From Brush to Breakthrough: SFX Talent Lands Brighton MET Student in National Qualifiers 

A striking display of SFX makeup has helped a Brighton MET student earn a place in the national qualifiers for a prestigious WorldSkills UK competition.  

Alana French, who studies Theatrical, Special Effects and Hair and Media Makeup at the college, entered as part of the WorldSkills UK SFX Makeup for Film and TV Competition.  

To enter, Alana used her skills in makeup to create a realistic depiction of a person with third-degree burns, incorporating black smoke to show smoke inhalation, as well as a person in shock.  

Then, for the national qualifiers, Alana will be tasked to recreate her makeup for a person with third-degree burns, as well as a new design involving a bald cap.  

The competition tests entrants’ skills across a range of makeup and SFX applications, which directly links to jobs in the film, TV, and media industry.  

Alana described how it felt when she found out she had made the national qualifiers, saying:  
“It was quite a shock, I didn’t know if I felt I deserved it, mainly because I am a hairdresser…I’ve only been doing makeup for nine months, so I wasn’t expecting to get in at all.  

When asked about her chances of making the final, she added:  
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, but I would like it if I did. It’s in Wales, and it would be cool to go and experience a final in a different country.  

To find out more about all the Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy courses available at the college, please click here.