Local 490 Crew Profiles: Natalie Hale

IATSE Local 490 has some of the best crew in MN on our roster. They have worked on features, short films and commercials. They are on the top shelf in the MN film industry. In this series, Crew Profiles, we are highlighting union members on our roster. Next up is Local 490 member Natalie Hale. She is one of our veterans in Hair & Make-up. 

Ms. Hale does Last minute touch-ups for Broadway Star, Caroline Innerbichler for Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, “Little Mermaid”

Tells us about you and what you do in Film and TV?  I work in the industry doing Make-up & Hair for Feature Films, TV Shows, Celebrity, Campaign, Music Video and Commercial Advertising. I am extremely passionate for this craft. I have many years of experience and am pillar in the Minneapolis film community. 

2) How long have you been working in Film? What got you interested in our industry?

I’ve been working on set since 1991. Growing up, I loved films. I would watch the old B & W classics all night long with my father. When I was 12 years old, my family owned its first video rental store. I worked doing rentals and then things really changed when we bought our first home video camera. My brothers and myself went wild and made endless movies, including horror. Of course it was DIY and I was the director and often the actress donning the fake blood. I continued to make films through high school and attended MCAD. I received a 2 year film degree from MCTC, then went to cosmetology school at Horst (now Aveda). I added a job at Pro Color, a photo, film developing center and met many people in the business. With all of these wonderful experiences and schooling, I started to transition from student films to professional sets. At first, I did mainly PA work and was a volunteer at the MN Film Board. I learned to network. I combined my love for films, art and people. I fell in love with the the Makeup Department. Since then, I haven’t looked back:)

3) Tell us some of the films and actors you have been a part of? 
My favorite film I worked on was, “A Prairie Home Companion” directed by Robert Altman & shadowed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Daily, in our make-up trailer, the team painted the faces of these amazing actors: Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Lindsey Lohan, Kevin Kline, Mya Rudolph, John C. Reilly, Virginia Madsen, Lily Tomlin, Garrison Keillor and many others. It was the most pleasant film experience that I had with an all star cast & crew. 

4) Who else is calling you for this work? 

Being in the Film Industry/Union for many years, has allowed me to cross paths with many producers and directors. I get calls for just about anything that needs a Make-up Artist’s touch and/or to spread positive energy on set. Aside from film work, I get calls from the Fortune 500 Companies that are home to Minnesota, and often get to make up their CEO’s.  I also have established delightful working relationships with many personal clients, who I glam up when not working on set. 

5) What do you feel is important for the future for Make-Up Artists? 
When I first started in the business, I was fortunate to have many HMU artists be extremely welcoming and who mentored me. They believed in me as person & as an artist. They brought me on sets to assist, work alongside of and collaborate. From this, I have learned valuable lessons, set etiquette, kit sanitation/ cleanliness, skill set and sharing of ideas, troubleshooting, quality over quantity and insane amounts of energy exchange! Over the years, out of respect and to keep the quality of HMU artistry intact, I have guided others with those gifts as well. I do this to honor those before me and I would like to ensure that our film craft is consistent for years to come. We have some of the best artists & humans in MN and I’m proud of the Makeup / Hair Community and to be a member of Local 490!

Natalie Touches up a model in front of 1st Avenue for a Plato’s Closet Commercial

6) Do you have any hopes for the MN Film Incentive?  I have worked on films since the 1990’s when “Snowbate” started.  I understand the importance it plays for our film community and for the larger state economy. I feel it is very important for our legislature to further understand the wider benefits everyone could reap when a film decides to shoot in a city or in other parts of the state. One way that I have been thinking of proposing, is to set to aside greater incentive amounts for larger tiers of films. For instance, a union contracted Tier 1, 2 or 3 project would bring more money to our economy than a non-union micro-budget indie. I would love to see 20 million in Film incentives each year. There would be so much work! In my humble opinion, this could be one way the State Govt shows to us that it is serious about our industry and job creation. I believe this is workable with the 16 billion $$$ surplus and it could be accomplished. I think it would be beneficial for many Minnesotans. I plan on getting even more involved to figure out new ways to encourage the Capitol to allot more film incentive money.

7) How long have you been a member of Local 490?  I have been a member in good standing of IATSE 490 since 1999.

Local 490 is proud to have members like  Natalie Hale on our union roster. All of our union members are the best in their stagecraft. You can find out more about  Natalie’s work at her website, click here.  Please support our film industry by hiring Minnesota’s best, like Natalie Hale and shooting your next production on a union contract. In doing so, you are getting the most experienced crew in Minnesota, your project will be safe, well run, your crew will be professional.  You will be paying the crew good wages, supplying workers comp, unemployment insurance and even retirement benefits. This supports our union brothers and sisters before, during and after your project.  Contact our business agent at this email, businessagent@iatse490.net,  to find out more about shooting union. If you would like to be featured in Crew Profiles, pls contact the social media committee, or email them at socialmedia@iatse490.net .