MMA's Blog

27 May 2019

Your Best Work - Sami Maskill and the Aspiring Artists Camps




In episode four, Sami Maskill is front and center as our Manager of the MMA's Aspiring Artists Camps. Learn why Sami looks at her work with the Aspiring Artists Camps as her best work .

Helping Create Future Makeup Artists!

Matt [00:00:48] We are going to talk to Sami Maskill today. She is managing everything, top to bottom, for our Aspiring Artist Camps. So what we want to do is give you a little bit more detail about those Aspiring Artist Camps. Because Sami's most proud of those Aspiring Artist Camps.

Matt [00:01:33] There's also some beautiful Special Effects Work that we're also going to highlight even though Sami's best work is what she does with the children of the camps. I couldn't let her get away with that, so we're going to cover some of the best work I found on her Web site.

Matt [00:02:03] Why don't you tell us, Sami, a little bit more about yourself.

Sami [00:02:14] I am a hair makeup and special effects artist. I primarily work in film. I went to Multimedia Makeup Academy like you said I am the Aspiring Artist Camp Manager.

Matt [00:02:26] And we're super excited to talk about that today. If you've been following along on our social media, we've made many conversations about the aspiring artist camps. We think it's very appropriate because the summer camps are coming up and you don't want to miss out on an opportunity to get your kid in there.

Sami [00:02:45] It's almost summer.

Matt [00:02:49] So everybody knows where the love...where the motivation is coming from, in regards to your work with with the kids at the kid's camps...How did you start getting into makeup?

Sami [00:03:01] Well, that's a good question. So I studied at Michigan State University right out of high school. I double majored in theater and communication.

Matt [00:03:09] That's why I'm wearing green today.

Sami [00:03:10] Yeah! I didn't know that I wanted to go into makeup until my senior year of college. So I on a whim I took a makeup class. Moreover, for years, I had been like, "oh gosh, I don't know if I want to take it." It was like an extra 60 dollars to take it to the kit fee. Also, my mom was like "'s 60 dollars. Just go take the class; you're gonna have fun." So I ended up falling in love. So thanks, mom.

Sami [00:03:42] So I lived in the area. I grew up here (in Troy, MI). When I graduated, I ran into Multimedia Makeup Academy. We used to be next to Benihana, and I used to go to Benihana every birthday. There was a big sign outside that said, "we're a makeup school," and I was like "This is fate!"

Matt [00:04:06] Two big support systems were your mother and Benihana.

Sami [00:04:11] Yes. Thank you for all that chicken fried rice.

Matt [00:04:13] I love that story because we could bring it right into how you feel that support system helped you. How important is it to have those parents that are behind you? I mean how fantastic was to have your mom right there beside you supporting you all the way?

Sami [00:04:35] Incredible. It was huge! All my life, my parents have all been very supportive of anything I wanted to do. Also, that helped me very much and shaped my entire future. I mean without them I would I don't know where I'd be, but I probably wouldn't be as happy as I am today.

Matt [00:05:08] Another theme we've touched on in past episodes is our instructors or students are headed in one direction, but because they were given that opportunity to test out this other direction they found their passion and then they fell in love. I couldn't think of anything that would relate closer than having these classes and giving that opportunity to kids if they've shown any interest in doing makeup. This is that opportunity to try it.

Sami [00:05:40] I mean as a kid, I don't know about you, but I went to so many different camps and random classes and all sorts of things. My parents were like "look, we have this that you could do. I mean it's not very expensive, it's concise. You're young, and you can figure it all out. However, why not try it?"


Matt [00:06:00] Why not? So, I mean, I did a lot of the sports camps, and the rest of my body finished filling out and then we realized I'm not doing pro sports. That's how that turned out for me.

Matt [00:06:12] So let's bring it around to the theme of the show. We want to talk about your best work, but as we mentioned, your best work is what you're doing with the kids during the student camps over the summer. The Aspiring Artist Camps: Why choose that? Why is that your best work?

Sami [00:06:33] You know it's hugely important to me. I mean, the kids are everything to me. They're fun to be around. It is something Special, Like Crazy and even cliche as it sounds to be around these kids who enjoy life and what they're doing and it's fun to sort of mold their minds.

Sami [00:07:15] Maybe they're not used to something in there, and they're learning something, but they're excited about it, and it's fun to be able to tell someone something...and For it to click in their brain and for it to work... it's unbelievable.

Matt [00:07:42] Any any students that you ran into that weren't even sure that they should be doing this, But come to the end of the camp, and they turned in fantastic work or what have you?

38160593_10157606575512926_8304419382503669760_nSami [00:08:05] All the time! It's a cycle where they think that they know correctly to do. I went through the same thing when I went through makeup. In my head, I was I like, "Oh, I know what this looks like." However, then when you try to make your brain make your hands do the work, it doesn't always compute, and it's frustrating.

Sami [00:08:28] When you go through the techniques and the processes, and you finally figure out precisely what it is that you need to be doing...I run into this with almost every single student. Where they have an idea in their mind and they, try to put it into their art and it doesn't come out as they thought they would.

Sami [00:08:45] But then I can show them exactly where they need to correct it and make it how they want to see it in their brain and then they are at least somewhat satisfied.

Sami [00:08:55] it's all right. It's all part of the learning process.

Sami [00:09:01] And I have so many students in my know actually that I would come to me and say "This isn't what I thought it was going to be." or "This isn't working for me. What can I do to fix this? What should I do now?" Also, it's exciting and liberating and fun to be able to help create a solution...


Matt [00:09:28] And it must be great to have that environment led by an expert.

Sami [00:10:16] That's something that's what's great about how they get to Play Like a Pro, and they get to, you know, there's an environment that's fine, and they get to go into this environment that has all of these trained professionals. Meanwhile, they get to play literally. I mean it's an art. It's fun for them. They get to use their creative brain and do something technical and all the while, learn how to do it right, And professionally. If they wanted to, they could make a career out of this, Plus we teach career prep as well.

Matt [00:10:46] I think it's great. Perfect. Well if anybody was interested in going to and click on Kid's Camps at the top of the page.

Matt [00:11:04] If you needed proof in the pudding Sami got on board, and we immediately worked on the web page to make it more comfortable. We also have an extended program. Do you want to take a second to talk about the extended program?

Sami [00:11:15] Sure I'd love to you! So the extended program is something that we've created for new this year. Our camps go from 9 to 1, and they still do, but now our extended programs are going from one to four. So if you need to go to work while your kids stay at camp or if your kids want to learn more (and they often do) then we provide that opportunity as well.

Matt [00:11:44] That's live on the Web site now!

Matt [00:11:45] And I guess the point I'll come back to is just this doesn't happen if she doesn't care as much as she does that doesn't go up on the Web site. Those options are put in front of you for you to take advantage.

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