We recently connected with Brooke Landis and have shared our conversation below.

Brooke, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Learning how to use makeup as an artistic medium was a fun and challenging experience for me. I grew up in the creative arts world, spending a lot of time in dance and theatre which helped me develop broad creative talents. It wasn’t until I was in college that I discovered how fun it is to change myself into anyone or anything with only makeup. Shortly after taking that one stage makeup class in college, I was involved in a 48 hour film festival with some friends, and I was the only one with any amount of makeup experience. I hadn’t practiced much since that one class, so I started watching YouTube videos to learn more about wounds and gore. The nature of the 48 hour film festival meant that we had no idea what category of film we would make, so I had to be prepared for anything from gory horror to fantastical fairies. Our film ended up being a drama with no need for makeup, but by that time I was hooked. I spent the following years practicing various wounds on myself, watching more YouTube videos, purchasing wigs and costumes to match my character makeups, and soon I stumbled upon body paints. The creative and abstract possibilities with body paints intrigued me, so I bought a variety of basic colors and practiced constantly. For years I watched others and copied their techniques, eventually learning why they did what they did. I took that knowledge and developed my own techniques that worked for me. Like in every creative skill, no artist will do the exact same thing as another. We all have our own ideas, different materials and time constraints, and all of that blends together to make something beautiful. But sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way I envision. That’s when I learn and grow.

With what I know now, after over 7 years in the makeup world, I wish I would have expanded my horizons sooner and not been afraid to try new materials, new colors, new styles of brush. We only grow through adversity, and with makeup that looks like trial and error. Create in ways you never have before, and you’ll learn more than doing the same thing over and over again. But don’t skip the basics. The stage makeup class I took was absolutely critical to my success as a makeup artist. We focused and practiced the basics of highlights and shadows, how to match a foundation to your skin, and the importance of skin prep. I do consider myself self taught from my years of solo-practice, but one six-week class with a good teacher did more for me than six weeks on my own. If I could do it all again, I would have taken the class twice, once to learn all the techniques, and a second time to help those lessons sink in. Doing most of the learning on my own took longer and required more dedication than sitting in a classroom. If I were to give my younger self one piece of advice, I would say “Fail often and learn.”

Brooke, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Brooke Landis, also known as Broke SFX & Makeup as part of Granon Film Productions. I am a PNW local bringing body painting and wounds/gore makeup to the indie film scene. I got my start in college when I took a stage makeup class, which focuses on enhancing ones features to be seen across the room. I took that knowledge when I and my friends were gearing up for a 48 hour film festival and practiced wounds and gore. Without knowing what genre of film we would be assigned, I had to be ready for anything. The festival came and went, leaving our group with a drama film that involved no makeup. But I kept practicing anyway, having fallen in love with the medium. Over the years, I taught myself new techniques, turning my stage makeup knowledge into film makeup, which requires a more subtle hand.

I specialize in wounds & gore and body painting for film and photo. I especially love working with indie filmmakers to bring their ideas to life, including Doomed Productions from Portland, OR on their recent film “Little Black Submarines” in which there were many scenes requiring blood and gore. My personal favorite was a scene where the main character is beaten by the antagonist, leaving a bloody mess on his face. It was fun to create an elaborate look with multiple bruises and gashes. In the opposite direction, I love joining Lindsay Soules of SouleDesign on fantastical photoshoots with elf ear prosthetics and beautiful fairy makeups. With many quick photoshoots and time-sensitive filming schedules, I have developed a speed and quality that is presently unmatched in the indie world. In just twenty minutes, I can turn an actor from clean faced to bloody mess and have them on camera. I have also done beauty makeup on over a dozen beautiful ladies in under eight hours in preparation for a formal event.

My favorite part of makeup is seeing the client’s face light up when what they envision has been brought to life. I work with each client to ensure that their vision shines through the makeup, and that they are happy with the final product. With makeup being so temporary, often washed off within hours of application, there are no re-do’s, no chances to try again another day. It is always important to find a makeup artist who can execute your vision, knows how to work within a time limit, and has a good reputation. These are the things I strive to achieve.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

For me, doing quality work 100% of the time is the best way to get clients. You can do all the marketing you want, but if you can’t execute no one will want you. Most of my clients come through word of mouth, people who have seen my work before or who have heard from a friend about my work. Its a system of recommendations and shout outs. When I do work with another filmmaker or on a photoshoot with photographers and models, I often post about our collaboration on social media which is good for everyone involved. The second most important strategy is networking. If I’m not going out and meeting people one way or another, it won’t matter how good my work is because no one will know who I am or what I do. So, get good and then show it off.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I find it is incredibly rewarding to have a creative and temporary way to express emotions, be it my own or someone else’s. It’s so beautiful to work with someone and bring their vision to life, often collaboratively, and I love when I present them with the final product and their eyes light up with joy. Doing makeup, on someone else or myself, is a time of focus and calm for me. I love putting on music and just having a good time expressing creativity, often with other amazing creative individuals. There really is nothing quite like the joy and excitement of putting my creative skills into a project and seeing the beautiful results of a collaborative, inspired effort.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.granonfilmproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broke_sfx/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokesfx/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@granonfilmproductions
• Other: https://brookew777.wixsite.com/website

Image Credits

DuraPhotography
WestBrook Photography
Artistic Cliques Photography