Project T.M. Team 2 was made up of three incredible individuals: Thom (@_bythom), Mikayla (@royalmakeupartistry_) and Juanita (@shadowsandlove_thelabel). We chatted with them about their experience doing Project T.M. and all the things they learned throughout the 48-hour competition as well as about their time at The Masters and their goals for the future.
Tell us about yourself.
T: My name is Thom. I studied hairdressing at The Masters and before that, I studied makeup. My favourite part of my creative field is COLOUR! I love that it plays such a massive part in the overall look of anything—it can be subtle or bold and colours look different on everybody. I love that the industry is forever changing and it can make people feel really good.
M: My name is Mikayla. I’m studying makeup at The Masters. I’ve always loved the creative freedom that makeup offers and the limitless creations that can be explored. It’s so versatile and can be used to completely transform people to tell any story. My favourite element of makeup is special effects, so my dream job would be doing makeup on a movie or TV set.
J: My name is Juanita and I studied Fashion Design & Merchandising. I grew up around my grandparents always sewing and crafting, which made me want to pursue fashion myself. I’d love to have my own successful design range across Australia.
What’s one word you’d use to describe Project T.M.?
T: Exciting.
M: Phenomenal!
J: Collaborative.
What was your favourite part of Project T.M.? Did anything about it surprise you?
M: My favourite part of Project T.M. was being able to connect with other participants and making new friends and learning to work together as a team.
T: I loved that I was able to learn how to work on a photoshoot and being able to work with other creative minds was really exciting! The thing that surprised me the most is how intense some parts of a photoshoot can be. But the feeling of accomplishment when you see the final product is worth it!
J: My favourite part was getting to meet others from different fields, learning from them and bouncing ideas off each other.
Did you learn anything new about the creative industries? Did you learn anything new about yourself?
M: I learned how to work with others from different departments to create something cohesive that we all love. I also learned that I can keep level headed under pressure and how to be open to other opinions and not shut down any ideas.
J: I learned that being a strong communicator is important in directing the vision of the shoot.
T: I learned how to put together a mood board and also how to pitch an idea to a brand. The main thing I learned is how to listen to others and ask for help when I need it. I think it’s important to take into consideration everyone’s ideas—but also remember that your team is there to help and listening is the biggest part of teamwork.
What’s the difference between an everyday hair/makeup/outfit look vs. curating a look for a photoshoot?
M: We had to take into account the lighting, theme, costume, the purpose of the shoot—it all came into play.
J: When curating a look for a shoot you are given a brief to fill. Especially when working with a brand, the shoot has to work for their purpose.
T: To me, the difference between an everyday look and a photoshoot look is that there is a lot more that goes into a photoshoot look! Makeup needs to be different as it looks different in person than it will in a photo and hair needs to sit in certain places as not to create unwanted shadowing in the final picture. It’s the finer details that need to be put into a photoshoot that make the difference.
How did you feel once your look finally came together in the photoshoot? Would you do anything differently if you could have a do-over?
T: Amazing! The idea of it was really exciting and seeing it come together was a good feeling. I wouldn’t do anything differently. I was very happy with how things turned out—even when there were bumps in the road, my team and I always helped each other out to get the best possible result.
J: I felt relieved!
M: Amazing!! I wouldn’t change anything—I am really happy with how everything came together and how well our team worked with each other.
Any advice for incoming Project T.M.ers?
M: Have so much fun and enjoy!
T: Be prepared for ANYTHING! You might go in with a really strong idea of what you want, but when it comes down to it, any one thing could drastically change and you need to be ready. Good luck!
J: Be open-minded to everyone’s views and opinions and stick to the brief. Communication is really important for all team members to be on the same page.
Have you met the other Project T.M. teams yet? Click here to meet Team 1 and here to meet Team 3!
