It is hard to imagine a Hollywood movie that didn’t use any makeup. Sure, most of the time we take it for granted, and don’t really think about it when we’re watching a blockbuster film.

But in reality, it is an essential part of our movie-going experience. How else can we be transported to the story’s time, place and situation? Makeup helps create a character and makes the actor look believable in his or her role.

Like most of you, I always wondered how they did makeup in Hollywood. As a kid, I loved watching behind-the-scenes documentaries just so I could find out how they did makeup. And while special effects makeup would always amaze me, it was the period makeup that really caught my interest. There is something so magical about seeing an actor transform into someone spectacular with the help of makeup.

So when I had an opportunity to interview the makeup artist for the big-budget musical movie “Rock of Age,” you can imagine how excited I was. I could finally ask all the questions I wanted to know about movie makeup.

But first, a little background information on professional makeup artist Whitney James. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Whitney began her life in makeup when she took a college course designed for theater actors. It didn’t take her much time to know what she wanted to do; she relocated to Los Angeles shortly after to become a makeup artist in entertainment.

In only four years, Whitney ended up not only working on film sets, but also hired by studios and producers to serve as department head in various feature films.

One of these films is the movie “Rock of Ages,” starring Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Malin Ackerman. The movie is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, and is set in the ’80s. Whitney used MAC products for the movie.

How does a makeup artist prepare to work on a film? Do you receive guidance from the director or collaborate with the costume designer/art director/key hair stylist on the makeup look?

Usually, I start my own research immediately and soon after, connect with the hair stylist. We research and design and have ideas, oftentimes before the casting is complete. We will meet with the director more than once.

At the same time, the costume designer is doing his or her research and meeting with the director and preparing fittings. Each actor, too, is preparing for the role and has ideas to help support him or her in that role with regard to the look of the character.

At the same time, I am discussing with the production designer, costume designer and, most importantly, the director of photography.

From the designers, I will learn of any color limitations, etc. If the walls in a room are to be teal blue, then I wouldn’t want teal shadow. If the lead actress is wearing a particular red, say a blue-red, then I wouldn’t want to offset it or take away from it by using an orange-red or a pink.

All the while, taking all these into consideration, the makeup must be right for each face and appropriate for each scene. A sad and crying girl shouldn’t have bright perky makeup. A businessman shouldn’t have a two-day beard growth, unless it’s Sunday!

Once we all have our ideas, we sit down and meet and discuss. About two weeks before principal photography begins, we do a camera test, where we all discuss what is working and what is not.

How does makeup design contribute to building a movie character?

In very much the same way that an actor builds a character, I, too, have to have an idea of the character, to create a look. Where is the character from? What is the history of the person? What is the current situation? What are we trying to tell our audience about this character?

There is so much that goes behind the design of each character and to an actor, they expect (and deserve) our full attention to detail. They entrust us with one of their valuable assets, their face!

“Rock of Ages” is set in Hollywood in 1987. How true to the time were you? Did you really follow trends of that year or did you also tweak it, incorporating today’s trends?

I followed the period, but a larger time span of it. When we say the ’60s, we all have a visual, but the truth is, that is a decade. I was loose with the period of the ’80s, in the sense that I pulled from the entire decade; 1980 was very different from 1989, when you think of music bands, let alone the general public.

Musicians and actors usually set a trend, so I looked at bands and actors from Def Leppard to Boy George, from Donna Mills to Madonna.

What was your makeup inspiration for the movie? What looks did you come up with to achieve it?

I was inspired by the vastness of the period. There were so many crazy looks in the ’80s, more so than any other time frame I can remember. It was great that we had such a large number of background artists, so we really got to have fun with them.

At one point, Camille, the chief hairstylist, had 550 wigs working. We had to send every person through makeup and hair, so wigs had to be pre-prepped, modern-day facial hair removed (goatees, soul patches and three-day stubble weren’t period!) and then we could add the correct ’80s makeup, sideburns, moustache, etc. We clean-shaved most guys, but the older group of rockers, the ’70s guys, had moustaches, etc.

Camille and I worked closely together, along with Desne Holland and Sean Flanigan, our key makeup and hair persons, respectively. We had to pre-fit and pair each background artist with a wig and design the makeup to match (along with costumes). We couldn’t have a guy in a boy-band wig with guyliner!

The background artists are what really sell the period. We had to be cautious with our principal actors in their respective looks, making them true to the period but without any leeway for allowing them to become a spectacle. I believe we succeeded.

What was your favorite makeup look in the movie? Can you tell us how to achieve this look to make it wearable?

Julianne Hough had beautiful looks, more everyday with a flair from the period. I didn’t want to go to extreme with the period, for fear it would come off as too garish. Julianne had clean looks, with some blue and green shadows, fun lip tones and full brows. I utilized the fun ’80s stuff, but without covering her innocence and natural beauty.

Malin Ackerman had two distinct looks. She is a journalist when we meet her, all business. I tried to remember what the women that worked at fashion stores looked like, trying to play with their makeup and hair, but having to live within the constraints of being a professional. Once Malin’s character meets Stacee Jaxx (Cruise), she is transformed and realizes her sexual self. Here she becomes ’80s rocker chick, again without going over the top so we keep the beauty of Malin.

What are your top five makeup picks for getting the “Rock of Ages” look?

I studied ’70s and ’80s rock band books, fashion books and films. I used the ’70s looks for rockers (male and female) that were over a certain age, as most people hang on to their look from their “heyday.” The younger cast and extras I used the more modern ’80s makeups, facial hairs and tattoos.

When I met with Adam Shankman, the director, in the beginning, we spoke of layered looks, not just the north side of Sunset Boulevard. Adam explained that he grew up on Sunset as his father was an attorney who worked across from the Whiskey A Go Go, and that he remembered the businessmen being mixed in with the rocker crowd.

Got a beauty question? Email the author at ask.kellymisa @gmail.com.