BAFTA winning make up artist Catherine Scoble
Catherine Scoble is a BAFTA winning make up designer best known for her work on with director Shane Meadows on 'This is England' and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
She is currently filming Fortitude for Sky Atlantic/Tiger Aspect in London and Iceland. Catherine is a member of thecallsheet.co.uk
This interview was originally posted in 2012
What got you started in the industry and what was your big break?
When I was doing my A- levels at school and just prior to going to Art College I met Hair and Make -up Designer Chrissie Baker. She was a friend of the family. She told me about her career and I was incredibly inspired by her and her work. After that initial meeting I set about gaining the training and experience needed to become a make-up artist like Chrissie.
My big break was being the Hair and Make Up designer on Guy Ritchie’s first film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. This was only my second feature as head of department. It was a fantastic experience, the script was so clever and the characters were brilliant. It was a very exciting set to be on. Also, a really interesting job for make up, I remember the character of Dog, played by Frank Harper, really went through the mill. He was run over and then head butted by Vinnie Jones who then went on to batter his head in a car door. He ended up with blood oozing out from everywhere. I’ve got fond memories of Lenny McLean, the Guv’nor, who was very kind and sweet to me, which is funny when you hear about other side of the man. Vinnie Jones was also a gentleman and it felt like the safest set I’ve ever been on!
More recently, you’ve designed all 3 of Shane Meadows’ ‘This is England’ projects. What’s it like working for him and that particular group of actors.
Working with Shane Meadows is very special. We start off with a general idea of the story but things can change and you can never be totally sure of what is coming up. You have to be adaptable. It’s a very exciting and inspiring way to work. I love it!
The group of actors in This is England are a proper family. We’ve all known each other for a few years now. I love working with them because there is no room for any actor’s ego or vanity. No one would allow it. It’s a very refreshing way to work and we recently wrapped on the latest instalment, This is England ’88. I can genuinely say I really enjoy working with all of these actors.
The looks in the 80’s were incredibly diverse, how did you move from the skinheads in the 1983 set film to the 86 set TV show?
The 2006 film had ended in a traumatic climax; the group’s rejection of skinhead culture began at that point. Any new direction had to have been a plausible step from this movement whose look was aggressive and beliefs were held passionately. Accuracy and authenticity was of paramount importance.
What research did you undertake and how did you come up with the designs?
The process started with a long research period. I wanted to capture the look of real people during this time, the 1980’s contained many ‘tribes’; New romantics, Mods, Psychobillies etc There was far more diversity in youth culture than today. I immersed myself in the period, looking at all the elements of youth culture of that time.
Picture research was vital for this production; I used Getty, PYMCA, Google images & Flickr to track down ‘real’ images from the 1980’s. I didn’t want to look just at what people seem to associate with the 80’s- namely big shoulder pads and big hair. I created a mood book for the series which contained several hundred images, with sketches and plans for each actor. Shane and I collaborated on the look for each character; we then discussed it with the actors, who had to be happy and confident with those looks. I based my final designs on those discussions and drawings.
How did you create the Tattoo’s?
I spent a long time at Diamond Jacks, one of the oldest Tattooists in Soho who had records of Tattoos going back to the 50’s. For the character of Combo, some of the tattoo’s had to be older than others, some were meant to be from Borstal and some from Prison. I then used a combination of transfer and hand drawn tattoo’s.
There was a scene in TIE 86 where Combo, played by Stephen Graham, was in the bath and cleaning blood and mud from his head. This was challenging for me because the mixture of hot water and sweat meant I had to retouch all of the tattoos between each take.
Part of your job is to help actors prepare for scenes, This is England has several intense moments. What can you tell us about that process for TIE’86?
Vicky McClure and Johnny Harris, in particular had some pretty intense scenes. At that point, as a make-up artist, you do what is absolutely essential and you leave the actor to prepare. It’s not a time to chat about what they want for lunch. You want them to know that you are there, but you don’t get in the way.
What’s been your best day at work?
Flying to Monaco to make up Roger Moore, at his mansion overlooking the sea, was pretty special.
What was it like winning the BAFTA?
It was overwhelming and I’m still in shock. I never expected to win and being nominated was an honour in itself. I feel incredibly lucky to have won for something I enjoyed doing so much.
The evening itself was wonderful; our table had Shane Meadows, costume designer Charlotte Walters and Roberto Troni from Channel 4. Peta Dunstall was also there, she worked with me on the series, not only is she an exceptional hairdresser, but a great friend. When my name was read out, I couldn’t move. I was so shocked; I forgot to thank my assistants Lily Beckett and Nadia Stacey.
If you could change one thing about the UK film industry, what would it be?
That’s easy. Shorter working hours and more money. At the moment, we seem to be going backwards.
Which film or film maker would you most like to work with (that you haven’t already)?
I had always wanted to work with Shane Meadows, so I feel very fortunate that I’ve realized an ambition. I also admire the work of David Fincher, Martin Scorsese and Thomas Alfredson.