Awards Radar recently had the opportunity to interview Matiki Anovmovie makeup designer Clarence’s book. In an email exchange, Anoff discussed how he became involved with the film, his research process, and how he designed Mary Magdalene’s appearance when she is stoned.
This movie is directed by james samuelfollowed by Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), he struggles to find a better life for his family while struggling to get his debts forgiven. Drawn to the power of the resurrected Messiah, Clarence risks everything to carve his own path to divine life, only to realize that the saving power of faith may be the only path.
Read on to know more about her endeavors in film.
Can you tell us about your background and how you became involved with The Book of Clarence?
Matiki Anov: I’ve been a multi-award winning makeup designer/head of makeup for over 20 years.My credits include: Fence, Malanyny, Wonder Woman 84, With Live, Notebook, to name a few. My recommendation to director James Samuel was Oscar-winning actress Regina King.
Can you share some insight into how it took hours of research to ensure that every scar on the characters was a true representation of their African heritage?
Matiki Anov: When I first read the script (a week ago), I immediately scoured all of my Google, Pinterest, Flickr, and YouTube accounts to establish a timeline of the era. After that, every night and every weekend after wrapping was spent researching specific tribes and their indigenous appearance. Getting this right was critical to the integrity of the film. I focused on areas like how a sword hurts a gladiator, and how a layer of dust changes the skin color of a poor character or a character who comes from far away. After curating a look, I would send images to James each night for him to approve my selections and often prepare for the next day’s shoot.
How did you create over 20 beards by hand every morning for filming The Apprentices?
Matiki Anov: The disciples did not have time to trim their facial hair beforehand. So I immediately teamed up with a talented Italian makeup crew to design a signature beard for each of them. Each disciple’s beard was painstakingly hand trimmed and color corrected to match each disciple’s skin tone and facial structure. We documented each look from every angle to ensure lasting continuity throughout the production.
Can you tell us about the process of designing Mary Magdalene’s look for this film, including when Mary Magdalene is stoned and her blood drips?
Matiki Anov: Mary Magdalene had a certain character arch that needed to be explored visually. Her character’s transformation from spirited rebel to humble follower of Christ requires a make-up change to embody the artist. I designed a stronger, tougher look for her early scenes and then stripped her look down for a softer, airier makeup look after the stoning. James and I agreed on a specific amount of blood to use in the stoning scene.
How did you ensure that the looks of the 500+ background actors accurately depicted the Biblical history and time period of the film?
Matiki Anov: My first approach was to work with a wonderful Italian audience director and her team of 15 artists to design ethnic looks for actors from diverse backgrounds. Once we established the regional looks, we designed tribal scars and makeup for each regional group. This includes the actor’s ethnicity, beard design, and tribal identity. Beards, scars, dirt, dust, and even leprosy.
What was the biggest challenge in designing so many looks in just four days of preparation?
Matiki Anov: I have to say that the biggest challenge was ensuring the authenticity of the time with such limited preparation. My joint American and Italian teams effortlessly synchronized and completed this at lightning speed. Small details like making sure the male character’s ear piercings were filled in were one of the biggest tasks for us. Additionally, hair was added to the over-plucked eyebrows of the female characters to faithfully express the era. But let me be clear: None of this work would have been possible without our precious and incredibly talented makeup staff in both the United States and Italy. Artists’ work is often not properly credited, but I would like to emphasize how lucky I am to work with such talented people.
What was your most memorable moment while making this film?
Matiki Anov: I have to say this was the most unique set I’ve ever worked on. Matera was physically challenging, but cinematically it was just magic. But the most memorable moments were actually between takes. Jeymes Samual (Director) is also a highly accomplished music writer, producer, and artist in his own right. Usually the AD insists on silence during setup, but at BOC James plays the music loud and the entire cast and crew dance and sing. I have never experienced such joy in the field.
What’s next?
Matiki Anov: I just finished another period drama, this time from the 1950s. murder of castro A photo of Fidel Castro arriving to give a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. However, many factions were trying to assassinate him. Starring Al Pacino.
Thank you, Matiki!