Most of us believe that life is about following your dreams and having no regrets. But for 25 year old Abu Dhabi resident, Beverlie Austine, this belief led her to make a bold move when she quit her desk job in 2009 to pursue her passion as a make-up artist, actor and singer. She told her story to Tempo…
Beverlie moved to the UAE with her family in 1999. When she was just 14 she started applying make-up for her friends and family. This hobby took a turning point one Halloween night when Beverlie thought of experimenting with special effects make-up (SFX). She used wheat flour instead of latex…and has come a long way since then.
With no professional training in SFX, Beverlie proudly proclaims that “YouTube has been my best friend” teaching her all that she needs to know. She also likes being as authentic as possible which is why she puts a lot of research in to her work. “When I do SFX work that includes burns and wounds, I usually put in a lot of research into how wounds and burns look and how they begin to heal,” she explained. Her work was so impressive, she says, that even doctors were impressed.
Beverlie has no regrets about quitting her bank job after a mere 11 months of employment, even though it’s been harder and her income has become unstable. She says that she lives by the motto ‘Vita Sine Paenitentia’ which means ‘Life without Regrets.’ Beverlie adds: “It’s because whatever you do in life, even if it’s not the best decision, it is what makes you who you are at that point of time”.
Beverlie worked her contacts and was soon off to New York City where she was introduced to Paul Hampton, the American actor and singer. She worked with him on a song and has since then been collaborating with him from overseas. Beverlie says that the trip to New York is what inspired her to follow her dreams. Once she got back to UAE, she took the Michelle Danners course for acting and worked on projects at the New York Film Academy.
In the last six months Beverlie has been working in Bombay where she acts and records voice-overs for projects back there, but she feels that the UAE is a better place to establish herself. After all Beverlie got the rare opportunity to work as assistant make-up artist for Mission Impossible: Ghost protocol which was partly filmed in Dubai!
“Mission Impossible was very organized, and a great experience! I worked with a professional team of people and got to know how it is to work with other people and actors,” she said of her experience.
But it wasn’t all fun and games when you work for the year’s most awaited movie. Beverlie remembers the long shifts, the tiring hours and how she even had to sleep in a tent at one point!
On top of it all Beverlie dabbles in jazz and blues, and also sings a bit of pop. She is currently a part of a band called Muzo Vendetta who perform at occasions and weddings.
“I want to have a firm foothold in each art form and to transition among. I have wanted to be part of the film industry since I was a child and I love being behind the camera so it’s not difficult.”
By Mahak Mannan
