Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre (2019)
Director: Aleksandra Svetlichnaya
Writers: Aleksandra Svetlichnaya
Stars: Aleksandra Svetlichnaya, Mariela Castillo, Sarah Megan Maltz, Victoria Stevens, Jackie DiFerdinado
During a road trip three girlfriends find themselves stranded in a strange town where no one utters a word. With the other two asleep Dylan (Aleksandra Svetlichnaya) decides to investigate the town, but when she learns that the town is cursed, she realises that they are all in danger. Returning to her friends they are suddenly faced with the monster haunting the town and must find some way to use their collective powers to finally stop the monster!
With the official premier of Hors D’Oeuvre in Philadelphia tonight I got an opportunity to ask MUAH artist Irina Kabak a few questions; about how she got into the industry and her experience working not only on Hors D’Oeuvre but the rest of the Dinnerverse series.
Q. How did you get into the role of a makeup and hair (MUAH) artist originally?
I studied for skin care specialist back in 2009 and the program included makeup application. Fortunately, I fell in love with that part of the industry right away and have practiced it since.
Q. When you mention hair and make, most people do not understand the full extent of what you actually do during the course of a film. Can you tell me a little bit about a typical day on set?
Days on set are the best days of my life. The process starts with setting up my hair tools and products, and my makeup products. Then I review call sheet and introduce myself to everyone I will be working on. If there is no schedule, I make it myself. I have to get a mood board or a description of a project’s vision ahead of time. However, it doesn’t mean I will not be creative in a process and add my own twist on looks I create. I like to start with hair and finish with makeup for each person I work on. I stay during the whole day of a project to touch up my work. Moreover, I have to look in a camera objective to check the way faces look on camera. I even sometimes advise to correct lighting if I see that it is not flattering.
Q. With so much to sort and plan, what sort of preparation is needed leading up to the film?
Preparation matters a lot! I definitely need I mood board sent to me prior to a shoot. It consists of pictures with makeup and hair creators want me to recreate or to be inspire with. Also, I ask for a location and shoot specifics. For example, if I have to do makeup outside, I have to bring table to set my products on and chair to sit a person in, extension cord and the means of connecting my hot tools to my car ignition.
Q. You have worked on the series since the start, but Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre is very different in regard to style, using antique cameras and use of 8mm film. Did the visual look of the film change the way in which you approached the hair and makeup?
Definitely! Just because it had to be black and white, I had to hyperbolize makeup colors to create more definition. It looks over the top and very bright in color. The theme of 50s meant a certain hair styles and specific makeup looks had to be created. I had to research and do several trials on myself to perfect my technique prior to working on a set.
Q. The main characters have a very distinctive look. What were you influences for the look and style of the characters?
Hair and makeup of 50s decade were my inspiration for this project. I watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel series to get an idea on how it has to look like. Moreover, I had to review some silent films to get inspired.
Q. It is often easier to see some of the more dramatic effects, but were there any subtle effects throughout the Dinnerverse series which you done with hair and makeup which people may have missed?
The first Dinner Movie was shot for a very long time throughout the day and not in a sequence of scenes appearing in a movie. No one will notice that just because my makeup techniques allowed main actress Aleksandra Svetlichnaya to jump from one scene to another without worrying about her hair and makeup. Another great trick we did in every Dinner Movie was taking close pictures of hair and makeup for continuity. It allowed me to recreate looks on a different day of shoot in the smallest details. Third subtle detail not everyone would notice is using cluster eyelashes to accentuate Aleksandra’s eyes.
Q. Have you had any situations where you had a specific style you were planning use for the film, but ended up changing it for any reason whilst on set?
Fortunately, our communication with Dinner Movie creator and a leading lady Aleksandra Svetlichnaya is top notch; therefore, I know exactly what she wants and she at the same time trusts my expertise which makes the process seamless and effortless.
Q. What were your favorite looks which you created in the series with the hair and makeup?
I love the last one, Hors D’Oeuvre was my favorite so far, because I had to create characters from a different epoch.
Q. Have you experienced any difficulties during film which you had to overcome?
Yes. All Dinner movies were shot outside which had to be considered in creating hair and makeup looks. Wind and other outside elements are the worst friends of a makeup artist and hair stylist. Challenge is to make everything stay the same way throughout the whole shoot.
Q. Do you have any other projects you are working on?
I am exclusively working on Aleksandra’s project throughout the years and don’t work on other movie projects at this moment. However, I have my own YouTube channel and working on getting it popular. I also own a bridal hair and makeup company called Cinderella Wedding Co.
Q. If someone was interested in getting into film as a MUAH artist what advice would you give them?
My advice is to practice and take any projects that come along even if it’s not paid well. It will allow to make connections and create a necessary portfolio for the future.
You can see more of Irina Kabak’s work on Instagram @irinakabakbeauty
You can also see my original review of Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre here
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
