Abisoye Balogun, who goes by the name Abisoye Circe, graduated from the Theatre Arts department of the University of Ibadan, where she majored in Makeup, with a minor in children theatre. She started Special Effects Makeup in her second year, working on stage play productions, and is now looking forward to building a career in Nollywood.
CN: When did you first discover your artistic talent?
When I was going to enter university I wanted to be an actor, you know, own the stage and get people to come watch you. The feeling alone was really thrilling, but immediately I entered school, I met people who were more passionate about acting than I was and I got discouraged.
I am a movie person, I sometimes skipped classes because of movies. I remember the first time I saw Terminator, I was perplexed at how he had a metallic face and wanted to figure it out, but at that time, there was no internet browsing and all of that. I guess I just got interested in my 200L when I needed to decide what I wanted to major in. Sincerely, I couldn’t even do anything at that time because everybody I met had no idea, people felt these special effects were “movie tricks”. However, I was going to get to the bottom of it, although just the drive was there with no instrument, manual or guide on how to go about it.
CN: Did you get any formal training in film makeup and special effects?
I learnt stage makeup from school, and I also learnt beauty makeup during my internship at Kandy House of Glam, then in Ibadan.
I had no training on Special Effects, none at all. I started to make my findings on how foreigners do it and I think I just started doing it too…building myself. Sometimes I have to draw in my sketch pad what I want to achieve and think about it for days, you know.
CN: What do you enjoy most about your work?
Challenges! Sometimes some clients just say this is what they have in mind and sincerely at that point I don’t even know how I want to go about it but I just know in my mind that I have to do it. It’s more like challenging yourself and it helps to make you better.
CN: What do you like least about it?
Sculpting
CN: Which professionals inspire you the most?
Marc Clancy (@Powdah on Instagram) and Amanda Prescott (@amandaprescottfx on Instagram)
CN: What advice do you wish someone had given you as a student?
Participate more in productions.
CN: If there were any other career that you would choose, what would it be?
Psychologist.