October 2013
New studios for specialist hair and media make-up students at Summer Row
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Specialist Hair and Media Make-up degree students are getting creative in their own dedicated studios in Summer Row.
As part of UCB’s policy to upgrade and enhance teaching facilities, two fully-functional studios have been opened.
Undergraduates previously shared facilities with further education students at Richmond House. However, the rapid growth in recruitment for UCB’s successful BA and foundation degrees, launched in 2011, means HE students need more space to work on their dramatic creations.
One of the new rooms is designated for specialist hair and make-up. The second is a purpose-built special effects studio, underlining UCB’s position as one of the key training institutions for the next generation of specialists working in the film industry, television and the theatre.
Special effects make-up and prosthetics are key Year 1 modules for Media Make-up. Students develop the theories, practices and processes required to satisfy the demands of directors and costume designers, including visually stunning work on casualty effects, such as cuts and wounds.
In addition, students develop skills for presenting their work for photography. They are introduced to the basics of skin pathology as it relates to special effects. Coursework also includes learning how to sculpt, cast, apply and blend prosthetics for dramatic effect.
Despite being a highly-competitive industry, interest in Media Make-up courses continues apace. When it was launched as a part-time degree, 20 students were taken on at UCB. Last year, 120 would-be make-up artists and special effects artists were recruited and the intake for 2013-14 is almost 200.
The demand for places on our Media Make-up course is phenomenal. The number of applications is a testament to the high teaching standards and first-rate facilities at UCB. We believe the two new Summer Row studios, one of which has been developed for special effects work, will add to the learning experience of our students and further boost their employment opportunities. There are a large number of career paths for graduates, including specialising in television, film, theatre, photographic studios, the fashion industry, wig-making and special effects.