FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT OUR GRADUATES HAVE BEEN AND ARE WORKING ON

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Why choose AR?

Coming up to our 15th year in business soon, means we not only know the industry inside out, but we know and care about what you need as students. We’re here to teach you the skills to the highest standards, but we will also help you develop into the person you need to be to have a successful career. We want to nurture talent and work with you so that you will become the best of the best.

Our tutors have decades of experience and your success is as important to them as it is to you.

We are able to provide you with the highest standard of training along with a professional environment, giving you the experiences you need. The studios have so many big productions happening daily that you can’t fail to learn about the workings of life in the media.

Is the training really necessary? Can’t I learn on the job?

Yes the training is vital to your success. A trainee position in TV and film is expecting you to have a certain amount of knowledge and skill in both hair and makeup along with the right knowledge of the job. You will of course then learn throughout the rest of your career as you move from job to job and rise up the ranks.

Being fully trained means employers and clients know you’re not only able to do your job but able to do it safely. In the wake of the new normal after Covid-19, proving you know your Health, Safety and Hygiene, inside and out is incredibly important for a successful career.

The film and TV industry are becoming increasingly particular when hiring new people into the industry, most asking a level of training in not only hair and makeup but also hair cutting or Barbering.

How will I pay for the course?

It’s usually the only stumbling block for people. You know we provide the best of everything and you know you could have a successful career BUT how will you afford it?

There is no simple answer, but we are always available to discuss options with you. 

Some people are able to raise the funds through friends and family, knowing the fees for starting a career for a degree are 3 times as much helps to soften the blow and consider a low-interest high street loan, often very available depending on your circumstances.

Should I do any other courses alongside?

Our full time Intensive media course covers all the units you will need to make your break into this industry. If you are leaving school and currently too young to train here, we recommend a hairdressing or barbering qualification in the meantime. Often these courses will be funded at your local college and it means you will arrive here with some really useful skills and knowledge.

Often student loans and funding are available for level 2 nvqs in hairdressing and barbering, it’s worth a look as extra qualifications are excellent on a CV.

Is the school recognised?

AR Makeup School is the leading makeup school in the North West, with tutors who work on the country’s top Films and TV shows and we are literally inside the North’s Largest Film studio. We are well known in both industry and education. You will be proud to be part of AR and its success stories. We encourage networking through the school to gain contacts and experience, without our name being known for our excellence we wouldn’t be able to push you forward.

You will wear your AR Badge with pride.

Are there jobs available?

The TV and film industry is busier than ever in Manchester and the rest of the country. Space studios is fully booked for the next 2 years, and with it’s 6 studios, that’s a lot of filming. That’s just here though, there are countless TV shows, commercials, music videos, and movies being filmed every day in Manchester alone.

We can’t guarantee you a job at the end of the course, but we can steer you in the direction of the jobs. If you work hard and remain fully committed to your career, practice your skills and get along with people, the jobs are there and we will do everything we can to help. We guarantee indefinite aftercare for the rest of your career.

Can I come and have a look round?

Yes of course, you can make an appointment to come and have a look around and have an informal chat with the school principal. We will discuss the courses in depth and how they would suit you. You can ask any questions and talk about finances with absolutely no obligation at all.

Appointments normally take place around lunch time, week days, but we are happy to work with you to try and fit you in at times to suit you.

How successful have students been?

We are really pleased to say a good portion of our past students are now working makeup artists. Some more successful than others and some incredibly successful. Like any career, you reap what you sow and you have to work hard to succeed.

As tutors we are looking for you to impress us, not only with your skills but, time keeping, the way you work in a team, your ability to think on your feet and all the other things that show us you’re the potential MUA for the next job.

Just some of the things our students have gone on to do in the past couple of years include…

Kandahar (Gerard Butler,) No Time To Die, My Police Man (Harry Styles,) Call The Midwife, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Downton Abby, The Girl With all The Gifts, James Bond, Vogue, Cobra, Peaky Blinders, Victoria, Daily mail, BAFTAS, Katherine Jenkins, Curfew, I Hate Suzie, Something About Jamie, The Witcher, The Irregulars, The Feed, Missguided, ITV, BBC, SKY, Netflix, Amazon, MCFC, MUFC, Adidas, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Tolkien, World on Fire, Boss Model Management, Carol Hayes Management. The list really does go on and on….