  

When did you decide what you wanted to do with your life and how did you set out to achieve it?  

I always loved art at school and knew I needed to be in a creative environment, making things and using colours. At about 17 I contacted a make up artist I knew who worked in film and asked to shadow her for a few days. I enjoyed this experience but knew I’d struggle with the early mornings and the slower pace involved in film.  

I wrote to the head of a theatre wig department and eventually got a work experience placement. It was at this point that I knew I wanted to work in theatres as the fast pace appealed.  

What can you do to get a head start?  

Get involved with your local amateur dramatics society; contact theatre or film schools and ask to work on their productions. Always keep a scrap book on you of things that inspire you and keep a note of shows that you’ve seen. You never know, one day you may need to remember how to create something you’ve seen before or even work with someone who worked on a show you enjoyed.   

Could you describe the creative element to your job?  

We need to be familiar with period hairdressing as we often need to dress wigs in, for example Victorian era or 1920s styles so reference material and a sound historical knowledge are important. At the ballet we often revamp old productions and need to stick to the original designs but it's great to put your own artistic interpretation into your work when working on a new production.   

Making a certain style suit a performer’s face and head shape to help them resemble the character is hugely creative.  

What’s the one thing you wish you had known at the start of your career that you know now?   

When I was in training I wanted to be able to do and know everything. That’s impossible as techniques evolve and change so often. We’re always learning or relearning ways to do things.   

It’s good to take your time in this career – too much responsibility too early isn't necessarily a good thing. Also, remember that we have to get very close to performers when they’re at their most nervous so a calm nature and a thick skin can come in handy.  

Which organisations/websites/resources do you think would be useful for people entering your industry?   

The first thing is to get a good training in Hair and Make Up. I did a BA Hons at The London College of Fashion. Do as much work experience as possible. When I was starting out I had to work on a lot of things for no pay, but you often get expenses and you’ll make a lot of contacts. 

For more articles, jobs and opportunities, visit our Design hub.