Media make-up students at Bath College took part in some scary work experience with ‘Fear at Avon Valley’ over Halloween.The scare attraction, at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park, was up and running for a third year, terrifying hundreds of visitors every night.

There are three different scare mazes, as well as a street theatre with stilt

walkers and a fire show led by Frank, the masked clown.

Level 3 media make-up students at Bath College are using their skills to get actors at the attraction looking as scary as possible.

Taking part has given them the chance to unleash their creativity and experience what it is like to work as a team under pressure on a live event.

Bath College media make-up trainer and assessor, Helen Eyre, said: “There are three different mazes within Fear – anarchy, purgatory and phobia. They all have different make-up and there’s also a street team.

“Our big priority was making sure the street team looks amazing and to help with make-up changes.

“The first hour-and-a-half is intense. You have ten to fifteen minutes to do each design, but it’s really good fun and the students have stepped up to the task. It’s a really great experience for them. Often within the college, we’re very generous with time. At the event, they have to work under pressure and that in itself is a really valuable lesson for them.”

Students studying for Level 3 Media Make-up at Bath College are asked to complete fifteen hours of volunteering and thirty hours of work experience.

On the course, they learn about cosmetic, photographic and camouflage make-up, as well as face and body art and how to cast small prosthetic pieces. Last term, media make-up students worked with performing arts students at Bath College on make-up for their production of Sweeny Todd. At Fear, they have been teaching actors some basic make-up techniques, including bruises and cuts, and how to make yourself look ill or gaunt.

Helen said: “The idea is that it’s a scare attraction and the designs are there to challenge people. The challenge is to make it as scary as possible within the time frames we have been given.

“Most of it is in darkness, so a lot of the designs are strong and bold so that

people can see them. As the actors go out of the gates, we flick fake blood at them as they walk past. There’s definitely a lot of screaming every night!”

Bath College is looking for more work experience opportunities for media make-up students. Please email: [email protected] if you can help.