I attended BM 7 years ago. Here is what I can present as a balanced view;
Instruction
The faculty are well qualified. You learn alot. There are no complaints about them. If you want to learn makeup, they will teach you. They also provide alot of opportunties to do real gigs, although unpaid, as a student, which is a good thing.
Administration
Positively evil. Especially Karen, the head of the program. For one, her makeup skills are abyssmal. She cant teach her way out of a paper bag. But thats not my complaint, thats just my opinion. BM introduced me to Rob Walters, a leading theatre artist. I took them up on the offer and began to help Rob out on productions. Got alot of great education from him, really worthwhile. I missed 3 classes, over ONE year, and was kicked out of the program for that. I have a Ph.D. from University of Toronto, served as an Academic Dean in Toronto, and worked at Ryerson University, UBC, and Simon Fraser in admini and faculty. In all my days I have NEVER seen someone expelled for missing 3 classes. I lodged an appeal and was readmitted by going above Karens head, to the director, who was a fair minded gal. At the end of the day, I withdrew from the program, I didnt want to stay in such an anal retentive, essentially negative environment.
I went on to become the National Artist for Estee Lauder, then for Arden. I then accepted a faculty position at the School of Makeup Art on Yorkville Avenue in Toronto.
So what is my final verdict?
I would avoid BM and seek out JC or another program. All the good instructors in the world dont make up for the repressive and old style high school style of administration they have in place there. For a tuition of 8 grand, I feel, with a Ph.D. behind me, at 49 years old, that I should be able to miss 3 classes without being expelled. The 3 classes I missed were because I was workign on set on production, and couldnt make the class. I wasnt hanging out at the beach, I was gaining industry experience.
I wouldnt submit anyone to this type of treatment.
