Name/Position: Sarah Ruttinger, director
Project Title: Abandon Ship
Project Type: short fiction
Description of work done: makeup art/face paint
Comments: The actors looked exactly as I'd imagined; Michelle was very receptive to instruction and brought many of her own excellent ideas to the table.
Name/Position: Kate O'Phalen, actress
Project Title: The Woman in White
Project Type: Short film
Description of work done: SFX ice makeup
Comments: Michelle made me up to look like a frozen sea siren and the techniques she used worked beautifully! I really looked like my face and hair were frozen and as if I could be a dead lady walking around the ocean. She was easy to work with and very enthusiastic about the project, as well. I would definitely reccomend her for any special effects work!
Name/Position: Alex Belzer, director
Project Title: Roller Death Derby 5000
Project Type: Make-Up Artist
Description of work done: Known as the person to go to on campus for film and drama makeup, I asked Miss McCullar to be the Make-Up artist for my film, Roller Death Derby 5000. I needed three Kabuki Ninjas to be in full face paint underneath their ninja costumes. In addition, she styled one of the henchman's hair, putting in some fantastic looking liberty spikes.
Comments: Miss McCullar, in addition to being reliable enough to drive four hours out to make it to the shoot, was a fantastic make-up artist. Using some pictures as reference, Miss McCullar did an expert job of making the ninjas look authentically Kabuki as according to my reference photos I provided. She seemed to have every material and tool needed, and created a menacing ninja in the end. And those liberty spikes? Flawless. A great make-up artist who was able to take direction well and work with me to achieve the vision I wanted.
Name/Position: Alex Rothauser, test dummy
Project Title: Special Effects Makeup Tests
Project Type: Makeup testing
Description of work done: Tested makeup for an aged look to be used in a student film as well as zombie makeup (rotting flesh, bruises etc) for fun.
Comments: It was a pleasure to work with Michelle. She is very professional and courteous from start to finish. When designing and applying the zombie makeup, we worked together to come up with a style for the final product and she took my input and guidelines while adding her own flair and expertise to the work. Before applying the makeup she made sure I had no allergies to it and that I was as comfortable as possible throughout the entire (and rather lengthy) process.
Name/Position: Alex Rothauser, photographer
Project Title: Movie Stills Reproductions
Project Type: Final Photo project
Description of work done: Bruising makeup needed for black and white photo project.
Comments: Michelle translated normal bruising makeup into bruising for black and white photos with ease. The two photos involved high and low light situations and Michelle expertly adjusted her technique to make the effect work for each photograph. As always, it was a pleasure to work with Michelle to achieve the look that I needed for the project. Her ability to take input and bring her own expertise to the work is her strongest asset.
Name/Position: Jake Alinikoff, writer & director
Project Title: The Usual
Project Type: The Usual was my advanced cinema production film at Ithaca College. It is about a lonely man who goes searching for love but doesn't find it. So to find Solace, he goes to a man who provides various services. The particular service the lonely man pays for, is to get beaten up. After he gets beaten up, he goes to a bus station and waits. While at the bus station he has a very strange yet touching encounter with a homeless man. The film is told out of order, and begins at the bus stop. It ends with the reveal of how the lonely man got beaten up.
Description of work done: SFX Make-up Artist.
Comments: The Usual would not have been half as successful if Michelle wasn't on board. The film necessitated real looking scars and gashes. Michelle did an OUTSTANDING job. The open wounds were beautiful. The make-up work she did, enhanced the performances of the actors. She is in complete control of her craft, and did a stellar job for me. I couldn't have been more pleased.
Name/Position: Jonathon Courtot, writer/director/editor
Project Title: Night Terror
Project Type: Horror/Mystery
Description of work done: "Night Terror" required several pieces of complicated effects make up. The antagonist of the film was a witch that appeared as muscle with no skin. Michelle needed to make up the actor so that this would come off realistically on the screen. In addition to this, there was a sequence where the witch peels off normal skin to reveal the witch skin beneath.
Comments: I could not have asked for a better make-up designer for my film. Michelle to a very difficult concept, created a plan, and executed it brilliantly. The effects looked very convincing and there were some great reactions from the audience. Her work, in my opinion, is what made my film the success that it was. Michelle is very professional and really helps make a film something unique.
Name/Position: Angelica Duncan, actress
Project Title: Dead Wrong
Project Type: Student Film
Description of work done: advanced makeup designs which included latex, blood, sores, wounded skin, etc.
Comments: Michelle is one of the most passionate, professional, and creative makeup artists I have met. She approaches her work with great enthusiasm, dedication and a desire to convey a true image and transformation of ones character through her work. I have worked with Michelle on several projects and have always trusted and looked forward to producing characters with her who range from flesh eating zombies to glamour girls. Over the four years I have know her, her skills and commitment to helping her clients feel comfortable have grown making the work experience both relaxing and exciting. I trust Michelle will continue to develop in her studies and that each opportunity she has to further advance in her work she will evolve and become one of the best in her field.
Name/Position: Chris Hammar, director & producer
Project Title: Sway the Hand
Project Type: Feature Length Thesis Film
Description of work done: Makeup for various degrees of broken noses and black eyes. Hair and makeup to make a 21 year old look older.
Comments: Everything done was very convincing and realistic. The broken noses were the same every time (multiple shooting days that required the same makeup). Very professional and very fast. Worked well under time constraints.
Name/Position: Alexis Tanasoca, director
Project Title: The Trouble
Project Type: Short student thesis film shot on DV
Description of work done: There were six rotting flesh (zombie) hands and an oozing gash on a boy's hand (done for two different days).
Comments: Michelle is very good at what she does. She is professional, efficient, and skilled. She is very straight forward with what she expects and any concerns she has, which as a director made my job easier having everything properly prepared and planned. She is aware of how long it takes her to complete her tasks and communicated that well with me, which again was a big help.