Hair and Make-up: How Can Sets Be More Inclusive for People of Colour?

In December 2021 ScreenSkills launched an initiative to encourage and fast track hairdressers and make-up artists with experience in working with Black hair or with makeup for people of colour into the film and television industry, aiming to create greater diversity of crew behind the camera to match the changes happening on screen.

Hosted by Akua Gyamfi, this event will bring together Hair and Make-up Designers, Regina Meessen and Nora Robertson, and Head of Film Continuing Professional Development and Future Skills at ScreenSkills, Emma Turner, to discuss the progress made and what else the industry should be doing to further improve diversity and inclusion in the Hair and Make-up department, as well as practical initiatives that can be implemented on set.

Event Schedule  

17:55: Please join the webinar waiting room  

18:00: Panel talk hosted by Akua Gyamfi 

18:45: Audience Q&A 

19:00: Finish

Speakers

Regina Meessen, Hair and Make-up Designer

Regina Meessen is a creative and expert Hair and Make-up designer, able to work with ALL hair textures and ALL skin tones. She began her career at the prestigious John Frieda salon in Mayfair, honing her specialist skills across all hair textures, extensions, and natural hair. From there, she accumulated several nominations and accolades, including the L’Oréal Colour Trophy at the Black Hair & Beauty Awards.

Since going freelance as a Designer, Regina has worked on hugely creative commercial, film, TV, fashion, and music promo projects. In 2021 she was nominated for a UKMVA for her hair designs on the Anais ‘Chuu’ music promo. Her talents have expanded into narrative, where her Hair & Make Up Designer credits include feature ‘Bonus Track’, the latest series of Waterloo Road and the upcoming Sky series Ama’s Story. She recently wrapped on The Wasp as personal Hair Stylist to Naomi Watts. Regina speaks English, French, German, and Dutch. Using these multilingual skills and her specialist knowledge, Regina regularly travels around the World for work.

Emma Turner, Head of Film Continuing Professional Development and Future Skills, ScreenSkills

Emma is a highly experienced UK drama Executive Producer and Producer with over 25 years of experience leading large-scale productions in the UK, including New Tricks, Holby City, Hollyoaks and Eastenders, overseeing new and re-commissions as well as complex cast changes, increased digital exploitation and the implementation of more effective ways of working. Emma excels in bringing together and manage the full matrix of departments from editorial and production, marcomms and post-production, through to compliance and delivery - inspiring teams to deliver the highest of quality to the audiences. Emma has been nominated for 3 BAFTAS, was a member of the BBC’s top 100 creative leaders, won a Women in Film and Television newcomer award nomination and has appeared on numerous international panels and as a judge on the Seoul International Drama Awards.

Emma is also a Senior Scripted Executive, working both in-house, on co-commissions and with client production companies, distribution teams and local producers across the globe, namely Fremantle (as SVP Global Drama), Sony, EndemolShine, Fox Africa and HBO Europe. She has vast experience working on scripted format development and original production, and on maximising collaboration and best practice, co-production and shared creativity within the scripted community. Emma has worked extensively across Europe, North and South America, Australia and Asia-Pacific, as well as developing and Exec-ing original dramas in Africa, South East Asia, Dubai, Egypt, India, Russia and across EU and Eastern Europe, including Exec Producing HBO Europe’s first (and hugely successful) Adria original 6 part series, directed by Oscar winning director Danis Tanovic, which has aired across the globe (including the US).

Emma joined ScreenSkills at the end of 2019 where she is heads up the strategy and implementation of Continuing Professional Development training for Film in the UK, focusing heavily on the emergence and adoption of Virtual Production, which will have a seismic impact on how we all work.

Nora Robertson, Hair and Makeup Designer

A BIFA-nominated Hair and Makeup Designer, Nora has worked on and designed a broad range of productions in Film, TV, Commercials, Editorials and Talking Head interviews. She is experienced in dealing with all skin tones and hair types. After training as a Hair Stylist with Steiner and running a successful salon in Mayfair, Nora travelled the world via cruise liner working in on-board salons. Nora re-trained as a Makeup Artist and has worked in the Film and TV industry ever since. Her earlier credits include Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum (nominated for the Best Scripted Comedy BAFTA); James Kent’s feature Testament of Youth (as Personal to Alicia Vikander); Johnny English Strikes Again (as Senior Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist), and Hulu series Four Weddings and A Funeral (as Personal to Nathalie Emmanuel). Nora went on to design on Sarah Gavron’s BAFTA-winning feature Rocks, for which she received a BIFA nomination for Best Makeup & Hair Design in 2021. Her latest work can be seen in Alrick Riley’s 3-part ITV drama Stephen, for which she received an RTS Craft award nomination; Aml Ameen’s Warner Bros feature Boxing Day; Sony feature The Invitation, directed by Jessica M. Thompson, and the upcoming BBC/BFI feature Scrapper, directed by Charlotte Regan.

Host, Akua Gyamfi 

Akua Gyamfi has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, with a career spanning fashion, film, television, theatre, print and online media.   In 2012 Akua founded The British Blacklist, a platform that celebrates the talents of British Black creatives across Screen, Stage, Literature and Sound. She also produces podcasts Your Aunties Could Never (popular culture), and TBB Talks (interviews with Black creatives from around the globe).   Alongside writer/producer Leon Mayne, Akua is the co-creator/co-exec producer and host of industry podcast & web series The Circle.   Since 2019 Akua is a co-founder of S.O.U.L. Fest Film Festival, an annual event which showcases the best of Black filmmakers and content creators from the UK and the wider Diaspora.

 

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