Commercial hair and makeup procurement starts with four inputs: talent files, the styling states in the script, the call sheet, and the finished-version list. The hair and makeup department turns these materials into look-test records, application times, on-set reset tasks, and continuity photos, giving the commercial hair and makeup budget a verifiable workload.
The process below follows a real production workflow, from the handoff of materials through the end-of-day acceptance check. It suits brand projects with character close-ups, more than two looks, multi-day shoots, or planned pickups. By the end, marketing and procurement teams will know what each stage must provide and receive, and whether the quoted personnel, consumables, and working hours are complete.
Step One: Build the Hair and Makeup Schedule from Talent Files, Script, and Versions
The initial materials that production sends to the hair and makeup team should not consist only of an actor's name and one casual photo. Each actor should be associated with at least skin and hair information, close-up photos from the front and sides, current hair color and length, allergies or sensitivities, whether they accept contact lenses and press-on nails, and time available for the look test. The script should also break the same character into specific states: morning, work, exercise, rain, dinner, or changes after using the product should each be labeled separately.
Finished versions also affect preparation. The landscape master may rely mainly on medium shots, while vertical cutdowns may enlarge the face, hairline, and hands. Beauty or personal-care shots may examine lip color, nails, cuticles, and packaging cleanliness at the same time. If the actor must hold, apply, or test a color, the schedule should specify which hand appears on camera, whether a shade number is fixed, and whether styling products are separate from the hero product used in front of the camera, preventing packaging or formula waste during the look test.
The output of this schedule is a four-part mapping of character, state, shot, and version. Send it with the talent count when requesting quotes so the team can determine whether one versatile commercial makeup artist is sufficient, whether makeup and hairstyling should be staffed separately, and whether assistants are needed for hand models, multiple people on set, or parallel units. Without this step, later day rates often fail to represent the same scope of work.
Step Two: Deliver a Reproducible Look on the Look-Test Day
The goal of a look test is accurate restoration on the shoot day, not simply a flattering portrait. Each state should test the texture of the base under the principal shooting light, whether the lip color clashes with the product color, whether the hairstyle silhouette can withstand the character's movement, and whether the neckline, earrings, glasses, and hair obstruct one another. Different skin tones and hair types require appropriate products and expertise; one standard method should never be assumed to work for everyone.
International production rules are also placing greater emphasis on whether personnel can work with a range of skin tones and hair types. SAG-AFTRA 2023 Television and Theatrical Contract Update mentions preparing suitable hair and makeup personnel for performers from different ethnic backgrounds. This is not a domestic pricing standard, but it reminds brands working with international casts to define talent needs early and include specialist personnel, test time, and dedicated products in the plan.
Look-test acceptance can be standardized as a set of photos and records: front, left and right forty-five-degree views, profile, the back of the hairstyle, both hands, and key accessories. Next to them, record the base and lip-color product references, parting direction, curl pattern, press-on nail number, accessory placement, and differences between natural light, the principal shooting light, and a phone preview. If the look requires a wig, facial hair, tattoo coverage, wet hair, or body makeup, also add the application method, removal time, and backup consumables.
The look-test line in the quote should therefore state the number of people, number of states, estimated duration, approval rounds, and deliverable files. If the actor or hero shade has not been locked, list it as a separate phase first. Once confirmed, write the final state and time required back into the call sheet. This ensures that wherever a creative adjustment occurs, the added work is recorded there.
Step Three: Schedule Application, Changes, and Removal into Working Hours
Hair and makeup hours begin when the actor arrives prepared as required and continue through basic hair and makeup, camera checks, between-scene resets, look changes, and any assisted removal. Contracts for international performers distinguish ordinary makeup removal from assisted removal of wigs, facial hair, and special-effects makeup; the latter continues to occupy working time. See SAG-AFTRA guidance on hair, makeup, and wardrobe removal time for reference, while actual projects remain subject to local rules and the agreement between the parties.
When scheduling, production can first record the preparation minutes for each state and then determine which tasks can run in parallel. If the first setup begins with a hand-product close-up, the hand model can complete nail, cuticle, and jewelry placement while the lead actor continues with facial makeup and hair styling. A transition from a clean daytime look to an evening look can be scheduled during lunch or a major company move. Wet hair, sweat makeup, or special adhesive changes the original state and is usually best scheduled after the related dry-look shots are complete. The shooting order does not need to follow the script; it should minimize irreversible changes.
Even with the same three looks, the time required for localized adjustments can differ greatly from removal and a full redo. The quote request should mark whether each change involves intensifying the lips or eyes, redoing the base, changing a wig, or full-body treatment, and should state how many makeup chairs are shared. If several people arrive at once but only one station is provided, waiting time will be pushed directly into the period after the camera starts.
List consumables separately: false lashes, press-on nails, wig treatment, body concealer, specialty adhesive, specified brand shades, and disposable tools should all include quantities. The US FDA's cosmetics safety guidance advises against sharing cosmetics and recommends using a new single-use applicator for testing. On set, preparing disposable lip brushes, mascara wands, and decanted mixing palettes accordingly makes it easier to maintain hygiene when several people are involved. See FDA guidance on cosmetics storage and use.
Step Four: Build Reset Records by Shot During On-Set Maintenance
A touch-up call sheet should not say only "on set all day." The hair and makeup team needs to know which shots are detailed close-ups, which actions will disrupt the state, and which sections can be followed by a look change. Before close-ups, check shine around the nostrils and forehead, the lip line, the hairline, and flyaways. After movement or mist shots, record the level of sweat and dampness, the direction of hair sections, and water marks on the collar. During product-contact shots, also check the hands, nails, and packaging surface.
On set, shots can be divided into three categories: Class A requires detailed checks of the face or hands; Class B includes running, dressing or undressing, contact with water, or product application and requires a reset after the action; Class C is maintenance for wide shots. Leave a touch-up window after every Class A and B shot in the call sheet. When switching to vertical, recheck headroom, the outer hairstyle silhouette, and accessory placement, because a flyaway that was originally at the edge of a landscape frame may become an obvious problem in a tighter vertical composition.
Record the state number, shot number, and time for every reset. If sweat, water, dust, tears, or food contact occurs, photograph the state before, during, and after the change separately. A ScreenSkills hair and makeup training case notes that staff first use photos to check continuity with the previous day's look. This practice gives the team a reproducible reference for shooting on another day or handling pickups. See ScreenSkills hair and makeup trainee work diary.
This is also where the overtime standard becomes concrete. The time the hair and makeup team arrives, the time the actor begins makeup, the final shot, and completion of makeup removal may be four different points. In conjunction with the method for checking overtime billing time on commercial shoots, the quote should specify base hours, when overtime begins, meal periods, and transportation. Do not assume that "the shoot is wrapped" means the hair and makeup department has finished work.
Step Five: Handover of the Six-Line Quote and Continuity Photos
The final production scope can be grouped into six lines: preparation and reference-material organization, look testing, principal hair and makeup on shoot days, assistants and parallel stations, consumables and special styling, and overtime or additional call sheets. Each line should state the number of people, number of states, number of days, and inclusions. For example: "two actors, three states, one look test, one shoot day," followed by how additional actors, looks, or shades will be billed.
When comparing three quotes, make the deliverables consistent first. If Proposal A includes look-test photos, a product list, and continuity records while Proposal B covers only basic makeup on the shoot day, their totals cannot be ranked directly. Also check who purchases brand-specified cosmetics, when actor sensitivities and special requirements are confirmed, and whether pickups include restoration of the original state. Only after filling the gaps can you see whether the price difference comes from personnel level, working hours, or service scope.
The end-of-day handover should include at least final look photos, state numbers, products and shades used, hairstyle and accessory placement, records of changes after key shots, and ownership of remaining consumables. The master, fifteen-second cutdown, and vertical version may use different angles. This package lets post-production locate issues precisely and reconnect future pickups to the original footage. For the pre-production relationship between multiple versions, see Brand TVC Master Visual and Cutdown Planning.
If the project is still confirming the creative, cast, and shooting scale, first review TVC and Commercial Film Production Solutions and include hair and makeup states alongside the master, cutdowns, and distribution scenarios in the production checklist. The completion standard is specific: every look has source materials, every change has a time, every priority shot has a reset record, and every price can be traced back to a corresponding task.
File naming should also match the state table. Use the sequence "character abbreviation - state number - scene and shot number - shoot date - angle," and place front, profile, hairstyle-back, and hand photos in the same folder. Keep separate versions for the look-test day, principal shoot, and pickups without overwriting old records. Save the confirmed shade, nail, and accessory lists as read-only files. This ensures that hair and makeup, production, post-production, and brand review teams see the same character state instead of searching temporary chat images for the final version.
If you are preparing a branded commercial with on-camera talent, send ONCE the talent files, styling references, script states, number of shoot days, and version list. We can organize a hair and makeup worksheet through these five steps and provide a production scope and quote that can be checked item by item.
