Preproduction discussions between director Sook-Yin Lee and Spina focused heavily on Lee’s insistence that the transformation of lead actress Sarah Gadon from female to male in the film suspend the viewer’s disbelief. Rather than hinting at this look, she required an extreme authenticity which would cause the audience to question Gadon’s very gender. The director wanted to exhibit a young girl exploring a world as a boy, and convincing enough in her world that her boyishness is real. This was a demanding request as Sarah Gadon is quite known for her femininity and glamour, known for her work as the face of Giorgio Armani Cosmetics. As Head of the Makeup Department, Christina discussed with Gadon the process of transforming her feminine face into masculine one. The look was designed meticulously using makeup techniques that transformed her naturally feminine features into an angular boyish appearance. Jawline, cheekbones, brow, all roundness was removed and replaced with angular shaping. Skin tone and color was made more bland. Gadon’s transformation was stunning, but Christina work was far from complete. Sook-Yin Lee stated publicly that Christina was key to the success of this film in the same manner as the editor, music composer, and even the director herself noting that the professionals on this film “Are the best!”
The other dramatic task for Spina as Head of the Makeup Department was to make Raoul Trujillo (appearing as Octavio) age forty years during the course of the story. This work was just as much about what was not seen as what was visible. Spina concedes that she does a great deal of aging makeup for films and brings some very unique skills to this (Christina has a BFA in Sculpture from OCAD and studied Anatomy for her science credits, which included the study of specimens at the medical morgue; far from the typical makeup artist). She explains, “Aging skin isn’t arbitrary in form, wrinkles occur by various means: gravity, genetics, diet, sun exposure, skin elasticity, and age all play their part. The shapes and locations of wrinkles are specific to the movement and underlying facial muscles. Understanding these forms is essential in creating a true aging makeup. Creating crow’s feet, for example, requires that skin is stretched vertically while the makeup material is applied in several layers with some drying time in between, powdered to set, and released to then reveal horizontal wrinkles. This technique is then applied in small sections all over the face, stretching out each area in the opposite direction to create the desired wrinkles. Once the three dimensional forms are created, in this case all the desired wrinkles are established, we can then apply the color. Age spots, liver spots, freckles, enhancing darkness in deep wrinkles and creases. Color is applied using an alcohol-activated makeup, a product that looks like it is sitting below the skin, and is waterproof and longwearing. It takes a lot of work and a bit of science to mirror what time does on its own.”
While what can be seen in Trujillo’s appearance is thoroughly convincing, just as prominent is the work that Christina and her team did that goes unnoticed. Tattoos are extremely common these days, even among professionals such as actors who use their body in their profession. During the actor’s first day on the shoot Spina learned that he had a nude scene scheduled for day #4…and that his body is eighty percent covered in tattoos. Added to this was the fact that during this scene is when his character would appear as his oldest age in the film in this scene. For one day only of shooting, three makeup artists airbrushed tattoo cover-up makeup on Raoul and then Christina (with her makeup partner Jessica) placed him in the makeup chair to age him by four decades.
Spina’s role is that of assisting the artist and the audience to realize and experience the characters in the film in the most realistic and believable manner. The interaction between makeup artist and actor is not one-sided. Christina discusses with the actors and director how they will present these characters, along with research to fully develop this concept. Those who sit in her chair often find themselves altering their body language, posture, and mannerisms as the outward appearance helps them to further inhabit their character. During this process for Octavio is Dead, Spina recalls that upon witnessing her own appearance Gadon’s her posture would change, her facial expression looked more vacant than her usual lively self, her speech, her actions were all different, she truly became the male version of Tyler that appeared in the story. The reaction from Trujillo was great and expected. He was admittedly freaked out and self-conscious as anyone one would be when faced with such a radically aged version of themselves. The Yin to Spina’s Yang on this film was Hanna Puley (Costume Designer). She describes the process of working with Christina commenting, “She is always a calming force. Things can be very hectic on a set and I think what seperates those who are great from those who are really good is not only talent, it’s the ability to remain calm and problem solve when things get crazy. Christina is an exceptional makeup artist, anyone who has seen her work can tell you this…but what makes everyone want to work with her is that she does this even while in the eye of the storm. It’s an enviable attribute and something everyone on our set admired about her.”