Hi! I just wanted to give you personal review of the school. I completed AMUA's certificate program last year. It was an intensive one month training program that covered all areas of being a Freelance Makeup Artist. Beauty, Fashion, SFX, and airbrush. They also provide you with an extensive kit that you will use in class and for a long time after. Lessons were very hands-on and thorough. The class size is small so there is always time to ask questions and perfect your technique. When I attended, Ashley Eisenlohr was the sole instructor (since then, they have added instructors) and I can't give her enough positive feedback. She has worked in this industry for a very long time and continues to work as a successful makeup artist in Nashville and many other locations. She is also a huge help after school. She lets you know about bookings and is always willing to give you professional advice. Also, the community of alumni is really strong. We are constantly communicating with each other and working together.
To respond to the other poster, AMUA and getting training is totally worth it. Not only do you gain proper knowledge and techniques (proper sanitation techniques are huge in the industry and a lot of MUA's don't abide by those procedures. gross), telling someone you were trained in a school and not on YouTube gives you a leg up in getting bookings. It's very hard to move to a big city and instantly start assisting without any connections or training (not to mention getting paid). Very few people would let a green MUA on their set. Personally, it gave me a lot of confidence to be able to submit to any gig because I knew my training supplied me with the tools and knowledge to complete the job. They also really prepare you for the real world with the business side of things. You talk about getting bookings, building your kit (on top of the extensive kit that is provided), doing your taxes, and set etiquette. Nashville is a great place to learn, by the way. We have a strong commercial market, a growing film and TV industry (do you watch "Nashville"?), and we are Music City USA so we always have plenty of artists shooting music videos and album covers.
As someone who completed the program, I will tell you the work I've been doing since finishing the program. I've worked on 5 music videos, 3 album cover shoots, 2 short films, 1 feature length film, tons of weddings and photoshoots. Most of these projects were paid. I will also mention that I've maintained a full time job on top of those projects. You get out what you put in.
If you have the means and a year to devote to schooling, going to a big school in NY is fine, but you have to think about all the extra costs of living in a big city like that and how saturated the market already is. AMUA is a great starting point for an aspiring makeup artist. You get plenty of training in a short amount of time, don't rack up tons of debt, and an excellent supportive community around you. You can always move on from there. I know girls who have gone on to NY and LA (I'm personally pursuing film in Vancouver in the next year), but there is tons of work here in Nashville if you go looking for it. I would recommend this school to anyone because it helped me find my career and immediately start working in the industry.
