As we mentioned, we had feet on the floor, so to speak.
This year's Vancouver International Makeup Artist Trade (IMATS) show is technically the second makeup trade show to be put on in Vancouver. There was one last year put on by another group, that was assisted by Michael Key, but apparently the other group didn't have the means to continue and the Staff of Makeup Artist Magazine took the reigns. Comparing last years show to this one is like comparing Burger King to Morton's Steak house. They both get the job done, but one is much slicker and higher quality.
Coming into the Venue this year was a bit okward. Registration was off to the side on the landing of the stairway, sinage was there and the girls ran the booth well, so it wasn't too much of a pain.
The main floor of the trade show was a bit tinyer than I would have expected. Maybe we can chalk that up to this being their first year running it...or maybe the economy is slow and they didn't want to risk not selling booths in a larger venue. Who knows. Being kinda small and a bit cramped, it got warm fast on the floor. It defiantly helped that the attendees were an attractive, courteus bunch. No one seemed to be rude or stinky (like monsterpalooza). There were the usual suspects with Booths like the local makeup schools, Makeup Forever, NARS, Temptu, Kett, OCC, Smooth-on, all the makeup stores (Frend's, Namies, Nigel's and HollyNorth), as well as the 2 big inexpensive (dare I say cheap) Brush companies; Crown and Royal. Drunkenly at the after glow, I asked the guy from Royal if he owns that Royal-Crown brush company. Being a stand-up guy, he gave me a hard time then presented me with a few brushes to try out and review.
Across the hall was the student competition stage connected to the room with the Makeup Museum. The competition was as tired and dull as it has been for many years. There are the occasional students that stand out in the beauty or prosthetic competitions, but all in all...i couldn't tell you one single makeup that has won in the past few years. This is an area that could use a serious revamp. Maybe along side of the student competition, there should be a open invite Historical recreation like in years past.
The Makeup Museum was on par with what you'd expect outa Vancouver. The 3 big shops were represented. Bill Terezakis's shop built a piece just for the show that was prety cool. Toby Lindala's shop brought some cool stuff from some of the shows he has done lately, and Todd Masters have a bunch of stuff from Fringe. Along side of them was a couple smaller local boys's work. Some maquetes, some aliens, some sculptures, most all competently done. Oh, and Howard Berger sent up some nicely done display heads from the over-rated Narnia films.
The biggest pain in the rear was the classrooms. They were in the hotel across the street. Not that they were hard to find, but you had to leave the venue and go back and forth to see the speakers. Out of the classes, they were all beauty except the seminar from Smooth-on and the Prosaide transfer talk. I sat in on a few of the beauty classes, but they mostly seem to be sponsored by a makeup line with some half-cocked diva yapping about their products. I missed the only 2 Keynote speakers that I cared to hear what they had to say, Howard Berger (who I hear had an impressive new reel to play at the show, and Charles Porlier (dept head of the 3'rd Twilight film). The one I did pop in for was some french-canadian that does fashion shows. Was kinda bored there.
The Hotel that it was at had uber expensive food and refreshments, and there werent enough eateries nearby outside of the expensive stuff. The Saturday night afterglow didn't have a sponsor, so there wasn't an open bar like we are used to in Pasadena. Hopefully someone will step up and sponsor it for next year. Maybe we can get that Crown-Royal brush line to sponsor it.
All in all I think it was a great first year show. I'm sure the kinks will be worked out for next year.
