November 11, 2018

Emma F

Despite its fantastical premise, watching Game of Thrones always feels very real. Whether you’re watching the death of your favorite character or a battle between two others, computer and prosthetic special effects blend seamlessly, giving birth to one of the most captivating fantasy TV shows of our generation. Special Make-up Effects Artist, Emma Faulkes, was part of the team who helped bring this television fantasy to life.

Emma Faulkes recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special for her work on Game of Thrones’ seventh season. Starting out as a trainee for Nick Dudman on the set of Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows, Faulkes has always been drawn towards prosthetic effects. “I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be surrounded by so much talent on one of the greatest franchises in film history,” she says about the job, defining it as the moment she knew she needed to be a make-up artist. In fact, she had already studied make-up in the UK for two years before coming to MUD, searching for a class that was “solely prosthetics-based” and “was 100% focused on hands on practical learning.” Luckily for us, MUD served her needs.

But her time at MUD wasn’t all work, and she has some fond memories, too. When asked to share her favorite story, she recalled a time where her make-up kit was stolen out of the trunk of her car and her instructor, along with others all pitched in to replace it. “It was an act of kindness that I will never forget,” she says, describing her instructor, Mark Shostrom, as “an incredible FX artist,” and “the reason I travelled all the way from the UK to Los Angeles.” In fact, she even stopped by our Los Angeles school just last week to say hello to the staff! We are very excited about Emma’s success, and proud to say she is a MUD grad.

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