We acknowledge Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and give respect to their Elders, past and present.

Read our Statement of Reflection

Your Cart

Your cart is empty right now...

Discover what's on
Your Stuff
Lists
No lists found
Create list
List name
0 Saved items
Updated: a few seconds ago
Getting Started
Get started with Your Stuff

A free Your Stuff account allows you to save, list and share your favourite collection items and articles. This account will give you access to Your Stuff, NFSA Player and Pro. You will need to create an additional account for Canberra event tickets.

Confirm
Skip to main content
National Film and Sound Archive of AustraliaNational Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive

Mad Max Make-up Artist: 'We created Aussie punk'

2018

Invalid url

Mad Max Make-up Artist: 'We created Aussie punk'

2018

  • NFSA ID8Y13D3J7
  • TypeOral History
  • MediumAudio
  • FormOral history
  • Year2018

In this excerpt from an oral history with veteran make-up artist Vivien Mepham, she talks about developing the look of the characters in Mad Max.

‘It had some magic’, says Mepham, while conceding that the film was created on a very small budget.

Some ‘leather’ costumes were actually made out of plastic, and actors' heads were shaved and hair coloured by a local Melbourne hairdresser. ‘It was punk before punk’. For wounds, Mepham sometimes used real meat and tripe!

Another indication of the low budget was that Mepham’s make-up caravan was memorably destroyed in a spectacular stunt.

Lorna Lesley interviewed Vivien Mepham for the NFSA Oral History program in 2018.

Image: Vivien Mepham’s make-up caravan is destroyed during a stunt in Mad Max, 1979. NFSA title: 763283

In this excerpt from an oral history with veteran make-up artist Vivien Mepham, she talks about developing the look of the characters in Mad Max.

‘It had some magic’, says Mepham, while conceding that the film was created on a very small budget.

Some ‘leather’ costumes were actually made out of plastic, and actors' heads were shaved and hair coloured by a local Melbourne hairdresser. ‘It was punk before punk’. For wounds, Mepham sometimes used real meat and tripe!

Another indication of the low budget was that Mepham’s make-up caravan was memorably destroyed in a spectacular stunt.

Lorna Lesley interviewed Vivien Mepham for the NFSA Oral History program in 2018.

Image: Vivien Mepham’s make-up caravan is destroyed during a stunt in Mad Max, 1979. NFSA title: 763283

  • Interviewer
    Lorna Lesley
    Interviewee
    Viven Mepham
Industry professional? Go Pro

Need to license this item? A/V professionals and researchers can shortlist licensing enquiries via our NFSA Pro catalogue search and membership.

Get started with PRO

Collections to explore

More in Stories+

Personalized your experience

Save, create and share

With NFSA Your Stuff